Braxton Taylor
During a recent long drive, I was gathering my thoughts and realized that we’ve hit the ten-year anniversary of two important Beretta 92 series variants that first saw the light of day back in 2014: the second factory-run Beretta 92G-SD and perhaps more importantly, the Wilson Combat Beretta 92 Brigadier Tactical series. Between their features and timing of their release in the market, these two models arguably brought some much-needed fresh air into the realm of the Beretta 92 family.
Beretta 92G-SD
Although the Wilson Combat Brigadier Tactical is probably the most popular and iconic of the pistols in this article, the story starts with the factory-configured Beretta 92G-SD. First produced two decades ago, the 92G-Super Duty (or Super Dave depending on who you ask) was considered the quintessential Beretta 92 variant for those who were serious about that platform. Unlike the standard M9, the 92G-SD was built on an M9A1 frame with a railed dustcover, but more importantly it had a Brigadier slide with front and rear sight dovetails. This allowed the end-user to swap out the sights—something just not possible on the M9/92FS fixed-sight slide. As a G-model, the 92G-SD’s slide was also de-cock-only, so actuating the slide-mounted de-cocker only reset the hammer. There was no “safe” position like on the M9/92FS, another detail appreciated by serious Beretta 92 shooters. Unlike standard 92s and M9s, 92G-SDs used stainless-steel match barrels with recessed crowns.
Beretta only carried out two production runs of the 92G-SD: the original run in the very early 2000s and a subsequent run in 2014. These guns are still quite rare, and I recall many accounts of Beretta enthusiasts buying different slides and frames in order to mix-and-match and build homebrew versions of 92G-SDs, especially prior to 2014. Even a decade ago, the second factory run of Beretta 92G-SDs probably didn’t get as much fanfare as the Wilson Combat Beretta 92 Brigadier Tactical. However, the Brigadier Tactical wouldn’t exist were it not for the Beretta 92G-SD.
Wilson Combat Brigadier Tactical
The Wilson Combat Brigadier Tactical was perhaps the hottest DA/SA 9mm to hit the market in the mid-2010s. The Brigadier Tactical is Wilson Combat’s take on the factory-configured Beretta 92G-SD. The Brigadier Tactical still had the core elements, including the railed-dustcover frame, the thicker Beretta 92G Brigadier slide and the stainless steel recessed-crown match 9mm barrel. Wilson Combat also changed many small details to distinguish it from the factory-standard 92G-SD. The two most notable visual elements were the olive-green G10 stocks with the Wilson Combat logo produced by VZ Grips along with a rounded trigger guard that was more reminiscent of earlier Beretta 92S/SB models from Italy.
Wilson Combat also included other small parts like the iconic Beretta Elite 2 skeletonized hammer and Wilson Combat’s own deep U-notch rear sight. Being a custom house, Wilson Combat customers could order their guns with more customization if they desired, such as hammer and recoil springs of differing weights, trigger components and even complete trigger and action services. Shooting Illustrated was so impressed by the Brigadier Tactical, it was the 2016 Golden Bullseye Award Winner for Handgun of the Year.
The Takeaway
Although ten years have passed, it’s worth celebrating Beretta factory 92 variants such as the 92G-SD, which in turn allowed Wilson Combat to be successful with the Brigadier Tactical. Additionally, Wilson Combat’s efforts to research, develop and market the Brigadier Tactical (and later Wilson Beretta models) provided a much-needed gust of wind in the 92 series’ metaphorical sails. It also proved that serious shooters would be willing to line up, buy and field the Beretta 92 even three decades after its initial debut. It showed that this classic gun still had something to offer shooters. Even though the 92’s design and construction result in some architectural challenges, especially when it comes to shooting slide mounted dots, the reliability, locking block, inherent accuracy and fantastic single-action trigger pull of the 92 still has something to offer the discerning shooter. Moreover, there’s no doubt that the 92G-SD and the Brigadier Tactical’s success played a role in setting the stage for other companies to offer 92 series pistols with features that shooters desire, such as Langdon Tactical Technologies or even Beretta USA itself. Where would those guns be today if Wilson Combat hadn’t made their statement with the Brigadier Tactical a decade ago?
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