Every year firearms manufacturers release new products to the market that target specific niches within the shooting sports world. Often these new firearms are updated versions of an older model with minimal changes, not really improving a product’s overall performance. Consumers are wiser and more educated today, requiring companies to really make significant improvements and answer what the market demands in order to stay truly innovative with their products. In the competitive pistol arena, Beretta has released their latest answer to competitive shooters’ desires with their 92XI SAO Corsa and Gara pistols chambered in 9mm and built specifically for match pistol shooting.

The original Beretta 92 semi-automatic pistol was developed in 1975 and adopted by many Police and Military units as a reliable and safe service pistol that served for decades in many holsters across the globe. The handgun served its purpose went through upgrades along the way to meet a growing demand for now-standard features and functions, from models 92,92S, 92SB, 92F and 92FS, eventually leading to the dethroning of the M1911A1 in the U.S. Military a decade after the 92’s arrival. The early Model 92 was a far cry from being considered a competitive pistol where speed and accuracy are king, but Beretta continued to innovate and build upon the storied firearm for many years, making small improvements along the way. Beretta continued on with reconfiguring the Model 92XI SAO, keeping the solid foundation and upgrading to the latest Model 92XI SAO Corsa and Gara.

Beretta upgraded the new models with some high-speed embellishments that befit hot rod race pistols, while maintaining many of the key features that initially earned the pistol its recognition. Both models feature the Vertec M9A4 Frame, 3 Slot Picatinny Rail, Toni System Flared Magwell, and checkered front and rear back straps giving the frame of the pistol a natural point of aim and ample grip for fast and accurate shooting. The frame measures 1.5” wide around the grips and fit my hands very well during testing, giving me plenty of control. The Flared Magwell offers an excellent surface for very fast speed loads coupled with the Extended Mag release, which also speeds up getting empty mags out of the pistol without sticking or dragging.

The upper end of the pistol has the same Model 92 open barrel slide with the TONI single port compensator to help keep muzzle rise down and your front sight on the target for quicker target acquisition. The compensator works well in this area, and I found it easy to run the pistol very quickly while watching the front fiber optic sight dance in the “A” zone of an IPSC target for 22 rounds. Each pistol is prepped for MRDS Sights to be mounted for those red dot fans wanting the full treatment on their race gun. The ramped and serrated front sight post is a flat black with minimal-to-no glare and a brilliant red fiber optic dot in the front sight. The rear is also serrated and finished in a black tone with a square rear notch that matches the front sight width perfectly. It’s really easy to track the front sight on this pistol and acquire an excellent sight picture with iron sights.

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One feature I found to be very helpful in controlling the pistol is the addition of the Competition Takedown Lever found on the support hand side of the pistol. This lever has a small paddle and is perfectly placed for my support hand thumb to ride the frame down in recoil making the pistol more controllable in driving the sights to the target. It’s a small added feature with a huge return for the competitive pistol shooter looking for every advantage on the range.

When it comes to race pistols, the firing system is a large piece of the puzzle for delivering accurate rounds on target in the fastest manner possible. Running a pistol quickly requires a light trigger with a lightning fast reset and minimal movement. The X-Treme S Match trigger does an impressive job, that I feel is somewhere between a custom 1911 job and the best Glock trigger on the market. The initial take up is light and feels like a two-stage trigger when it hits the wall after disengaging the firing pin block, transitioning to a clean break of the trigger with minimal overtravel. The reset is short and offers a noticeable “click” when it is reset which is hard to miss even when running the pistol hard. After a few mags through each pistol, I felt at home with the trigger and was able to deliver precision shots on target while maintaining the trigger reset every shot. Both pistols delivered excellent accuracy with Winchester White Box 9mm FMJ Ammunition during my range evaluation.

Aside from being fast and accurate to shoot, a competition pistol needs to be reliable and run dirty and dry through any and all conditions. While most matches start with a clean and well-oiled machine, things can go south quickly with dirty ammunition and blowing dust. Just one hiccup in feeding or ejection can throw a shooter off of their game breaking the focus and often lead to more mishaps. My initial range testing was 200 rounds of Winchester White Box through each pistol for reliable feeding in each magazine and also for extraction and ejection for 100% of the rounds fired. I was unable to find any issues with either pistol, and found that they ran extremely smoothly straight out of the box without adding any type of lubricant.

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The new Corsa and Gara pistols have an overall length of 9 inches with a 5.75-inch sight radius and measure 1.5 inches in width. Weighing in at 36.2 ounces empty and unloaded, the all-steel frame and slide give the pistol ample weight for added control in recoil all while being balanced very well in the hand. With a height of 6.45 inches, the pistols point very well and are not overly tall above the web of the shooter’s wrist keeping them very controllable in recoil. I greatly appreciated the overall shape and feel of the pistols as I have large hands and feel many of the narrow, polymer framed pistols require a lot more overlap in my grip and give me an uncomfortable trigger connection. I feel the wider grip sets my hands in the proper place for optimum trigger control, while offering a solid support hand for maximum recoil management and driving the pistols from target to target without having to alter my grip during a course of fire.

Both pistols sport a premium Cerakote finish with a dark gray color that really looks very clean and sets it apart from the standard black color the majority of pistols are coated. Durable Cerakote finishes are long lasting protection for your firearms and are excellent at corrosion resistance to rain or when shooting in high humidity. The barrel is coated with a black nitride finish to keep everything running smoothly and clean up easily. The Gold and Red anodized +4 base plates on each magazine are a really nice touch matching the aluminum triggers as well. The Corsa model features LOK marbled carbon fiber grips with a unique gold outline to match the overall bling of this pistol. The Gara is identical in feel and features LOK G10 Grips in a Red and Black color scheme which also follows the overall “red” theme in the sights and accents. I am still undecided on which pistol I am keeping for match shooting and may ultimately end up purchasing both pistols as I enjoy each one’s unique design in color scheme as everyone needs a gold accented pistol in their collection.

Hits

• Great feel and natural point of aim with the front sight not presenting high thanks to proper grip angle.
• Single Action trigger is a big improvement over previous models
• Ported Barrel really keeps muzzle rise tamed
• Extended Ambi Thumb safety is smooth with no sharp edges.
• Red Dot capable
• Competition takedown lever has a shelf for your support hand thumb to engage the frame when driving the pistol toward targets
• Includes 3 -18 round magazines with +4 base pads installed for each pistol in a hard black plastic case.

Misses

• Initial take up on the trigger is a little long and could be shortened up slightly to improve the overall feel.
• Non-adjustable rear sight. Alhough the pistols both shot very close to center with the ammo tested, I personally like having an adjustable rear sight on my match guns, though not a necessity by any means.

Overall, the new Beretta Corsa and Gara Pistols are an excellent addition to the competitive pistol market and by far my favorite version of the Model 92 thus far. The overall design and delivery of the pistols create an enjoyable shooting experience that includes every feature you need to jump straight into competitive pistol shooting. If your next pistol purchase needs to serve double duty at home and on the range, a quick clip-on light such as a Surefire or Streamlight on the frame’s 3-slot rail gets the job done while secured on your nightstand. The Beretta 92XI SAO Corsa and Gara are reliable and accurate pistols offered in two unique models to fit your personality and stand out while you clean the plate rack in style. To learn more about the Corsa and Gara, head over to beretta.com and find your local dealer.