Gun Of The Week: Beretta USA 92XI Squalo

Welcome to another American Rifleman Gun Of The Week video, and in this episode, we’re running a new version of Beretta’s famous 92 on the range. This is the Beretta 92XI Squalo, and it’s a version that brings some long-awaited updates to this popular handgun. Watch the video above to see the 92XI Squalo in use on the range.

Beretta’s Model 92 is probably most famous for the fact that, in 1985, the United States military chose the design to replace the venerable Model 1911 pistol, which had been in service for nearly 75 years at that point. The 92FS was then designated the M9. It continued to serve well into the 21st century until being replaced by the SIG Sauer M17/M18 design, which was officially selected in 2017. Even though it is no longer the U.S. military’s official sidearm, the Beretta continues to be popular in the commercial market and has seen a number of changes that conform with the needs of modern shooters.

Probably the biggest change seen in the Beretta 92XI Squalo is the movement of the manual thumb safety. Previous versions of the Beretta had a slide-mounted safety lever, but now, this XI model features a more traditional thumb safety located at the rear of the frame. The safety is a bilateral design with a traditional downward sweep to ready the gun to fire, and this exposes a red dot located on the slide, just above the frame. Thanks to this manual safety update, the 92XI Squalo makes use of Beretta’s X-treme S single-action trigger instead of the double-action/single-action mechanism seen on the company’s earlier 92 designs. Many shooters prefer the consistency of a single-action-only operating system, and the manual safety configuration in this XI model makes it easy to carry the gun “cocked and locked” while still taking advantage of a crisp, clean, single-action trigger break. DLC-coated components within the trigger contribute to a smoother break on this model.

One of the other notable updates found in Beretta’s 92XI is the ability to mount a red-dot sight, which was a challenge, considering some of the design elements of the Beretta slide, notably the location of the firing pin block and extractor pivot pin. Beretta has solved this with two slide cuts that avoid these critical areas, and a special adapter plate is available from the company and other aftermarket sources that fit common MRD footprints and provide clearance for the firing pin block.

When shooting the Beretta 92XI Squalo, several of the company’s upgrades are certainly noticeable, particularly the ergonomic upgrade of the Vertec frame design. Fans of the more traditional, straight backstrap will appreciate the Vertec design, and it’s only enhanced with the addition of serrations on both the backstrap and frontstrap. The USPSA-compliant Toni flared magazine well made it easy to reload, and we appreciated the ease with which the frame-mounted safety “snicked” on and off and found it much more accessible than the old gun’s slide-mounted control. Yet another unique feature of the Squalo is its adjustable magazine release, which allows competitors to orient the control to best fit their shooting style. For fans of this fine Italian design, the 92XI Squalo is a welcome update that keeps pace with many of today’s modern handguns and makes for a great option for competition use.

Beretta 92XI Squalo Specifications
Action Type: single-action, semi-automatic, centerfire, repeating pistol
Chambering: 9 mm Luger
Barrel: 4.7″ cold-hammer-forged steel
Slide: steel, Cerakote finish
Frame: Vertec-style, aluminum
Sights: optic-ready; red fiber-optic front, square-notch rear
Magazine: 22-round detachable box
Trigger: Xtreme-S, single-action-only
Overall Length: 8.5″
Height: 5.4″
Width: 1.5″
MSRP: $1,329