×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Infantry Arms Warships & Submarines Military Pay Chart (2023) Military Ranks
Advertisements
HOME
INFANTRY
MODERN ARMIES
SPECIAL FORCES
COUNTRIES
MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE
BY CONFLICT
BY TYPE
BY DECADE
COLD WAR
IRAQI FREEDOM
MODERN
RUSSO-UKRAINIAN WAR
Infantry Small Arms / The Warfighter

Beretta M9


Semi-Automatic Service Pistol [ 1990 ]



The Beretta M9, based largely on the Italian Beretta M92F model, has been the primary sidearm of the United States Army since adoption in 1990.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/16/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]
Advertisements
In 1980, the US Army sought to replace its venerable - though highly outdated - Colt M1911A1 semi-automatic handguns as its standard issue sidearm. For the subsequent trials, the Italian concern of Beretta took their Model 92 series as a starting point and modified the type to suit the American requirement. The safety catch was made ambidextrous and the magazine catch was relocated aft of the trigger guard. A firing pin lock was added for an additional safety measure and the grip was refined with grooves for a firmer hand hold. The hammer was slightly reworked to incorporate a half-cock notch. All in all, however, the pistol was still decidedly the Beretta offering and operated and appeared very much like its original form. Under these changes, the weapon was assigned the designation of "Model 92SB".

After testing, the US Army requested several more changes to the Italian product that included a lengthened magazine for a longer grip and a new trigger guard for an improved two-hand hold. A lanyard loop was added to the base of the grip handle. Internally, the barrel was chrome-lined for longevity while the exterior body received a special coating called Bruniton. Beretta responded and delivered the modified form as the "Model 92F". Satisfied with their handgun, the Model 92F was adopted into the inventory of the US Army as the "M9" in 1990 and remains the standard issue sidearm of the US military to this day (2013).

Externally, the M9 features the same lines of its Italian cousin with its rectangular slide mounting the safety lever, gripped section for slide management, the ejection port for spent shell casings and a front and rear-mounted iron sight. Internally, the weapon takes on a standard configuration with the barrel over the recoil spring. The hammer is set at the rear and protrudes slightly from the slide. The grip is well-formed and patterned for a sure hold. The trigger assembly is curved in the usual way while the trigger ring is oblong and suitable for a gloved hand.

The M9 is chambered for the widely-used German 9x19mm Parabellum pistol cartridge in which fifteen are housed (staggered column) in the straight detachable box magazine fitting into the base of the grip. The weapon relies on the short-recoil principle through a semi-automatic action when cycling and uses an initial cocking action to prep the weapon's first cartridge into the chamber. Overall weight is 952 grams unloaded with an overall length of 8.5 inches, the barrel measuring 5 inches long within. Muzzle velocity is listed at 1,250 feet per second with an effective range out to 50 meters (164 feet). The M9 can be outfitted with specialized optics, aimers and lights to suit the firer.

The M9 was in circulation by the time of the US invasion of Panama (1989-1990) to unseat Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega. From there, the weapon was featured with US forces in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and, more recently, throughout the actions in both Afghanistan (2001-Present) and Iraq (2003-Present).

As of this writing (2013), the future of the M9 is in some doubt for the U.S. Army is considering replacing the line with another, more modern, breed of handgun.

January 2017 - The U.S. Army has selected the SIG-Sauer P320 semi-automatic pistol to succeed the Beretta M9.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
Advertisements

Specifications



Service Year
1990

Origin
United States national flag graphic
United States

Classification


Semi-Automatic Service Pistol


National flag of Ukraine National flag of the United States Ukraine; United States
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
Pistol / Sidearm
Compact design for close-quarters work or general self-defense.
Special Forces
Qualities of this weapon have shown its value to Special Forces elements requiring a versatile, reliable solution for the rigors of special assignments.


Overall Length
217 mm
8.54 in
Barrel Length
125 mm
4.92 in
Empty Wgt
2.10 lb
0.95 kg
Sights


Iron Front and Rear; Optional Optics.


Action


Semi-Automatic; Single-Action / Double-Action Pistol

Semi-Automatic
One shot per trigger pull; self-loading or auto-loading action aided by internal mechanism; trigger management (and initial cocking) typically required by the operator; subsequent shots are aided by the unlocked / moved bolt.
(Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information)


Caliber(s)*


9x19mm Parabellum

Sample Visuals**


Graphical image of a 9mm pistol cartridge
Rounds / Feed


15-round detachable box magazine
Cartridge relative size chart
*May not represent an exhuastive list; calibers are model-specific dependent, always consult official manufacturer sources.
**Graphics not to actual size; not all cartridges may be represented visually; graphics intended for general reference only.
Max Eff.Range
164 ft
(50 m | 55 yd)
Rate-of-Fire
15
rds/min
Muzzle Velocity
1,280 ft/sec
(390 m/sec)


M9 - Base Series Designation; developed from the Beretta Model 92 as the Model 92SB before being finalized as the Model 92F and adopted for service.


Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2


Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.

Images Gallery



1 / 7
Image of the Beretta M9
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.
2 / 7
Image of the Beretta M9
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.
3 / 7
Image of the Beretta M9
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.
4 / 7
Image of the Beretta M9
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.
5 / 7
Image of the Beretta M9
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.
6 / 7
Image of the Beretta M9
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.
7 / 7
Image of the Beretta M9
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.


Advertisements




Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies


2023 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons.

View day-by-day actions of the American Civil War with CivilWarTimeline.net. View day-by-day actions of World War II with SecondWorldWarHistory.com.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)