Broke my Pasta Blaster!

[sk8242]

As the title suggests, my 92 Elite Centurion had a major failure today. Let me preface by saying I'm not bashing LTT, Beretta, RMR, or any entity in any way; I'm just reporting what failed and how it ended up likely bricking my frame.

 

Went out today to test/chrono a new load before the snow storm rolled in. I had about 180 rounds of 147gr RMR flat point FMJs loaded over 3.5 grains of Accurate #2 in mixed headstamp brass. OAL is a nominal 1.135". CCI primers. I'd previously chronographed some of these rounds and they were making a consistent ~135PF. Today was no different. The main difference with these loads was that some were processed with a U-die, while others were processed with a normal lee resizing die but with changes made to the degree of expansion/flare and different degrees of crimp, as I've been troubleshooting some minor bullet setback issues.

 

Right off the bat I noticed that I had groups consistently landing about 3-5" to the right at 15-25 yards - regardless of the how the cartridges had been processed at home. Initially I chalked it up to this being a new load and figured I might need to make some changes to my sights. Brought the target in to 7-10 yards, and was still hitting ~2" to the right, but still with tight consistent groups. 

 

Around my last couple magazines, I noticed that the slide was getting stuck in battery, and required more effort to open - felt exactly like when you have an out of spec cartridge getting stuck in the chamber. Again, I chalked this up to testing new loads with varying degrees of crimp, etc.  I finished off the last of the ammunition, and went to field strip the gun. The take down lever required a great deal of force to rotate, and when I attempted to pull the slide forward, it was getting caught on something. I was able to free the slide, and immediately I noticed there was a huge gouge in the aluminum frame near the rear part of the locking lug recess in the rails where the barrel reciprocates.

 

I pulled the recoil spring/rod out, and when I removed the barrel, the left locking lug fell out. 

 

At some point during my testing, I'm thinking towards the end, the locking lug ear cracked and broke off. Impressively, the gun continued to cycle and functioned 100%. It also continued to group consistently, albeit a bit right of the POA. If I hadn't field stripped the gun I probably would not have known anything was broken. 

 

Best I can tell, the lug broke, and the broken pieces of the locking block chewed away at the soft aluminum frame each time the gun cycled. 

 

For reference, the barrel that failed is a factory replacement with a crowned muzzle. It came with a new locking block. It was not original to the frame, which had about 20-25K rounds through it until today. The barrel that failed had maybe a few thousand rounds through it up until today. The original barrel is sitting in storage, still in working order.

 

While impressive, it's a bit frustrating that the gun continued to run despite a broken locking lug. If it had completely choked up, it may have limited the damage to the frame. As it is, the frame is likely junk, even though it still had plenty of life left in it. 

 

I know the locking block is a known weak point of the 92. I was a little taken aback at how much damage it caused when it broke, although it makes sense. I'm also a bit disappointed at such a premature failure of the locking block. I don't think the ammo was excessively hot, I had no cartridges today go off that felt like they were overcharged. I am a little concerned that such a failure can cause such catastrophic damage to the frame. Even with regular replacement of the locking block, a premature failure like today's could easily destroy another gun down the road.

 

This was my main competition gun, so for now I'll be shooting a low round count full size 92, with the fire control components from the broken gun transplanted into the backup. I did try to reassemble the gun with the original, working barrel, but the area where the frame is damaged will not longer let the barrel rails slide through, so I think the frame will be destined to the scrap heap.

 

I'm not sure if Beretta will sell me a replacement frame, although I'll try and contact them next week. Other than the damaged frame and broken locking block, everything else appears to be in working order. Otherwise I'll have to keep watch for an M9A1 frame for sale.

Edited March 4, 2023 by sk8242

[GrumpyOne]

I'd take a file to it and try to clean it up and see if the factory barrel will work. I mean, what have you got to lose?

[Dirty_J]

Not the first **** barrel I’ve heard of on recent Berettas. 
 

They just bought back 2 guns from a local competitor that had continuous failures.. including a barrel that shot out its rifling with around 10k rounds of minor PF loads. 
 

No way I’d be buying a new production beretta. It’s shameful when a Turkish guns can out last a fricken brand our military used for decades. 

[sk8242]

2 hours ago, GrumpyOne said:

I'd take a file to it and try to clean it up and see if the factory barrel will work. I mean, what have you got to lose?

 

Might be worth a shot, although not sure I'd be able to trust the frame for anything but plinking/practice.

 

 

Edited March 4, 2023 by sk8242

[slavex]

that gouge can just be smoothed out and won't affect the running at all. It's when it breaks the locking block area of the frame off that you will be screwed (I did 4 of those with my old Elite IIs)

[CraigS]

I also think it will be fine after some cleanup. To me the missing metal won't be a problem after you remove the slight high spots.

[sk8242]

So….I broke another one. This time a full size 92 that had a Jarvis drop in barrel and a new locking block. 
 

Started shooting the pistol at the beginning of this season - all factory. At the time it was a relatively low round count pistol that had been sitting in my safe for a while (less than 1K rounds).  Ran it exclusively at IDPA and USPSA matches all year. I replaced the factory barrel with the Jarvis around mid-July of this year. The locking block on the Jarvis was new. 
 

Was at a Ben Stoeger class this weekend. Just before the last drill of the day, I decided to pull off the slide and check if it needed any lube. Slide got caught up and wouldn’t come off. Suspected almost immediately that the block was broken—lo and behold, the right wing was cracked and broken off this time. 
 

Estimate about 10-14K rounds total through the pistol, maybe about half of that through the locking block that broke. The other half was through the factory barrel and locking block that accompanied it. 
 

Shooting either factory range ammo (Blazer, BELOM, S&B primarily) or my 130PF 147gr reloads. Had a Shok-Buff for basically all rounds shot this year. Factory recoil spring for factory ammo, 10 pound recoil spring with my reloads. 
 

It’s looking like this is going to be a yearly occurrence. It’s interesting that these failures have occurred relatively prematurely on two moderate round count (less than 10K) barrel/locking block combinations that did not ship with the gun, but were swapped out mid-season. 

 

Interestingly, the only high round count locking block that HASN’T broken (yet) is the one that came with my Centurion and has close to 20-25K rounds through it without a Shok-Buff. I doubt that has anything to do with anything, but just an observation.

 

I’ve heard of people “fitting” new locking blocks to the slide, but it sounds like Beretta does not think this is necessary.  
 

Guess I need to stock up on locking blocks or start shooting something else. 

Edited October 16, 2023 by sk8242

[DougCarden]

I was the Armorer on Beretta at my PD.  That wing always breaks first.  It is usually due to weak recoil spring.  If the gun has the OEM springs and they are replaced faithfully then very likely the wing on the locking block lasts much longer.  It is a consumable part, and that is why it is so easy to replace and get back into service.  It did what it is supposed to do.  That part breaks so the barrel doesn't and you can get the gun back in service.    This is just like the CZ pattern guns with the barrel/slide stop arrangement.  The stress is on the slide stop, and that is what fails first instead of the barrel itself.  Get another slide stop and you are back in business and the barrel is not damaged.  

Pretty cool engineering if you ask me.  

Clean up that ding in the frame, put a new locking block in, and you should be fine.

Realize that we use much lighter recoil springs for competition shooting than the OEM springs are.  There is a balance to run the gun and not beat it up.  That is the fun of course.

Enjoy your Beretta!