Specifications
Similar to a Beretta 92FS Brigadier and fitted with its heavy, wide slide that had removable front and rear night sights. Because of the heavier slide, the gun’s balance was enhanced and felt recoil was reduced, improving accuracy for follow-up shots.
The trigger spring had bends on both ends, so if it broke in the field, it could be taken out, put it in "backwards". It acted as its own spare spring.
The 92G-SD & 96G-SD were fitted only with a decocking device (no safety), which, when pressed down, disconnected the trigger, rotated the firing pin away, allowing the hammer to drop without causing an accidental discharge. When released, the decocker levers return to their normal firing position. The pistol was ready to fire at all times. Initially, the Beretta "G" configured guns were sold only to government law enforcement and military agencies.
The 92G-SD & 96G-SD used a frame based on the standard Beretta 92FS frame with the addition of the tactical equipment Weaver rail mount.
Ambidextrous Manual Decocking Lever. Accessible by the thumb of a right- or left-handed shooter, it was spring-loaded. When pushed down, the rear part of the firing pin (striker) rotated out of alignment with the front part of the firing pin.
Night sights. Removable Trijicon 3-dot pressurized tritium gas, self-luminous iron sights for low light condition sighting.
Automatic Firing Pin Block. The front part of the firing pin was blocked from any forward movement until the trigger was pulled completely back. Even if the pistol fell and struck the ground, muzzle-down, the firing pin would not strike the primer.
Checkered Grip. The front and back grip straps were machine checkered (25 per inch), whereas the 92FS was vertically serrated. The grip frame was flared slightly at the base to enhance pointability and control.
Extended/Reversible Magazine Release Button. Positioned next to the trigger guard for either right- or left-handed shooters. Allowed rapid reloading. Magazine dropped clear when released.
Double and Single Action. This pistol model fired double action on the first round and single action on the subsequent rounds. Squeezing the trigger would cock and trip the hammer, firing the pistol. After the initial shot the pistol would continually fire in single action. The longer, heavier trigger pull of the double action made inadvertent discharge less likely, while the lighter, shorter single action trigger pull allowed faster, more precise discharge of subsequent rounds.
The ejector of the 92G-SD had an angle cut into it to eject the empty brass to the right side of the gun. The engineering of the 96G-SD would not allow this design of the ejector, so occasionally a brass would be ejected in a back direction.
Chamber-loaded indicator. The chamber-loaded indicator was visible or could be felt by touch.
Disassembly Latch. Located to simplify field stripping and maintenance, the latch made this model easy and quick to disassemble.
Finish. The exterior finish was called Bruniton which is a Beretta corrosion resistant non-glare matte finish.
Open Slide Design. The primary role of the open-top slide was to provide a 180° ejection port. Open top slide virtually eliminated jamming or stovepiping. The slide retention device, which caused the slide and barrel assembly to remain open after the last cartridge had been fired and ejected, allowed the user to load the chamber one cartridge at a time (emergency tactical loading) should the magazine be lost or damaged. The pistols were designed so that the extractor would not be damaged by direct chamber loading. These models operated on the short recoil, delayed locking block system, which yielded a faster cycle time.
Plastic parts. Guide Rod, Hammer Spring Cap (w or w/o lanyard), Trigger, Hammer (metal internals), Magazine Release, Take Down Lever, Mag Base.
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