Beretta 92 FS

[grumps]

I'm looking at buying a Beretta 92FS at a local Pawn Shop if I can get the broker to price it right for me.  It has a stainless barrel and slide and blued trigger and grip.  It is stamped "made in USA-ACKK.MD  9mm Parabellum".  It also has an oval with the letters PB in it stamped on the left side of the slide. It has 2-15 mags and a 30 round extended mag. and is in perfect shape with Hogue grips and the original Beretta grips and plastic box but no owners manual.   I've never seen one like this or even heard of one made in USA, thought they were all Italian.  Anybody have any idea what I'm looking at and how it should be priced.   

[gunblade]

Beretta opened a plant in MD when they got the contract to supply M9s to the military.  Not sure about the two tone variation but I think about $400-425 would be reasonable for a standard used Beretta 92FS in excellent condition.   

[mcwoodduck]

The PB is the Beretta stamp  Pietro Barretta. 
Not sure about the two tone.  Are you sure it is stainless and not just polished out blued gun?
I would pull $320 out of my pocket in cash lay 300 of it on the counter and make the offer on the gun, if the pawn guy says no,  Scoop up the $ keeping it in your hand  so he can see it and head for the door.  He may offer for you to add a few bucks like the other $20 you had in your in your hand originally.  And make the deal.  Chances are he paid either $250 for it as a buy or $150 or less as a pawned item.
Good luck.
He probably has it priced like it was a brand new gun.  Most shops do.

[grumps]

I wish I could sneak a pic of it.  I was curious about the 2 tone finish myself since I'd never seen or heard of one.  But it is definitely stainless barrel and slide with blue on the bottom.  Makes me wonder if it came from the factory that way or put together from a couple of guns.  If it was put together, whoever did it put a lot of stainless parts and pieces on it and did it well.  Barrel, slide, mag release, trigger, hammer, and take down latch and pin.  I believe it came that way. 

[mcwoodduck]

Who ever owned it before may have had two guns one Stainless and one Blue/Black and just played leggos with the parts.
The stampings would tell you if the gun has been pollished.
If you like the two tone and can agree on a price then Get it.
The Beretta is a good gun.

[grumps]

The stampings on barrel and slide are stamped 'stainless'.  Just from a wild hair I sent Beretta a message asking if they ever made such a critter but haven't heard anything back yet.  They are no doubt going to want the serial no.  I can go look at it some more and make notes or maybe try to remember it till I can get to the truck.  If it was made that way I can go for it, but it is a put together job I'm not sure I want to chance it.  They won't let me take it out and shoot it and play with it till I buy it, then of course it would be mine.  Risky till I find out more.

[grumps]

I went back and got the ss no. and at last I talked to Beretta and the 92 in reference was made in 1996 and was indeed a 2 tone pistol.  barrel and slide stainless and bottom matte black.  So it's not a put together job from a stainless one and a blued one.  Glad to know its a real factory job.  Now to convince the shop it's a conglomeration of guns and get it for a better price.

[INresponse]

I have seen a lot of Beretta 92's over the past 16 years and never saw a 2 tone stainless/black version.  I don't even recall seeing one in a magazine or Beretta catalog.  Odds are neither has he.  Keep harping on the thought that it is a piece together, tell him you don't want to buy until you can shoot it and know it works.  Then try on settle on a $350.00 +/- price for an experimental weapon.

Good luck.

[mcwoodduck]

I think your best bet is to play the $ game.
If it has been there a while and you pull out Cash.
Put about $320 on the counter and take back $20 and say "for lunch or dinner" and then offer them the $300 for the gun.
Whne they say no, and they will say OK scoop up the money and with it still in you hand walk to the door.  Do not wonder around the store head for the door.  Especally if you are talking to the owner or the manager,  They will stop you and try to get that other $20 or more from you.   Once you have them in the 300 price range then start haggleing over what else thye will add to the gun like a box or two of ammo.  Then say OK $320 out the door with a box of ammo.  any time they go up in price start adding other stuff.  and after a while of haggeling and if there are other people in the shop the better, The managers do not want it out that you can haggle with them and get anything for lower prices.
If he raises the price again or his ask then start adding wild crap from the jewrey counter for the wife and deducting $.  He will grow tired of it and settle quickly.

[grumps]

I'll give it a try tomorrow afternoon and see how it goes.  It's really a nice looking one.  And since the gun is a factory made version I'm really going to play the game with this guy.  thanks all.

[OSOK]

Beretta used to make a version of the 92 with a stainless bull barrel back in the 90's. Any way you look at it a 92 is a great weapon. I would be leary of the 30 round mag as a lot of the after market mags are junk. The 92FS is probably the best 9mm ever made, IMHO.

[navylawdog]

so what is the update on this post? Did you get a good deal on the Beretta?

Navylawdog

[dogsoldier0513]

It might be an Elite II. They have a black frame and stainless slide/barrel.   If so, they regularly bring $650+ in VG+ or better condition.

PICS!!!!

[grumps]

I traded a Glock for it with some boot.  I still don't know what model it is but it a nice piece and in perfect condition.  It shoots good and came with a 30 round mag.  I'm going to contact Beretta with the ss no to see what I can find out. 

[dogsoldier0513]

If it has a 'skeletonized' hammer, a 'Brigadier-type' slide with a dovetailed front sight (most also came with Novak rear sights) and the frame has checkering INSTEAD of vertical striations, it is an Elite.  IF it is an Elite, it will have those words etched into each side of the stainless slide. The Elite also did away with the lanyard loop common on standard 92 series pistols.

www.busa.com

www.berettaforum.net