SIG Sauer P220R vs Beretta 92FS

[predator20]

Originally Posted by MT2008

A couple of things...

(1.) He uses the P220R for less than half the movie. For the rest of the movie, he uses a Beretta PX4 Storm. Why bitch about the P220 but not the PX4? Personally, I'd have rather he kept the 220 for the whole movie, anyway.

I would have much rather seen him with his signature Beretta, lose it and then switch to a SIG P220R. The Beretta Storm is fugly as shit.

Originally Posted by MT2008

(2.) The first "Die Hard" was known for featuring some of the latest, coolest weapons of the time (not only the Beretta 92F, but also the H&K P7M13 and the Steyr AUG). Obviously, "Live Free or Die Hard" is trying to following suit, so they have him use two types of pistols that are much more recent designs. Likewise, the Beretta 92F is now an old, obsolete, and commonplace (in Hollywood) design. So having McClane use it AGAIN just wouldn't be that cool.

While a railed SIG is new, the P220 is not, been around since the mid 70s same time as the Beretta 92 was introduced. It just didn't gain prominence in movies until much later. Was the Beretta M9A1 around when Live Free or Die Hard was filmed? They could have gave him that, since the SIG P220R is an old design with a rail stuck on it to make it appear cutting edge.

Originally Posted by MT2008

(3.) Contrary to what YNH says, the mag releases on SIGs are reversible. It takes a bit more effort than with Beretta, but it can be done. Not only that, but in case you guys have forgotten, we have a picture of the actual P220R that was used in the movie. As you can see, Mike Papac (the movie's armorer) in fact DID reverse the mag release for Bruce Willis so that he could reload his pistol faster:

Since it's not an easy thing to do on a SIG, maybe that's the reason the mags were hard to release.

[Krel]

I'm left-handed, and have a Colt Commander. I don't have any problems operating either the safety, or magazine release with my left hand. However, I have never handled a Sig, so I can't comment on how the different placement of the controls would effect the handling.

David.

[S&Wshooter]

Shockingly, I believe he should have started out with a 92, lost it 3/4 of the way through the film and than grabbed himself something more recent like, dare I say, a S&W M&P

[ManiacallyChallenged]

Bond has it down, the P99 has an ambi mag-release.
I think.

[Excalibur]

Maybe a USP, which has the same style of mag release as the P99

[S&Wshooter]

Originally Posted by Excalibur

Maybe a USP, which has the same style of mag release as the P99

of course if you use a pistol with that kind of mag release and have big hands, you'd accidentally drop your mag every 2 minutes

[ManiacallyChallenged]

Than it would be like Johnny English, where he pulls the trigger and the hammer knocks the slide off.

When I was younger, a guy gave me a broken Beretta 92F airsoft gun, which i modified so it would do that. It was cool! The hammer coming forward would nick the back of the slide, which was no longer held on.

[S&Wshooter]

That kind of situation would go something like this: "I gotcha!" *click* *magazine clatters on the ground* "MOTHERFU-*BLAM BLAM* "

[FirearmFan]

I'm a lefty and have no problem operating any handgun. Left index finger hits the mag release, right hand grabs a fresh mag off your belt and insert it into magwell, right hand slingshots the slide and quickly reacquire target. I compete in pistol competitions and 3-gun and with practice being a lefty is only a minor inconvenience. I also have experience with both the Sig and the Beretta. And while I realize that under fire your stress level can alter things but if you can count your shots or reload when convenient you can take out the whole step of slingshoting the slide.

[S&Wshooter]

I too am a lefty and I also have never had problem (operation wise) with any pistol other than the H&K P9's finger-blocking safety