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The Beretta M9, the US military’s adopted version of the Beretta 92FS, was adopted amid a flurry of controversy during the acquisitions process. Despite some growing pains (and slides flying off), the M9 eventually grew into a long serving sidearm, familiar to any who served from the mid 80s through early GWOT. Consider it no surprise that there’s a nostalgic market for these guns, not to mention the usual run of shooters looking for a quality firearm. Girsan (of Turkey) is a NATO-approved manufacturer and is producing the Regard MC, a near-identical clone of the Beretta 92 that is in NATO service. Today, I’m covering the Girsan Regard MC BX, a variant that comes with G10 grips and a threaded barrel.
Tech Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 18+1
Barrel Length: 5.2 in.
OAL: 8.6 in.
Weight: 2.15 lbs.
Grips: G10 Scale
Barrel: Threaded 1/2×28 tpi
Trigger Action: Double and Single-Action
Where To Buy
Let’s Check It Out
I hit Lucky Sporting Goods to pick this up, took it home and ripped the box open. The Girsan Regard MC BX looks like a Beretta 92, feels like a Beretta 92, hell it even smells like a Beretta. There are a couple mechanical differences under the hood that keep the Girsan Regard MC BX and the Beretta 92 from being totally interchangeable.
Namely, the barrel and locking block are a bit different. So if you’re buying a Girsan Regard MC BX with the hope it’ll fit all your old Beretta parts, it will only work with most parts. In fact, one owner posted online that his M9A3 slide and barrel fit on his Girsan frame. But enough comparing interchangeability, let’s just talk Girsan.
Fit and finish are good. Mechanically, the Regard MC BX is solid, with absolutely no rattle or slop between parts. The finish is closer to workmanlike than to beauty queen, but is applied well and has held up through testing.
The trigger is just what you’re expect from an M9 clone. In double-action, it’s a heavy, long pull before you get where you’re headed. In single action, the trigger is a much lighter and more predictable pull.
The controls are mostly laid out well, with the magazine release and slide lock/release in good position for their uses.
The decocker lever is in the same out-of-the-way location on the rear of the slide as designed. Worth noting that this is a ‘decocker only,’ meaning you do not have the option of carrying with the hammer back and on safe.
I do have a bit of an issue with the decocker location, in that it’s really easy to inadvertently hit while racking the slide. I have to stick to grabbing the front 2/3 of the slide when racking it or my hand is guaranteed to engage the decocker. My other choice is to run a “slingshot” grip when racking the slide.
So, either you run with the hammer back and the gun on fire (with a lighter single action trigger), or with the hammer. You’re effectively stuck with a double-action first trigger pull, no matter how you might prefer to carry.
The takedown lever is really the gold standard. This is the easiest disassembly of any handgun I’ve owned, rented, or borrowed. Press in on the button right side of the frame, then rotate the takedown lever 90 degrees to the downward position. The slide pops forward, and slides right off. I don’t know if I’m doing it as fast as Jet Li, but still it only takes a second or two.
The grips. While G10 has gained a lot of popularity as a common material to make grip panels out of in the last decade, it’s not a universally loved item. There’s more than a few people saying the extremely hard material, combined with some pretty aggressive grip cuts, makes for a painful range day with the Girsan Regard MC BX past 50 rounds or so. Personally, I do like the aggressive texture on the Regard MC BX. These slabs are not going to get slippery just because they’re wet, there’s just too much ‘bite’ in this texture. The panels are a bit thick for my taste, adding bulk to an already hefty grip frame.
The sights are basic three-white dot type. They won’t wow you, but they work.
Range Time
My first experience with a Beretta was shooting at Ft. Lewis’ Range 7. At first, the M9 felt like a brick in my hand. I hated it. Then I spent the day shooting more proficiently with it than the 1911s and Glocks I’d spent so many years with.
Now with the Girsan Regard MC BX? Well, it still feels bigger and heavier than it needs to (subjective opinion), but I have decades more experience (and perspective) under my belt. The plain fact is, shooting the Girsan is awesome. The recoil impulse is less snappy than with polymer framed guns, accuracy is somewhere between acceptable and good, and the gun just chews through different types of ammo without a problem.
I’m past 400 rounds through this gun, with a heavy helping of that coming from Norma’s 115gr Range Training shown below. The only issues I’ve had were with the suppressor attached. At first I blamed the gun, but a little investigation showed the suppressor’s pistol/spring to be totally fouled. A quick clean up of the AAC TiRant 45, and the gun was back to running with 100% reliability.
The Girsan Regard MC BX groups well enough. Running some the ammo shown above, I put down a handful of groups while standing, shooting at a moderate pace. At 15 yards everything was inside a 2-inch circle. Federal’s 135-grain Hydra Shok seemed to be the Girsan’s favorite, grouping around an inch. Not bad considering I wasn’t set up for max accuracy, just seeing what ammo the gun favored.
Running Mozambique drills at 15 feet is fast and easy. The Regard MC BX is a nicely balanced handgun. The double action first trigger pull slows things down a touch, but the low recoil makes the follow up shots quick. The rubber, self-healing target from Infinite Defense makes a good training tool.
When a pistol comes with a threaded barrel, there’s absolutely no choice but to suppress it, and I’m happy to oblige. I trotted out my AAC TiRant 45, with its 1/2×28 mount for 9mm barrels, and hit the range again.
While the can makes the gun a good bit more front heavy, the recoil impulse wasnt changed much. The sights are standard height, so expect that the whole affair is “minute-of-bad-guy” accurate until some proper suppressor height sights are installed. It’ll do the trick in a pinch, but it’s not optimal.
Most importantly, the Regard MC BX hasn’t run into any reliability issues. I’ve fed it the brands of ammo shown above, as well as some Syntech, and the gun has shown it will feed JHP, MHP, HP and FMJ with equal reliability.
Bottom Line
While police trade-in Berettas are available at a decent price from time to time, their used condition makes them a bit of a gamble. It might seem to some that going to a Turkish manufacturer would be a risk, but Girsan has been in the business for a long time with a good reputation as a NATO-approved manufacturer. If you’re not familiar with Girsan and are considering dipping your toes in the water, I’d say you should absolutely give them a shot.
While the MSRP on the Girsan Regard MC BX is $608, street price is currently $499. If you’re in the market, see what Girsan can do for you.
Check out more articles from Jens “Rex Nanorum” Hammer or visit him on Instagram @Rexnanorum.
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Apparently your Made in China 🇨🇳 devices are working. Not a fan of the Beretta 92, M9. Good Review however there are better, more popular Made In Turkey 9MMs for less or around the same MSRP.
I only buy from China if I can’t buy it from anyplace else. That said, even if I wanted to help the Turkish economy, I won’t buy an “almost-clone” when I can buy the real thing for less than seven Benjamins.
I must agree. The BHP they’re making has got my attention, never been a fan of the 92 anyway. The Turks, as much as my Orthodox side hates to admit it, have made excellent steel and weapons there-from for a long time.
We sold a few of these at our shop over the years. Overall they are pretty decent quality. The ones we have sold all shipped with the 18rd Mec-Gar magazines. We have found that the factory Beretta 15rd, 17rd and 30rd magazines will not activate the last round slide hold open due to the slide stops being slightly different dimensions where it engages the magazine followers. We have found however, the factory Beretta 92FS slide stop will fit the Regard models and will hold open the factory Beretta mags on empty (both 15rd, 17rd and 30rd) as well as the 18rd Mec-gar magazines. It’s an easy part to interchange and I would recommend anyone who has a Regard replace their slide stop with a factory Beretta 92FS part if they want to use factory Beretta magazines.
Nice review. Would have appreciated a round count and any indication of FTF. I know the author said it chewed through the ammo provided, but I’d feel better if he plainly stated he “shot X rounds with no malfunctions.”
There is an editing problem where a paragraph dies. “You’re really stuck with a double-action first trigger pull, no matter how you”
Turkish guns invite a discussion of Turkish politics. They are an Islamic member of NATO and not always a friend to Christian values. That said, our TVs come from China so why not cheap guns?
Turkish shotguns have a rep for sh*tting the bed after a low round count. Why risk questionable QC when there are budget guns available from much better companies?
Heard that a couple of years ago but the price was right so I purchased a pistol grip Warthog anyway. Not a do it for me shotgun, took a lot of component tweaking, runs 2 3/4″ 00 buck as well as a 1100 Remington, etc. Mine shows no signs of impending doom.
Saying “turkish shotguns” without mentioning the company name is as useful as saying “American guns”. Lots of domestic quality, and plenty of domestic trash as well. Girsan has a pretty good rep for durability.
Ah, “certain” Turkish shotguns have a poor reputation… Stoeger, for example, does not.
Ask any 3-gun shooter.
Because NO CHOICE about Chinese goods. You have to go OUT OF YOUR WAY to buy Turkish guns you autistic f-cks.
Well said.
“That said, our TVs come from China so why not cheap guns?”
Are there no American $500 (street price) handguns available? Just last month, I purchased a new full size M&P 2.0 with the factory installed TFX (tritium and fiber optic) sights for $400! Why would someone spend $500 on the above as a defensive pistol? Maybe you’ve always wanted a Beretta 92. So don’t eat out for a month, and wait on a good deal. Get the real thing. Problem solved.
Adub said: “Turkish guns invite a discussion of Turkish politics. They are an Islamic member of NATO and not always a friend to Christian values”.
You’ve said it all, friend. It grates me to buy Turkish, but I like their coffee, tobacco, music and women… Why not their weapons too? For the time being anyway, that could change over-night.
Appreciate the heads up. I’ll get that editing issue taken care of, sometimes the browser’s autosave gets frisky. I’ll also check my notes for a round count to update.
A Beretta 92 clone decades after the Beretta was cool. And that was the only reason I ever knew to own one. I did, but only because I wanted a DA/SA in my battery. And I only paid $200 for it. As soon as I bought my first SIG 226 the Beretta was gone.
Is TTAG on the payroll of the f-king turks or something?
I’d sooner buy stuff made in Yemin by Houthi terrorists than shop Turk filth. Blood on their hands.
Most German firearms are actually made by Turkish workers; like Mexicans doing most of the real work in the US.
21st Century HK’s are unlikely to even have been touched by a Real German.
I have more respect for any Turk who leaves that Fascist Muslim state than those that stay there.
Greek, you would think.
I’m thoroughly confused. First you call it a decocker-only, then you talk about carrying “with the hammer down in either fire or safe”. With a ‘G’ safety the lever snaps back to the up position – there is no ‘safety on’ position; how is it that in numerous photos the pistol is clearly on safe with the lever down?
Hopefully it’s better than the jam-o-matic Beretta 92X I used to own. But I won’t chance it.
Semi-autos s*ck s*.
Holding it sideways like a ghetto BLM banger?
But does it take Glock mags?
I don’t buy anything made in or from Turkey. Not now, not ever if I learn it is of Turkish origins. Horrible country. Horrible people.
Stop promoting the Turks, they are NOT our friends and have supported our enemies and the destruction of Europe and the west for generations.
Italian and USA made berettas are new in sale at several places for under 600$ right now as we speak.
Turkey can get bent
100%
Turkey is a Turkey. It’s on the never buy from list. Then again so is most of Europe too. I wont buy German or French and especially Limey. No Italian or any of the other Western Yuro counties. I’ll buy from Poland or Czech Republic though. Lots of Mesko and Sellier & Bellot have passed through my chambers… The Eastern Euros who threw out the commies are all right except for Ukraine. F them the nazi buggeroons.
“NATO-approved manufacturer” is as meaningless braindead BS as “milspec” or DOD.
1. Has been decades since NATO could even find their ass.
2. EU/NATO/etc is paid for by the germans run by the frogs while oncegreatbritain wonders what is happening and all allow 4th world savages to overrun their civilization and hating the USA.
Nice review but if I want that style pistol I will buy the real thing Beretta for not all that much more especially since it has some different critical parts. My go to external hammer fired DA/SA pistols have been P226s and HK P30L of which I have been extremely pleased with. My P226s are one like new CPO P226 with the stainless steel slide and no frame rail and another low mileage mid 90s German made one that I got both for $499 a while back.
Guys, shut up, already. Not only is Girsan not the Turkish government, but they already made their money off of these when they were originally sold and exported to the U.S for resale. You already lost the battle when it comes to not buying one out of spite, so “Is the gun good or not?” is the only question worth entertaining here.
I was never a fan of the M9. Preferred and still prefer the M1911a1. That is my opinion and may disagree.
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I don’t care about all this rambling hate on the Turks myself. But I hate slide mounted safeties. My thumbs are slightly on the short side and they reaching for them is always a hassle.
Does it accept Beretta magazines?
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