Strategies For Beretta Firearms
The Beretta won't have an over-travel adjustment as a stock option. Having an over-travel stop is a big problem for performance. As such, you shall need to purchase a steel trigger to replace the plastic one (costs about $15). Drill a hole in the trigger as high up as is possible, tap it out for 6 x 32 tpi and install a set screw so that you have an adjustable over-travel stop.
The M9 Beretta is one of the most well know pistols on the globe, entering United States of America military service within the mid 80s. Due to its quality craftsmanship and high durability, it has the ability to fire under extreme heat and cold as well as after being buried in mud, sand, snow and salt water. Add in a high capacity magazine as well as a low recoil, it's easy to see why the M9 quickly became the conventional sidearm for military personnel.
To be accurate for bullseye pistol shooting, the barrel must be match grade. Bar-Sto and KKM Precision both make good barrels for the Beretta Pistols (Iestpsangarara Edu explained in a blog post), and you'll get very good results from just using a drop-in barrel. Contrary to common belief, there's no need to employ a bushing at the front of the barrel to improve lock-up on a Beretta. The barrel locks up at the back against the slide using the locking block that's attached to the barrel, so it's imperative that your locking block is tight as well as in good condition. If you are installing a barrel that needs fitting, you will be removing material from the back of the barrel until the gun shall go into battery reliably. Make sure and apply Dykem or other layout fluid between removing material to see where the contact points are. You want as much contact as possible between the back of the barrel and the breech face on the slide. Some barrels (Bar-Sto) have extra material in addition to the back of the barrel and some of this must be removed slowly. The point of the extra material on these barrels is to get a tighter lockup with more contact surface, plus center the back of the barrel vertically on the breech face.
The UHC M9 features a spring pistol firing mechanism that permits its users to shoot as fast as they can cock the gun. This is a good pistol in the event you are just beginning to get into Airsoft or if perhaps you just want to shoot some cans within your basement or backyard. You'll enjoy hours of fun when you take down your targets with a deadly aim. In contrast, in case you are already an avid Airsoft enthusiast, then the UHC M9 is a must have for your collection. In any case, this pistol delivers great performance at a very low price.
To improve lockup, some guns have set screws installed running up under the frame rails by the back of the barrel to give extra contact points while everything is locked in battery.
To improve service life, some gun builders modify the frame rails and replace sections of the aluminum rails with pieces of steel, affixed with screws. This is only necessary in case you are a top level competitor and need that extra 2% performance that comes with a super tight frame-to-slide fit, plus the durability of steel on steel vs steel on aluminum. There are actually no "kits" for doing this sort of work, so you shall need to have this type of work produced by someone that knows what they may be doing. This type of improvement of slide-to-frame fit is similar in nature to the "Accu Rail" improvement that used to be done on 1911 style pistols.
Finally, sights. If you replace the rear sight by having an over-sized adjustable sight, it's common to need to trim down the top of the firing pin blocker lifter to keep it from hitting the bottom of the sight. You'll also need to get a taller front sight. The front sight can be welded on (less common) or you may get one that slips over the stock front sight and pins in place (more common) or you may get the slide milled out with a dovetail (uncommon). Beretta makes an adjustable rear sight which allows you to keep the stock front sight and not have to modify the blocker lifter, but it's more low-profile than most competitive shooters are going to want.
