Beretta M9 vs Glock 17 for Production

[Danny M]

I have Beretta M9 that I am very comfortable shooting after going to my first IDPA match and seeing all the Glocks out there.

Can this be a competative gun to use or is the Glock just a better gun?

i have very little experiance with the Glock and the way it shoots.

i want to be competative and am looking into gettting into Three Gun also.

Any comments are appreciated.

[The_Vigilante]

The disadvantage of the Beretta's is the DA/SA. However, as long as you don't mind the double action first pull of the trigger and it doesn't slow you down then go for it.

[Duane Thomas]

We don't actually have a Production division in IDPA, that would be USPSA.

There are so many variables here that it's difficult if not impossible to give a definitive answer to your question. On an empirical level, yes, the basic Glock platform is probably an easier gun to shoot than the basic Beretta 92/96 platform. Having said that, there are people in the world who can absolutely rock with either gun. Really it comes down to what works best for you. I suggest going to a gun range with a well-stocked rental case and trying any Glock that strikes your fancy. Shoot the Glocks, see if you like them, see if they perform significantly better for you.

Also, no offense intended, I'm just going to throw this out for your consideration, don't really look at equipment too hard for your salvation right off the bat. Again, no offense intended, but if you have to ask questions like this, the truth is that you're not going to be competitive - if by "competitive" you refer to having a realistic chance of posting high up in the match results within your class/division - for awhile. At this point just work on your basic skill set and have fun. Let the score sheet take care of itself. Better yet, don't even look at the score sheet. I don't.

[clown]

There is no reason you can't be competitive with your beretta. You have to practice the transition from double action to single action. Glocks have one pull and they are easy to work on. Throw a D spring in the beretta to help with the double action pull and practice. Now having said that, I use a CZ with a trigger job done by cz custom. It also has a DA/SA trigger but its a whole lot easier to shoot than my bone stock 92FS. I shot a glock for years but i did trigger work to that one too. Swithced to a cz because it fits my hands better. I say shoot whats comfortable for you.

[GOF]

Excellent advice from all above. I can only add this. I know a IDPA shooter who spent his first two years in the game with a Beretta 92 and worked his way up to an upper level Marksman. He changed to a Glock (this one was a 19... but the 17 would be a better choice) and six months later made SS, and this next Classifier (just a year later) should make Expert. Some of that may be his learning the game, but some of that is the gun choice. The Glock does have a very solid track record, and the consistent trigger pull does seem to aid rapid and repeat shots. A quick way to check is to set up the IDPA Classifier and run it with both guns. See which one works best for you.

GOF

Edited January 21, 2011 by GOF

[rvb]

No matter what gun you use, you'll have to practice to improve either way.

I shoot a 92. I keep saying I'll switch when the gun starts holding me back; when the limitations aren't just something I can overcome with a little more practice.... and I haven't switched yet.

HOWEVER.... I shoot a 92G. no safety, just decocker. If I were shooting an FS, I would switch in a heartbeat. I started with an FS, and way too many times I found the safety on accidently after unloaded gun starts, malfunction clearing, etc.

Otherwise, Beretta and Glock are on par in terms of reliability, durability, and price. As mentioned, put in a lighter mainspring, polish up the trigger group some, and go shoot.

-rvb

Edited January 21, 2011 by rvb

[kimberacp]

very good advice and very well said from Duane Thomas.

[GForceLizard]

There are really good Beretta shooters. Don't look for an answer to a problem that doesn't exist.

[Flexmoney]

I have Beretta M9 that I am very comfortable shooting...

Shoot that tool !!!

Some of the best USPSA Production and IDPA Stock Service Pistol shooters in the country used the Beretta as their platform. (I am a Glock Grand Master shooter, but there is nothing that should make you switch from a gun that you know well and are comfortable shooting.)

As long as the gun fits you, runs well, and hits where it is pointed...the rest is up to you.

Shoot that tool !!!

[Crazy Scientist]

In danger of alarming the very pro-Glock crowd, the Glock is not a "Better" gun. It is an "equal" gun. When starting out, more important is practice. Eventually you may reach the point where you find that a certain firearm may work better for you, but there is not a universal solution.

Why does everyone shoot Glocks?

1)They are a (very) good value

2)They work

3)Everyone else has them

The key is you already have a Beretta. Shoot that now (unless you have a physical reason to change--but you mention you are comfortable). To steal from another thread, "shoot it like you stole it"

[John K]

It is the Indian, not the arrow.

The Beretta is fine.

Is the glock better?

Is green better than blue?

It depends on who is answering.

[beltjones]

As a Glock shooter, I love my glocks. But if you gave me a Beretta, an M&P, an XD, a CZ, whatever, I'll still shoot about the same. I've spent a lot of time practicing with my Glock, a lot of time making it my own, and the result is that I shoot it pretty well. But again, given the same time and experience with another pistol I have to believe my results will be about the same.

Shoot the Beretta, have fun, practice, and just enjoy the ride.

[mjoy64]

At this point... shoot whatcha got! Right now you are the major limiting factor and not the firearm. With more practice and experience... you'll know where/if you want to transition to. Don't let the crowd dictate your choice. Shoot what you are comfortable with and experiment outside the boundaries as time/finances permit.

Welcome!

[T Bacus]

For the short period of time I shot SSP I used a Beretta 9mm. I shot Master on the classifier the first time I tried.

[Duane Thomas]

Well, that's just because you're AWESOME, Tim.

[DyNo!]

I shot a Beretta all the way up to B and I believe that there is now more than one GM that shoots them as well.

The new shooters I've loaned it to have had great difficulty shooting it as well as they would a Glock.

I don't like the grip angle of Glocks and I could shoot a Beretta better.

It can be shot well and your experience could vary.

[Haji]

Why does everyone shoot Glocks?

1)They are a (very) good value

2)They work

3)Everyone else has them

Add a 4) striker fired pistols have consistent triggers and they're generally easier to master than a DA/SA is.

Beyond that, "better" is subjective. I find a Glock easier to run than any other gun I have, although I shoot my 1911 a little less poorly. In terms of shooting matches, shoot what ya got. It doesn't make a lot of sense to dump a lot of money into a new platform and support gear for it just to compete with right off the bat. Its your money to do with what you wish, but run what ya got for a while till ya get some experience.

[John Z Sr]

I shoot revo mostly, but have a Beretta and shoot it every once in a while. The DA first shot is no problem for me being a revo shooter. Shoot what ya got and be safe and have fun.

[92fs]

No matter what gun you use, you'll have to practice to improve either way.

I shoot a 92. I keep saying I'll switch when the gun starts holding me back; when the limitations aren't just something I can overcome with a little more practice.... and I haven't switched yet.

HOWEVER.... I shoot a 92G. no safety, just decocker. If I were shooting an FS, I would switch in a heartbeat. I started with an FS, and way too many times I found the safety on accidently after unloaded gun starts, malfunction clearing, etc.

Otherwise, Beretta and Glock are on par in terms of reliability, durability, and price. As mentioned, put in a lighter mainspring, polish up the trigger group some, and go shoot.

-rvb

I have to admit, I switched over from my 92FS to a G34. I, like you had too many instances where I either turned the safety on when picking the gun up from a table or, I had the safety on in my holster. I also found that I couldn't keep my thumb off the slide release. The Glock is so much simpler to compete with plus, with the 92FS, your kind of stuck with the front sight. I would still love to get my hands on a 92G Elite.

[A38337]

Use your M9! Ben Stoeger does VERY well shooting a Beretta.

Check out his YouTube channel: elbeno007

[Mayonaise]

One of the best M9 competitive shooters was Ernest Langdon. He won many national championships with his tuned SSP and ESP M9's. With a properly tuned the trigger it's a great platform, reliable etc... But it's a mistake to compare a DA/SA system side by side with a "Safe Action system". Personally I never liked DA/SA designed pistols. I always felt they were designed for people who cannot be trusted to keep their booger picker off the trigger.

[shootaglock89]

I shot a Smith 5906 for about a year. After my gunsmith did a trigger job, it was a sweet shooting gun, even with the first DA trigger pull.Fun gun to shoot, but After a while, I went back to a 17.

If you are comfortable with the M9,by all means use it. If you shoot a gun you are not comfortable with, you will not enjoy yourself as much.

[Postal Bob]

I've used the Beretta 92FS, but switched to a Glock 17 for ssp and production divisions. I always used a 1911, so the transition to a da/sa trigger pull was awkward for me. But if you started with the 92, and shoot it well, there's no reason to switch to a Glock. The Beretta with its heavier weight, will be better at taming recoil especially you are shooting factory ammo.