sig63
Member
I just picked up a really, really nice 92s from Southern Ohio Guns. These are available in good to excellent condition all over the place now, usually with the various C&R vendors (but they are NOT C&R eligible).
I thought it would be useful for folks to see the difference between the two models. Enjoy!
First off, the most obvious and important difference: mag release is in a different position. This means that aftermarket grips will not work (like the ones I have on my 92FS). I suppose you could get some wood ones and cut a relief for the 92s mag release, but the 92FS cut will be there and won't look right IMHO.
Magazines WILL work, but ensure that they have the tabbed cut-out on the lower right side of the magazine (Beretta factory mags and some surplus will work, mec-gar and newer mil-surp will not). Dremel at your own risk but I am leaving mine alone...I have enough mags for one in the tube and two at the ready.
The 92FS mag well has a larger beveled cut in the front, allowing for faster reloads. The 92s is pretty snug; the first time I tried to load the empty mag shipped with the gun, I thought it didn't fit. That was just muscle memory from years of training on the 92FS and when I turned and aligned it, fit was snug but just fine. With this larger "flared" cut in the mag well, the front strap of the grip is slightly longer than the 92s. This is obvious by the straighter front grip on the 92s. I also have a different mainspring plug installed in my 92FS, which is why it doesn't have the lanyard loop. There is also a slight difference between the way the 92s and 92FS are cut in this area.
The 92s sights are lower and have no dots, just blades. My 92FS has higher white 3-dot sights, per milspec. Whether this affects accuracy or not...well, once I get it to the range I will report.
92FS on left, 92s on right
92s on left, 92FS on right
The trigger guards are different and reflect different shooting styles. The serrated front of the 92FS trigger guard vs. the smooth arcing curve of the 92s. I prefer not to use the trigger guard for offhand placement, and prefer the 92s version. The triggers themselves are shaped slightly differently, but they seem to feel the same. The 92s is not as crisp but I have not given it a good cleaning and lube yet so I will cover that in more detail after the range trip.
The finish of the 92s is simply beautiful. It has a really nice rich, deep blue on both the steel slide and aluminum frame. Compared to the standard flat-black Beretta factory finish on the 92FS, I much prefer the 92s. I have seen even well-worn examples that I actually thought might be steel-framed due to the way the aluminum finish had worn. (Note that my own 92FS in these pictures was a police trade-in with a lot of wear and some dings that I cleaned up and refinished in Alumahyde-II from Brownells...and 3 years later I am VERY pleased with it).
Note that the safety is not ambidextrous, operable only from the left side of the slide. This is my least favorite feature of the 92s, as I prefer to grip the safety to operate the slide when admin loading and unloading to ensure it is engaged.
I thought it would be useful for folks to see the difference between the two models. Enjoy!
First off, the most obvious and important difference: mag release is in a different position. This means that aftermarket grips will not work (like the ones I have on my 92FS). I suppose you could get some wood ones and cut a relief for the 92s mag release, but the 92FS cut will be there and won't look right IMHO.
Magazines WILL work, but ensure that they have the tabbed cut-out on the lower right side of the magazine (Beretta factory mags and some surplus will work, mec-gar and newer mil-surp will not). Dremel at your own risk but I am leaving mine alone...I have enough mags for one in the tube and two at the ready.
The 92FS mag well has a larger beveled cut in the front, allowing for faster reloads. The 92s is pretty snug; the first time I tried to load the empty mag shipped with the gun, I thought it didn't fit. That was just muscle memory from years of training on the 92FS and when I turned and aligned it, fit was snug but just fine. With this larger "flared" cut in the mag well, the front strap of the grip is slightly longer than the 92s. This is obvious by the straighter front grip on the 92s. I also have a different mainspring plug installed in my 92FS, which is why it doesn't have the lanyard loop. There is also a slight difference between the way the 92s and 92FS are cut in this area.
The 92s sights are lower and have no dots, just blades. My 92FS has higher white 3-dot sights, per milspec. Whether this affects accuracy or not...well, once I get it to the range I will report.
92FS on left, 92s on right
92s on left, 92FS on right
The trigger guards are different and reflect different shooting styles. The serrated front of the 92FS trigger guard vs. the smooth arcing curve of the 92s. I prefer not to use the trigger guard for offhand placement, and prefer the 92s version. The triggers themselves are shaped slightly differently, but they seem to feel the same. The 92s is not as crisp but I have not given it a good cleaning and lube yet so I will cover that in more detail after the range trip.
The finish of the 92s is simply beautiful. It has a really nice rich, deep blue on both the steel slide and aluminum frame. Compared to the standard flat-black Beretta factory finish on the 92FS, I much prefer the 92s. I have seen even well-worn examples that I actually thought might be steel-framed due to the way the aluminum finish had worn. (Note that my own 92FS in these pictures was a police trade-in with a lot of wear and some dings that I cleaned up and refinished in Alumahyde-II from Brownells...and 3 years later I am VERY pleased with it).
Note that the safety is not ambidextrous, operable only from the left side of the slide. This is my least favorite feature of the 92s, as I prefer to grip the safety to operate the slide when admin loading and unloading to ensure it is engaged.