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Old 02-02-2017, 06:48 PM
commando552 commando552 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Excalibur View Post
Realistically, there's nothing actually wrong with the Beretta design as a whole. It just had problems being maintained in the field and at the time, felt kinda heavy compared to other guns of the era. The only real problem currently one might have is if you are dead set with today's training that has you racking the slide during a reload and people would accidentally make the weapon safe because of the frame mounted safety/decocker.

I personally don't see a point in the DA/SA type of trigger for an automatic handgun. It makes sense functionally for a revolver because it relates to the hammer and cylinder but not for a handgun with a slide and even if it is hammer fired. I think it was one of those safety options out of fear of negligence, like how Browning originally intended the 1911 to have no safety of any kind, neither manual safety or grip safety until the Army told him.
If you go all the way back the first precursor to the 1911, the 1900, did have a safety catch but it was that awful one where it was actually the rear sight which was very hard to reach, and because of how it interfaced the firing pin had to have some material removed so kept breaking. As for the latter models that had no safety, the only way of safely carrying them was hammer down with an empty chamber, or with the hammer at half cock. The 1911 manual safety is a big improvement in my opinion as it allows you to carry it cocked with a round chambered, and the safety is easier to reach and manipulate than a half cocked hammer.

I'm personally a fan of DA/SA handguns with a decocker only. Out of the pistols that I have actually used a lot my personal favourite was the P226, then a Browning Hi-Power, than the Glock 17 coming in last. I get the argument that they require more training than striker guns so those are potentially a better option for a general issue weapon, but I just personally prefer how DA/SAs feel and shoot. The Beretta would have been OK if they went for the G model, but either way it would still have that open slide which seems like a horrific idea to me.
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