Review – Beretta 92X Centurion

The Beretta 92X Centurion; Is Beretta beating a dead horse or refining a classic? With some great deals available and a $100 factory rebate, if you buy in Feb. or March 2020, I intended to find out. Maybe I could even nearly replicate a Wilson Combat or a Langdon Tactical Beretta for a lot less money.

What is the 92X?

The Beretta 92X Centurions are the latest iteration of the venerable 9mm Beretta 92 series pistols. They were introduced at SHOT Show 2019, and they’re now on sale from many retailers. The Beretta 92X addresses many of the things that buyers want.

• Front and backstrap checkering.
• A shortened, crowned barrel.
• A 16 pound D hammer spring.
• An extended magazine release.
• a Vertec grip with an additional full-size wraparound grip to replicate a traditional, non-vertec grip.
• Three seventeen-round magazines.
• A black serrated rear sight and orange dot front sight.
• A rounded trigger guard.
• An option to buy either safety / decocker or just decocker.
• A beveled magwell.

What were the main differences I noticed between Beretta 92X and 92X Centurion? When I picked up the Centurion model I ordered, the first thing I noticed was the grip. There is a ton of it! With the new highly textured grips and the checkering on the front and back straps, this might be the grippiest gun I’ve ever held. It reminds me of the Smith & Wesson M2.0 or the Springfield Armory TRP.

I noticed that out of the box, a Beretta 92 has a smooth trigger pull and an unusually smooth action when cycling the slide. This was no different. Thanks to the standard “D” hammer spring, this gun would be pretty good as it is. However, I’ve heard many good things about Earnest Langdon’s Trigger Job in a Bag that I had to find out. The installation process was fun and easy with the instruction video on Langdontactical.com. What were the results? The results were superb. The reset is tiny, and the pull is as smooth as I can imagine possible. Additionally, no overtravel used to be present in the double-action pull.

The BAD:

I’ve noticed a couple of problems with the machining. First, The underside of the front sight had a burr that scraped the top of the barrel. The burr was easily removed, but the barrel is now scratched. This happened in the first 100 rounds.

Second, the hood over the breech face has a poor machining finish.

At last, all of us have now read a gun review where the fit and finish are not “Perfect.” I never thought I would see the day. Fortunately, the problems are only cosmetic, and the gun works properly. However, these problems are unjustifiable and reach the limit of what I, as a consumer, will accept.

The GOOD:

All of the changes Beretta has made with the introduction of the 92X are superb! I would give exceptionally high marks to the sights and the grip.

The Verdict:

The Beretta 92X suggests that Beretta has belatedly realized what Wilson Combat and Langdon Tactical have been doing for several years. A reasonable person could quickly have disliked a Beretta from years past while at the same time being very impressed by this newest iteration. I put myself in this category.

The 92X improvements are a great example of how to refine a classic design. Beretta is definitely not flogging a dead horse.