Beretta M9 Pistol, 9x19mm NATO

The Beretta M9 service pistol chambered in 9x19mm NATO, is the pistol I was issued during my service in the Marine Corps. I carried the M9 during both of my tours in Iraq. Contrary to popular belief, the pistol served me well.

In the modern United States Military, the issuing of pistols is not widespread by any means. At the grunt level, military leadership believes pistols are excessive, unnecessary, and logistically demanding. As of late, the issuing of pistols has been limited to aircrew, armor crewman, and higher ranking officers and non-commissioned officers. Apparently the brass has trouble considering the benefits of a pistol to the individual Marine on the ground.

The demands and operational requirements for my Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) required me to carry an M9 pistol in addition to my M16 service rifle, and later M4 carbine. Being required to carry the M9, I accumulated quite a bit of trigger time with this pistol over the years. The pistol served me so well that I decided to purchase one of my own. Beretta manufactures the 92FS (civilian equivalent) and also the M9 military reproduction. The 92FS has a slightly slanted dust cover which prevents the pistol from using some holsters and accessories designed for the military M9. Beretta's military reproduction matches the exact military specifications, even down to the markings on the pistol.

The M9 is semi-automatic, magazine fed, and can be fired in single and double action. The M9 is a very accurate pistol and I am able to consistently put 15 rounds into one ragged hole. I qualified Pistol Expert every year with this pistol, even when shooting pistols and magazines that were easily ten years old.

With the pistols I was issued in the Marine Corps and also the one that I personally purchased, I have never had a stoppage or malfunction of any kind. Even in the sandy desert environment in Iraq, I've never had the M9 fail to fire.

The M9 has an ill-deserved reputation in my opinion. Firstly, the M9 replaced the legendary M1911 which is enough to cause a riot in old-timer circles. In the 1970s and 1980s, the military was pursuing a new pistol in order to establish a common pistol round with participating NATO countries. Here is my M9 alongside my replica government M1911A1.

Secondly, the M9 had a host of negative reviews coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan during the early years of the war. Most of the unsatisfactory performance was due to the Checkmate brand magazines that performed poorly in sandy environments. Old pistols with high round counts and lackluster armory level maintenance were also a contributing factor. The military has since started to use the Beretta factory magazines almost exclusively, and this has largely solved these issues.

Yes, the U.S. military is the finest in the world, but you WILL see service members carrying weapons that are older than they are. Case in point: M16A2 service rifles that are still in circulation. My issued pistol was almost chrome in appearance due to the finish being worn off from many years in the field. Even still, the pistol was accurate and reliable.

The M9 is not my go-to pistol; my Glocks fulfill that role for me. However, I would not hesitate at all to buy the pistol again, or even to stake my life on the performance of this pistol. It is accurate, reliable, and has been in service for over a quarter of a century.