The 92's: Beretta or Taurus???

Ruger451 · February 23, 2006, 08:35 AM

I love the look and feel of the Beretta 92 and its clone the Taurus PT92. I've been looking around a lot lately and I can always find the Taurus for 2 or 3 hundred dollars less, not really surprisingly since it is the off-brand.

However, I have heard a lot said about Taurus, a lot of it good. So what's the word? Does the Taurus truly equate to a better value? Or, is the Beretta a good buy? I like the three position safety on the Taurus, but is it just a small glimmer of hope to save some money?

Someone please help me

shield20 · February 23, 2006, 08:59 AM

In my experience - and this was a while ago - the Taurus is not as nice as the Beretta. It worked, but just wasn't as nice - not as smooth I guess (I had an Italian 92F already). Now, is it $200 or $300 worse? Your call - to me the Beretta was worth it. It was my duty gun and I initally tried to save some $$$ (darn wife!) when getting a stainless - but went back to the Beretta brand- I guess I just trusted it more.
You will get more return on your Beretta also if you resell, but probably it will be relative to what you pay. I do like the safety on the taurus, but check out the trigger pull (and the Beretta DA/SA ain't all that great either).

9mm1033 · February 23, 2006, 09:24 AM

I just finished an article about the Beretta 92 vs. Sigsauer 226 and why/how Beretta won the military contract. Anyway, Tauras was not mentioned. Hint, hint. I'd pick the Beretta.

Barr · February 23, 2006, 09:26 AM

For the price I would get the Taurus. Very nice pistol.

HSMITH · February 23, 2006, 09:28 AM

I prefer the Taurus. The safety is useable number one, and the quality is just as good as average Beretta guns. The finish may not be as nice, but they shoot just as well and are just as reliable.

omegapd · February 23, 2006, 09:33 AM

I like the Taurus too. If you don't know the story, they're made on Beretta's old machinery that Taurus bought when a Brazilian Government contract ran out.

I've got the Taurus and have had no problems. After market mags are really cheap too. 10 bucks for 15 rounders at Sportsmansguide or cheaper than dirt.

WillBrayjr · February 23, 2006, 09:45 AM

Taurus isn't an off-brand company and the PT92 isn't a knock-off either. The finish on the Beretta is better and the Beretta is smoother than the Taurus because all the parts are polished. They're both very dependable. There's usually a $150.00 difference between the two.

Handy · February 23, 2006, 09:49 AM

If I was in the market for such a gun, I would seek out a very lightly used Beretta 92SB. The old Italian guns were much more nicely assembled and finished than either the current US Beretta or Taurus. One in near new condition should only cost you about $500, neatly bridging the Beretta/Taurus price gap, and giving you a gun better than either.

Petre · February 23, 2006, 10:57 AM

I wouldn't sell the Taurus short over the Beretta. Brand snobbery aside , most say the Taurus improved on the Beretta 92 design in any review or opinion I've read on them where the writer was actually familiar with both firearms.

The Beretta might be finished better , but I'm not sold on that concept either and you're definately paying for it.

Taurus finishes are flawless. You'll rarely see one with tooling marks on it.

As for issues with slides and polishing etc etc. You can do a lot of polishing and buy a lot of compund for $2-300.

So IMO it comes down to name and name only.

johnny3 · February 23, 2006, 08:06 PM

Handy +1, I've got all 3, Taurus, Beretta FS,& Beretta SB, find you a nice SB, you'll always keep it, you'll eventually sell the Taurus, it's just not a Beretta.

IM_Lugger · February 23, 2006, 09:09 PM

I have a Beretta 92FS Inox and love it, the only Taurus I own is a revolver which I live very much…

I personally prefer Berettas, after all it the original gun and I don’t buy into the 'Taurus improved on the design' in fact PT92/99 is more like an older Beretta design - 92F (pre 92FS)

But I do think that Taurus is great value fore the money.

Smoke Screen · February 23, 2006, 09:17 PM

If you're on a budget, Taurus, if you're rich, a Beretta. As for me? Taurus.

Majic · February 23, 2006, 09:41 PM

Delete

Majic · February 23, 2006, 09:42 PM

I've seen Taurus that were finished just as nice as the Beretta. I've seen Taurus consistently outshoot the Beretta. Then I've seen the Beretta that were finished nicer and outshoot the Taurus. It's really a toss up as the Taurus is nothing but a copy older Beretta (with the newer Taurus having a decocker)and individual guns will be different.
If you want big name then go with the Beretta, otherwise the Taurus will give you the same thing minus the name.

Majic · February 23, 2006, 09:48 PM

Delete

Ruger451 · February 24, 2006, 01:55 AM

So is the Beretta SB the Italian version while the FS is american made?

Abominable No-Man · February 24, 2006, 02:38 AM

That's like comparing an AR15 made by Colt and an AR15 made by Bushmaster. Realistically, they are about equal.

Taurus and Beretta 92's are both finished very nicely. They both hold 15 rounds. They are both rated for 9mm NATO. They both shoot about the same.

Beretta 92's hold their resale value better. Beretta mags are easier to find.

Taurus, IIRC, has a lifetime warranty on it's guns. I believe they also made an all-steel version of the 92.

The Brazilian Gov't contracted with Beretta for 9mm service pistols for it's armed forces and police. Eventually, Beretta set up a plant in Brazil, and years later, sold the plant to the Brazilian government. That's how Taurus came to be. For a few years, the Beretta 92's and Taurus 92's were exactly the same. Taurus modified their 92 a little, added a thumb safety similar to the CZ75, which in later years incorporated a decocker function. Taurus pistols were originally rougher than the Beretta pistols, but for the past 5 years or so, they have been more alike than different.

In the end, decide which one you like better and get that one.

Thud · February 24, 2006, 10:55 AM

Get Taurus. Cheaper, near as well made and the frame-mounted safety... Definitely a better deal, IMHO of course. Greetings, THUD.-

Handy · February 24, 2006, 11:04 AM

No, the SB came before the F, which preceded the FS. You can also find nice F model Italian guns.

All three look the same, except for a different trigger guard on the SB (round, no hook). F's were produced in both the US and Italy. The FS model has an oversized pin to keep the slide from flying off if it breaks in half - which is not something that has ever happened with a civilian gun.

I think the SB is the prettiest, but any Italian made 92 has a nicer finish than any US or Brazilian made 92.

I don't even like the 92 very much, but an ANIB 92SB Compact at a local shop for $500 really got me salivating. It was gorgeous.

Te Anau · February 24, 2006, 11:47 AM

To this day,I regret not buying a stainless Taurus 92 several years ago.That gun was sweet, NIB and a killer deal.I screwed up.

Handy · February 24, 2006, 12:08 PM

Have they turned to dust since then? Find one and buy it.

Dos · February 24, 2006, 12:10 PM

I'm glad i picked one up last summer. My local FFL did a promo on them. Got a black one for $268 + tax out the door. Wooooo Hooooo!

Handy · February 24, 2006, 12:18 PM

Te-

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976613522.htm

That almost looks like a stainless frame. Is that what it is?

silversilvia · February 24, 2006, 03:41 PM

at one time i owned both.

i bought the PT92 first, and it is definetily a good gun for the money, nothing wrong with it at all. after a while i bought a 96.

the beretta has a better overall finish, this applies to the part u can't see as well, i completely stripped both of them and the beretta is no doubt a better made gun.

however at the range they both performed reliably, and accuratly (more accurate than me, so i don't know how accurate they actually are)

i sold the taurus and kept the beretta.

oh and ditto on the frame safety, only fancy beretta has those (billenium, steel 1, combat)

just ask yourself if u are willing to pay for the beretta, if not the taurus is (almost) just as good.

juliet charley · February 24, 2006, 06:58 PM

If the choice was between a NIB (current production) Beretta and a NIB (current production) Taurus, it's a no-brainer--pick the Taurus!

February 23, 2006, 08:35 AM	#1
Ruger451 Member Join Date: February 22, 2006 Posts: 38	The 92's: Beretta or Taurus??? I love the look and feel of the Beretta 92 and its clone the Taurus PT92. I've been looking around a lot lately and I can always find the Taurus for 2 or 3 hundred dollars less, not really surprisingly since it is the off-brand. However, I have heard a lot said about Taurus, a lot of it good. So what's the word? Does the Taurus truly equate to a better value? Or, is the Beretta a good buy? I like the three position safety on the Taurus, but is it just a small glimmer of hope to save some money? Someone please help me

February 23, 2006, 09:24 AM	#3
9mm1033 Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2005 Location: A big city with far too many cars and people. Posts: 932	I just finished an article about the Beretta 92 vs. Sigsauer 226 and why/how Beretta won the military contract. Anyway, Tauras was not mentioned. Hint, hint. I'd pick the Beretta. __________________ No one reads or cares what is written in ones signature box. So I'm not writing anything worth reading or remembering.

February 23, 2006, 09:33 AM	#6
omegapd Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2004 Location: GA Posts: 670	I like the Taurus too. If you don't know the story, they're made on Beretta's old machinery that Taurus bought when a Brazilian Government contract ran out. I've got the Taurus and have had no problems. After market mags are really cheap too. 10 bucks for 15 rounders at Sportsmansguide or cheaper than dirt. __________________ John 15:12-13 This is my command: love another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends.

February 23, 2006, 10:57 AM	#9
Petre Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 634	I wouldn't sell the Taurus short over the Beretta. Brand snobbery aside , most say the Taurus improved on the Beretta 92 design in any review or opinion I've read on them where the writer was actually familiar with both firearms. The Beretta might be finished better , but I'm not sold on that concept either and you're definately paying for it. Taurus finishes are flawless. You'll rarely see one with tooling marks on it. As for issues with slides and polishing etc etc. You can do a lot of polishing and buy a lot of compund for $2-300. So IMO it comes down to name and name only. __________________ DOCTORS A The number of Doctors in the U.S. is approximately 700,000 B Accidental deaths caused by Doctors per year average 120,000 or 0.171 per Doctor GUNS A The number of legal gun owners in the U.S. is currently over 80,000,000 B The number of accidental gun deaths per year, all age groups, is 1500 or .000188 per gun owner Statistically, doctors are approximately 9,000x more dangerous than gun owners Remember, Guns don't kill people, DOCTORS do

February 23, 2006, 09:09 PM	#11
IM_Lugger Senior Member Join Date: June 27, 2004 Posts: 2,011	I have a Beretta 92FS Inox and love it, the only Taurus I own is a revolver which I live very much… I personally prefer Berettas, after all it the original gun and I don’t buy into the 'Taurus improved on the design' in fact PT92/99 is more like an older Beretta design - 92F (pre 92FS) But I do think that Taurus is great value fore the money. __________________ "I feel the Beretta is a great character, it's so strong and elegant. The other guns look dumb to me." - John Woo

February 23, 2006, 08:59 AM	#2
shield20 Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2005 Location: Hudson Valley, New York Posts: 1,371	In my experience - and this was a while ago - the Taurus is not as nice as the Beretta. It worked, but just wasn't as nice - not as smooth I guess (I had an Italian 92F already). Now, is it $200 or $300 worse? Your call - to me the Beretta was worth it. It was my duty gun and I initally tried to save some $$$ (darn wife!) when getting a stainless - but went back to the Beretta brand- I guess I just trusted it more. You will get more return on your Beretta also if you resell, but probably it will be relative to what you pay. I do like the safety on the taurus, but check out the trigger pull (and the Beretta DA/SA ain't all that great either).

February 23, 2006, 09:26 AM	#4
Barr Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2006 Location: Upstate SC Posts: 286	For the price I would get the Taurus. Very nice pistol.

February 23, 2006, 09:28 AM	#5
HSMITH Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2002 Posts: 2,019	I prefer the Taurus. The safety is useable number one, and the quality is just as good as average Beretta guns. The finish may not be as nice, but they shoot just as well and are just as reliable.

February 23, 2006, 09:45 AM	#7
WillBrayjr Junior member Join Date: September 26, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 1,881	Taurus isn't an off-brand company and the PT92 isn't a knock-off either. The finish on the Beretta is better and the Beretta is smoother than the Taurus because all the parts are polished. They're both very dependable. There's usually a $150.00 difference between the two.

February 23, 2006, 09:49 AM	#8
Handy Junior member Join Date: August 31, 2001 Posts: 8,785	If I was in the market for such a gun, I would seek out a very lightly used Beretta 92SB. The old Italian guns were much more nicely assembled and finished than either the current US Beretta or Taurus. One in near new condition should only cost you about $500, neatly bridging the Beretta/Taurus price gap, and giving you a gun better than either.

February 23, 2006, 08:06 PM	#10
johnny3 Member Join Date: May 28, 2005 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 37	Handy +1, I've got all 3, Taurus, Beretta FS,& Beretta SB, find you a nice SB, you'll always keep it, you'll eventually sell the Taurus, it's just not a Beretta.

February 23, 2006, 09:17 PM	#12
Smoke Screen Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Location: Cold Rocks Hold, Aiel Waste Posts: 186	If you're on a budget, Taurus, if you're rich, a Beretta. As for me? Taurus. __________________ Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself.

February 23, 2006, 09:41 PM	#13
Majic Senior Member Join Date: May 24, 2004 Posts: 3,888	Delete Last edited by Majic; February 25, 2006 at 12:09 AM.

February 23, 2006, 09:42 PM	#14
Majic Senior Member Join Date: May 24, 2004 Posts: 3,888	I've seen Taurus that were finished just as nice as the Beretta. I've seen Taurus consistently outshoot the Beretta. Then I've seen the Beretta that were finished nicer and outshoot the Taurus. It's really a toss up as the Taurus is nothing but a copy older Beretta (with the newer Taurus having a decocker)and individual guns will be different. If you want big name then go with the Beretta, otherwise the Taurus will give you the same thing minus the name.

February 23, 2006, 09:48 PM	#15
Majic Senior Member Join Date: May 24, 2004 Posts: 3,888	Delete

February 24, 2006, 01:55 AM	#16
Ruger451 Member Join Date: February 22, 2006 Posts: 38	So is the Beretta SB the Italian version while the FS is american made?

February 24, 2006, 02:38 AM	#17
Abominable No-Man Senior Member Join Date: August 15, 2001 Location: Over here. Posts: 246	That's like comparing an AR15 made by Colt and an AR15 made by Bushmaster. Realistically, they are about equal. Taurus and Beretta 92's are both finished very nicely. They both hold 15 rounds. They are both rated for 9mm NATO. They both shoot about the same. Beretta 92's hold their resale value better. Beretta mags are easier to find. Taurus, IIRC, has a lifetime warranty on it's guns. I believe they also made an all-steel version of the 92. The Brazilian Gov't contracted with Beretta for 9mm service pistols for it's armed forces and police. Eventually, Beretta set up a plant in Brazil, and years later, sold the plant to the Brazilian government. That's how Taurus came to be. For a few years, the Beretta 92's and Taurus 92's were exactly the same. Taurus modified their 92 a little, added a thumb safety similar to the CZ75, which in later years incorporated a decocker function. Taurus pistols were originally rougher than the Beretta pistols, but for the past 5 years or so, they have been more alike than different. In the end, decide which one you like better and get that one. __________________ ANM "Do you trust who I trust? Me, myself, and I...."

February 24, 2006, 10:55 AM	#18
Thud Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2005 Posts: 193	Get Taurus. Cheaper, near as well made and the frame-mounted safety... Definitely a better deal, IMHO of course. Greetings, THUD.-

February 24, 2006, 11:04 AM	#19
Handy Junior member Join Date: August 31, 2001 Posts: 8,785	No, the SB came before the F, which preceded the FS. You can also find nice F model Italian guns. All three look the same, except for a different trigger guard on the SB (round, no hook). F's were produced in both the US and Italy. The FS model has an oversized pin to keep the slide from flying off if it breaks in half - which is not something that has ever happened with a civilian gun. I think the SB is the prettiest, but any Italian made 92 has a nicer finish than any US or Brazilian made 92. I don't even like the 92 very much, but an ANIB 92SB Compact at a local shop for $500 really got me salivating. It was gorgeous.

February 24, 2006, 11:47 AM	#20
Te Anau Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2004 Location: Somewhere south of the No Posts: 3,824	To this day,I regret not buying a stainless Taurus 92 several years ago.That gun was sweet, NIB and a killer deal.I screwed up. __________________ "Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." --American author Mark Twain (1835-1910)

February 24, 2006, 12:08 PM	#21
Handy Junior member Join Date: August 31, 2001 Posts: 8,785	Have they turned to dust since then? Find one and buy it.

February 24, 2006, 12:10 PM	#22
Dos Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2002 Posts: 115	Taurus PT92 I'm glad i picked one up last summer. My local FFL did a promo on them. Got a black one for $268 + tax out the door. Wooooo Hooooo!

February 24, 2006, 12:18 PM	#23
Handy Junior member Join Date: August 31, 2001 Posts: 8,785	Te- http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976613522.htm That almost looks like a stainless frame. Is that what it is?

February 24, 2006, 03:41 PM	#24
silversilvia Member Join Date: July 9, 2005 Posts: 28	at one time i owned both. i bought the PT92 first, and it is definetily a good gun for the money, nothing wrong with it at all. after a while i bought a 96. the beretta has a better overall finish, this applies to the part u can't see as well, i completely stripped both of them and the beretta is no doubt a better made gun. however at the range they both performed reliably, and accuratly (more accurate than me, so i don't know how accurate they actually are) i sold the taurus and kept the beretta. oh and ditto on the frame safety, only fancy beretta has those (billenium, steel 1, combat) just ask yourself if u are willing to pay for the beretta, if not the taurus is (almost) just as good.

February 24, 2006, 06:58 PM	#25
juliet charley Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 1999 Posts: 2,501	If the choice was between a NIB (current production) Beretta and a NIB (current production) Taurus, it's a no-brainer--pick the Taurus!