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Manufacturer: Pietro Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia
Caliber: .40S&W
Length: 8.3 in (21.1 cm)
Weight Unloaded: 2lbs 2.7 oz (985g)
Barrel: 4.6 in (11.9cm)
Magazine: 11rd detachable box
Muzzle velocity: ~1260 ft/sec (382m/sec)
Cyclic Rate: N/A
Modes of Fire: Semi auto
The Beretta M96G Elite pistols are a natural evolution of the famous M92F pistols that have won the contract as the United States' standard military sidearm. The basic M92 itself was introduced in 1976, and is a evolution of the previous Modello 1951, or M951.
Previous to WWII, Beretta had made many fine pistols for the Italian military, and desired to sell weaponry to the world after WWII. However, these pistols were chambered in calibers considered too weak for combat - .32ACP and .380 Auto. 9mm Parabellum had risen to the top in most of the world besides the United States with their .45ACP M1911A1's; however, the 9mm Parabellum cartridge produced higher chamber pressure that would require a locked breech to contain the pressures.
The M951 thus used a locked-breech pistol using a locking wedge swinging in the vertical plane, in a system similar to the Walther P38. It also incorporated a number of improvements over previous Beretta pistols, including a slide stop that would hold the slide open under pressure from the magazine follower, thus keeping the slide open until a fresh magazine was inserted; a magazine release button in the butt of the weapon; and a cross-bolt safety. While the pistol was finally designed in 1951, but the weapon wasn't put into production until 1957. This is due to the fact that the pistol's frame was originally made out of a light aluminum alloy. This resulted in a pistol that was light, but was neither accurate or pleasant to shoot. By 1957, the pistol's frame had reverted back to steel, and the resulting pistol was heavier, but was much easier to fire.
In 1979, the US Air Force had desired a new semi-automatic pistol to replace all .38 caliber revolvers and the M1911A1 in inventory; Beretta submitted the M92S, slightly modified to suit American tastes - the magazine release had been moved from the butt of the pistol to just behind the trigger guard, an ambidexterous safety, and grooved front and back straps on the grip to improve handling of the weapon, and modified the trigger so that the pistol would only fire if the trigger was pulled entirely to the rear. The resulting pistol, named the M92SB, won the USAF tests, but the Army challeneged the results. The testing began again in 1980, but due to mistakes, testing was cancelled until 1984. In the meantime, Beretta had again modified the M92SB into the M92F, reshaping the trigger guard to suit a two-handed shooting stance, modifying the base of the magazine to make it more comfortable to grip when inserted into the pistol, and making the grip plates more comfortable to hold. A lanyard loop was also added, as well as a chromed barrel and chamber, and a special 'Brunition' matte coating. In January 1985, the M92F was declared the winner of the trials. It won agains the SIG-Sauer P226 soley on a per unit cost basis, as the P226 had also completed the tests successfully - but the P226 was more expensive. The M92F was christened the M9 pistol.
Although it took some time for the Americans, used to the big-bore .45ACP cartridge, to get used to the smaller 9mm Parabellum, in Desert Storm, the M9 had proved itself as a durable, reliable weapon. The adoption of the 9mm pistol in the US military inventory spurred a new interest in the cartridge as a self-defense round for the US civilians. Beretta listened to the requests of the US public for weapons more suited to concealed carry, as the M9 is a rather large pistol. Police departments also began issuing requests for modifications to the M92F to be suitable as a police weapon, and over 20 variations on the basic M92 has been made.
In 1993, Beretta introduced the M96 series, similar to the M92 series, except that the M96 was chambered for the new and potent .40S&W cartridge. The INS agency desired a pistol for its agents, and came to the conclusion that the Beretta was the ideal choice. Beretta provided the M96 Brigadier to the INS. The Brigadier's slide is heavier than a normal M96's, and recontoured. The heavier slide provides for better gun balance, and the felt accuracy is reduced. This leads to faster follow up shots. The slide also features removeable front sights.
The M96G Elite is derived from the M96 Brigadier. The M96G Elite retains the Brigadier slide, but the barrel is shortened from 4.9" to 4.6" for better concealability. The magazine well is beveled for faster reloading (the inner lips of the magazine well slant inward, guiding the magazine into place when a fresh mag is insertec), and the magazine baseplates are given a thick rubber pad, so that the magazines can be dropped on the ground without damage. The slide is given both front and rear grip serrations for easy racking of the slide, and the hammer has been skeletonized. The G designation indicates that the hammer drop lever does not function as a traditional safety, as in the FS type pistols. When the lever is released after having been activated to lower the hammer, it (the lever) automatically returns to the ready-to-fire position.
Probably the biggest issue with these pistols are the magazine capacity. In the game, the two pistols have a combined capacity of 30 rounds, indicating that there should be 15 in each. However, M96G Elites only have 11 round magazines. The 15rd capacity belongs to M92 family pistols.
There is also the issue of the actual use of akimbo (or dual) weapons. The issue was very hotly debated in the CS I/S forums for quite some time. Many people felt that no serious terrorist would use the weapons in real life; this is probably correct. However, in CS, the weapons function as a high capacity spray and pray backup weapon; something to be used to scare off attackers long enough for the wielder to reload his main weapon. In this function they serve quite well, and akimbo weapons is the easiest way to explain the inaccuracy and high capacity. Of course, a Tec-9 with a 30 round magazine probably would have served well in this fashion; in fact, I even suggested it as the akimbo weapon instead of the Beretta M92 :).