Beretta Steel-I Instruction Manual
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65 ! ! ! HOW TO LOWER THE COCKED HAMMER WARNING:Keep the firearm pointed in a SAFE direction. Be sure the pistol is unloaded other wise refer to the procedure: UNLOADING THE PISTOL. WARNING: THE HAMMER LOWERING OPERATION MUST ONLY BE PERFORMED WITH THE PISTOL UNLOADED AND THE BARREL CHAMBER EMPTY. This is due to the fact that the 92/98/96 Steel I pistols do not feature mechanisms that permit decocking of the hammer with a round chambered and the safety on the frame does not function as a decocking device. WARNING:Failing to manually control the hammer, when the trigger is completely pulled, causes the pistol to fire if a car tridge is in the chamber. In this condition, the automatic safety on the firing pin and the half-cock notch on the hammer (if present) are disengaged by the complete rear ward position of the trigger. Releasing the trigger, immediately after having decocked the hammer, reactivates the firing pin safety and the half-cock notch (if present). WARNING: The hammer of the 92/98/96 Steel I single action only pistols DOES NOT FEATURE A HALF-COCK NOTCH. WARNING: The hammer of the 92/98/96 Steel I single/double action pistols features a half-cock notch (Fig. 8 and 9). The only purpose of the half-cock notch is to prevent the accidental impact of the striker by the hammer subsequent to violent impact or dropping of the firearm. The operation of the half-cock notch is deactivated by pulling the trigger. It is not recommended to keep the hammer engaged on the half-cock notch. Before loading the pistol and introducing a round into the chamber, it is extremely impor tant to practice lowering the cocked hammer with the unloaded pistol. Notice that there are three separate hammer positions: Hammer fully lower ed(Fig. 3 and 4): The hammer is in the fully lowered position. The pull on the trigger on the 92/98/96 Steel I ! !
66 Series single/double action models will first cock the hammer and then release it to strike the firing pin. The pistol will fire if a round in the chamber is present. Hammer in the half-cock position (92/98/96 Steel I in single/double action only) (Fig. 8 and 9): By pulling the hammer rear ward to the second position you will feel and hear the hammer “click” into the half-cock notch. The pull on the trigger on the double action mode will first cock the hammer and then release it to strike the firing pin. The pistol will fire if a round in the chamber is present. Hammer in the full-cock position (Fig. 6 and 7): By pulling the hammer rear ward to the third position you will feel and hear the hammer (click) into the full-cock notch. The hammer is now in the firing position. By pulling the trigger rear ward the pistol will fire if a round in the chamber is present. To lower the hammer after checking that the firing chamber is empty follow the steps below (Fig. 12 and 13): •While controlling the hammer with the thumb, pull the trigger and gently ease the hammer slightly for ward with the thumb while continuing to pull the trigger. •Release the trigger and continue easing the hammer into the half-cock notch (Fig. 8)(92/98/96 Steel I single/double action models only) or into the fully lowered position (Fig. 3). On the 92/98/96 Steel I single/double action models, to totally lower the hammer it is necessar y to completely keep the trigger pulled until the hammer bypasses the half-cock notch.
67 OBSTRUCTION CHECK Check the barrel to be sure there are no obstructions in the chamber and bore. This is extremely impor tant because if another car tridge is fired into an obstructed barrel, a catastrophic failure can result. •Remove the magazine by depressing the magazine release button. (Fig. 10) •Retract the slide. Releasing the slide when a magazine is not in the pistol will automatically close the slide. Always keep your finger away from the ejection por t. To keep the slide in the open position, without the magazine in the pistol, fully retract the slide and press the slide catch upward with your thumb (Fig. 1/C)and release the slide. The slide will be blocked in the open position. The slide remains open when an empty magazine is inser ted or when the slide catch is pressed upwards. •Look down the barrel from the muzzle (or front) end so that you can see completely through the barrel to make sure no obstruction exists. If an obstruction in the barrel is detected, a qualified gunsmith must remove the obstruction and inspect the pistol before it can be fired. •Gently accompany the slide to the closed position. If the slide is blocked in the open position by the slide catch or by an empty magazine inser ted in the pistol, press the slide catch downward to close the slide. (Fig. 14) WARNING:Always keep your finger away from the ejection por t. WARNING: THE HAMMER IS COCKED. With the barrel pointed in a safe direction, decock the hammer by following the instruction given in the previous paragraph. ! !
68 Series AMMUNITION AMMUNITION (CARTRIDGE) NOTICE:Beretta specifically disclaim responsibility for any damage or injur y whatsoever occurring in connection with, or as the result of, the use in Beretta 92/98/96 Steel I pistol of faulty, or non-standard, or “remanufactured,” or hand-loaded (reloaded) ammunition, or car tridges other than those for which the firearm was originally chambered. Use of reloaded ammunition will void the manufacturer’s warranty. Use only high-quality, commercially-manufactured ammunition that is manufactured in accordance with CIP (Europe and elsewhere) or SAAMI (USA) standards. Be cer tain that the ammunition is the appropriate caliber and loading for the firearm and is clean, dr y, and in good condition. The car tridge designation for your pistol is marked on the top of the barrel. WARNING: Carefully inspect each car tridge before it is loaded in the magazine. Be cer tain the car tridge cases are not split, deformed, or the car tridges do not possess any other dents or defects (this applies even to factor y ammunition). Do not fire old ammunition in this firearm. Primers, powder, car tridge cases, and bullets can deteriorate with time and cause damage to the firearm, or injur y to the shooter or others. WARNING:The extended use of +P, +P+ ammunition may decrease the major components ser vice life expectancy. DO NOT use sub-machine gun ammunition because the chamber pressure may reach or exceed proof load pressure. Lead bullets have a tendency to cause bore leading, which may dramatically increase the discharge pressure. Make sure to remove all chamber and bore lead accumulation after each use. DO NOT ever shoot car tridges with jacketed bullets through a barrel previously fired with lead bullets before the bore is thoroughly deleaded. ! !
69 DRY FIRING/”DUMMY” ROUNDS Dr y firing is defined as firing a firearm with no ammunition in the chamber. Long term dr y firing your Beretta 92/98/96 pistol may result in damage to the action. “Snap caps” (iner t chamber inser ts that allow a firearm to be dr y-fired without damaging the action) are available at most gun stores for those who wish to practice firing without live ammunition. CAUTION: If you want to practice shooting your pistol without using live ammunition (called “dr y firing”), inser t an appropriate “snap cap” into the chamber to cushion the fall of the firing pin and reduce the chance of firing pin breakage. “Snap cap” car tridges with spring loaded “primers” are ideal. “DUMMY” car tridges with empty primer pockets are good for loading/unloading practice but DO NOT protect the firing pin during dr y firing. LOADING WARNING:This pistol can fire even if the magazine is empty or has been removed, whenever a live round is in the chamber. WARNING: Before loading the firearm, become familiar with the following loading procedures without the use of ammunition. Never handle a loaded firearm until you are fully familiar with the loading procedures. Always point the firearm in a safe direction. WARNING:Always keep your finger away from the trigger whenever you do not intend to fire. Make sure the pistol is not already loaded. See paragraph “LOAD CHECK”. WARNING:LOAD THE CHAMBER ONLY WHEN READY TO FIRE. LOADING THE MAGAZINE WARNING:Be sure that you have the correct car tridges for your pistol. •To load the magazine, remove it from the pistol by depressing the magazine release button. (Fig. 10) ! ! ! !
70 Series •Hold the magazine in one hand. With the other hand place a car tridge on the magazine follower in front of the lips at the top of the magazine. Press the car tridge down onto the follower and slide the car tridge completely under the lips until it is lodged fully inside the magazine body. (Fig. 15) •Repeat process until magazine is fully loaded. Holes on the back of the magazine allow for visual counting of car tridges. (Fig. 1/O) CAUTION: Do not tr y to force more than the maximum number of rounds indicated for your par ticular pistol into the magazine. An overloaded magazine may not function properly. LOADING THE PISTOL AND THE FIRING CHAMBER WARNING:Beretta assumes no responsibility for any injur y or proper ty damage resulting from improper or careless handling, intentional or accidental discharge of the firearm. WARNING: Be sure that the obstruction check has been completed prior to loading. WARNING:Point the firearm in a safe direction. Do not touch the trigger until you are ready to shoot and are sure of your target and backstop. The firing chamber of the pistol is the por tion of the barrel into which the car tridge is fed. The firing chamber may be loaded in one of three ways: 1. LOADING FROM MAGAZINE •Push the loaded magazine into the pistol grip completely to insure catch engagement. •Release the manual safety, if engaged. •Pull back the slide and release it. The slide will automatically pick up a car tridge from the top of the magazine and feed it into the chamber. (Fig. 16)! ! !
71 WARNING:THE PISTOL IS NOW CHAMBER LOADED, COCKED, MANUAL SAFETY DISENGAGED AND READY TO FIRE BY PULLING THE TRIGGER. IMMEDIATELY ENGAGE THE MANUAL SAFETY by rotating the safety lever with a fully upward thumb pressure (Fig. 7)so as to cover the red warning dot. The red dot is visible when the manual safety is disengaged. WARNING:The manual safety is merely a mechanical device and is in no way a substitute for the Basic Safety Rules of firearm handling. 2. DIRECT CHAMBER LOADING •Release the manual safety, if engaged. •Pull open the slide. The slide remains open when an empty magazine is inser ted or the slide catch is pressed upwards. •Inser t a round into the chamber. •Press the slide catch to close the slide. WARNING:THE PISTOL IS NOW CHAMBER LOADED, COCKED, MANUAL SAFETY DISENGAGED AND READY TO FIRE BY PULLING THE TRIGGER. IMMEDIATELY ENGAGE THE MANUAL SAFETY by rotating the safety lever with a fully upward thumb pressure (Fig. 7)so as to cover the red warning dot. The red dot is visible when the manual safety is disengaged. WARNING:The manual safety is merely a mechanical device and is in no way a substitute for the Basic Safety Rules of firearm handling. 3.A PISTOL WHICH IS LOADED AND FIRED WILL AUTOMATICALLY PICK UP THE NEXT ROUND AND FEED IT INTO THE FIRING CHAMBER AS LONG AS THERE IS AMMUNITION IN THE MAGAZINE. NOTICE: Beretta 92/98/96 Steel I pistols are equipped with an automatic safety which prevents firing pin protrusion beyond the breech face. This safety is overcome only by trigger pull.! ! ! !
72 Series If you want to replace the round which has been chambered from the magazine (remember that you are handling a loaded firearm with a live round in the chamber): •Check the manual safety is engaged. •Remove the magazine from the pistol by depressing the magazine release button. •Inser t one more car tridge into the magazine. •Completely push the loaded magazine into the pistol grip to insure catch engagement. WARNING:REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE HANDLING A LOADED FIREARM, WITH A LIVE ROUND IN THE CHAMBER. Keep your finger away from the trigger whenever you do not intend to fire. ! ! ! ! UNLOADING WARNING:Always unload the firearm whenever you do not intend to shoot. WARNING: THE HAMMER LOWERING OPERATION MUST ONLY BE PERFORMED WITH THE PISTOL UNLOADED AND THE BARREL CHAMBER EMPTY. This is due to the fact that the 92/98/96 Steel I pistols do not feature mechanisms that permit decocking of the hammer with a round chambered and the safety on the frame does not function as a decocking device. See paragraph: “HOW TO LOWER THE COCKED HAMMER”. WARNING:Be cer tain the pistol is pointed in a SAFE direction. Keep your finger away from the trigger. •Make sure that the safety is engaged. •Keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction and remove the loaded magazine from the frame. •Disengage the manual safety and grasping the slide serrations with thumb and index finger, fully retract the slide to remove the chambered car tridge.
73 WARNING: Always visually inspect the firing chamber to ensure that it is empty. The chamber is empty when no car tridge is visible when looking into the open chamber. (Fig. 11) WARNING:If you are ejecting unfired car tridges, use extreme care to be sure they are ejected onto an appropriate sur face. Never attempt to catch car tridges or fired car tridge cases as they fall. WARNING:Never allow anything to come in contact with the primer of unfired ammunition. Doing so could cause the ammunition to explode. •When sure that the chamber is empty and the car tridge has been ejected, release the slide. WARNING:Releasing the fully retracted slide when a loaded magazine is in the pistol will feed a car tridge into the pistol’s firing chamber. Having the hammer cocked, the pistol will be in the condition of being able to fire immediately. •Lower the hammer as indicated in the paragraph “HOW TO LOWER THE COCKED HAMMER”. NOTICE:The pistol should be stored UNLOADED, uncocked, manual safety engaged and magazine empty. UNLOADING THE MAGAZINE •To unload the magazine, grasp it with one hand around the magazine box, bottom down and front end for ward. With the tip of the thumb firmly press down on the car tridge rim and push towards the front of magazine box. As the car tridge moves for ward, tip it slightly upward with the index finger. •Repeat until the magazine is unloaded. ! ! ! !
74 Series FIRING WARNING: IN CASE OF INTERRUPTION OF FIRING BEFORE THE MAGAZINE IS EMPTY AND THE CHAMBERED ROUND IS FIRED, IT IS NECESSARY TO UNLOAD THE PISTOL BEFORE LOWERING THE HAMMER. WARNING:Beretta assumes no responsibility for any injur y or proper ty damage resulting from improper or careless handling, intentional or accidental discharge of the firearm. WARNING: Only point a firearm at something safe to shoot. Never put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to shoot. Never disengage the safety on a firearm unless you intend to shoot. WARNING:Always wear high-quality eye and ear protection when firing any firearm. Be cer tain that others near-by are wearing high-quality eye and ear protection and are to the rear of the shooter, when firing any firearm. •Inser t the magazine into the pistol and the round into the firing chamber following the instructions previously described. •Make sure the manual safety is engaged (safety lever rotated upwards and red dot covered). WARNING:Do not touch the trigger until you are ready to shoot and are sure of your target and backstop. •Without placing the finger on the trigger or inside the trigger guard, point the pistol at the intended target and aim the pistol by aligning the front and rear sights on the target. Place the front sight on your target. The front sight should be in focus, the target and the rear sight slightly blurred or out of focus. WHEN READY TO FIRE: •Release the manual safety by simply pushing the manual safety lever down all the way. (Fig. 6) The red warning dot, which is exposed when the safety lever is rotated completely downward, indicates that the safety is of f. ! ! ! ! !