The PT92 (fixed sites) and PT99 (adjustable sites) are either summarily dismissed as clone guns or embraced as "just as good as Beretta for a lot less money". I found them to be neither, but rather good guns for the money. My friend who liked the Beretta but not the price, bought a used 99AF, and I've had the chance to give it the once over. Once again here is my poor attempt at a review. Praise be to the spell checker.
The decision to buy the Taurus used was intentional. After all if something didn't work right it was covered by the lifetime warranty. Why shell out the extra 25% just to be the first to run lead down the barrel? I've heard complaints about the Taurus repair turn around time, but none about the quality of their repairs or them trying to screw the customer. After a month of tracking the pitifully few gun stores in the area, my friend found his match, a older nickel plated 99AF. From the outside it looks just like the Beretta, but with a decent rear site. A closer look revealed a 1911 type safety that allows for cocked and locked carry, something not available from a Beretta 92FS. This was an older model in that it has the 2 position safety, without the decocker on the current model. This means that to carry condition two (hammer down, chamber loaded) you must keep you wits about you, and hammer drop manually 1911 style. The next shot can then be fired double action. I think there is also a series 80 style firing pin block, but don't risk you life on it.
The gun was in mint shape, the only wear was in the Brazilian hardwood grips. They still looked pretty good, I'm glad that Taurus is putting that pesky rain forest to good use. We took the piece over to my shop to give it a once over. The gun strips easily, Beretta style. A closer examination of the slide showed some unevenness in color in the nickel plating, purely cosmetic. The aluminum frame also had some color variation across the the anodized coating. Tooling marks were quite evident inside of the slide, especially on the flat area that rides across and cocks the hammer. The slide and frame rails were smooth, although it was clear that not much time is spent finishing areas that are not critical to the operation of the weapon. This is in stark contrast to the Beretta, where it appears that all areas get an almost equal treatment. Whether this concerns you is a matter of taste. If you are looking for a functional weapon you don't care. If you are picky, obsessive, anal retentive, and a perfectionist about mechanical parts, such as this author, it is a real turn off.
The gun is a frustrating copy of the Beretta 92 family. I say frustrating because although it shares many features, none of the parts interchange and the little differences in linkages and pin locations make it a truly separate design. Not even the magazines are swapable.
After a quick cleaning and a polishing of the barrel feed ramp to help me justify my Dremal purchase we headed to the range. We brought a box of UMC harball, a box of Black Tallon, and a coffee can of my home grown reloads. The adjustable rear site is much easier to see and far superior to the Beretta. It stands a bit taller and has sharper edges, although who's kidding who, this is not a concealed carry gun. The accuracy seemed the same as the Beretta, at least as could be determined by two guys on sandbags, 50 ft away. It ate all the ammo and ejected cleanly. The trigger pull was *the same* as on the Beretta. Closing your eye and pulling the trigger (on an unloaded gun!) you could not tell the difference.
My friend is pleased as punch although I have some mixed feelings. The gun is the FUNCTIONAL equivalent of the Beretta. The guns fits in the hand the same, the trigger pull is the same, and it goes bang when you pull the trigger. The main design difference, the 1911 cocked and locked safety, is a matter of personal choice. However it not the SAME gun for less money. The level of finish is not even close. The fit of the slide and trigger IS the same, but the rest of the work is not up to Beretta standards. I guess it is all how you approach your firearm. If you sweat the details, love a good piece of machine work, are attracted to the historical lore and are willing to pay one quarter to one third more, buy the Beretta. If you are a no nonsense person who just wants to put the bullet were the gun is aimed, and are willing to trade some finishing details for $100 go with the Taurus. Either way I think that you'll be pleased.