The locking block should be changed periodically in service, but a new design also proved more durable.
NATO-specification 124-grain ammunition is hotter than civilian +P ammunition and can be hard on the firearm. The locking block was the same basic design used in the Mauser C96 and later the Walther P38. This is true of the Garand rifle, and the 1911 progressed from the 1911 to the 1911A1. It is rare for a firearm to enter military service and not undergo some type of revision or modification. Americans use their pistols more often than other armies, and the Beretta soon proved to be reliable in action. No matter how rigorous the test, you don’t know how reliable a handgun is until it enters service.
#BERETTA M9 SURPLUS MANUAL#
The SIG P226 tied the Beretta for reliability, but perhaps the manual safety of the Beretta is the feature that tipped the scales. While there are many opinions, when double-action first-shot handguns of the period are considered, the Beretta was among the best available. The Beretta was a product of the world’s longest-serving arms maker and had passed a difficult trail period with its reputation intact.
While there are many fans of the 1911, there are also many detractors and some who felt the pistol was long overdue for replacement. The Beretta replaced the long-serving 1911A1. The apple cart wasn’t upset it was wrecked. When the United States Army adopted the Beretta M9, it was quite a surprise to many of us.