Taurus PT-92

Photo by author

This is one of the handguns I have owned the longest. It started life as a Taurus PT-99 (with the adjustable sights) but the design of the sights proved to be too fragile. When, after repeated firing, the rear sight pin tore through the steel of the slide where it was very thin (all that recoil inertia was just too much for that thin metal) I returned the pistol to Taurus for repair and requested that they replace the slide with a PT-92 slide with the more robust fixed-sights. This Taurus did at no charge. The only other repair I have ahd to make to this pistol was to replace a broken locking block after many thousands of rounds. This is a close (but not exact) copy of the Beretta 92 pistol. Beretta has redesigned the locking block for longer life, and I installed a new-design Beretta 92 locking block and put this PT-92 back into service.

Aside from the markings, the main difference between this pistol and the Beretta 92FS or M9 pistol is the location and operation of the manual safety lever. As the photo shows, the PT-92 has the safety located in the frame in the same location as the Browning-designed 1911 does. It operates the same way as well. This pistol can be carried "cocked and locked" just like a 1911. This is an early model PT-92 and the safety only has the two positions: SAFE and FIRE. Newer production PT-92s have a third position: if you press further downward (past the FIRE position) against spring pressure you will effect a decocking of the pistol. The safety lever will then return to the FIRE position. Some folks like this. I think it is unnecessary. As a contrast the Beretta has the safety lever located in the slide at the rear. It decocks the pistol whenever it is placed in the SAFE position. You cannot carry a Beretta 92FS or M9 pistol "cocked and locked."

Photo by author

I have put many thousands of various 9mm rounds through this pistol -- and it shows! But it still functions reliably and is at least as accurate as I am. For a 9 mm pistol, this is a pretty large one, though it is not particularly heavy due to the aluminium-alloy frame.

Field-stripping is identical to the Beretta. Ensure that the pistol is unloaded. Remove the magazine. Rotate the take-down lever 90 degrees downward (while depressing the lock button on the right-hand side of the frame). Remove the slide from the forward end of the frame. Remove the recoil spring, guide rod, and barrel. Reassemble in reverse order.

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