Beretta M9
The Beretta M9 semi-automatic pistol is a premier combat and tactical pistol. It has performed time and again in the world's most extreme environments and conditions. There isn't a comparable pistol that is durable, reliable and dependable as the Beretta M9. The Beretta M9 has been appropriately nicknamed the "World Defender."
In the late 1970s, the US Air Force was looking to replace their revolvers with a modern semi-automatic pistol. At the same time, the Department of Defense saw an opportunity to standardize pistols across the entire US military. This resulted in the Joint Service Small Arms Program or JSSAP. The JSSAP would go through three different pistol trials in order to find a suitable replacement for the various handguns within US military inventory.
The specific process to do this was designated the XM9 program and set a total of 85 requirements that the handgun had to achieve in order to be accepted. Of these only thirteen were optional.
We can narrow these down to a handful of basic requirements. The XM9 pistol had to be chambered in 9 mm NATO and have a detachable magazine with a minimum capacity of 13 rounds. The magazine had to be able to be ejected without having to use a second hand. The gun itself had to be Double Action/Single Action and lock open on an empty magazine.
It had to make it through 5000 rounds with only eight malfunctions or less. This was portrayed as a minimum, but would be legally challenged later during an investigation of bias towards the Beretta submission. The pistol had to have an ambidextrous thumb safety, a decocking device, and a firing pin block for the hammer when it was lowered.
The testing began in 1977 and showed promising accuracy of the 9mm handguns over the 1911A1s with the Beretta 92 FS performing the best. However, the US Army argued that poor magazines for the 1911A1s resulted in less than ideal performance. Combined with disagreements about the Air Force’s temperature and environment tests, the Army rejected the test results.
The JSSAP agreed to do the test again with the Army conducting them. This led to new requirements being added and specifying that the pistol accepted would be referred to as the XM9 to be changed upon acceptance to the M9. After the JSSAP trials, the Beretta 92 FS was officially adopted as the M9 which went on to serve as the US Military’s primary handgun from 1985 to 2017.
Let’s look at it’s features and the shift in methodology it represents.
Price:$629-$770
Beretta M9 Standard Features
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The M9 is functionally a Beretta 92 FS. This means it is a semi-automatic handgun that does not feature feed ramps in the design. This results in the gun feeding ammunition easily without concern for ammo sensitivity for the pistol itself.
The open topped slide aids in reliability by allowing dirt, debris, and sand to escape from the inside of the gun instead of jamming the system. This would prove useful when the M9 would be deployed in the Middle East in the 1990s and early 2000s.
According to the JSSAP’s requirements the M9 would have to perform similarly to the 1911 in terms of ballistics. This was combined with the desire to standardize on a NATO cartridge for the new pistol. As a result, the M9 was chambered in 9 mm which provided acceptable terminal ballistics and a higher capacity when compared to the 1911A1.
The primary reason for the switch in pistol and caliber was the wide variety of handguns in US inventory and the dwindling logistical support needed to keep them running.
The M9’s interchangeable parts would make it easier to maintain without the necessary hand-fitting that 1911 style pistols required. This hand-fitting requirement was also greatly impacted by the pistols being worn out through their service time in addition to the skilled labor and parts needed to bring them back up to speed.
The Department of Defense decided it was in the US Military’s best interest to have a standard pistol with easily replaced parts. This made the Beretta M9 significantly better logistically than the previous issue semi-automatics and revolvers.
Beretta M9 Models and Variations
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Beretta M9
The M9 itself is a reliable handgun from the 1980s. It provides great accuracy from the factory and is easier to maintain than older designs.
However this does not mean it doesn’t have any drawbacks. For the time it was designed it was one of the first successful designs of the “Wonder Nine” years. With a 15 round capacity, it provided more firepower than single stack guns and revolvers.
During its trials the M9 was shown to help individuals with less training score hits just as well if not better than more experienced shooters with 1911s.
This comes down to 9 mm having less recoil than .45 ACP. The lower recoil combined with a relatively heavy frame makes the M9 more controllable. This controllability transfers over to better hits and a faster recovery time when firing.
But this comes at the cost of weight. The M9 is a heavy gun when compared to modern polymer pistols. While the weight eats up felt recoil, it will impact how often you carry the gun. Coming in at just over 33 ounces unloaded, the M9 is heavier than a loaded G17.
Combine this with the lack of ability to mount modern optics and lights and you have an under performing pistol by today’s standards.
While it is still a capable handgun when paired with a handheld light, there are better options for self-defense. If you are interested in the history of US small arms, it is definitely worth looking into.
M9 Specs:
| Attribute | Spec |
|---|---|
| Action: | Semi automatic, Double Action/Single Action |
| Caliber: | 9x19 mm/9mm Luger |
| Capacity: | 15, 10, 17, 20, 30, 32 |
| Barrel length: | 4.9 inches |
| Weight Unloaded: | 33.3 ounces |
| Overall Length: | 8.5 inches |
| Overall Width: | 1.5 inches |
| Sight radius: | 6.1 inches |
| Sights: | 3-dot standard, fixed front and rear. |
Popular variations:
Browse: Browse Beretta M9 Models
Beretta M9A1
The M9A1 was the first attempt to modernize the M9. This variant was issued to the US Marines starting in 2006. The pistol grip checkering was made more aggressive and the magazines featured an improved coating for sandy environments. The largest difference was the addition of a single slot picatinny rail for mounting lights or lasers.
M9A1 Specs:
| Attribute | Spec |
|---|---|
| Action: | Semi automatic, Double Action/Single Action |
| Caliber: | 9x19 mm/9mm Luger |
| Capacity: | 15, 10, 17, 20, 30, 32 |
| Barrel length: | 4.9 inches |
| Weight Unloaded: | 33.9 ounces |
| Overall Length: | 8.5 inches |
| Overall Width: | 1.5 inches |
| Sight radius: | 6.1 inches |
| Sights: | 3-dot standard, fixed front and rear. |
Popular variations:
M9A3
The continued evolution of the M9, the M9A3 is the largest jump in performance modifications for the M9. This version features magazine well beveling, swappable sights, removable grip wraps, a larger base magazine, and more Picatinny rail slots under the barrel.
For more on the M9A3 click here (link).
M9A3 Specs:
| Attribute | Spec |
|---|---|
| Action: | Semi automatic, Double Action/Single Action |
| Caliber: | 9x19 mm/9mm Luger |
| Capacity: | 17 (standard), 15, 10, 20, 30, 32 |
| Barrel length: | 5.1 inches |
| Weight Unloaded: | 33.4 ounces |
| Overall Length: | 8.7 inches |
| Overall Width: | 1.5 inches |
| Sight radius: | 6.3 inches |
| Sights: | 3-dot, removable sights (suppressor height, tritium, etc. compatible) |
Beretta M9A4
Currently the most modern version of the M9, the M9A4 features an enhanced trigger, tritium night sights, and an increased magazine capacity. This marks the first M9 variant to be compatible with a red dot sight from the factory. This addition is from the wider availability of reliable pistol optics.
M9A4 Specs:
| Attribute | Spec |
|---|---|
| Action: | Semi automatic, Double Action/Single Action |
| Caliber: | 9x19 mm/9mm Luger |
| Capacity: | 10, 15, 18 |
| Barrel length: | 4.8 inches |
| Weight Unloaded: | 32 ounces |
| Overall Length: | 8.3 inches |
| Overall Width: | 1.5 inches |
| Sight radius: | 6.4 inches |
| Sights: | Dovetailed Tritium Night sights, Red dot compatible |
Popular variations:
- Beretta M9A4 9mm Luger Centurion Flat Dark Earth Pistol - 10+1 Rounds
- Beretta M9A4 G 9mm Luger 5.1in FDE Pistol – 18+1 Rounds
Beretta M9 22 LR
This variant of the M9 is not a caliber conversion as most might assume. The M9 22 LR is actually an M9 chambered in .22 Long Rifle. It functions like the M9 in terms of take down and controls but is not capable of being changed to 9 mm. This is a great option for live fire training if you can’t afford using 9 mm all of the time. The pistol is also a great training aid for new shooters so they can get used to a full-sized handgun without the stress of a standard sized cartridge.
M9 22 LR Specs:
| Attribute | Spec |
|---|---|
| Action: | Semi automatic, Double Action/Single Action |
| Caliber: | .22 Long Rifle |
| Capacity: | 10, 15 |
| Barrel length: | 4.9 inches |
| Weight Unloaded: | 26.08 ounces |
| Overall Length: | 8.5 inches |
| Overall Width: | 1.52 inches |
| Sight radius: | 6.1 inches |
| Sights: | 3-dot standard, fixed front and rear. |
Popular variations: