The Best Custom Beretta Upgrade for 2024: Expert Review
Mar 19th 2024
The Beretta 92 (and all its many variants) is a beast of a handgun, but if you’re anything like us, you probably want to tweak and customize yours. Customization of any pistol can be expensive though, so it’s important to have at least some sort of plan.
Whether you have an iconic M9, 92FS, or a modern M9A3 or A4, there’s always something you can do to make your pistol look (and shoot) just a little bit better. And make it just a little bit more uniquely yours.
We're going to start by talking about the most important upgrade or custom part of any pistol: the grip. (Not that we’re biased in any way!) Then we’ll touch on triggers and a few other accessories that can really help you get the most out of your customization.
In this article, we’ll cover:
Best Custom Beretta 92
Wicked Grips Custom Beretta 92, 92FS, 92X, and M9A3 Grips
We really love the Beretta 92 in all its various flavors, and the grips we make for them are some of our most popular offerings. Whether you’re looking for something for the 92, 92 Compact, 92FS, or the new 92X, we have options available.
All of our grips and grip panels are American-made and designed by our master artisans. We also offer textured PVD-coated grips that make managing recoil much easier, even for experienced shooters and competitors. And the pattern looks pretty nice too.
Whether you want a more reserved panel that simply adds some texture, like the PVD-coated hexwave grips above, or you want a full-size art piece like the Blue Death Tarot panels below, we have something for everyone.
If you’re interested in something even more subtle, grip screws are a great way to add a touch of color and personalization without a major overhaul.
Our grip screws are custom-machined in-house, and our proprietary screw heads allow us to set large gems in the center of each screw. You can choose from a variety of colored CZ stones, engineered sapphires, opals, rubies, and more! We can also customize the color and finish of the screws themselves.
And don’t worry — we include the bit required to install them, and you can use a standard prong bit to remove them in a pinch. Our bits are just safer for your finish and the gem insert.
Langdon Tactical Trigger Job in a Bag
After the grip, the trigger is the number one way that you actually interface with a gun when you’re shooting, right? So it makes sense to go for a trigger upgrade next, and truthfully, this will probably have the biggest impact on your shooting.
To that end, we like complete kits like the Langdon Tactical Trigger Job in a Bag which is relatively easy to install and features premium components that have been tweaked and polished to mesh together incredibly well. The machining is high-quality through and through.
The idea here, as the name suggests, is to give you something that is the equivalent of a custom trigger job from a gunsmith, but in one easy-to-install package that gets delivered right to your door.
Nothing will ever match the craftsmanship of a trigger custom-tuned to your gun by a professional. But this is as close as you can get in our experience.
Springer Precision Extended Magwell
Whether you’re shooting competitively, shooting at the range, or looking to protect yourself and your loved ones, an extended magwell is never a bad idea. Loading under pressure is a fiddly business, and this Springer Precision Extended Magwell helps you get your mags in more quickly.
It’s a simple little piece of metal, and it installs in seconds, but it can drastically improve your reloads, especially when adrenaline is high. This is a must-have performance improvement for serious competitors.
A new trigger setup won’t improve your shooting performance quite as much as the right grip. But smoothing out your loading helps you get back to shooting faster, which is something we can all appreciate.
Midwest Gun Works Match Grade Slide Stop
Lastly, a little bonus extra piece. This slide stop from Midwest Gun Works is a great option. Extended controls just make sense on a lot of guns, especially competition and defensive pieces.
Is it going to have a huge impact on your accuracy? Nope. It’s also not going to add anything to the looks of your gun. However, it will make manipulating the slide feel more positive, and let you get a better grip on the catch when you’re wearing gloves or moving quickly.
It’s a cheap upgrade though, and easy to install. It's definitely worth doing if you’re going for the full custom look too.
Custom Beretta Grips: Why Start With a Grip?
A custom beretta grip is a great way to improve the performance and ergonomics of your pistol, while also adding a touch of personal flair to the aesthetics. Yeah, we’re probably a little biased — but we have the facts on our side too!
For one, the grip is where the shooter (you) interfaces with the gun. That’s your whole point of contact, so any upgrades here are going to have a huge impact on how the gun feels in your hand. This of course has a huge impact on how the gun feels under recoil.
A better grip means faster follow-up shots, improved accuracy, and just a more pleasant time shooting. Also, a grip panel installs in seconds and is much cheaper than a full-custom Beretta. Make that much, much cheaper.
Other than a trigger, a grip is going to have the most impact on your accuracy under rapid fire, and that’s the main reason why we recommend everyone starts there (and why we focus on grips in our shop).
The grip is also one of your largest pieces of real estate for potential customization. It’s a nice big surface that offers some room to work with.
The idea of adding some visual appeal to your weapon may seem silly to some. But warriors throughout history have decorated the tools they use to defend themselves, and art on weapons goes back a very long way. We’re passionate about that long tradition, and believe strongly that personalizing your firearms can reflect something about yourself or the way you view the world.
It’s also worth consideringthat it can be difficult to resell a custom pistol. The market is limited, and the more you’ve customized a gun, the less likely someone else is going to want to pay a premium for it. After all, if they’re going to pay what it’s worth, why wouldn’t they just customize it the way they want it? You’re really banking on someone else having the exact same taste as you, which is unlikely.
With a grip panel, you can just swap back to the factory grips and have a stock pistol that’s much easier to sell. Something to think about before you go all-in on a custom handgun.
Parting Shots
A totally custom Beretta 92 is an expensive proposition, but just like with eating an elephant, it’s a lot easier if you tackle the project one bite at a time.
We always recommend starting with the grip, because you get a lot of bang for your buck (pun intended) and it’s an easy task for anyone who can turn a screwdriver. But no matter what you start with, there are a ton of great products out there to give you something that’s truly unique and built to your exact specifications.