Gun Digest Book of Beretta Pistols: Function | Accuracy | Performance

I found this book to be quite informative. No, I don't believe that Mr Ayoob is a corporate shill for Beretta. I have been reading his work since the late 70's and if something has shortcomings, he is not shy about letting that be known. Just look at the issue when he brought to light the problem with S&W model 66's seizing up when hot. He exposed it, S&W got all bent out of shape about his coverage, then they fixed it. The Beretta 92/96 is a proven platform. There are some people who don't like them and prefer Glocks, SIGs, or whatever. That is fine; people don't have to like the same gun. I fell in love with the Beretta M-9 the first time I quialified on it in 1989. After retiring from the USAF in 2002, I still love the Beretta 92/96 and have one of each. This book is a clear and concise work of how Beretta pistols came to be. This book has earned a permanent place in my reference library and I'll recommend it to everyone. You won't be disappointed!

Aahh, my favorite gun writer — Massad F. “Mas” Ayoob — writing about my favorite autopistol brand, Beretta…doesn’t get much better than that, does it!?From reading this excellent book, it’s abundantly clear that Mas shares my lifelong love for the Beretta brand (especially my all-time sentimental fave pistol, the 9mm Beretta 92F/M9)…but he also makes it clear that he’s no corporate shill or blind-eyed propagandist:“Don’t expect a puff piece. I don’t work for Beretta, I work for you, and my job is to tell you the truth that I’ve investigated and experienced. I will show you how and why the Model 92 has earned a reputation as one of the all-time great handguns and why the Model 9000 was the worst piece of crap that ever left a Beretta factory.”Though I’ve officially assigned this book a 5-star rating, I’m actually rounding up from what I consider a 4.5-star rating, but alas Goodreads & Amazon won’t let us confer ratings in half-star increments. My lone gripe about the book that compels me mentally dock a half-star is that good ol’ Mas repeats certain things over and over and over again, such as: (1) explaining the difference between the safety-decocker Beretta 92F and the decocker-only 92G and the double-action-only (DAO) 92F; (2) Ken Hackathorn and Bill Wilson’s advocacy for the pistol; (3) Massad’s preference for on-safe carry and “proprietary nature” to the user, etc. See my Goodreads Notes and Highlights for examples of what I mean.But then again, maybe the author does all this repetition on purpose in order to reinforce points that he really wants to drive home to his readers and keep re-jogging the readers’ memories.The one other caveat I would toss out there is that since this book was first published in 2005, some of the stuff herein is a bit dated; the Cougar has sadly been discontinued since then and the totally awesome PX4 hadn’t been officially released yet (though Mas still makes reference to the pending debut of the latter gun in his epilogue/afterword).That nitpicks aside, Viva Massad Ayoob and Viva Beretta!

would love to receive this magazine sometime in the mail for personal use

Perhaps the definitive Beretta modern handgun book. Written with exceptional clarity and depth from a true expert's perspective. Massad Ayoob is a veteran police officer, gun writer & editor, shooting champion, and self-defense guru. His book covers Bobcats, Tomcats, Jetfires, Cheetahs, Cougars, 92s, 9000s, Neos, and revolvers (PX4 not yet released to the public at the time of publication). It also includes handling, equipment, shooting, customization, and maintenance tips.The legendary 92 series is heavily emphasized and the author does a good job of counteracting all the popular hate, myths, and rumors point by point. For example, the author agrees that 9mm ball is not a particularly great man-stopper, but he also knows that modern 9mm +P hollowpoint is, and moreover the Beretta 92 can handle it with ease. It would be almost foolish to not take advantage of a proven firearm with this much firepower, stopping power, and reliability. In fact, the author's own trusty bedside gun is a modified 92 loaded with high-performance ammo; a solid endorsement if there ever was one! Beretta handgunners rejoice, this the one of the best feel-good books ever written!

The book is very dated but contains come great historical information about the company and it's flagship pistol - the 92FS.Ayoob is a conversational writer and tells an entertaining story. He has also compiled quite an extensive set of details about Beretta firearms - most of which are no longer manufactured.But if you like Beretta or have an older Beretta that you want to get some details on, this is a good source.Three stars because of the outdated nature of much of the material.