1982
In
May of 1982, a new testing procedure was
establish ed for the U.S. Military test.
This procedure used revised reliability
criteria approaching more realistic levels,
but still did not allow any pistol to
qualify and no tests were conducted. Product
development in Gardone Val Trompia continued
during this period, yielding yet another
new variation of the 92SB: the 92SB Compact
"Type M". The new compact type
M pistol, also chambered for 9mm Parabellum,
featured an 8‑round single line
magazine with reduced grip width. A corresponding
7.65 mm. Parabellum version designated
the Model 99, was developed for the commercial
market.
1983
As
a result of pressure exerted by U.S. Congress,
new tests were requested in the United
States, and the U.S. Army was again chosen
by JSSAP to carry out these tests designated:
XM9 Service Pistol Trials (SPT).
In Italy, work continued on yet another
new version of the Model 92S13. Designated
the Model 92F (initially referred to as
the 92SB‑F), it was given a combat
trigger guard to improve the grip during
two‑handed shooting, the barrel
was internally chromed, and a matte black
“Bruniton”®
finish is added. In fact, this
model was identical to the previous Model
92SB with certain modifications to make
it even more competitive in the U.S. Military
tests.
1984
The
new XM9 tests started at the beginning
of the year and included seven candidates:
Smith & Wesson 459A, Beretta 92SB‑F,
SIG Sauer P‑226, Heckler & Koch
P7, Walther P88, Steyr GB and F, and the
Browning ADA. The tests were conducted
in different locations that specialized
in various types of tests (adverse conditions,
ballistics, endurance, targeting and accuracy,
and reliability testing). The testing
took until September to complete. Announcement
of the winner of the competition was delayed
due to legal opposition of two of the
competing manufacturers: Smith & Wesson
and Heckler & Koch, whose pistols
were disqualified in the initial phase
of the testing.
1985
On
January 14, the U.S. Army officially announced
that the Beretta 92SB‑F was the
clear winner of the competition. The Beretta
pistol, designated by the U.S. Military
as the M9, was one of only two weapons
that successfully completed the test.
The other finalist was the Swiss‑German
SIG Sauer P226. The contract for 315,930
pistols valued at approximately $ 75 million
was awarded to Beretta U.S.A. Corp., Pietro
Beretta's U.S. affiliate, on April 10,
1985. Smith & Wesson of Springfield,
Massachusetts, initiated legal action
aimed at interrupting the acquisition
of the M9 pistol by the U.S. Military.
In
accordance with the terms of the contract,
while Beretta U.S.A. Corp. proceeded to
tool up for local production of M9 pistols,
P. Beretta Gardone V.T. began to manufacture
the M9 pistol. In the course of the year,
production of the 92F began for the commercial
and Military markets, as was the 9mm X21
IMI, designated Model 98F, which was destined
for the Italian market only. The French Minister of
Defence, André Giraud, authorized a competition
on behalf of the National Gendarmerie,
which led to the purchase of 110,000 9mm
Parabellum pistols as replacements for
the MAC 50 pistol. These pistols would
be produced in France by a French company.
Beretta is represented in France by a French MAS (Manufacture d'Armes de
Saint Etienne).
1986
While
the
success of the 92F in the international
market continued, in the United States
Smith & Wesson made tireless attempts
to block the M9 contract. In the meantime,
numerous American law enforcement agencies
decided to replace their revolvers with
new high‑capacity, semi‑autocratic
pistols and opted for the Beretta 92E
In Gardone V.T., production of the M9
for the U.S. Armed Forces continued. In
France' the competition for the National
Gendarmerie continued with the Beretta
92E SIG Sauer P226, and Walther P88.
1987
WIn
the United States, Smith & Wesson's
legal and political action aimed at blocking
the M9 contract continued. Beretta Gardone
proceeded with the gradual transfer of
M9 production to Beretta U.S.A. in Accokeek,
Maryland. On July 7, 1987, the French
Minister of Defence announced the selection
of the Beretta 92F for the National Gendarmerie.
MAS was assigned the task of producing
110,000 Beretta 92F pistols under license
from Beretta S.p.A., Gardone V.T. Thus,
two years after the American contract,
the technical superiority of the Italian
pistol over the same participants already
defeated in the U.S. testing was confirmed.
The model adopted by National Gendarmerie
was the 92F with the safety modified in
such a way as to simply function as a
hammer‑drop (decoking lever, returning,
after being activated, to the ready ‑to‑fire
position. This weapon was designated the
PAMAS GI.
