beretta steel i User Guide
Series
Manuale di Istruzione
Instruction Manual
Mode d’Emploi
Manual de Instrucciones
2
Fig. 10
Fig. 12
Fig. 14
Fig. 11
Fig. 13
Fig. 15
Fig. 17Fig. 16
47
ALWAYS KEEP THIS MANUAL WITH YOUR FIREARM. INCLUDE IT
WITH THE PISTOL WHEN IT CHANGES OWNERSHIP OR WHEN IT
IS LOANED OR PRESENTED TO ANOTHER PERSON.
NOTICE: The Manufacturer and/or its Local Official Distributors
assume no responsibility for product malfunction or for physical
injury or property damage resulting in whole or in part from
criminal or negligent use of the product, improper or careless
handling, unauthorized modifications, use of defective, improper,
hand-loaded, reloaded or remanufactured ammunition*,
customer abuse or neglect of the product, or other influences
beyond manufacturer's direct and immediate control.
* See paragraph “Ammunition”.
WARNING: Always ensure that the safety is fully engaged until
ready to fire. A safety, which is not fully engaged, will not prevent
firearm discharge.
WARNING: ALL FIREARMS HAVE LETHAL POTENTIAL. READ THE
BASIC SAFETY RULES CAREFULLY AND UNDERSTAND THEM
FULLY BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO USE THIS FIREARM.
In addition to the Basic Safety Rules, there are other Safety
Rules pertaining to the loading, unloading, disassembly,
assembly and use of this firearm, located throughout this
manual.
WARNING: READ THE ENTIRE MANUAL CAREFULLY BEFORE
USING THIS FIREARM. MAKE SURE THAT ANY PERSON USING
OR HAVING ACCESS TO THIS FIREARM READS AND
UNDERSTANDS ALL OF THIS MANUAL PRIOR TO USE OR
ACCESS.
Illustrations on pages
2, 55, 56, 176
ENGLISH ITALIANO
pagina 3
FRANÇAIS
page 87
ESPAÑOL
página
131
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We recommend the use of original Beretta spare parts and
accessories. The use of other manufacturer’s spare parts
and accessories could cause malfunctions and/or breakages
that will not be covered by the Beretta Warranty.
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CONTENTS
Page
BASIC SAFETY RULES 49
DESCRIPTION 57
SAFETY FEATURES 57
OPERATIONAL AND ANATOMICAL FEATURES 59
SPECIFICATIONS 62
GENERAL OPERATION 63
LOAD CHECK 63
HOW TO LOWER THE COCKED HAMMER 65
OBSTRUCTION CHECK 67
AMMUNITION 68
LOADING 69
UNLOADING 72
FIRING 74
FIELD STRIPPING 78
MAINTENANCE 78
RE-ASSEMBLY 81
STORAGE 81
INTERCHANGEABLE SIGHTS 82
HOW TO ADJUST THE TRIGGER 83
HOW TO REVERSE THE MAGAZINE RELEASE BUTTON 83
TROUBLESHOOTING 84
WARRANTY AND EXTENSION OF THE WARRANTY REPAIR
PERIOD 85
This instruction manual consists of 176 pages.
49
BASIC SAFETY RULES
WARNING: PLEASE READ THIS MANUAL BEFORE HANDLING
YOUR FIREARM.
WARNING: FIREARMS CAN BE DANGEROUS AND CAN
POTENTIALLY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY, DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
OR DEATH, IF HANDLED IMPROPERLY. THE FOLLOWING SAFETY
RULES ARE AN IMPORTANT REMINDER THAT FIREARM SAFETY IS
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
1. NEVER POINT A FIREARM AT SOMETHING THAT IS NOT
SAFE TO SHOOT.
Never let the muzzle of a firearm point at any part of your body
or at another person. This is especially important when
loading or unloading the firearm. When you are shooting at a
target, know what is behind it. Some bullets can travel over a
mile. If you miss your target or if the bullet penetrates the
target, it is your responsibility to ensure that the shot does
not cause unintended injury or damage.
2. ALWAYS TREAT A FIREARM AS
IF IT WERE LOADED.
Never assume that a firearm is
unloaded. The only cer tain way
to ensure that a firearm has the
chamber(s) empty is to open
the chamber and visually and
physically examine the inside to
see if a round is present.
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Removing or unloading the magazine will not guarantee that
a firearm is unloaded or cannot fire. Shotguns and rifles can
be checked by cycling or removing all rounds and by then
opening and inspecting the chamber so that a visual
inspection of the chamber for any remaining rounds can be
made.
3. STORE YOUR FIREARM SO THAT CHILDREN CANNOT GAIN
ACCESS TO IT.
It is your responsibility to ensure that children under the age
of 18 or other unauthorized persons do not gain access to
your firearm. To reduce the risk of accidents involving
children, unload your firearm, lock it and store the
ammunition in a separate locked location. Please note that
devices intended to prevent accidents - for example, cable
locks, chamber plugs, etc, - may not prevent use or misuse of
your firearm by a determined person. Firearm storage in a
steel gun safe may be more appropriate to reduce the
likelihood of intentional misuse of a firearm by an
unauthorized child or person.
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4. NEVER SHOOT AT WATER OR AT A
HARD SURFACE.
Shooting at the surface of water or at
a rock or other hard surface
increases the chance of ricochets or
fragmentation of the bullet or shot,
which can result in the projectile
striking an unintended or peripheral
target.
5. KNOW THE SAFETY FEATURES OF THE FIREARM YOU ARE
USING, BUT REMEMBER: SAFETY DEVICES ARE NOT A
SUBSTITUTE FOR SAFE HANDLING PROCEDURES.
Never rely solely on a safety device to prevent an accident. It
is imperative that you know and use the safety features of the
particular firearm you are handling, but accidents can best be
prevented by following the safe handling procedures
described in these safety rules and elsewhere in the product
manual. To further familiarize yourself with the proper use of
this or other firearms, take a Firearms Safety Course taught
by an expert in firearms use and safety procedures.
6. PROPERLY MAINTAIN YOUR FIREARM.
Store and carr y your firearm so that
dirt or lint does not accumulate in the
working parts. Clean and oil your
firearm, following the instructions
provided in this manual, after each
use to prevent corrosion, damage to
the barrel or accumulation of
impurities which can prevent use of
the gun in an emergency. Always
check the bore and chamber(s) prior to loading to ensure that
they are clean and free from obstructions. Firing with an
obstruction in the barrel or chamber can rupture the barrel and
injure you or others nearby. In the event you hear an unusual
noise when shooting, stop firing immediately, engage the
manual safety and unload the firearm. Make sure the chamber
and barrel are free from any obstruction, like a bullet blocked
inside the barrel due to defective or improper ammunition.
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7. USE PROPER AMMUNITION.
Only use factory-loaded, new ammunition manufactured to
industry specifications: CIP (Europe and elsewhere), SAAMI
(U.S.A.). Be certain that each round you use is in the proper
caliber or gauge and type for the particular firearm. The
caliber or gauge of the firearm is clearly marked on the barrels
of shotguns and on the slide or barrel of pistols. The use of
reloaded or remanufactured ammunition can increase the
likelihood of excessive cartridge pressures, case-head
ruptures or other defects in the ammunition that can cause
damage to your firearm and injur y to yourself or others nearby.
8. ALWAYS WEAR PROTECTIVE GLASSES AND EARPLUGS
WHEN SHOOTING.
The chance that gas, gunpowder or
metal fragments will blow back and
injure a shooter who is firing a gun
is rare, but the injury that can be
sustained in such circumstances
can be severe, including the
possible loss of eyesight. A
shooter must always wear impact
resistant shooting glasses when
firing any firearm. Earplugs or other
high-quality hearing protectors help reduce the chance of
hearing damage from shooting.
9. NEVER CLIMB A TREE, FENCE OR
OBSTRUCTION WITH A LOADED
FIREARM.
Open and empty the chamber(s) of
your firearm and engage the
manual safety before climbing or
descending a tree or before
climbing a fence or jumping over a
ditch or other obstruction. Never
pull or push a loaded firearm toward yourself or another
person. Always unload a firearm, visually and physically check
to see that the magazine, loading mechanism and chamber
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are unloaded, and action is open before handing it to
another person. Never take a firearm from another person
unless it is unloaded, visually and physically checked to
confirm it is unloaded, and the action is open.
10. AVOID ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OR JUDGMENT/REFLEX
IMPAIRING MEDICATION WHEN SHOOTING.
Do not drink and shoot. If you take
medication that can impair motor
reactions or judgment, do not
handle a firearm while you are
under the influence of the
medication.
11. NEVER TRANSPORT A LOADED FIREARM.
Unload a firearm before putting it in a vehicle (chamber
empty, magazine empty). Hunters and target shooters
should load their firearm only at their destination, and only
when they are ready to shoot. If you carr y a firearm for selfprotection, leaving the chamber unloaded can reduce the
chance of an unintentional discharge.
12. LEAD WARNING.
Discharging firearms in poorly ventilated areas, cleaning
firearms, or handling ammunition may result in exposure to
lead and other substances known to cause birth defects,
reproductive harm, and other serious physical injur y. Have
adequate ventilation at all times. Wash hands thoroughly
after exposure.
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WARNING: It is YOUR responsibility to know and abide by
Federal, State and Local laws governing the sale, transportation
and use of firearms in your area.
Especially for U.S. consumers:
For information about Firearm Safety Courses in your area,
please visit the National Rifle Association’s web site at
www
.nra.org.
WARNING: This firearm has the capability of taking your life or
the life of someone else! Always be extremely careful with your
firearm. An accident is almost always the result of not following
basic firearm safety rules.
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Fig. 1
O
Fig. 2
decocked hammer-safety disengaged decocked hammer-safety engaged
Fig. 3 Fig. 4
O
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cocked hammer-safety engaged
Fig. 5
half-cocked hammer
safety disengaged
single/double action mod. only
half-cocked hammer
safety engaged
single/double action mod. only
Fig. 8 Fig. 9
Fig. 7
Fig. 6
A
M
F
E
N
cocked hammer-safety disengaged
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SAFETY FEATURES
NOTICE: The figure numbers noted below refer to the
photographs on pages 2, 55, 56, 173.
Frame mounted safety (Fig. 1-5/A). All 92/98/96 Steel I
pistols feature an ambidextrous manual safety on the frame that
locks the sear and the slide in the closed position. The manual
safety can be engaged when the hammer is in decocked or
cocked position (Fig. 4 and 7). On the single/double action
versions the safety can be also engaged with the hammer in halfcocked position (Fig. 9). The manual safety cannot be engaged
with the slide in the open position.
DESCRIPTION
The new Beretta 92/98/96 Steel I is the synthesis of the longstanding experience of the model 92, manufactured in well over
two million units and reconfirms Beretta’s tradition of steel
framed pistols. Designed with extreme attention to details the
Beretta 92/98/96 Steel I pistol is created with the true
connoisseurs, the expert marksmen and collectors in mind. This
exclusive 92 model sports numerous special features, like its
steel frame, the slim lines of its “vertical” grip, the “flush”
barrel, the recoil-reducing slide, already tested in the Brigadier,
Stock, Combat and Billennium models, the ambidextrous, framemounted safety and the skeletonized hammer. Other features
are the Novak rear sight with white dots, the thin dual textured
grips and the Beretta satin/polished grey finish, which is a
special nickel-alloy based plating that ensures an extraordinary
resistance to punishing and harsh weather conditions and gives
the pistol its unmatched look. The Beretta 92/98/96 Steel I is
available in calibers 9mm x 19 Parabellum (Luger), 9mm x 21 IMI
and .40 S&W, both in a traditional single/double action and a
single action only version. The single action only model features
a micrometric adjustment of the trigger’s pre and over travel.
The Beretta 92/98/96 Steel I is qualified to compete in the IDPA
competitions.
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Automatic Firing Pin Block (Fig. 1/B). The 92/98/96 Steel I
pistols have a blocking device that prevents forward movement
of the firing pin unless the trigger is pulled. This feature is
intended to prevent discharge if the pistol is dropped or if the
hammer is unintentionally dropped without pulling the trigger.
Loaded chamber indicator (Fig. 2). The loaded chamber
indicator is a small red tab (extractor) that protrudes fur ther from
the slide when a round is in the chamber. The tab is located on
the right side of the pistol’s slide, near the cartridge chamber,
and can be both seen and felt, allowing the user to check the
chamber at night by feel or during the day by checking for the
increased protrusion of the red tab.
Note: The most certain way to check whether a pistol is loaded
is to pull back on the slide and visually inspect the chamber for
a round. Loaded chamber indicators are designed primarily to
allow noiseless inspection of the pistol to ensure that it is loaded
in situations when it may be dangerous to operate the slide (the
action of pulling back on the slide may make noise and will
temporarily render the pistol inoperable) or when it is dark.
WARNING: In order to permit the use of the pistol in emergency
situations, even in the case of involuntary dropping or loss of the
magazine, these models are NOT provided with a magazine
safety. They are therefore capable of firing, when a round is
chambered, even if the magazine has not been inserted or if it
has been removed or if it has been dislodged from its seat.
Slide catch (Fig. 1/C). The slide catch is a lever that holds the
slide open and rearward after the last round is fired. This allows
the user to immediately determine that the pistol does not have
a round in the chamber or in the magazine.
Slide overtravel stop. The hammer pin head has been enlarged
to enter a matching groove cut into the slide rail to stop slide
breech recoil overtravel.
External hammer (Fig. 1/D). The external hammer allows the
user to visually and immediately determine that the hammer is
cocked or lowered.
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