Langdon Tactical Elite LTT Review
If you’ve never heard of Ernest Langdon, he’s the real deal. He has over 12 years of active duty in the marine corps serving all over the world. After that, he came back to the states, and completed over 40 formal shooting schools with instructor certifications from the FBI, the NRA, the US Army, and the US Marine Corps. He also has 25 years of competitive shooting experience with a grand master rating in USPSA and distinguished master in IDPA. He holds 10 national championships and 2 world speed shooting titles. To add to that, he also worked as a consultant for several gun companies, and over the years has become a very accomplished gun smith; giving birth the Langdon Tactical Technologies also known as LTT. So, this guy is the real deal, and when he decides to put his name on a gun you should take notice, because there’s a lot backing that name.
With a background in both actual military experience and literally world-renowned competitive shooting experience, have given him a unique perspective. Allowing him to develop one gun that excels in both real world use and competition at the same time. That’s why I think this is the ultimate incarnation of the Beretta 92 to date. So, let’s get into it and see just how this gun would be at home on the battlefield, as a carry gun, or plinking steel.
The first thing I noticed when I grabbed the Langdon Tactical LTT for the first time is the grips. I’ve personally never felt a slimmer set of grips on the 92. These are made for him by VZ and they are G10 and super grippy. They also have texturing higher up on the grips than any other grips available. This just really makes sense when you think about it, because this texturing is up where you actually grip the gun. But what really is impressive is how these ultra-thin grips really improve the overall feel and overall ergonomics of the pistol. They just make the 92 feels like a much smaller, slimmer gun in your hands.
Langdon went with the vertex slide; this is the same slide that is used on the Beretta M9A3 and it has some features that do make it an excellent choice. First, it has dovetailed front and rear sights. That means you can easily swap the sights to whatever you like very easily, which is something that can’t be done on all 92s. It’s also lighter than other slides for the 92; this means that you’ll have less mass recoiling, which will translate to lower the felt recoil to the shooter. Also, the LTT has front serrations, something that is missing on most 92s. The barrel also doesn’t protrude out the front like on many 92s, it is only 4.7 inches long so it will clear a holster faster. It also has a nice crown that will protect the rifling and preserve that accuracy.
The frame is an M9A1, that basically means that it has a section of rail to accept a light or a laser. The big deal to me is the checkering on the front and back strap just giving you a little better grip, a beveled magazine well, and the lanyard loop has been deleted. There’s also an over-sized magazine release which makes getting the mag out super easy, and an elite hammer. Also exclusive to the LTT model is a radiused trigger guard which should make those long-range sessions more pleasant. Another thing that I found interesting, that shows just how much care and attention Langdon put in his signature model, is the back of the slide has been relieved as well. Apparently, some shooters get slide bite from the 92, and this softer edge should help with that.
The trigger is easily one of the best, if not the best available currently in the Beretta 92 platform. Its amazingly smooth and is pulling at a crisp three and a half pound in single action, and about eight point in double action on my scale. The reset is short for a 92, but if you’re used to some of the newer striker fired guns on the market it may be a little long for your liking. The trigger and guide rod are also made of metal. Some of the cheaper incarnations of the 92 have gone to plastic, and at least in my opinion the metal just feels so much better.
This is truly the perfect incarnation of the Beretta 92. It combines great match characteristics with realistic combat features, letting it walk that thin line between having all the great features of a match gun, while still being something you could carry and protect your life with. We ran well over 1000 rounds through the LTT, and no big surprise, it has had 100 percent function. It’s a real pleasure to shoot, and at least currently, in my opinion, the best 92 you can get.
The Langdon Tactical Elite is actually a great value for all the features that you get. If you’ve ever wanted to see just what is capable out of the 92 platform, this is the shining example. If you are getting one, make sure that it comes directly from Langdon Tactical Technologies, because Beretta is now selling the gun as well, but it won’t have the enhanced trigger.
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