Beretta M9 vs. Girsan Regard: Two Takes on an Icon – by David Freeman
You can spot a Beretta M9 from across the room.That open-top slide, the long nose, the classic “service pistol” shape-it’s a look. It’s a full-size, metal 9mm with a double-action/single-action (DA/SA) trigger and a safety/decocker on the slide. The U.S. military carried it for years, and it still has a big fan base. Why? It shoots soft, has a long sight distance, and feels steady-so range days don’t get old fast.
The M9 didn’t get famous by accident. It comes from the Beretta 92 series, and the U.S. military adopted it in 1985. That kind of spotlight sticks. Even people who’ve never owned one usually know the vibe: smooth cycling, a big-but-manageable grip, and a track record for running reliably (the open-slide design helps). Call it classic, call it old-school-either way, a ton of handguns still get compared to it.
So yeah-copies are everywhere. The recipe works: familiar controls, a design that’s been proven for decades, and a full-size 9mm that’s usually easy to shoot well. That metal frame and heavier slide can be pretty forgiving, especially if you’re not trying to run a tiny carry gun. If you want the M9 look and feel without paying full Beretta money (or rolling the dice on a beat-up surplus pistol), a solid clone can make a lot of sense.
And because this platform has been around forever, it’s had plenty of time to mature. Like most duty pistols, it had early hiccups and got small upgrades over the years. Today, the real question is simple: how does it feel and run for normal shooters? Does it fit your hand? Does it eat common ammo? And does it have the stuff people want now-like a light rail, better grip options, and dependable accuracy?
For this review, I compared two guns: a Beretta M9 and a Girsan Regard. The Regard is a popular Turkish-made pistol built to copy the M9 style. I wasn’t trying to hand out a championship belt here. I just wanted to answer one thing: if you like the M9 idea, how close does the cheaper option get where itreally counts? There’s another factor that played into this particular comparison. I saw the Girsan in the gun case at a gun store and it really caught my eye. Its two-tone color scheme and custom grips make it a very attractive gun.
At a high level, these two feel like the same kind of pistol: full-size 9mm, all-metal heft, open-top slide, DA/SA trigger. That usually means smooth recoil and sights that come right back where you want them. The real separation happens in the little things-fit, finish, and the small features you notice after a few magazines.
Where the Beretta flexes is how “finished” it feels. The slide glides, and everything fits together like it’s supposed to-no surprises. The controls are the classic setup: a slide-mounted safety/decocker, a left-side magazine release, and a takedown system that makes cleaning quick.
And that open-top slide isn’t just a cool look. It can help with feeding and clearing, and it’s a big reason the M9 doesn’t look like every other modern pistol.
The Girsan Regard is basically saying, “Cool-let’s do that, but cheaper… and with a few extras.” A lot of Regard models come with an accessory rail for a weapon light, which the traditional M9 doesn’t have. The grip can also feel a little slimmer, which can be a big deal if your hands aren’t huge. And here’s the practical win: many shooters report the Regard takes Beretta 92-style magazines. If you like to shoot a lot, cheap, easy-to-find mags are a big deal.
Style points? The Regard can bring them. Girsan sells a bunch of finishes and versions that look sharp for the money. My sample was two-tone with custom grips, and it definitely pops next to the more plain-looking M9.
Comfort-wise, both guns get a big boost from being full-size and metal. They feel planted in your hands and give you plenty to hold onto, so recoil is easy to manage. The Beretta grip is the “classic” feel for this design-bigger, with a shape that spreads recoil across your palm. The Regard’s slightly slimmer grip can make it easier to reach the trigger, especially on that first double-action shot.
Either way, these aren’t tiny carry guns. They’re built for putting in rounds without beating up your hands.
If you’ve run a 92/M9 before, the controls will feel like home. Both have an ambidextrous safety/decocker on the slide, and the routine is basically: load up, decock, holster; then draw, swipe the safety off if that’s how you run it, and press the trigger. Compared to striker-fired pistols the big adjustment is the DA/SA trigger. That first pull is longer and heavier, then the follow-up shots get lighter in single action.
The triggers are close, but not twins. The M9’s single-action break and reset feel clean and easy to ride, which helps when you’re trying to speed up after the first shot. The Regard’s trigger can feel a bit lighter and quicker. Either way, they’re similar enough that switching between the two doesn’t feel weird.
On the Range: Reliability, Recoil and Real-World Accuracy
We kept the range test straightforward. Another shooter and I ran 500 rounds total, using FMJ and hollow-point reloads. Most of it was at 5 and 10 yards, because that’s where a lot of real-world pistol shooting lives. The headline: zero drama. Both pistols ran with no malfunctions. And honestly, that’s the whole point of an M9-style gun-it should be reliable and kind of boring (in the best way).
Accuracy stayed solid, too. At normal self-defense distances, both pistols printed tight groups over and over. Neither one pulled ahead in a way that would matter in real life. The long sights and the heavier, full-size frames do a lot of the work here, and both felt steady whether we were taking slow, careful shots or shooting faster strings. Bottom line: the shooter mattered more than the logo on the slide.
Recoil? Pretty much a tie. Both are soft-shooting 9mm pistols that stay fairly flat, so follow-up shots come easy. The Beretta’s thicker grip can feel more “locked in” because it spreads recoil over more of your hand. The Regard’s slimmer grip can make the trigger reach feel nicer, especially in double
action. If you’re shopping this style, expect both to be easy to control. You’ll probably choose based on features, finish, and price-not because one kicks a lot less.
Verdict: Pay for the Name, or Pay for the Features?
On the spec sheet, they’re basically in the same weight class. Both are full-size 9mm DA/SA pistols with about a 4.9-inch barrel, around 33 ounces unloaded, and magazines usually holding about 15 rounds (some Regard packages come with 18). So the real question isn’t “Can they do the job?” It’s “What do you want your money to buy?”
Want the original-with the history, the deep parts support, and that “yep, this is the real M9” feeling? Grab the Beretta. Want the M9-style shooting experience with more modern touches (especially a rail) and a lower price? The Girsan Regard is a strong pick. After 500 problem-free rounds side by side, the takeaway is simple: both feel like an M9. Pick the Beretta for the legacy and a more refined feel; pick the Regard for value and useful extras.
