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Why the Beretta "hate"?

36K views 221 replies 157 participants last post by  Sledge 
#1 ·
I served with the Marine Corps, carried the M9, came home and bought and carried the 92 fs, and recently "upgraded" to the PX 4 Storm .45. I have yet to be disappointed with Beretta products, yet all I see on the internet is either bashing of Beretta weapons or outright overlooking of them. My question is--why? The price? Performance? Italian influence? I would appreciate any and all feedback regarding this. Why is Beretta generallly overlooked?
 
#2 ·
It depends on the arena you are talking about. In the midrange to high end sporting gun market, Beretta dominates.

Pistols...they are a little lacking. The 92 is a awesome platform, but it is dated. But, your only choice is 9mm-the 96's just plain suck.
The Storm is based on a all but failed platform, the Cougar... its like the old lipstick on a pig thing. They really do not make a pistol that can compete with the big names and I do not think that is were Beretta's focus as a company is.
I think they should have drop their Buck Rogers styling they started with the 9000s (fail) and built on the 92 series. They did a nice job with the Elite's and Vertec guns, but they failed with making a true compact version, they failed with making a 40 and 45 option, the "brigadier" was almost stupid. Then they come out with the Storm carbine (cool, but again, cut out a lot of sales because of the Buck Rogers theme), and at the same time, all but cut the promotion of the 92 series that would be the companion to the carbine... and give the same Storm name to a pistol that is not. That is just stupid IMO.

Some companies (Sig, Beretta, Ruger) just do not belong in the polymer market. They need to learn their niche and build what they build best.
 
#24 ·
I too am interested in the anti-Beretta sentiment. I would like to know why their pistols are "lacking" or why the Storm is a "failed platform" and why the 96 "plain suck". They are kind of pricey but so is the venerated Sig and many 1911s. I don't shoot a lot of different guns with any regularity so I don't have a lot of baseline to compare the 92 I own to a Sig/Glock/XD etc. So people with first hand experience would be good to hear more details from. Things like the trigger isn't smooth, or there is a lot of recoil, not comfortable hold/shoot, jams too much, not well balanced, etc etc.

Mike
 
#5 ·
One of my favorite guns way back when was the Beretta 70s in .22 LR with Beretta Flat Grips (minus the dumb thumb rest) that I had to special order.

Dang! I loved the heck out of that little uber-reliable rim-fire pistol.

It never missed a beat and it was accurate as all get out. :yup:

WHY? :confused: on Earth did I ever part with that one?

I love the little Beretta handguns.

OH...and the TIP UP barrel Berettas are great for folks with really limited hand strength.
 
#6 ·
In my humble opinion, it's the outrageous price of a Beretta that generates most of its scorn. Like Italian sports cars, it's a fine piece of machinery - but so is a Toyota. You can easily get equal or better to a Beretta in both construction and reliability (e.g. Glock, Sig, Ruger - even higher priced Colt, SA or S&W) for far less money if you're more interested in getting the best "bang-per-buck" instead of a "Ferrari-style" name (and premium price).
 
#64 ·
Nooo! I can't say why the Beretta hate, though I can say there is as much love out there. Today, on another forum, I read the phrase "Haters gotta hate. Lovers gotta love." People are overall passionate about guns, and tend at times to be passionate about their brands, so there is a lot of very passionate talk out there, both pro and against, about Beretta and any other major brand.
About the Nano: I must admit, it has not last any of the interest (maybe you're talking about your personal interest, and I misunderstood.) We have sold inventory through 2012, and I heard that one specific location of a major chain (can't mention which) received 5 Nanos last week, all spoken for, and has deposit orders for another 80 units!
There are a lot of great guns out there, all of outstanding quality, but I'd put the Nano proudly on that list.
 
#8 ·
I was in Desert Shield/Storm when Uncle Sam Decided that I needed a M9 instead of a 1911. I hated the M9. Now these are MY opinions so no hate mail please:gah:
1. its UGLY
2. Trigger sucks
3. Its a 9mm, ( I just dont like 9mm )
My Son carries a PX-4 Storm in 40S&W and Its ugly, its trigger sucks,
 
#17 ·
They took away our 1911's a few years before Desert Storm. I'm surprised it was before you, since the Coast Guard usually follows the other branches. Anyway, I was getting out and it was just one more nail in the coffin for me, as I had stopped caring at that point. To me it represented part of the new wave of politically-correct brainwash that was sweeping the military at the time. It was no longer about doing what it took to get the job done and more about how you did it, with success being secondary to the procedure. The adoption of the M9 with it's smaller NATO-approved bullet was just part of all that.

These days, I plan on picking up a 92 or M9 if it's a good deal, just to give it a fair evaluation (maybe for the nostalgia too). It'll be strictly a range gun though. I'd never trust my muscle-memory to carry something with a backward safety.
 
#9 ·
You've got me ..... I have 3 Beretta's and if I could only keep 1 brand, it would be those guns. Never had an issue with any of them, one looks new after 15-17 yrs of having it, and they all shoot great. They hold up extremely well, shoot great, etc.

Maybe they don't put enough plastic in them for some people.
 
#10 ·
My only experience has been with the M9 and their double-stack .380 (Model 84?) I thought both guns were enormous given the caliber they were chambered in. Plus, I have short fingers, and the M9 trigger is a bit long for me in DA mode. The added girth of the M9 over the BHP is not worth 2 extra rounds to me. I shoot it fine, but it's not comfortable. Bottom line--no hate; it's just not for me.
 
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#12 ·
I like my 2 Berettas the 21A Bobcat 22LR and the PX4 45. Both are fun to shoot but not the best choice for carry. They are also more expensive than the competition. M&Ps, Glocks and XDs are cheaper and have better safeties. Their Nano may be just the ticket but I can't find one yet and like my PPS which is only slightly bigger and is a 40 caliber.
 
#13 ·
Like every other gun make or model, there are going to be some who either love them or hate them.
I am sold on Glocks now, but used to have a Beretta 92G/SD, and I still have the 9000s (9mm)...both were great guns for me.
The 9000s is in the back of the safe, but it never gave me problems.
 
#15 ·
They have a European style safety...which goes from down to up...and is completley bass ackwards compared to US safetys which go from up to down.

Without a doubt, the up to down is more natural, faster, more ergonomic and requires less thought that one that works the other way.

Plus...its big and it aint cool looking.

Its like a good looking woman....with a faint mustache. Something about it just turns you off.
 
#18 ·
Hrmmm...I've always been infatuated with the 92's looks (purely aesthetic). I'm pretty new to shooting, and the 92 is on my list of "iconic guns" I'd like to own. That said, a Taurus (GASP, I know) followed me home from the last gun show, PT99 in nickel-satin. It was sold to me as 'unfired' and confirmed by a FFL I trust. He said it was actually a better gun than the Beretta, for having the frame mounted safety and no decock (NIB....from 1990!). I bought it so cheaply that I planned on trading it for the S&W 3G's that I've fallen in love with. The more I read on this thread, the more likely I am to take her to the range and/or carry her! There's something romantic about the Beretta name....maybe when I have money for guns I don't 'need'....
 
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#19 ·
The 92 is a good combat firearm, and even though "dated" (as if the 1911 isn't?) is still a substantial weapon. It depends on what you want it for. As for the other makes, I've never tried them, so have no opinion. Other makes have filled the bill for me.
 
#20 ·
I HATE 9mm. Personal thing.

On the other hand, the M9/92FS is the ONLY 9mm I would bring into the house. There's always been something about the look/feel of it that I like. Might also have something to do with the fact that it (especially when loaded) makes as good a brick for pistol-whipping as a Hi-Point. :rolleyes: But 1,000X more reliable.
 
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#21 ·
I find the PX4Storm sub to be difficult to handle in the event of a jam... slide is difficult to lock back with the safety in the way... more complicated to field strip. And I've never been able to get a feel for the trigger. But then, I love my G26. The Beretta, btw, is my friend's ccw, and I was wrestling with it at the range last weekend, trying figure out why it wouldn't chamber, only to finally find that the last round fired didn't clear the barrel. It would have taken only seconds to diagnose that in my Glock.
 
#22 ·
It was the Beretta 92 that got me into wanting to own handguns. Growing up my father had owned long guns but never a handgun. On a visit to their house a few years after I'd moved out he showed me a new aquisition. His first handgun.....an unfired Beretta 92. I was 23 and it was the first handgun I'd ever held.

I did some research and purchased my first handgun approx two weeks later. A Taurus .357. The rest is history. Since then I've owned; 1911's, .357 snubbies, .38's,
9mm, .22's and more. But never a Beretta. Go figure. Actually...just not my syle of gun. Don't know why. Too oversized for what I want I guess.

Darren
 
#25 ·
Love my Cougar 8040!! feels good in my hands and is quite accurate. The only drawback is it is pretty big and heavy to CCW. I'm looking for an LC9 as I like the 9's also, as well as the .40's. I'm fairly new to CCW and have never owned a handgun before - mostly shotguns and Long Rifles. Another nice thing about the Cougar is it eats anything I throw at it - reloads, commercial loads, JHP, FMJ, Corbon balls, etc!
 
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#27 ·
I hated my M9 with a passion but most of that was the fault of the issued magazines. To me it is a waste of time, it is huge for holding 15 rounds and I don't care for DA/SA triggers. I have not tried any others of the Beretta line but I am somewhat interested in the Nano.
 
#28 ·
I'm not sure if all the "Beretta bashing" is any different than all the "Glock bashing". I own a PX4 Storm and love the feel and looks of the handgun. To me, it feels natural in my hands. On the other hand, I dont care too much about Glocks because of their plain jane look. A ton of Glocks fans will want to hang me by my @$@!! because of that statement, but thats how I feel. Glocks are ultra reliable and I wouldnt feel under-gunned if I carried one, but I prefer Berettas. I think it's a preference thing. I know many anti-gun people who dont know diddley squat about firearms, but they recognize the Beretta and Glock brands. That says a lot.
 
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#29 ·
As BitReaver pointed out, it seems to be difficult to find informative objections. I am currently debating between a Beretta 92fs and a CZ75 and read this thread hoping to find some good information. Unfortunately many reviews I've seen here and elsewhere carry the same weight as if done by a 16 year old school girl. Beretta's are "just dumb" , "they are stupid". Not much info there. The complaints regarding the safety being one of the few with any real insight and is something I will pay attention to when I finally get to handle one. That and perhaps the complaints regarding the weight of some models. Those numbers are published though and shouldn't come as any surprise. Being a concealed carry site I can understand why a pistol like the 92fs may not have many fans for that application. However, even the 92fs weighs less than a Colt's model 1911 yet I doubt many would review it by flatly stating that it is "just a big, heavy, stupid gun". The 9mm does not have the knockdown power of a .40 or a .45 but has far more than the .380's that many are packing around and betting their lives on. Perhaps Beretta just came a little too late into the "tacti-cool" look. Todays firearms must have lots of rails on them to support a battery of lights, lasers, toasters, and microwaves. Otherwise the are "just stupid". Okay, have I pissed everybody off.
 
#31 ·
I do agree with your remark regarding the Storm Carbine. I don't know about others but its looks certainly turned me off. To be considered though is that most of the 9mm carbines currently available have gone the same direction. And, those that didn't (notably the Marlins and Rugers) also did not last. The Ruger 9mm's were produced in very small numbers. From the chatter I've listened to it seems that a 9mm carbine is a gun that many may want but that few actually buy. With regards to the 92fs, if this is the type of pistol you are looking for there just doesn't seem to be much available with DAO auto's being the current rage. If you are looking for a dependable and accurate service sized SA/DA auto the 92fs seems to be one of only a small handfull currently produced (with the CZ's also coming immediatly to mind)..
 
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