The beretta m9 slide failure fiasco

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BuckWildM9

BuckWildM9

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Ok im sure we've all heard about this one. "Your not a seal until youv eaten italian steel", the whole situation with beretta and their m9 slides failing at the junction causing part of the slide to break off and bust the shooter in the face. I know there were 14 incidents, 3 of 14 were in the feild, 2 of the 3 were soldiers and 1 was a civilian, the remaining 11 being in a controlled test environment. What im curious about is a recent purchase of an m9. It appears to be a newer model in that theres no wear on the finish, but then again it could have always been refinished. Is there some way to date these? Did Beretta ever fix the problem? Bassically im wanting to know the odds that in shooting my new handgun, the slide breaks off and i get an early dentist appointment.
 
BuckWildM9 said:
"Your not a seal until youv eaten italian steel"...

...3 of 14 were in the feild, 2 of the 3 were soldiers and 1 was a civilian...
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I dunno about all that other stuff, but I really want to see the those two soldiers and one civilian who are qualified to wear the SEAL trident!

;););)

Seriously, I haven't heard of people having this issue since these occurrences happened in the late 80s, and it's because they resolved the issue.
 
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Contrary to what the media misrepresents as the law, guns and gun manufacturers are still subject to product liability for actual defects. If slides of a popular handgun were breaking and smashing people in da grill on a continuing basis for nearly 40 years, Beretta would have declared bankruptcy long ago.
 
We shot thousands of rounds through M9's- so many, that the pistols only lasted a couple of years. We started replacing them with Glock 19's around 2005, and weren't sorry to see the M9's go. I saw many things break on them, frequently- but I never saw a slide fail.
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
I dunno about all that other stuff, but I really want to see the those two soldiers and one civilian who are qualified to wear the SEAL trident!

;););)

Seriously, I haven't heard of people having this issue since these occurrences happened in the late 80s, and it's because they resolved the issue.
Click to expand...

Well, one of my best friends is a civilian and he is well qualified to wear a SEAL trident and does when he dresses up in a suit (very seldom). Have to remember, a SEAL after retiring from the Navy is technically a civilian.

And, I know of at least one guy who spent three years in the army and switched to the Navy and become a Navy SEAL. Not sure if anyone would still refer to him as a soldier; I probably wouldn't.:eek:

As for the Beretta, as others have noted, that problem was solved many moons ago.
 
I was issued a half dozen M9s over the course of military service. Big, heavy, double stack 15+1. Could take it apart blindfolded (twice in the same time frame), and did just to shut up a cocky NCO who thought he knew better. Worst malfunction it ever had was not being accurate enough for me. Otherwise, no mechanical problems. I have worked with every aspect of JSOC my security clearance allowed. Most carried M9 just out of logistic simplicity (parts). And 9mm (G17, G19, P226) anyway for ammo availability. The discretionary budget in JSOC allows more than a standard M4 and M9 MTOE. The Berettas were not as bad as claimed.
 
LaneP said:
I was in the USMC in the early 80's when they replaced the M1911A1 with the M9 and all I can tell you is pistol qual scores went up immediately. I shot expert on the pistol range 3 consecutive years with it. No one in my unit did that with "old slabsides".
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I shot expert with both. (When they were actually scored for this.)

"Back in the day", when we did our qualification shoots with the M1911A1, the qualification for submarines for Reaction Force was a simple man sized silhouette and all we had to do was get 20 out of 30 "in the black" during the course of fire. This particular shoot wasn't done for ribbons...it was just a basic "can you shoot the gun well enough to carry one as part of the Reaction Force" course of fire.

The guy who would walk down the lanes and score them used a piece of chalk to mark the holes as he counted them, then wrote your score.

I remember the first time mine was scored...he just looked at the ragged hole about 3 inches in diameter and wrote "30" and moved on to the next!
 
LaneP said:
I was in the USMC in the early 80's when they replaced the M1911A1 with the M9 and all I can tell you is pistol qual scores went up immediately. I shot expert on the pistol range 3 consecutive years with it. No one in my unit did that with "old slabsides".
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I would guess that was in large part due to the fact that all the military 1911s were at least 40 years old by then and most of them pretty worn out.
 
Lucky Derby said:
I would guess that was in large part due to the fact that all the military 1911s were at least 40 years old by then and most of them pretty worn out.
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Indeed. Those pistols were mix masters and had been rebuilt untold times over the years. The parts just needed to fit together and not uncommon for parts to get mixed between pistols if multiple pistols were disassembled at once. And the other factor was the average serviceman only shot once a year, and that was at the pistol range.
 
LaneP

When my brother was a freshly minted 2LT and stationed in Korea during the early '80s, between himself and two other LTs, all they had was one worn out M1911A1, a beat-up holster, no magazines, and 5 loose rounds for it! Depending on who needed the pistol at the time (OD or Paymaster), they got the gun and the ammo!
 
bannockburn said:
LaneP

When my brother was a freshly minted 2LT and stationed in Korea during the early '80s, between himself and two other LTs, all they had was one worn out M1911A1, a beat-up holster, no magazines, and 5 loose rounds for it! Depending on who needed the pistol at the time (OD or Paymaster), they got the gun and the ammo!
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My buddy is Army Reserve and works the front gate at McDill AFB sometimes. On every occasion he has done so, he was issued an unloaded M9, per the base commander. If there is a problem, they are supposed to call the cops.........:scrutiny:

Although, interestingly, they are given live ammo when escorting aged munitions disposal transport convoys.o_O
 
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NIGHTLORD40K said:
My buddy is Army Reserve and works the front gate at McDill AFB sometimes. On every occasion he has done so, he was issued an unloaded M9, per the base commander. If there is a problem, they are supposed to call the cops.........:scrutiny:

Although, interestingly, they are given live ammo when escorting aged munitions disposal transport convoys.o_O
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After 9/11, the National Guard was posted at key spots in NYC. I was talking to one at NY’s Penn Station, who carried an M9 and an M16A2. Full mag no round chambered in the M9 and 3 rounds in his 30 round magazine in the M16. Unchambered.

I also was “volunteered” to get rifle qualified. 30 minutes on the rifle range with an old pre-improved Mini 14. Hit the target at 10 yards and you were qualified. Then they gave me a 20 round magazine with 10 rounds in it and I stood a post on the roof of 1 Police Plaza. No round chambered, of course.

it’s ALL about appearance.
 
Homerboy said:
After 9/11, the National Guard was posted at key spots in NYC. I was talking to one at NY’s Penn Station, who carried an M9 and an M16A2. Full mag no round chambered in the M9 and 3 rounds in his 30 round magazine in the M16. Unchambered.

I also was “volunteered” to get rifle qualified. 30 minutes on the rifle range with an old pre-improved Mini 14. Hit the target at 10 yards and you were qualified. Then they gave me a 20 round magazine with 10 rounds in it and I stood a post on the roof of 1 Police Plaza. No round chambered, of course.

it’s ALL about appearance.
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SMH. :fire:
 
BuckWildM9 said:
I know there were 14 incidents, 3 of 14 were in the feild, 2 of the 3 were soldiers and 1 was a civilian,
Click to expand...

Proof??


While its been awhile since we have had a row about the 92 series, that number seems quite exaggerated.
 
Homerboy: the Israeli military forces always carry their guns Unchambered. You might have known this.

My local, 2-day handgun “Mall Shooter” (type of) class was instructed by two Israelis.

Despite your gun’s empty chamber, I can not comprehend that so little ammo was given to you guys-especially after the largest US attacks since Pearl Harbor!

Even British and German police carry much more now, simply patrolling Nuremberg Train Station (I recently chatted with Polizei there), and London Heathrow Airport.....when there have been No recent attacks!
 
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Ignition Override said:
Homerboy: the Israeli military forces always carry their guns Unchambered. You might have known this.

My local, 2-day handgun “Mall Shooter” (type of) class was instructed by two Israelis.

Despite your gun’s empty chamber, I can not comprehend that so little ammo was given to you guys-especially after the largest US attacks since Pearl Harbor!

Even British and German police carry much more now, simply patrolling Nuremberg Train Station (I recently chatted with Polizei there), and London Heathrow Airport.....when there have been No recent attacks!
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And the Israeli’s had plenty of training to carry that way. We had none. It was just for show so people felt better protected.
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
I shot expert with both. (When they were actually scored for this.)
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I've also scored Expert on both. In the Navy, I was on a Crisis Response Team and our 1911s were upgraded. I remember that they had adjustable sights. We had to qualify on a Hogan's Alley course. I think it was called a Combat Handgun course.

Anyway, I then went into the Army after the Navy and was issued the M9. During qualifications, the RO had to walk down the line of shooters with a bottle of CLP and spray the stuck actions of the Berettas. Our unit Armorer was a moron who failed your weapon on inspection if there was any trace of lubricant on it.
 
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