Taurus PT92 Decocker grips
Taurus PT92 Decocker grips
The Taurus PT92, PT99, PT100, and PT101 are iconic Beretta 92 clones that propelled Taurus into the semi-auto pistol market with affordable reliability
The story begins in 1974, when the Brazilian Army contracted Beretta to supply Beretta 92 pistols, leading Beretta to build a factory in São Paulo. After the contract expired around 1980, Beretta sold the facility and tooling to Forjas Taurus. Taurus relocated the equipment to Porto Alegre and began producing near-exact copies of the original Beretta 92 (pre-92F slide safety era) without licensing fees, as patents had expired
The PT92 (9mm Parabellum, 17+1 capacity) launched in 1983 as Taurus's flagship DA/SA wondernine, featuring frame-mounted ambidextrous safety (a key upgrade over early Beretta slide safeties), squared trigger guard, and heel magazine release on earliest models (later changed to standard button). It quickly gained fame for durability, accuracy, and value
In the late 1980s, Taurus introduced the PT99—an enhanced PT92 with adjustable rear sight, taller front sight, and refined ergonomics for better target shooting
The 1990s saw the PT100 (.40 S&W version of PT92, 11+1) and PT101 (.40 S&W with adjustable sights like PT99) emerge to capitalize on the rising .40 caliber trend in law enforcement and civilian markets
Early models lacked a dedicated decocker; by the early 1990s (e.g., PT92AF-D circa 1994), Taurus standardized the decocker function on the frame-mounted safety lever for safer hammer-lowering. This "decocker grips" era (often referring to models with frame safety/decocker and compatible aftermarket grips) marked improved user safety and reliability
Ongoing refinements (e.g., accessory rails post-2005) kept the series relevant. Today, these pistols remain budget-friendly Beretta alternatives—praised for smooth triggers, low recoil, and proven design—cementing Taurus's legacy in high-capacity service handguns