I grew up watching John McClane and Martin Riggs with wide-eyed adoration. So I’ve always known that a Beretta 92 and I were meant to be. But close encounters of the ergonomic and ballistic kind proved a let down; I really didn’t dig the pistol in its stock form. Back in March, 1911-makers Wilson Combat announced they were producing aftermarket parts for the Beretta 92/96 series of pistols. Both the gun and my childhood fascination were born again. Slowly but surely, I’ll be bringing you reviews of all of these parts as my Beretta 92A1 transforms. First up: the Wilson Combat Reduced Power Hammer Spring 16# or as most people simply call it, a “D” spring . . .
For those that don’t know, the Beretta typically comes setup as a DA/SA pistol with the slide-mounted safety serving as a decocker as well. The double action pull in this standard setup is very smooth – but heavy enough to require Herculean strength to activate. There’s always been a fix; Beretta makes a D model 92 that’s double action only. This model has a reduced power hammer spring that makes the trigger pull much lighter.
It wasn’t long before people started swapping out their heavy springs for D springs. Many different companies are now selling them, including Wilson Combat. It should be noted that Wilson Combat also sells a 13 lb. version of this spring which they specifically state should be used for competition only. The 16 lb. version used in this review is suitable for carry.
I tossed the spring into my cart with the other parts I was buying because for $6.95, why the hell not? The spring comes in the typical small zip lock bag with a Wilson Combat emblem proudly proclaiming what you’ve bought. There are no instructions for this part and (spoiler alert) none of the other parts come with them either. Luckily we live in 2014 and YouTube provides us with a wealth of information. The spring is also the easiest part by far to install and unless you’re seriously and horribly mechanically disinclined, you don’t need to pay someone to do it for you.
After making sure your pistol is clear, simply field strip it and remove the grips. Utilizing a roll pin punch, you then remove the roll pin that’s keeping your lanyard cap in the gun. At this point you remove your punch carefully and keep a hold of the cap so that it doesn’t go flying across the room at warp speed.
Remove the old spring from the hammer strut and put the new one in its place. Now simply utilize your third hand to keep tension on the lanyard cap while hammering your roll pin back in. Easy right? This last step is a definite pain in the ass, but doable if you get creative with your work bench or kitchen table.
Once installed, the spring provides a very noticeable difference in trigger pull weight. I measured the stock Beretta 92’s trigger pull at 11.3 lbs. for double-action, 6.6 lbs. for single action. Once modified with the “D” spring, the Beretta’s double action trigger breaks at nine lbs. for double action, 5.6 lbs. for single action. The reduction in weight definitely leads to smoother pull that’s dramatically different during dry firing, and out on the range.
With the original stock spring there was obvious movement of the front sight when pulling the trigger in DA mode. With the Wilson Combat spring installed there’s little to no movement. Basically it comes down to this; if you only ever make one mod to your Beretta, this should be the one. It’s cheap, effective and can be done in under 15 minutes within the confines of your own home. Next, keep your eyes peeled for a review of Wilson Combat’s Short Reach Trigger.
Wilson Combat Beretta 92/96 Reduced Power Hammer Spring
MSRP: $6.95
Ratings (out of five stars):
Ease of Installation * * * *
Getting the new spring in can be a challenge, but this is still one of the easiest action parts I’ve ever installed.
Feel and Function * * * * *
It drastically improves everything about the stock trigger and therefore functions exactly as it’s supposed to.
Overall * * * * *
Easily the quickest, most efficient way to improve your trigger. If you own a Beretta 92 or 96 and you don’t have this installed then you’re just plain wrong.
Thanks, been really curious about the WC parts. Eagerly awaiting new trigger review.
I believe this is a rebadged/bagged Wolff spring (based on WC’s resale of other clearly Wolff products like the INS trigger spring)
Can you do this with a PX4 as well?
You can’t unfortunately. However, Caleb at Gun Nuts was able to swap a D spring from a Beretta Cougar into a PX4 so that may be worth a try.
That’s simply not true, i just installed a 92 Dspring in my px4sub and it works like a charm
What if I already have the factory Beretta D spring installed? Would this one be worth upgrading to?
Now you just gotta attach a SGS compensator to it, don’t forget the suppressor with long threads and the internally threaded barrel. Also a stainless steel frame with the rest blued.
To complete the look of course.
Will this work in my Taurus PT-99 AF ?
Im looking forward to the trigger review and whatever else you ordered from WC. The D spring made a big improvement in trigger pull and now that my 92A1 is a bit more broken in I actually like the way the trigger breaks.
Will these work on mil-spec M9’s?
@Pat. Yes it will work on a M9. Makes it really nice too. Dont get wrapped up on mil spec though. Unless it was inspected by a military inspector and stamped as such…then it isnt a true mil spec. It might be the same damn thing and civ m9 an 92fs are really the same, except for the sights, as the current u s govt dod m9 but it isnt a true honest to goodness mil spec. If it was … where did you get it? I recently retired iut of USASOC AND was the unit armorer. I had brand new, with oacking grease m9’s and some crappy old ones that i changed out rather quickly. I put my m9 parts next to the military ones and only diff was stamps/markings. Everything else was the same with same measurements and factory pull. Just the markings. Long story short…if it works on a 92, it works on a m9.
Second on the Taurus. I have one of those as well as a Beretta 96 which will be getting this treatment.
I put a D spring on my M9 commercial and it made a huge difference in the trigger pull. Best mod ever.
My understanding is that the primary difference between the milspec M9 and the commercial version is the “Property of US Government” stamp. If true, it should work just fine.
This will work in all Beretta 92 and 96 series full size guns. As for the the Taurus PT99, it appears that this should work fine in those as well.
How about reliability of ignition?
Not all spring jobs have resulted in 100% bangs in other applications.
I’d like to see some CCIs and Tulas lit up.
On CZ’s I usually push the lanyard loop down on a hard surface to compress the mainspring. Of course, this is easier if you can get the pin in at least far enough to capture the loop (or non-lanyard-looped main spring plug) so you can then lay the gun down flat to tap it in with a punch as needed. If you have to punch from the get-go, then that 3rd hand is super handy! Maybe bevel one end of the pin a bit and clean up the hole in one side of the frame to help it slide in easier.
As an armorer..if i was forward deployed and needed to do anything on these lines, i would take a piece of 550, go through the lanyard hole then tie it over the top of the frame thusly holding it in place so the pin can properly be punched in….just saying….think outside of the box and you can do anything
That is brilliant!!!
I’m picking up my 92A1 this week and have already ordered my “D” spring and was seriously questioning how I was going to get that back together by myself.
I did this, the Wolff “Trigger Conversion Unit”, and replaced the polymer trigger with a metal one quite a while ago. Muy brueno.
Why is a 13 lb considered not suitable for carry when a Glock, Sig 1911, etc, is 5.5 lbs?
I believe it has more to do with reliability of igniting the primer vs pull weight. Dropping a main spring weight reduces trigger pull but also reduces the force of the hammer.
Presumably, it would also make the single-action trigger pull even lighter, perhaps a bit too light?
Because it is two different things. One is trigger pull (how much weight to pull trigger) while the other is how strong spring os in the hammer (heavier=more reliable).
I doubt the Beretta has a 13 lbs trigger pull.
Beretta = Boat Anchor.
People who complain about weight of lightweight firearms = annoying
Also same applies to people who judge a gun by what others have said (Carcanos for instance have gotten a bad rep even though they are decent guns).
i never understood the hate people have for this gun. Mine shot well, the time I had it and the only thing I can find fault with the gun was that it never fit my small hands as well as my other pistols.
I loved the Lethal Weapon series and it was also the first time I saw a 92.
As long as it launches a projectile, has a trigger and is reliable I won’t knock it.
I too first saw the Beretta in Die Hard and in Lethal Weapon. I do remember it best from Leon, where he had them compensated and suppressed.
Someone already asked about working in a Taurus 92. I’ve had my eye on a Taurus at a local pawn shop.Good to know if I get it. Didn’t TTAG do a review on the Taurus?
“… Didn’t TTAG do a review on the Taurus?”
Yes.
Go buy that PT92.
Follow that urge. I had a PT99AFS and liked it so much, I bought a PT92, which is essentially the same thing. Love them. They never flinch.
Just a thought: Then you’ve got the action dissembled toss the original spring loaded ‘hammer guide pin’ and replace it with a ‘generic roll pin’ (available at most hardware stores)… the tension firm the newly installed ‘D-Spring’ will keep everything in place. More importantly, moving forward, anytime you have to disable the gun it’s a thousand times easier (no third-hand required).
I have seen brass jawed Channellocks, which would be handy for that roll pin, but their online catalog does not list them. Any tongue and groove plier with soft jaws could give you back that third hand, though.
torch
Maybe I’m just lucky but I have an Italian Police model 92 and have never had any problems with it. I take 92 and M9 haters with a grain of salt.
God I loathe those guns.
Wow I never thought I’d hear Taurus love on here. I’ll see if I can get the 92!
I love pistols of all sorts, but really hate this thing. Reduced power hammer spring? Lipstick on a pig.
I’ve shot them extensively and carried a loaded one for 15 months in Iraq. Overly fat grip for 15 rounds, worst imaginable safety/decocker and high bore axis. They look good but other than that are a shameful design. Don’t even get me started on the stupid barrel locking mechanism. Oh, and WTF is that open slide all about? An open slide in Iraq is definitely not cool. The thing was caked with grit in a week.
It boggles the mind that the military still uses these. They are almost universally canned by soldiers.
I have the Taurus 917C and plan on getting the PT101 P…They are GREAT guns….Beretta is good to…But just don’t like those slide mounted safety’s….They are identical to the Beretta’s and all the one’s Ive shot have been spot on accurate and functional!
Does it work on a Taurus ?
I agree that the “D spring” mod makes a big difference on these pistols. I like this gun because of its iconic status, but I have to agree with some of the earlier posts… if you really study the design, you have to wonder why US armed services picked it up. And I am no Sig fanboy. Mine is dependable, but it’s babied. Half a day on the range with maybe 200 rounds through it, or occasional all-day carry on the ranch is about as harsh as it gets for any of my pistols.
I’ll gladly put my Beretta up against anything you haters on here want to put up against it. Anytime. Anyplace. Anywhere. I have personally seen the Beretta rep pour an 8 oz cup of beach sand directly down into the slide of a Beretta 92FS while firing the magazine empty to silence some of the same BS you haters are spouting on here. The gun never stopped–not once.
It would help if he cleaned his weapon once in a while. Who the hell goes to Iraq and goes a week or more and not clean their weapon? I have fired thousands of rounds in Iraq and next to the MK19, i loved my M9 the most and all weapons were cleaned religiously after every firefight and after every patrol…and first meal after returning..then they were cleaned. If i was lucky to not go out and had a week back, everything was cleaned on sundays and Wednesdays. Never ever had a problem with the Gat.
A fobit support guy who never did anything. That’s who!
I also did this modification. Greatly improved my shooting. I also swapped the plastic guide rod for a steel one and the plastic trigger for a steel one. Throw on your favorite style of grips (Hogue rubber panels for me) and you’re all set.
Just happened to be passing through and came across a schoolyard argument.
Boys.. you really have to stop that “my dick is bigger than yours…” thing. It turns off readers over 14.
Oh.. I have a 92A1. Nice gun.
Had my 92FS for nearly a year now. Yes, the grips are fat. Love the way it looks and eats any ammo, CCl aluminum case, cheap Russian steel-case, Winnie, whatever, with never a choke. I’ve had trouble with shooting it well (accurately), with my newbie skill set, so I hope the reduced hammer spring I just ordered will help.
Do you guys know how the hammer spring and trigger upgrade kit from Beretta compares to the WC spring and trigger?
Could not agree more. I installed the D spring on my 92 A1 – what a huge difference!
A lot of websites that sell the D spring say that it will not work on the 92A1. Did you mod yours at all before installing the new spring? Some of them mention polymer vs. metal trigger. Did you have a polymer trigger or did you replace it? I just bought a brand new 92A1 and this trigger sure doesn’t look or feel polymer, so perhaps they upgraded that?
I swapped out a 20# stock to the WC 16# D spring and have had unreliable primer ignition with my m9a1. CCI pistol primers go bang about 60% of the time with the D spring, 100% with stock spring. I am learning to adjust to the heavy pull of the DA with the stock spring. Rather have a heavy trigger pull with 100% reliability vs light pull with unreliable firearm
Using CCI ammo may be your problem, as I’ve always found it to be crap ammo. CCI must stand for: Cheap Crap Incorporated. I’ve always used UMC 115 grain for target practice with zero problems.
It’s sad that I saw 3 posts asking if it would work on a Taurus and not 1 person answered it.
I have a 92F from the early 90s. It had been sent to the gunsmith within the first year of ownership to smooth it out and it came back with a just over 3# SA trigger. However, it had the stock hammer spring and about a 12# DA trigger. This year I found The Wilson combat springs. I ordered the 16# Spring. I did not notice much difference. I then ordered the 14# and 12# Springs. I installed the 14 and it was better. I range tested it, and it was flawless. I then moved to the 12# spring. It has also been flawless. I see no downside to it. Used many types of target ammo and Hornady Critical Defense. The gun has never missed a beat. Now I have an 8# DA trigger and my SA is at 3#. I also added a Wilson Combat rear sight and changed the front dot to fluorescent orange. So tell me, why would I need a 92x? Except for the Performance model?
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