Speaking of style, nobody does it better than the Italians and that’s easily confirmed by the new 92X RDO. While the 92X isn’t a brand new pistol, the factory RDO configuration is new for this year. Beretta is now also able to offer a red-dot mounting solution to customers that its competitors have had the advantage of doing for some time now. It’s an interesting design with two small cuts in the slide that allow two rail-like parts on the bottom of the mounting plate to slide into place. Then the flat, top section of the mounting plate rests atop the slide rather than down in it.
For those who aren’t inclined to use a red-dot, Beretta offers up their combat sights which include a serrated and blacked out rear sight with an orange/red dot on the front sight. These sights are dovetailed rather than permanently affixed like earlier 90-series pistols, so it’s possible to swap them out for the user’s preferred sight package.
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Unlike the majority of stock defensive pistols being sold today, the 92X still sports a metal frame and it uses a double-action trigger system. This requires the user to pull through a longer and heavier pull on the first shot and then a lighter single-action pull for each shot thereafter. The double-action pull on the sample 92X averaged 8.13 pounds, while the single-action pull measured 3.38 pounds. For millennials and Gen Z’ers that are used to striker-fired pistols, this will probably be a new experience, but a bit of practice will soon get them up to speed.
The 92X uses Beretta’s Vertec design that includes a flat backstrap that accommodates smaller hands and it includes highly textured grip panels that really grab the hand for a secure purchase. For shooters with larger hands, Beretta also includes a wrap-around grip to fill out the hand even more. The 92X incorporates a rounded triggerguard and a Picatinny rail for accessories, and it retains the ambi frame-mounted safety. If you’re not a fan, Beretta also offers a “G” model where the lever is decock only.
On the plus side, the slide action on the Beretta 90-series of pistols is probably the smoothest of any factory pistol I’ve tried. It’s a silky-smooth sensation that you don’t generally encounter outside of custom guns. The slide also sports fine serrations at the front and rear to facilitate easy slide manipulation.
Having already proved itself on battlefields around the world for a few decades, the 92 line is as good as it gets when it comes to a fighting pistol—provide the user becomes used to the old-school trigger system. With an MSRP of $699 for the RDO configuration, the 92X is an effective tool for your kit and lets you experience a bit of history at the same time.
