I mentioned that I purchased a used Beretta 418 via my C&R license recently. This Saturday, I had the opportunity to get out to the range, and I took Mrs. Ahab along with me. I also shot the E-Postal Match, and I’ll post my score report once I get my targets scanned at home.
Cosmetically, the Beretta looks pretty good for a gun that’s over 80 years old. There is some pitting on the slide, and a little bit on the outside of the barrel, but for the most the nickel plated finish is in pretty good shape. Now, if the gun shot as well as it looked, everything would be hunky dory.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t. It seems that extractor is worn down, and thusly ejection is anything but positive. Actually, the gun jammed on every single round with a failure to eject. Needless to say, that can make shooting a wee bit tedious. I honestly didn’t bother testing it for accuracy, as we were running out of time and I was getting tired of clearing stovepipes.
On the bright side, the first time I jammed I idly asked my wife if she knew what that particular FTF was called, and she (correctly) identified it as a stovepipe. She is learning well.
It was a productive weekend, the Mrs. shot my 9mm for the first time, and predictably had trouble with the giant grips on the thing. The Pt92 is not for the small of hand. She’s also going to develop into a crack shot with my 10/22 if she keeps up like she did from the weekend.
It was a good weekend. The weather was amazing and I got to turn some money into smoke and noise.