Berretta 92SF Inox accuracy issues

[Professorwiz]

Long story short, I had a Berretta 92 INOX version that I bought new many moons ago, ex wife got it in Divorce. I found a used one here and purchased it. Looked nice, rack seems nice and tight, of course it was a "Safe queen". I thought for the last year or so that I really was loosing it accuracy wise, I could get better groupings from my 1911, when before I was way better with the 92fs, I just chalked it up to need more practice, and I was using the heck out of my 1911.
This week I bought a used M9A3, here as well and wow, I'm hitting some great groupings with that. I brought the 92fs with me and shot some rounds thru it and they were all over the place, low and left. I wasn't having issues with the M9A3, so don't think I was pushing.
Any ideas? My thoughts were the locking block, and recoil spring rod? Only other thing to change would be the barrel.

Puzzled in Livonia..
Russ

[Ol` Joe]

they were all over the place, low and left. I wasn't having issues with the M9A3, so don't think I was pushing.

Different triggers. I have the same problem, 1911s and revolvers shoot straight my striker guns all want to go low left unless I really concentrate on my pull.

[Professorwiz]

I can understand the triggers are different, but the reason I mentioned I had one before, was that I thought it was a very accurate gun, hence the reason to purchase another.

[buckey]

Check the crown, it really does not take much of a ding to trash groups.

[MCPO_SOCM_RET]

Buckey makes a great point - the crown can really affect accuracy. That's why we don't clean from that end. Since it was a low round safe queen - unlikely nothing more needed than a visual to verify.

Another free check is trigger creep.

Have you tried very slow deliberate single action shots - only firing again with very slow and deliberate pressure after trigger reset, not full trigger pre-travel or takeup? You'll definitely notice creep doing it this way if you have any.

Or ransom or bench rest shooting it yet? Could be as simple as a fine tuning of the sights if you're POA and POI are still off.
Dumb question I know, but it wasn't mentioned.
Beretta used to ship cubic f-*k tons of 92's from the factory with the rear sight shifted left or right ever so slightly. Haven't bought or shot a relatively new one in a while so no clue if this is still happening.

Have you tried a different round? 124gr vs 115gr? Or JHP vs FMJ?
Not all factory loads are equal either, brand names can differ greatly especially if she's a picky eater.

If you don't have any creep or crown issues then, trash that plastic guide rod (if it still has it) and get a stainless one. Might as well grab a new spring too, they're cheap. Not a guaranteed fix though.

If it's not a simple sight adjustment, my vote is creep. Even if you have a perfect trigger press 100% of the time - minimal creep can have you all over the paper, and excessive creep can make you pull your hair out.

[oldmann1967]

Until you secure it in a vice and get the same results it's hard to say.

[Professorwiz]

Thank you for all the good suggestions, I will try to find a vice or rest and give it a try. I will also check on the creep. I've already purchased as my first thoughts was the wonky plastic spring guide as well as a new spring and locking block. I haven't looked very hard at the crown yet, but I will.
One thing I did notice when buying it was that there was a little bit of anti seize on the slide and not standard oil. It racked pretty nice and smooth, I wonder if that was causing and issue or perhaps masking one. I've never seen anyone put that on there before, it was the gold stuff, having worked in a machine shop for years I recognized it pretty quickly. That stuff gets everywhere..

[MCPO_SOCM_RET]

Copper anti seize looking junk was used as Glock's preferred break-in type paste. Not sure if they still use it though. Pretty sure it wasn't the auto parts store stuff though.
I always scratched my head on that. Anti seize is NOT a lube.

I personally would clean all of it off and use your preferred lube and/or oil.

Anti-seize is never used as a 'moving-parts' lube in industry...it is only used to ensure that you can loosen bolts the next time it's needed for maintenance or repairs, particularly where the parts are subjected to high heats.
Being a machinist, I'm sure you already know that - and hated it glopped all over making you stop and clean it all off of everything before you continued on.

[Roundballer]

Both Permatex® and 3M make a high temp lube for brakes that contain both copper and graphite in a grease suspension. They are not just an anti-seize compound, they are lubricants as well.

[MCPO_SOCM_RET]

Both Permatex® and 3M make a high temp lube for brakes that contain both copper and graphite in a grease suspension. They are not just an anti-seize compound, they are lubricants as well.

Great point! I didn't think about the brake caliper lube. I was thinking about that tin can of C5A (felpro I think) that has been on the shop workbench in the barn for years.

The 3M stuff does say exactly "not for use on friction material" although it has considerably more graphite and copper than the C5A. While the permatex has less than half the amount of copper and graphite than the old can of C5A (much more magnesium though) - and still cautions against use on high friction parts.

If you like it, use it.
It just seems to me there could be an increased chance of galling with any "lube" that has any metal particles suspended in grease.
Anyone who has ever used metallic anti seize knows that stuff gets everywhere - the grey stuff makes you look like Dorothy's tin man and the copper or nickel stuff resembles a long night of passing out $1 bills (you end up covered in stripper glitter).
With it getting everywhere, I sure wouldn't want it anywhere around the feed ramp or on a waiting round - nothing good can come from that.
Which is where my opinion came from.
Hell some people swear by ATF or motor oil for certain parts of their guns. But we are getting way off topic now.