The Best Combat Pistol? | Beretta M9A4 Review 

I carried the M-9 for the better part of 21 years in the Marine Corps. It is a good weapon. Very easy to break down, when needed. I like the location of the de-cocker. I guess it is all in what we've trained with. Great review.

Mec-Gar makes the best mags in the industry. They are made in Italy, but distributed from Middletown, Connecticut. They make "aftermarket" mags that don't have witness holes for the M9A4. You can buy a "Beretta" mag for $50 or a "Mec-Gar" mag for $20. They work the same.

Been shooting the Beretta M9/92 series for many years and carried one in Iraq. I’m also a big Glock guy. I’ve found it easier to run the slide release on reloads with the Beretta rather than running the slide. I do the exact opposite with my Glocks. Picked up a M9a4 a couple years back and love that thing, it’s smooth as glass.

I wanna point out just how remarkable the new 92x series of pistols is (full size, centurion, & compact). I paid $650 for my 92x G full size shipped w 3 mags (std cap is 17) & it’s IDENTICAL to the M9A3/4 part for part (I think it’s even better). I popped a Wilson fluted guide rod & chrome silicon flat wire recoil spring ($35), Langdon Tactical trigger bar ($75, the BEST), Wilson ChSi 13# hammer spring ($10), & Elite II hammer ($25) in her giving me roughly a 7lb double action & 3.5lb single action trigger pull. The LTT trigger bar makes it butter. The HiViz irons are fantastic. So for $650 plus $150 in parts, I’ve got a 92 with a trigger that’d rival any custom LTT or Wilson trigger job for a total of ONLY $800... That’s STILL $100 cheaper than a stock M9A3/4. IMO my 92x is on par quality wise to my Langdon Tactical Elite LTT Centurion (after upgrading the Elite LTT w the same trigger and internal upgrades as the 92x... they have identical parts... I know how I like my 92’s). I would buy a 92x G (I only run G models) OVER a Wilson, Elite LTT, M9A4, or any other 92 out atm. It’s THAT good & super easy to upgrade. And costing only $650 on avg, it’s the “best/most value for your money” 92 variant out there right now. Just an opinion from a lover of all 92/M9’s. Check em out! 👊🏼😎🗽🇺🇸

My 92A1 was the first brand new gun I bought myself when I could afford to. I love it and will always be part of my collection. It's my night stand, bump in the night go to. Can roll over in complete darkness while half asleep and put my hand right on it. I've had it over 10 years and it's had zero malfunctions. I love the decocker. You can keep a round in the chamber and the firing pin is oscillated in the decocked position which works as your safety. It is so effortless to reach down with one hand and use your thumb to slide the decocker into the firing position as you pull it out of the holster. If it went away for any reason I would immediately run out and purchase another one.

I was never fond of the Beretta 92; however, the M9A4 has become my favorite pistol. I recently picked up one of these after watching this video. After 500 rounds everything I've fed it has run through flawlessly. The upgrades Beretta has done with these pistols is definitely worth the price tag. I'm quite happy with it. It's a super accurate and reliable gun.

I have a 92FS and love it. The guy I bought it from threw in a CT rubber grip with it that work awesome. The only things I don’t like are fixed sights (not night sights) and no attachment rail. Not the most convenient for concealed carry, but I love shooting it. I’ve put thousands of rounds through it without a failure.

I was pretty dang fond of the M9 while I was in the Navy. Wanted the M9A3, but never got one, then this M9A4 came out and my wife surprised me with one. It's an awesome pistol and truly one of my favorites. I also own the G19X which I'm also super fond of. Thanks for your review...very well done.

Med-Gar mags are the best, hold the most, and are reliable. I’ve also noticed that I have always been able to find them for sale when I was looking for Beretta makes for the M-9, or 92 series. There is no shortage issue from Mec-Gar on this magazine.

If I was somehow getting launched into space toward some hypothetical hostile alien planet and I was only able to bring one pistol it would be the Beretta 92FS more specifically the M9A1 in 9x19. I've run thousands of rounds through it including 1k rounds of some questionable reman at the beginning of the coof and have yet to experience a malfunction. Also Mec-Gar makes the best magazines in the industry and is OEM for most European pistols including CZ and Walther and Beretta. If your magazine says "Made in Italy" it's almost certainly made by Mec-Gar. I personally stock their flush fit 18rnd M9 mags with the black anti friction coating.

As a Federal Officer and once retired working PT as a Bailiff for my home stateI have carried the Beretta 92D. It was an issued weapon when I was in the federal government and once retired and needing a 9 mm it’s what I bought. I have the Centurion model version of the 92D so it has no external safeties or decocking mechanism, every shot is double action think of a revolver in semi automatic form. When I was with the federal government I consistently was one of the top shooters. The target we shot it was a top score of 50 and for the majority of my career I shot a 49 or 50 (sometimes had a problem with my first round using my weak hand). When I got it for my bailiff position I didn’t have the opportunity to go to the range to practice with it however, right out of the box (used) I qualified my very first time. I have other guns but the 92D and my 2” taurus lite-titanium are my go to’s.

Most fail to point out the genius design and probably the most important detail that make Berettas so reliable. These guns practically have NO feed ramp. The rounds are so well aligned with the chamber that they feed in effortlessly and such that the possibility of a feeding malfunction is massively reduced or practically eliminated sort to speak. The open slide design ALSO basically eliminates stove piping cases ALMOST 100%. Those two design features alone makes this weapon system UBER reliable.

Great review. The video quality is spot on.

Beretta vs Glock beretta for the win Glocks are overrated…

I had a 96G Vertec in .40. It was an excellent weapon. It shot exceptionally well. I carried a beretta Brigadier as an LEO. They never let us down.

Thanks for the thoughts Brother, good stuff! Got a 19x coming, a4 remains a strong future option.

It's nice to see the use of steel case ammo with the M9A4.

Great gun, it shoots every thing I've ever fed it thanks to Beretta's special open top you pointed out well. Love it, I'm a hammer guy as my safety so I can see our difference in safety/decocker preference. Buy a Beretta its worth the extra dough, I gave 830ish at the start when decocker wasn't offered, now you got the option of that or safety instead of buying custom parts.

Great video, brother. I am a Beretta fan for sure. The Elite LTT is the best model for me for sure. The M9A4 looks excellent though.

Nice review, very objective and informative. Thank you.

Bravo Zulu! Fine review, Sir. When in trials before the Army accepted the M9, they cycled 80,000 rds, without failure. It IS a fine weapon. Take care, and God Bless You All!

I’ve always shot glocks, when I did purchase the m9a4 recently it immediately felt so much easier to be accurate with. Where you point is where you hit, it always felt like I was having to make sure the muzzle of my Glock was rolled forward with the grip thats on it. Great videos though Chad, you rock!

Most glocks have polymer guide rods. And Mec Gar is the very best metal mag manufacturer in existence -- CZ, Sig, Beretta, etc., aftermarket mags are made by them (as well as some of those OEM maker), and they're the gold standard.

Awesome high quality made Beretta! That'd be #1 choice, although I know the Glock 19x is at the top of the list, this is my preference! Really good video!

My 92FS is one of my favorite guns in my collection. I'm probably most accurate with it over any of my other pistols including my P226. Love the factory single action pull on it. Reliability second to none. It's in the conversation about best pistols ever produced. I like it so much I bought a stainless Taurus PT92 knock-off. Also a good gun, they frame-mounted the safety/decocker, which is an improvement IMO. But not the same as the Beretta. When I bought the 92FS it was already well-used (I've replaced a lot of worn parts, including the barrel), and I've NEVER fired a semi-auto with smoother, glassier action than my 92FS. It just gives you that ultra-safe feeling that "this thing is never going to fail me."

Great video I just purchased my M9a4 today I’m very happy with it

I have both a G19 and this M9A4. Personally I feel the Beretta is better overall for me. I really like the DA/SA. Only issue I found with mine is finding a holster for it is like finding Jimmy Hoffa. Found one finally from DARA holsters and its top notch quality IMO. I also have a SIG P320 and IMO the Beretta is far supirior to that platform as well.

Awesome review!

I love my A3! I put a Wilson combat metal guide rod and 14lb spring in it! Shoots underwood +p like it’s a .22!

Glad to see you review the M9A4. Always been partial to the M9 series. One comment on the mags: you can use mags from the M9 on the M9A3 and M9A4. They're interchangeable, and plentiful.

Out of all the gun range videos I've seen, this has the best use of camera lens. Too many people aren't making use of telephoto lenses for outdoor filming.

Great review! Waiting for the M9A4 vs G19X video.

very impressive run down of the berreta man you seals know your firearms well trained

it's a DAMNED good pistol!!! I love shooting it(good review too)

love the beretta, thanks for the good info,...love your channel.

Wilson Combat Beretta Pistols are the Very Best in my 6 Beretta 92 & Beretta 96 Collection. I have not tested this New one yet, but my M9A3 is Excellent! 🤠👮🏻‍♂️👍🇺🇸🍀😉👻 B9USA Sr.

Both Beretta and Glocks are great handguns . I own them and I love them . Extremely extremely reliable

1st time I watched a 3 of 7 Project video, I searched on RU-vid for 1 of 7 Project, thinking I should start at the beginning

I have the M17, the 19x, and the M9A4. I have to say out of the box the M9 is the best. I’ve upgraded the trigger in it. Only complaint is the same as you mention. The safety is not great. I’m hoping to switch it to a decocker only like my PX4 Storm.

I absolutely hated the M9 when I carried it while on active duty. I later learned that it was the magazines. Maybe I’ll have to give it a try.

Good review, thanks.

Chad, your assessment of the A4 is spot on. You nailed the features, good and bad. The A4 is a big improvement over the A1. Although I stopped carrying an M9 when I separated, and carried a P226 as soon as I had a choice of on-duty sidearms (Glocks were the only striker pistol option at the time and I wasn’t an instant fan). I do still have a soft spot for the M9 and, like a lot of folks here, it was my first sidearm. I do own one for nostalgia (not duty) and I still enjoy shooting it.

I agree on every point you made about the M9A4, bro if they would axe the goofy obtrusive decocker this tool would be gold.

Next to the 1911, the beretta 92 platform is the proficient and proven combat pistol on the market. We all that Sig played the game when getting all of the new military contracts. I think we will all see in time that the DoD made a mistake replacing the beretta for the sidearm contract. Cheers for the informative video!

Impressive that you have had no failures. It definitely does not mind running dirty. Great review! Can't wait to see it go up against the 19X!

All magazines for Beretta 92 series are exchangeable and very easy to get online. Waiting time is one week which is amazing.

Outstanding trigger and workmanship unsurpassed. Military sold there Troops short going with the Sig . However, I still daily carry my Glock.

It's a very good lung remover.

MECGAR believe it is not makes a lot of the western worlds magazines! They are very easy to find and availability is good. Great video, I love my M92!

Excellent firearm excellent review. 👍

My Squale diving watch was hard-coated black by Beretta. I wear it for two years now and it looks like new. :)

this was a very good safe pistol to carry on duty as LE, we were issued the base model 92fs

Have a 92 FS and love it. Jams occasionally but def a bigger fan of the hammer fired handguns. Also I think glocks are a bit over rated. Will def be looking into getting one of these bad boys in the future great review.

Mec-Gar mags are incredibly easy to get directly from there website and they are in Middletown, CT. Most people are unaware that they make several big name firearm manufacturers steel mags.

Having owned this gun now, I can confidently say, it's the best built metal frame single/double hammer fire pistol you can buy off the shelf. You will have to spend double the amount for custom job handguns for small increases to quality. Having said that, this gun is definitely not for everyone. The grips are extremely thick. If you have small hands, stay away from this gun. I replaced the grips for the thinnest available and replaced the trigger for the short reach trigger from Wilson combat and it's still a bit too big for me. Also, the weight of the double action is HEAVY. I replaced the factory spring for a 13lbs and is much more manageable now but is still heavy. Lastly, the optics plates are very thick. If you put a red dot on this, it will sit a considerable height above the barrel. Maybe this will bother you, maybe it won't. But it is an issue you have to consider.

A few years ago when I was looking for a new full size "combat pistol" It was between the M9A4, Glock 19X, and the Sig M18. Twenty years of carrying an M9 it was kinda my first choice. But the price just seemed ridiculous. I liked the Glock 19X but because of so many years shooting 1911's and the M9 it seems like I always naturally aim low with a Glock. The M18 felt great and was an easy transition from the M9. Im old and prefer a a safety after so many years of teaching and preaching "keep your weapon on safe until ready to fire". I can flick the safety off as Im coming out of the holster and presenting to the target and it does not slow me down at all. Its just natural. Same with an AR or M16. Some dont like the safety on a pistol but I like it. And no one says you have to use it if you down want to. In the end the Marine Corps went with the M18 and I did too. Id still like to get my hands on an M9A4.

I have the M9A4. Holster for it came in the mail yesterday. Went with a C&G Holsters OWB tactical w light. Has cut out for red dot. Limited options out there for this gun with light and red dot.

I have the 92x and love it

The M9 has been in service with your military for quite some time. Which means the M9 and Berreta 92 variants has been around for long enough that you shouldn't have problems finding replacement mags.

I always loved my M9 in the Corps.

Thanks for the detailed review. As a Canadian about to have our legal access to handguns taken away... I'm hoping to be able to own one of these before they completely ban our ability to attach them.

You can get magazines from Langdon Technical who customizes Berretas. Further , for your friends concern, Langdon will also have a steel replacement rod for the plastic rod. While you are at Langdon's also replace the current spring around plastic rod with a 13# spring which will reduce oresuure on both first round pull and second trigger pull. If you want to make that M9A4 drop dead amazing buy the trigger in a bag from Langdon and replaace the current trigger the b est trigger ever made by Langdon

I had a service buddy at Fort Benning Georgia in the early 1980's that was part of the testing team for those pistols.... The competition was between the Beretta 92, Browning's offering,Glock, And I think Sig??? He told me that the Army was most likely going to go with the Beretta 92....

Is it a matter of preference that you rack after dropping the mag instead of using the slide release? I'm just wondering if there are advantages to that.

Huge Beretta fan!!! Just wish they had the orginal frame mounted 1911 style safety

I say this with complete humility because I know this guys experience is well beyond mine. It's called a beaver tail, not a dove tail. Also mec-gar is one of the prolific magazine manufacturers, makes mags for tons of oem's and can be found just about anywhere that sells mags.

LUCKY you all have positive experienced on this M9A4. Mine sent out to factory after 8 rounds of bullets fired, The Front sight came off. It does not fix to the slide because it was loose. Like it was not belong there. I sent it out for warranty repair back on August 2023 and now March 2024 the Slide was still back order coming from Italy.

I just got the A4, but have not had a chance to shoot it. I will say that I have owned a 92 for many years and I have never had a single failure. Beretta makes a quality gun. It really comes down to preference between Glock, Sig, and Beretta.

Nice. I am considering one of these

You can get MEC gar magazines pretty much anywhere lol. One of the most popular magazine manufacturers in the world

Nice review, good information. If you were choosing between this latest version of the Beretta and a Sig P226, what’s your preference. Trying to nail down a decision on a DA/SA pistol for the collection. I like the optics ready and threaded barrel on the Beretta. Both running around that $1000 range. Thx.

Always loved a beretta

such a good looking piece of metal

New sub bro👊🏾👊🏾👊🏾

Have the M9A3 and it runs great suppressed also.

Those Italians make awesome stuff.

Great video, just gained a sub

Mecgar mags are top of the line and they make many OEM mags for other manufacturers. They are easy to come by.

The Berreta is the best fit for me. I like Glock too, but not as natural in my hand. I shoot best with the M9, and for that reason alone... But I find it to be more reliable, less picky about ammo, and just a little more naturally accurate as well.

I have a Taurus, Beretta clone. Haven't shot it much but works so far with no malfunctions. Use to have a Browning high power and besides being single action it is a better choice in my opinion. Vary accurate, reliable ' dam thing would feed a dog turd and fire', high capacity. And simple to field strip and clean, which the Beretta is not. I love you are doing vids like this so no disrespect intended, fyi, the grip tang below a pistol's hammer is a bevertail not dovetail. Dovetails are for sights, bevertails are for preventing slide bites. Still watching your vid, question: why do you rack the slide with your left hand instead of using the thumb slide release lever during mag changes? Decockers are over rated, if a soldier has a ND decocking his pistol to half cock, corrective training is needed after his thumb heals. lol

Great video and absolutely gorgeous firearm bro. What's the difference between a M9A3 and M9A4?

If your magazine is made by Mec-Gar you can rest assured it’s a good one. They make the factory branded magazines for a lot of manufacturers. They also make their own brand of magazines. USA or Italy I don’t give a hoot.

I'm a glock fun but I am fond of the Beretta and I would guess it's a very clean gun because of that exposed barrel that allows for the gun powder to escape which is nice but downside to is its exposed to the elements just my opinion another good review

Only complaint I have with my A4 is that when I installed a holosun it would stove pipe every round and wouldn’t lock back on the last round. This was easily fixed with a 11.5lb recoil spring from Wilson combat but I was a little bummed the extra weight caused the pistol to malfunction when it’s literally made to run with a red dot…this is the only bad thing I can say about it it’s my first handgun and I love it! M dad has a 19x and after getting to use both I prefer the beretta, I like the hammer da/sa and the metal frame. Also a lot more comfortable in my hand and I like the weight of it. I can see why others would disagree but it is a lot of fun to shoot at the range, which is all I really bought it for

Good review 👍 what do u think of the 96 berreta

Nice review. I’m a super fan of metal firearms. Polymer is still plastic.

Probably been said already - but *all* Beretta mags are made by Mec-Gar. They're the OEM maker for a large number of firearm makers - mags aren't hard to get at all. They're very prolific - and since this is a standard sized 92, there's 40+ years of magazines floating around out there that'll work from the Clinton Ban era 10 round abominations, to the original 15 rounders, to the modern 18 round designs, plus the extended 20+ round mags.

Just watched the Dan Wesson DWX review a few day's ago and Chadd was really fired up over it's performance , but it is twice the price and some how Chadd was converted to red dots a year later and spent an additional $420 to have the slide milled downed on the DWX !

They should be suppressor height sights

MecGar mags are cheap and available everywhere. They are my #1 mag holding 18 rounds flush fit. MecGar are my P226 mags also holding 18 flush.

I've run about 400 rnds through one, I have had 2 or 3 failures to fire, even on second strike. After clearing the ftf and reloading, they all fired. I can't say for sure if it was ammo or the gun, but I can't call that 100% reliability yet. Was run suppressed when this happened, using 124gn belom

I have a 92x and I don't have to lock the slide back. I have 7 magazines for my 92x. I love magazines.

Mec-gar mags are pretty easy to get. They are probably the largest OEM mag manufacturer in the world. They make OEM mags for S&W, CZ, Walther, beretta just to name a few

Great review. It's gonna be a long, long while before a malfunction. I'd bet on the Beretta.

Didnt the Seals carry the M9 as a side arm for a while? I know they were a military go to at one time for sure.Police issue too I believe! Keep up the great work Chad and thanks for your service sir

Is this the "military specified" model that would have been issued as the standard sidearm for the army issued tool? I do and have been a HUGE fan of the 92FS ever since they became available to the civilian market. I currently own 3 of the 92s.

I thought Beretta was "messing with sasquatch"... Took me a minute to realize this wasn't a jack link's beef jerky commercial.

How can you tell the difference between the F Type vs. G Type if you don't have it in your hand? Thank you for the video.

I am trying to decide between this and the centurion model. Do you think the shorter barrel (4.7) is going to make a significant difference?

I have an M9a4 with a 508T & TLR 7 compensated. I also have a Gen 5 Glock 17 with a Trijicon and TLR.. both guns are great and I’d trust both with my life. BUT, there is something to be said about an all metal frame.