First Pistol - Beretta 96

[TheWheel]

So I just picked up this Beretta 96 .40 cal from a close friend, it was purchased by his relative in a Law Enforcement Auction. My friend and I both purchased one, both in VERY good condition, for just at $225 each. It is VERY clean, clean enough to assume that I was told correctly that the gun was only fired for qualification, and then pretty much rode the hip of the LEO.

I'm not really NEW to firearms, but I'm definitely new to this pistol in particular. I've never owned a pistol before this one, but I figured this would be a good route to take seeing as it--

a) seemed like a steal at that price
b) this model has seen tons of action in both LEO and Military applications and has proven its reliability
c) is a very common design so parts and accessories that I might want should be fairly easy to find.

So a couple questions. I did my research before purchasing and feel like $225 was an awesome price, do you guys agree? Can you think of anything that I should check out or test or whatever? I grew up hearing that dry firing a gun will damage the firing pin or whatever, but nowadays I hear that dry firing is totally cool...what is your perspectives? Does it really depend on the gun?

I just switched the mag release from left-handed positioning to the right, now I'm thinking about getting Hogue grips for it. I know you can get those lasers that replace the guide rod, that'd be pretty cool too, however completely unnecessary. Oh, it also did come with night sites.

Pics...

[alptraum]

That's a good price. Usually the lower prices I see for LE trade in ones are more like $325 plus. If you're worried about dry firing just get some snap caps. They are just handy to have for all sorts of reasons. As far as what to check or test...just strip it, clean it, and go shoot it.

[mk_ultra]

Buy ammo , buy magazines , get training . Simple .

Also , a lot of guys switch to the D model mainspring , gives a better trigger pull .

[Walking-dead]

That's an amazing deal. I'd be all over that.

[chills1994]

or you can take a 1911 mainspring and cut a few coils off.

I had the extractor hook shear off on a Beretta 96, while at a bowling pin match. It looked like stainless. I ended up replacing it with a bruniton one.

Dave Olhasso usually has parts. Beretta USA is kinda known for their crappy customer service and screwing up parts orders.

Yeah you gotta a steal!

[jfc3po]

Looks great and sounds like an awesome deal.

It looks like you may have gotten a 96FS centurion. Shorter barrel and slide. Slightly shorter dust cover also, I believe. Somewhat harder to find than a standard sized model.

[TheWheel]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Sounds like I did get thew deal that I thought I did. Planning on going tomorrow to buy a few hundred rounds of ammo to put through it and train. My friend who purchased the other one is in the process of buying a reloading table, which is apparently going into my garage.

[Bear_B]

An excellent deal on a very fine weapon.

[Alpha-17]

Very nice pistol, awesome deal. I'm actually saving my pennies for a 96A1 for a Samurai Edge project gun at the moment too, so please, keep use informed as to how you like your 96.

[ShipWreck]

Beretta 92s are great (I should know - I have nine )

[azrael99]

a friend of mine had one and i tried it. i felt in love with it.

the punch was good , not much recoil. great accuracy, and the handle of the Beretta is quite comfortable.

[TheWheel]

Very nice pistol, awesome deal. I'm actually saving my pennies for a 96A1 for a Samurai Edge project gun at the moment too, so please, keep use informed as to how you like your 96.

Ah yeah I'm QUITE pleased. As I live out in the sticks, I grew up shooting to a certain extent. MY dad had firearms, but was a mechanic by trade, so his particular hobbies were more centered around working in the garage. The point is, I'm not new to firearms, however I'm not the most adept either.

Took it out last week and put a few magazines through it. Standing at about 15 yards I was able to shoot the HELL out of an empty Fat Tire 12 pack box. Put an aluminum can out at about the same distance and missed the shit out of it. A buddy that I had with me, who shoots a lot more often, clued me in that I was continuously aiming high, so I adjusted and put the sights just below the can, hit it every time thereafter. Are the sights of the gun set for a further distance or something? I wonder why I would have to adjust like that. Should I adjust them for a shorter range--I can't imagine that I'll ever have to use it to defend myself at such a distance...again it really could have been me and my shooting stance or something. Practice is the only thing that'll fix this.

Just went and bought a holster and 100 rounds of practice ammo and 40 rounds of the Hornady Zombie Max ammo (basically the same as their Critical Defense, but come on...it has Zombies written on it...)

This is definitely a well-machined and intelligently-created pistol. I totally love the safety/decocker mechanism...and almost had a heart attack cleaning it the other day, until I found this picture--