Beretta Project & Ric Gandy SGS Compensator Overview

[Knight]

This is a build I've been throwing money at off & on for the better part of 2016. Thought I'd post some pics & info of what has turned out to be one of my more fun build projects.

I started off with a plain-jane, off-the-shelf Beretta Model 92FS in 9mm.



First changeover was easy. I swapped out the plastic factory magazine floorplates for some rubberized ones from IMI Defense:



I got these particular ones from eBay, though you can also order directly from the company. Though be aware they are based in Israel, so don't expect fast shipping times. Install of the floorplates was easy and only took a few seconds for each mag. Easily converted back to factory as well if needed.

The reason for these should hopefully become more apparent in a bit, bear with me.

Next, I wanted a compensator. I first tried going with an SGS compensator from Hamann Engineering Corporation, or HEC. Long story short, after about 4-5 months of back-and-forth emailing with their customer service after sending them payment and them consistently missing delivery deadlines, I finally gave up and asked for a refund. I then turned to Ric Gandy, who has been selling SGS-style compensators for years. His prices were more expensive, but in the end it was well worth it. Particularly in the area of customer service, Ric was world-class. Though he doesn't have a business website, through some internet searches I got his email address (antiqueslots@juno.com) and went from there.

Packaging of the comp for shipping was excellent. There was little chance of them getting damaged during shipping:



It even came with all the tools needed for installation, plus detailed instructions on installation & maintenance.



The comp itself came in a clear plastic tube, with plastic spacers designed to prevent the components from shifting or moving during shipping. The attention to detail in this regard was quite impressive.



A couple pictures of the compensator & hardware:





Installation using the instructions was quick & only took about a minute. It notes in the instructions that the two tab sections at the back end of the comp may have to be filed down a bit to fit snugly over the end of the dust cover on the frame, but luckily there was no need in my case. For what it's worth, the thickness of my dust cover was .732", though I'm going off of memory on that...

[Knight]

Next I changed out the factory grips with a set of black G10 Golfball-pattern panels from VZ Grips. Very aggressive, but for those that like a rough-textured grip, these feel great. I also swapped out the factory hammer with the factory skeletonized hammer, just 'cause.



Put it all together, and this is what you get:


































...then take all of the above, do it to another pistol that is identical to the original save one digit in the serial number, and you get this:









In case you're wondering, yes, these pistols are designed for the sole purpose of being fired at the same time. All the changes I've made to the pistols so far (and any I make in the future) are intended to make it easier to shoot them one-handed.