Wilson Combat Beretta 92G Centurion Tactical
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Bill Wilson has been the king of custom 1911 makers for a long time. His pistols offer excellent function, fit, finish, and accuracy. Less well know is Mr. Wilson’s respect, even admiration, for the Beretta 92 series handguns. Wilson Combat offers several upgrades on this capable handgun.

The Beretta 92 is famed for its accuracy and reliability. For those who understand and are able to master the double action first shot handgun, the Beretta is a very credible choice. The pistol, like most anything man made, benefits from some judicious attention by a qualified gunsmith.

Wilson Combat Beretta 92G Centurion Tactical

A number of aftermarket parts might be an advantage. Wilson Combat has developed excellent upgrades and convinced Beretta to manufacture an affordable version of the upgraded pistol. The Beretta/Wilson Combat 92G Centurion Tactical is among the finest Beretta handguns I have fired and used.

I am much more used to 1911 and striker fired handguns, but the Beretta need not take a back seat to any of them. Let’s look at the improved 92G.

Wilson Combat Beretta 92G Centurion Tactical
The 92G with included 20-round magazine

The Centurion is shorter than the standard 92 or Wilson’s Brigadier Tactical. The Brigadier features a reinforced slide. The shop I walked into had the Centurion in stock and I grabbed it.

A lot of folks like the balance of the smaller Centurion. Others like the heft and lower recoil of the Brigadier. While 9mm service guns don’t kick much, when times are measured in splits of a half second between shots, the Brigadier pulls slightly ahead of the game.

Wilson Combat Beretta 92G Centurion Tactical

I like the speed on target of the Centurion. The Beretta safety doubles as a decocker with Beretta’s G models. This pistol also incorporates an accessory rail, something the high speeders and low draggers demand. Here’s a list of upgrades Wilson’s made to the standard pistol:

  • Dovetailed tritium front sight
  • Stainless match-grade barrel with recessed target crown
  • Steel guide rod
  • Accessory rail
  • Rounded trigger guard
  • Ambidextrous decocker
  • WC rear U-notch Battlesight
  • Elite II skeletonized hammer
  • Oversize magazine release with checkered pad
  • Checkered frontstrap and backstrap
  • Beveled magazine well
  • G10 grips with “WC” logo medallion

While all of these improvements are good, a few of them really stand out. The G10 grips are a great upgrade over the standard Beretta 92 grips. They’re thinner and offer greater adhesion and a better, more secure grip.

Wilson Combat Beretta 92G Centurion Tactical

The reworked trigger action is much smoother than standard Beretta pistols. Maybe the greatest improvement — a big one — is the addition of Wilson battlesights.

Wilson Combat Beretta 92G Centurion Tactical
The rear Wilson Combat U-notch battlesight

The ability to move the sights for adjustment in the dovetail and the tritium front sight make for excellent combat visibility. I haven’t done many speed loads with a Beretta, but it seems the extended magazine release and the magazine funnel offer excellent speed improvements. The shooter simply must catch up to their potential and this means practice.

The 92G Centurion Tactical is supplied with three magazines, two 17-rounders and a single extended 20-round magazine.

Wilson Combat Beretta 92G Centurion Tactical
Ameriglo Hackathorn night sight on the end of the Centurion 92G’s Vertec slide

Most of the ammunition expended during testing has been Winchester ball ammunition including Winchester Active Duty and Winchester Forged. The pistol comes on target quickly and the smooth double action trigger allows for easly hits out to ten yards or so.

After the first shot, you’re in a gunfight and the pistol is in single action mode. The advantage of the double action first shot pistol rides mainly in that crisp single action trigger pull. The Wilson Combat Beretta trigger is tight and offers a rapid reset. Control is excellent.

I fired at ranges from seven to fifty yards during the evaluation. This pistol is an extremely accurate firearm that offers real advantages in both control and precision.

I tested several personal defense and service loads as well. Winchester’s 115 grain Silvertip has earned an enviable reputation over decades of service. It isn’t the most accurate load but more than accurate enough for personal defense purposes.

Winchester offers a less well known 147 grain load that offers a good balance of expansion and penetration. The 147 grain Silvertip is among the most accurate 9mm loads I have tested. Among my favored personal defense loads is the Winchester 124 grain PDX +P. At 1200 fps this load offers excellent expansion potential.

Wilson Combat Beretta 92G Centurion Tactical
The upper corner small silhouette of a B27 target.

I checked accuracy of several loads firing from the Bullshooters pistol rest. The Beretta proved above average accurate. Firing for a five-shot group at 25 yards, 115 grain ball ammo on average was 2.5 inches.

The 115 grain Silvertip was in the same range. The 147 grain Silvertip averaged 1.75 inches. The Winchester 124 grain PDX was not far behind at 1.7-2.0 inches for five shots the average of three groups.

Wilson Combat Beretta 92G Centurion Tactical
Shot at 25 yards from a rest.

This Beretta is more than accurate enough for any conceivable duty. Firing from a benchrest is interesting, but the offhand fire and moving quickly between targets is more of a test of a combat handgun. The Beretta did well in all of these drills.

Low recoil and light muzzle flip are Beretta 92 hallmarks. Practice the double action first shot trigger if you deploy this pistol for personal defense.

Packing the Beretta Centurion

Wilson Combat offers a quality Kydex holster for the Beretta among oher options. The Kydex carry holster is .080 thick and features 1.75 inch polymer belt loops. The height or drop is six position adjustable. The cant may be adjusted as well. It’s convertible to inside the waistband use with special order soft belt loops. This holster is rigid, doesn’t move on the belt, and adds up to a very sharp draw. It’s a well-designed holster with much to recommend.

For concealed carry or range work this holster works well. When choosing a holster for the Beretta take care to be certain the draw angle accommodates a pistol a bit longer than some.

Wilson Combat Beretta 92G Centurion Tactical
Courtesy Wilson Combat

In the end, the Wilson Combat/Beretta 92G Centurion Tactical is the king of Beretta service guns. If, like many shooters, you are a fan of the Beretta 92 platform the Wilson Combat version of this pistol is very impressive.

Specifications: Beretta/Wilson Combat Centurion Tactical

Caliber: 9mm
Action: DA/SA
Magazine capacity: 17 rounds (2 included as well as a 20-round mag)
Barrel Length: 4.3 in
Overall Length:  7.75 in
Sight Radius: 5.75 in
Height: 5.5 in
Width: 1.5 in
Weight Empty: 33 oz (about 41 oz loaded)
MSRP: $1250

Ratings (out of five stars):

Reliability * * * * *
This is a Beretta 92. No questions here. It’s one of the most tried, true and tested pistol platforms there is.

Accuracy: * * * * *
For a double action first shot pistol the piece is very accurate. Generally the Beretta 92 is an accurate handgun anyway. This version is all about handling and speed, but is also more accurate than most Beretta pistols.

Handling, ergonomics * * * * *
The improvement over a standard, off-the-shelf Beretta is very noticeable. The controls are well designed and every one of them increases the utility and functionality of the pistol.

Concealed Carry * * *
This is a big gun. This is also a fat gun. And it’s a heavy gun (40 oz loaded). But it’s also a very good gun and a covering garment does the trick.

Overall * * * * 1/2
This is an outstanding 9mm pistol that’s been thoughtfully upgraded by Wilson Combat to enhance it’s performance and shootability. At an MSRP of $1250, every bit of work that’s been done to improve the original model is evident and makes for a handgun that performs extremely well in almost any role.

 

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51 COMMENTS

  1. I have a Beretta 92 A1, I purchased all of the Wilson Combat parts available to purchase. I had my gunsmith dehorn, deburr and polish everything else original and then install the Wilson stuff. And this thing is now a laser beam and the trigger is unbelievable. I wish that, I could have afforded to send it in, However, I did the best that, I could afford to do on my budget. I can only imagine if, I had a full deluxe Wilson pistol, I’d be even more over joyed. And just so you know the cost of the gun, with parts and gunsmithing was still a whole lot less than a full deluxe Wilson. Again I wish that, I could afford the full deluxe Wilson.

    • With a $1250 MSRP it’s somewhat expensive but nowhere near WC 1911 prices. Maybe someday when the buying madness subsides you can get one for around $1000

      • I forgot to mention that I added the G kit onto mine as well. I love the thing. When Covid-19 is over I’d like to compete with it.

      • I went on Langdon Tactical’s website to see their offerings. Like almost everyone, they have a ‘subscribe to our emails” popup. The thing is, theirs loads on every single page you click on. And when you refresh a page or scroll down, it loads again. And again, and again, and again…it makes it virtually impossible to navigate through their site.

        Sorry, but anyone that incompetent with something as simple as a website will not be trusted with any of my guns.

  2. Love my 92FS! The first “real” pistol I bought after I had any idea what I was doing back in the Clinton era. Have no clue how many thousands of rounds I’ve put through it but it is still accurate as all get out. A lighter DA spring and the “G” kit install made it even better. The only thing I’d change is the unremovable front sight but I manage… somehow… lol.

      • Lol! Well, yeah, pretty much anything is “removable” with a grinder! Not quite willing to go to that level of “modding”, though…

    • The fixed front sight is what won the M9 contract for Beretta. US Army considered the removable P226 front sight in the total parts count that made it “less reliable.” There’s a great summary report online describing this.

  3. Personally I would love to see a side by side head to head Langdon V. Wilson custom berettas. I love berettas, a M9A1 is next to the bed and the Langdon 92X Compact is on the hip, I personally just go with Langdon because I prefer his work and you don’t have to pay as much for the name.

    a side by side would be fantastic.

  4. I grabbed one of the first WC/Beretta 92G Brigadier Tacticals that were produced in Tennessee. Got the full trigger bench treatment, mag guide (in place of the lanyard eye), and WC single sided decocker kit.
    Also installed a #22 WC recoil spring and WC buffer. This 92G is set up to shoot the Underwood/Speer Gold Dot ammo that’s loaded to generate 465 ft/lbs of muzzle energy.
    https://www.underwoodammo.com/products/9mm-luger-plus-p-plus-124-grain-bonded-jacket-hollow-point?variant=18785726824505
    Makes for a great SHTF/TEOTWAWKI sidearm when supported by a few dozen 20 rd mags (18rd M9-A1 mags with Mec-Gar 2 baseplates).
    Swapped the G10 dirty olive grips for some OE Beretta Wood grips, an old school look.

    • I just knew war hero, former astronaut and Triumph Aerospace janitor Cames would come in here to tell us all about his ownership of this particular firearm.

      • You and your little pal’s butt-hurt is just so *precious*.

        If you and he were less of a complete asshole, you’d both probably have jobs where you could afford toys like that… 😉

        • Hey look everyone, the little chimp has no idea how the election process actually works.
          How many States have certified the results?
          I’ll wait………..
          Elections are decided by the process set by state legislators. This process HAS to be in line with the US Constitution.
          Elections are NOT decided by media press releases.
          Glad to clear that up for you.
          Keep dancing leashed chimp.

        • In other election news:

          “Throughout Friday, the failures piled up.
          In one day, nine cases meant to attack President-elect Joe Biden’s win in key states were denied or dropped, adding up to a brutal series of losses for the President, who’s already lost and refuses to let go. Many of the cases are built upon a foundational idea that absentee voting and slight mismanagement of elections invite widespread fraud, which is not proven and state leaders have overwhelming said did not happen in 2020.

          In court on Friday:
          The Trump campaign lost six cases in Montgomery County and Philadelphia County in Pennsylvania over whether almost 9,000 absentee ballots could be thrown out.
          The Trump campaign dropped a lawsuit in Arizona seeking a review by hand of all ballots because Biden’s win wouldn’t change.
          A Republican candidate and voters in Pennsylvania lost a case over absentee ballots that arrived after Election Day, because they didn’t have the ability to sue. A case addressing similar issue is still waiting on decisions from the Supreme Court — which has remained noticeably silent on election disputes since before Election Day.
          Pollwatchers in Michigan lost their case to stop the certification of votes in Detroit, and a judge rejected their allegations of fraud.”

        • Well whiner, the fat lady hasn’t sung yet.
          This IS going to be addressed by the SCOTUS.
          Let the leftarded states play their games, just pulling enuf rope to hang themselves with.
          Keep pulling demtards and MSM! 💯🤡

    • James Campbell: I enjoyed your original comment about your 92.

      Everyone else: how about on a post about guns, you keep the personal and political attacks to yourselves. 95% of the content here is bait for you, so take that bait and let the rest of us that are interested in guns just read comments about guns on the remaining 5% of the content.

  5. A Wilson 1911 CQB is on my very short list. A Beretta 92 of any description? No thanks. Owned one for a couple of decades. Serviceable, but nothing special. After buying a Sig 226 not long ago I sold the Beretta and half dozen factory mags to a friend for $400. Wilson should have chosen the Sig if they wanted to build a custom DA/SA auto. If you can’t tell I don’t like DA/SA autos even though I now own several. All Sigs. An answer looking for a question. Even factory Sigs shoot very well.

    • Bill Wilson has always really liked the Beretta 92G Brigadier, considers it his favorite DA/SA handgun.
      Beretta machines the 92G Brig Tac parts to Bill Ws “enhanced” tolerance specifications, then Beretta does final assembly with a mix of these Beretta “enhanced” items, along with some WC machined parts.
      The trigger bench work, test firing and final inspection are all done by WC.
      The standard M9-A1 pales in comparison when shot alongside the 92G BT.

  6. The only thing remotely wrong with the 92s is the overly heavy hammer spring, which is easily and cheaply fixed. I’ve got the compact INOX and I like it better than the full size fs. Can’t see blowing the extra $450 (MSRP) for the WC myself but then I’m a tight ass.

  7. “The Beretta safety doubles as a decocker with Beretta’s G models.”

    Uh, no. The FS models have the safety/decocker. The 92G is decock only.

  8. I was considering a Wilson model then Beretta put out the 92X (not the Performance model) and had a hefty rebate on them. I opted for a 92X Centurion “G” model. It shoots better than the 92A1 I was already running. I’m thinking about the Wilson parts to enhance it a bit more. If I wanted it more concealable I’d probably carry the 92/M9A1 compact instead. Putting these up against a 226 MK25 and 229 Legion is not much difference for me, except… Sig has the SRT Trigger which is a great piece. But still, for my EDC it’s a sub compact plastic fantastic pistol.

  9. I just bought one of these as well. It’s a beautiful pistol. I have a pretty big collection and thought it was time to add a Beretta so the WC centurion was the winner. Shoots pretty swell but I have to admit I’d didn’t shoot it quite as well as my striker guns that I mostly practice with but that’s ok. I didn’t buy it to beat it up with a high round count at action pistol matches (IDPA). Though I’m sure it would do just fine.

    • Trump one term clown:
      For many, including myself, having multiple firearms serves a recreational purpose. And while i may carry one for defensive purposes, I fervently hope to never get caught in a gunfight, or a civil war for that matter. I’m sure I speak for a lot of the other commenters here, who are not “keyboard commandos”.

        • I’ve never chimed in due to one of these moronic trolls that are here during their down time as pink spandex/skinny jean/skate board carrying leftist antifa wannabes because they are retarded and only want to get a reaction while they play with themselves in their mommies basement… but today I thought why not. You can polish a turd but it’s still a turd… and a liberal.

    • I think that most folks in the world just want to get along and eat their sandwiches. Just about every place on Earth has created at least one thing resembling a sandwich. If we can all agree that sandwiches are good, it’s a start.

      But there will always be folks who either want to steal other people’s fixings, or voice moral objections to their choice of condiments. I don’t have much use for those folks, but I’ll never go to war with them unless I absolutely have to. And once they are defeated, I’ll offer them a sandwich.

      Enjoy every sandwich.

  10. You do realize that the safety/decocking lever on that pistol is in the “fire” position? This is unsafe photography.

    • It’s a “G” model, decocker only.
      That lever is spring loaded, it pops up to the fire position when released.
      The heavier DA trigger pull is the “safety”.

      • Yes the G model is DeCocker only. I turned my 92A1 into a G model with the rest of the WC parts and professional gunsmithing and refinements. I have developed a preference for DeCocker only DA/SA hammer guns. I wish that, I could be interested in a single action like a 1911 or a High Power. I just can’t get over needing to work the safety as part of training for self defense. I want to draw and since I cut my teeth on DA/SA revolvers shooting the DA, I am OK with my first shot being DA.

  11. I have the Vertec Centurion and it is AMAZING. Worth every penny; especially with the fully reworked trigger.
    The Vertec/slim grips fits my hands perfect.

  12. It would really be nice if the discussion could stay fixed upon guns and nothing else. It is a free country (so to speak) so of course you can say what you have to say. It would just be nice to talk guns on a thread about guns. Of course if this was a thread about a gun law or regulation, I could completely understand all of the political speak. Heck, I’d be in on the conversation myself. Just saying (sense you political speakers are using your freedom of speech, I’m just following your example).

  13. I picked up the WC92 CENTURION vertex and 6 mags on an incredible deal. I chose the WC Centurion over the Langdon because the Langdon Centurions would not be available until the end of next summer.
    I really like the WC DA/SA trigger. The pull is light and smooth. The pistol is incredibly accurate. I have been shooting DA for about 15 years now. I’m accustomed to it. The WC is so damn easy to operate that 1st rnd falls right in with the SA rnds. Great weapon!!!

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