Beretta 96A1 Full Size 40 S&W 12 Round 4.9in — Superb Duty Pistol

Description

The Beretta 96A1 Full Size is the 92 platform in .40 S&W, and it is a more interesting gun than that description suggests. Beretta did not simply rebarrel a 9mm: the 96A1 got a captive recoil spring assembly, a reinforced slide and a heavier locking block to handle the shorter, sharper impulse that .40 produces. It is a duty pistol that was designed around the cartridge rather than adapted to it.

This is part number J9A4F10: a 4.90-inch barrel, 12+1 capacity, a black Bruniton alloy frame and a serrated steel slide. The Beretta 96A1 Full Size carries the open-slide design, the delayed locking-block action and the double action first shot that the 92 series is known for.

What Beretta changed for .40 S&W

• A captive recoil spring assembly, which controls slide velocity better than the 92’s guide rod
• A reinforced slide and a heavier locking block sized for the .40 impulse
• A Picatinny rail moulded into the dust cover for a light or laser
• Removable, replaceable sights rather than an integral front blade
• A magazine release that can be reversed for left-handed shooters

Why .40 S&W still makes sense

• More energy than 9mm at similar magazine capacities in a full-size frame
• Ammunition prices have fallen considerably as law enforcement moved back to 9mm
• A heavy, full-size pistol like this absorbs the sharper recoil that lighter .40s do not
• Still the duty cartridge in a number of agencies, so quality loads remain available
• The 12+1 capacity puts it level with most full-size .40 competitors

Specifications

• Manufacturer: Beretta USA
• Part number: J9A4F10
• Caliber: .40 S&W
• Capacity: 12+1
• Barrel length: 4.90 inches
• Slide: Serrated steel
• Frame: Alloy with accessory rail
• Finish: Black Bruniton
• Action: Short recoil, delayed locking block; double action / single action
• UPC: 082442111100

Shooting a full-size .40

The complaint people have about .40 S&W is the recoil impulse, and most of that complaint comes from shooting it in compact polymer pistols. In a full-size alloy-framed gun the story changes. The Beretta 96A1 Full Size weighs enough, and its captive recoil spring controls slide velocity well enough, that the muzzle rise is closer to a 9mm than the cartridge’s reputation suggests.

For range work, Aguila 180 grain FMJ is the economical option and shoots to roughly the same point of impact as most duty loads. Cartridge dimensions and maximum pressures are published by SAAMI, and a full-size gun like this is well inside its design margin with standard-pressure ammunition.

The double action first shot

The Beretta 96A1 Full Size fires the first round double action and every subsequent round single action. The long first pull is a deliberate safety feature, and the slide-mounted lever lets you decock without touching the trigger.

Practise the transition between the long first pull and the short second one and the system disappears. What remains is a single-action trigger for the rest of the magazine that most polymer pistols cannot match at any point in the string.

Why this pistol earns its place

• A .40 built for the cartridge rather than a 9mm frame pressed into service
• The Beretta 96A1 Full Size has a steel slide and an alloy frame, a combination few makers still offer
• Accessory rail, reversible magazine release and replaceable sights as standard
• Ammunition is cheaper now than at any point in the cartridge’s history
• Beretta’s parts and service network in the United States is as deep as anyone’s

The Beretta 96A1 Full Size suits a shooter who wants a full-size duty pistol in .40 and would rather have metal and a hammer than polymer and a striker. If you would prefer 9mm, the 92FS Brigadier and the optic-ready 92GTS are the equivalent guns, and the 92FS Compact is the smaller option.

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