Beretta 92GTS Review: Best Beretta 92?

Have you ever loved a gun for reasons you can’t quite put your finger on? Something about it just vibes with you.

That’s the Beretta 92FS, or more appropriately, the M9. 

I was issued an M9 in the Marine Corp. and loved it, but in the year 2026, the M9 feels dated. A fixed front sight, no option for a rail, no optics compatibility, a safety/decocker, and a fat grip that only holds 15 rounds.

In the 1980s, it was something, but now…

Beretta never let the M9 or 92 series get stuck in the past. Over the years, designers continually improved and refined the design. To me, the Beretta 92GTS is the ultimate culmination of the 92’s development. 

With one in hand, I spent a lot of time and ammo – plus a lot of smiles – putting the 92GTS through its paces.

Join me on a journey over four decades in the making…

Beretta 92GTS Specs & Features 

Specs

• Caliber: 9mm
• Action: Semi-automatic, double action/single action
• Capacity: 18+1
• Barrel Length: 4.7”
• Overall Length: 8.5”
• Weight: 33 oz
• Comes With: Two magazines, extra grips

Features

• Ambidextrous decocker
• Smoother X-Treme S trigger
• Reduced-width frame for improved ergonomics

The Beretta 92GTS comes with all the bells and whistles you could ever want in a modern handgun. This includes an optic-ready slide and rail for lights. The optic-mounting system uses plates to fit a variety of optics. 

The gun retains the classic DA/SA design, but incorporates a frame-mounted decocker. Press the decocker upward, and the hammer drops safely and resets to a double-action mode. 

The G in GTS comes from Beretta’s internal naming system, which uses G to denote a decocker. 

The TS stands for twin sear. The twin sear setup allows for a safe decocking design that places the hammer in a half-cocked position. The X-Treme S trigger and skeletonized hammer help ensure a fantastic trigger pull in double-action and single-action modes. 

The Vertec grip creates a thinner grip for shooters with smaller hands. The Beretta 92 grip was often cited as having a fat bottom, and the Vertec grips make it a little more 1911-like. The 92GTS comes with a high-visibility, adjustable front sight and blacked-out rear sight to top it all off. 

Beretta 92GTS Backstory 

I say the Beretta 92GTS represents the culmination of the 92 series because it appears that Beretta aimed to answer every single complaint about the 92 series in one platform. 

It’s optic- and light-ready. 

Is the 92 grip too fat? Cool, here’s the Vertec grip. 

Is a manual safety redundant on a DA/SA gun? Here’s a decocker only. 

Does a slide-mounted decocker feel less intuitive? Now it’s frame-mounted. 

Beretta clearly wanted to produce a 92-series pistol that would address these common complaints. We’ve seen a combination of these design features in other 92-series guns, but this seems to be the first time they’ve all been shoved into one design. 

The Beretta 92GTS radically revamped the classic 92, but kept the features and design aspects that made the gun so utterly legendary. The 92GTS might not just be the best 92 series; it might be the best DA/SA production gun for under a thousand dollars.

Shooting the Beretta 92GTS: Accuracy and Reliability Analysis 

The double-action trigger feels deceptively smooth and lightweight. It’s absolutely brilliant, and the X-Treme trigger does a fantastic job of providing a smooth, light, double-action pull. It’s good enough that I wouldn’t mind a double-action-only version of this gun…kind of. 

Once you get through the double-action pull, you’re greeted by an extremely light and crisp single-action pull. It’s almost 1911-like. The break is super clean, and the trigger is dialed in to be quick with minimal overtravel. It lacks that spongy pull I’ve felt with M9s. 

Accuracy is brilliant, even with just iron sights. You can punch out sub two-inch groups at 15 yards with ease. Hitting targets with slow fire is super easy to do. Punching tight little groups with a handgun is always satisfying to me. 

Add range, and the 92GTS doesn’t choke. At 25 yards, I hit 6-inch gongs regularly. It took a little time, but I could make them swing. I went as far back as 50 yards, and made an IPSC-sized target sing. 

The high-visibility front sight doesn’t occlude the target all that much. It’s easy to shoot at longer ranges with just iron sights. The high-visibility orange sight is easy to find, and it contrasts well with the blacked-out rear sight. 

Up close, I fired a few drills, including Bill Drills, failure to stop drills, and transition drills. The 92GTS goes fast and does it smoothly. The Beretta 92 series has a famously light slide and reciprocating weight, which means less muzzle and sight movement. 

I scored a 2.2-second Bill Drill with a shot timer, which is quite good for me. Imagine what a truly good shooter could do with the 92GTS. 

When going fast, the first double-action shot is so smooth you don’t have to worry about throwing the shot. It’s always a little harder to keep a consistent grip with an alternating trigger pull weight, but the 92GTS helps lessen that burden through trigger superiority. 

Ergonomics: Fit and Feel 

The Vertec grip provides a high, secure hold on the gun, aided by an undercut trigger guard. You can put your hand quite high and get amazing control over an already soft recoiling gun. A hefty frame with a light slide makes for soft recoil. 

Folks with smaller hands will appreciate the Vertec grip, although Beretta 92 purists may despise it. 

Utilizing the decocker isn’t hard, but it’s different. I’m not used to pressing up to decock a gun. It’s usually a downward motion. 

However, the ambidextrous decocking lever is massive, and – with a little practice – it gets a lot easier. When lifted, it provides tactile feedback, and the visual of the hammer dropping is evident. 

The slide lock is quite large with a nice shelf. It drops easily and allows for quick and intuitive reloads. The magazine release is either extended or simply more accessible thanks to the Vertec grip. It’s easy to reach, and magazines drop free. 

As you’d expect from an all-metal gun, the 92GTS weighs a fair bit: 33 ounces unloaded. For duty use, it’s not a problem, but for concealed carry, it might feel a bit heavy. Adding an optic and light could be problematic.

The Beretta slide has that somewhat novel design. It’s not squared off. This seat slides up and raises whichever optic you mount. When you start shooting with a red dot, it’s high and can take some getting used to. 

Much like the decocker, a little practice goes a long way. 

Improvements I’d Like to See

This is a tough one. Some of the gun’s downsides would be tough to fix. I’d like to use a lower-height red dot, but that’s tough on a Beretta 92 slide without a redesign.

To fix the weight, I’d love to see a compact variant. A 92GTS compact would be an awesome carry gun. 

Ultimately, I’d like a sturdier front sight. Mine somehow got a little bent. I’m not sure how, but it leans a little to the right. 

Who Is It For?

I think the best use case could be competition shooters. Sure, DA/SA guns aren’t all that popular at the higher levels, but most of us aren’t Tim Herron. The great trigger and light recoil would make it a good option for most of us getting into action shooting. 

Beyond competition, it’s perfect for duty use, armed security, and home defense. It satisfies all the modern needs of a duty defensive firearm. Where it might fall short is in the concealed carry realm.

This is a mighty big gun that’s quite hefty. You’d need a good holster, a sturdy belt, and some determination for it to be a carry gun. If you can make it work, this is a modern, reliable, and capable pistol. 

By the Numbers

Reliability: 5/5

The Beretta 92GTS runs well. It’s not maintenance-heavy, and I experienced no malfunctions in the first 500 rounds. 

Ergonomics: 4/5 

The 92GTS scores high in most regards. The grip and the controls are easy to reach. I’m taking one point away for the need to learn to press up to decock, and for how high the optic sits.

Customization: 3/5

It’s optic- and light-ready, and the Beretta 92 series has been around for a long time, so there are plenty of customization options available. The downside is that the 92 GTS uses proprietary design features that make it incompatible with certain Beretta 92 upgrades. 

Value: 3/5

With an MSRP of nearly $1,000, this is a pricey gun – but it shines high above a standard Beretta 92. 

Overall: 4/5

If you’re a 92 fan, I can’t help but think the 92GTS will be a favorite for you. It’s one of the best current production DA/SA guns.

Upgrades and Accessories 

The relatively new Vortex Defender-CCW Enclosed is quickly becoming one of the more popular enclosed pistol red dots within the Pew Pew Tactical team. While it was too new on the scene to make our roundup of the Best Pistol Red Dots, it’s certainly worth a look.

Want to make your Beretta 92 GTS more capable at night? The Streamlight TLR-1 HL-X is a great weapon light that won’t break the budget. For a reasonable price, you can get intuitive controls and plenty of performance.

Check out this light’s little sibling, the TLR-1 HL, in our guide to the Best Pistol Flashlights.

Threaded barrels look cool, but they’re not for decoration. I recommend screwing on a SilencerCo Spectre 9 to put this Italian blaster on mute.  

How I Tested the Beretta 92GTS

I hit the range with 500 rounds of 9mm FMJ ammo and let them fly over a couple of range trips. I tested basic accuracy at a variety of distances and shot numerous speed-based drills. I wanted to test the gun’s defensive and competition prospects. 

I shot suppressed and unsuppressed, and took the gun to a low-light course of fire with a Streamlight weapon light. Between range sessions, I dry-fired the 92GTS a lot. I want to master that double-action trigger pull since I’m such a DA/SA nerd. 

Meet The Experts 

This article was authored by Pew Pew Tactical contributor Travis Pike. Travis spent a lifetime shooting as a kid and later joined the United States Marine Corps, where he spent five years as an infantryman.

His experience as a machine gunner, recreational and competitive shooter, hunter, concealed carry instructor, and firearms enthusiast has given him unique insight into various weapon platforms. That includes extensive experience with various iterations of the Beretta 92 platform.

Final Verdict 

The Beretta 92GTS is the ultimate Beretta 92.

It does things differently, but it seems to answer all the complaints folks have had about the 92 series. It’s a fantastic pistol, and if you’re a DA/SA fan, you’ll be quite pleased with the Beretta 92GTS.

What’s your take on the Beretta 92GTS? Let us know in the comments. Want a few more options? Check out our guide to the Best Metal-Framed Semi-Auto Pistols!