08 December 2011
Beretta PX4 Conversion
Back in '05 when I purchased one of these for Pickle, the only one available was the decocker/safety F model. My previous experience with this ridiculous combo-feature-from-hell, courtesy of a Ruger P95 used for IDPA, told me that we'd eventually trade it off for a more 'user friendly' model. Well, after a few brain farts this year (forgetting the manual of arms) at various IDPA matches and at the LuckyGunner Blogger Shoot ... the time has come.
The Ruger had been upgraded to a decock only model simply by buying one, although I could have just bought another slide assembly for it. With the PX4 you don't have to go to any expense at all to change it to a decock only G model. With a few simple tools, a little patience and some damn bi-focals that actually work this can be accomplished in about 20 minutes. Instead of performing this mod you could wait till Brownells get some safety levers back in stock, but it's not a very big deal. Of course it could be a very long wait if their supplier happens to be Brignoli Arms, since they don't seem to carry them anymore.
The only real difference between the two models is in the safety levers themselves, as can be seen the schematic below. The F model has a ball detent in the left side safety lever shaft (the one used by right handed shooters) that prevents the levers from snapping back up. The G model is the same left side shaft with the ball detent left out. The right side lever (for lefties) has a little wing on the bottom that engages the trigger disconnect on the F model. The G model has no wing.
Since it really doesn't matter, I didn't remove the wing from the right side lever. It's really just a matter of popping out the detent ball to change it over ...
*Caution*
When tapping out the roll pin on the right side lever, it can be very, very stubborn. Really had to wack that bugger good to get it moving. And when you put the pin back in, you have to be careful how far you drive it in. I went a bit too far, and because it was binding had to back it out a little.
*"The instructions i used came from Berettaforum.net, as there is a ton of info on that thread. Probably the most invaluable pictures come from page 3. age_ranger did take out the extractor in his instructions.
I didn't."
Schematic Diagram
Written Instructions
Dis-Assembly Video
Re-Assembly Video
You just gotta love the interwebz for so much information at your fingertips. The pistol now works just fine and I must say, everyone loves the final results . I simply have no use for that lawyer-ed up decock/safety nightmare ...
*Edit: in Quotation 02Jan12
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The Ruger had been upgraded to a decock only model simply by buying one, although I could have just bought another slide assembly for it. With the PX4 you don't have to go to any expense at all to change it to a decock only G model. With a few simple tools, a little patience and some damn bi-focals that actually work this can be accomplished in about 20 minutes. Instead of performing this mod you could wait till Brownells get some safety levers back in stock, but it's not a very big deal. Of course it could be a very long wait if their supplier happens to be Brignoli Arms, since they don't seem to carry them anymore.
The only real difference between the two models is in the safety levers themselves, as can be seen the schematic below. The F model has a ball detent in the left side safety lever shaft (the one used by right handed shooters) that prevents the levers from snapping back up. The G model is the same left side shaft with the ball detent left out. The right side lever (for lefties) has a little wing on the bottom that engages the trigger disconnect on the F model. The G model has no wing.
Since it really doesn't matter, I didn't remove the wing from the right side lever. It's really just a matter of popping out the detent ball to change it over ...
*Caution*
When tapping out the roll pin on the right side lever, it can be very, very stubborn. Really had to wack that bugger good to get it moving. And when you put the pin back in, you have to be careful how far you drive it in. I went a bit too far, and because it was binding had to back it out a little.
*"The instructions i used came from Berettaforum.net, as there is a ton of info on that thread. Probably the most invaluable pictures come from page 3. age_ranger did take out the extractor in his instructions.
I didn't."
Schematic Diagram
Written Instructions
Dis-Assembly Video
Re-Assembly Video
You just gotta love the interwebz for so much information at your fingertips. The pistol now works just fine and I must say, everyone loves the final results . I simply have no use for that lawyer-ed up decock/safety nightmare ...
*Edit: in Quotation 02Jan12
Labels: Firearms
Guns are frightening. They hurt people and innocent puppies. You are a domestic terrorist. I know this because I have the uncanny ability to sense these kind of things.