Beretta 96 Magazines
Factory Beretta & Mec-Gar • .40 S&W • 10rd / 11rd / 12rd / 13rd
The Beretta 96 is the .40 S&W variant of the Beretta 92/M9 platform, introduced in 1990 as Beretta's response to the US law-enforcement transition to .40 S&W that followed the 1986 FBI Miami shootout and the subsequent rise of the .40 cartridge in American police duty use. Keep Shooting carries four factory Beretta 96 and Mec-Gar-produced magazines in 10-round, 11-round, 12-round (fits 96 and Model 90-Two), and 13-round capacities — all .40 S&W, all compatible with the 96, 96FS, 96A1, Brigadier, Vertec, and Model 90-Two pistol variants.
About Beretta 96 Magazines at Keep Shooting
Keep Shooting carries four Beretta 96 magazines in .40 S&W — the Mec-Gar Beretta 96 13-round ($34.49, the highest-capacity option and best value per round), the Beretta factory 12-round magazine ($40.15, compatible with both the 96 and the Beretta Model 90-Two platform), the factory 11-round ($40.15), and the compliance-capacity factory 10-round ($40.15) for magazine- restricted states. All four magazines fit the full 96 family: the original 96, 96FS, 96A1, 96 Brigadier, 96 Centurion, 96 Vertec, and the Model 90-Two pistol that shares the 96 magazine well. For the broader Beretta magazine ecosystem, see our parent Beretta Magazines category.
The Beretta 96 was introduced in 1990 as the .40 S&W variant of the Beretta 92/M9 platform — Beretta's answer to the sudden US law-enforcement demand for .40-caliber duty pistols that defined the American police-firearms market of the 1990s. The context matters: on April 11, 1986, two FBI agents were killed and five wounded in a Miami shootout against a pair of armed bank robbers. The post-incident review identified the FBI's .38 Special and 9mm service ammunition as underpowered for defeating vehicle bodies and delivering immediate incapacitating hits. The FBI responded by developing the 10mm Auto FBI Reduced Load, which Smith & Wesson subsequently shortened in 1990 into the .40 S&W — a cartridge that delivered 10mm-like ballistics in a 9mm-sized case, fitting the existing 9mm pistol platforms that dominated the police duty market. The .40 S&W launched in 1990, and every major American pistol manufacturer raced to produce a .40 variant that year. Beretta's answer was the 96.
The 96 is mechanically a Beretta 92 with a widened bolt face, a cartridge-specific magazine, and a barrel and slide re-engineered for the higher chamber pressures the .40 S&W produces. The platform shares the 92's open-slide design, alloy frame, hinged locking block action, and DA/SA trigger group; from the user's perspective, a 96 handles and operates identically to a 92 except for the cartridge and the slightly heavier recoil impulse. The 4.9-inch barrel, aluminum alloy frame, and Bruniton-coated steel slide match the 92FS configuration that was the US military M9 at the time. For the full 92 platform history and the broader Beretta family context, see our Beretta brand page.
Early 96 production had a slide- wear problem. The .40 S&W generates chamber pressures meaningfully higher than 9mm Parabellum (roughly 35,000 psi for .40 vs 35,000 psi for 9mm NATO at peak — similar ceiling, but .40 delivers higher slide-velocity impulse due to heavier projectile mass). Early-production 96FS slides were essentially 92FS slides re-chambered in .40, and the added impulse caused accelerated wear at the locking lugs. Beretta responded in 1993 with the Brigadier slide — a reinforced slide design with thickened material at the locking-lug interface — which became the standard for high-volume-use 96 applications. The US Border Patrol was one of the first major agencies to adopt the 96 Brigadier (in 96D configuration, with a double-action-only trigger), where the reinforced slide's durability under heavy-use conditions was specifically required. Later 96 production — including the current 96A1 — incorporates the Brigadier slide reinforcement and an internal recoil buffer to handle the .40 impulse.
The 96 family diverged into several variants over the 1990s and 2000s. 96FS (1990) was the original. 96D was the double-action-only variant favored by several law-enforcement agencies. 96 Brigadier (1993) was the reinforced-slide version. 96 Centurion was a mid-length variant with the full-size grip and a shortened 4.3-inch slide/barrel — the practical carry-and-duty compromise. 96 Vertec (early 2000s) introduced the straight-backstrap grip, removable sights, flared magwell, and accessory rail — features later carried forward into the 92X line. 96A1 is the currently-in-production variant and the only 96 Beretta still manufactures today — it incorporates all the Brigadier-era slide reinforcements, an accessory rail, and the modern production-standard specifications. The Model 90-Two (2006) was a separate Beretta pistol family with a wrap-around polymer grip; it was offered in .40 S&W and uses the same magazine as the 96 platform (hence the Keep Shooting 12-round magazine's dual-compatibility labeling).
Magazine compatibility across the 96 family is mostly consistent — all full-size 96 variants (96FS, 96A1, Brigadier, Vertec, and the Model 90-Two) use the same basic magazine body. The capacity options in our catalog cover the practical range: 10-round ($40.15) for states with 10-round capacity restrictions, 11-round ($40.15) as an intermediate option, 12-round ($40.15) for the standard 96 and 90-Two capacity, and the Mec-Gar 13-round ($34.49) as the extended capacity and the best per-round value in the catalog. The 96 Compact variant — if you own one — uses a shorter body than the full-size 96 magazines; verify the specific magazine matches your frame before ordering.
The Mec-Gar 13-round magazine in our catalog is worth calling out specifically. Mec-Gar is the Italian magazine manufacturer that actually produces the factory magazines sold under the Beretta brand name — so a Mec-Gar-branded magazine is the same magazine as a factory Beretta-branded magazine, just with different packaging and a different price point. The $34.49 Mec-Gar 13-rounder is effectively a factory-grade Beretta magazine at a $5.66 per-magazine savings versus the 12-round factory- branded magazine, with one additional round of capacity. For the full Mec-Gar magazine catalog across Beretta, Sig, CZ, Glock-compatible, and other platforms, see our Mec-Gar brand page.
The .40 S&W cartridge has declined in law-enforcement use since its early-1990s peak. The FBI itself announced in 2015 that it was transitioning back to 9mm Parabellum as its standard cartridge, citing advances in 9mm defensive ammunition that closed the ballistic gap the 10mm/.40 were originally developed to address. Many other major US law-enforcement agencies followed the FBI's lead in the late 2010s. As a result, current production Beretta 96 pistols are less common than they were in the 1990s and 2000s — the 96A1 is the only variant Beretta still makes, and used- market 96FS and Brigadier pistols are typically sold below their original retail prices as agencies transition duty-pistol fleets back to 9mm. For civilian owners, the 96 remains an excellent value — the platform is mechanically mature, the .40 S&W ballistics remain capable for defensive and competition applications, and magazines remain in production for multi-decade platform support.
Keep Shooting ships all Beretta 96 magazines from our Pennsylvania warehouse with free shipping on orders over $49.95 and hassle-free returns. Magazine shipments comply with destination-state capacity restrictions; orders for 12-round and 13-round magazines will not ship to California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, and Washington DC (10-round capacity restriction applies in several of these jurisdictions; the 11-round is borderline and also restricted in some — verify before ordering). Whether you're a 96FS owner replacing worn-out magazines, a 96 Brigadier duty-pistol user rebuilding spare-mag inventory, a Model 90-Two owner sourcing the shared-magazine SKU, a 96A1 new-production owner stocking factory spares, or a Cold War-era .40 S&W platform collector, every magazine in our Beretta 96 catalog is authentic factory or Mec-Gar OEM production — the only magazines Beretta itself will warranty on the 96 platform.
Frequently Asked Questions — 96 Mags
Keep Shooting carries a wide selection of 96 Mags products from trusted brands. Browse our catalog to see the full range, and use the filters on the left to narrow by brand, price, or product type.
Yes! All orders over $49.95 qualify for free shipping, including 96 Mags products. Orders typically ship within 1–2 business days.
Keep Shooting offers hassle-free returns on 96 Mags products. If you're not completely satisfied, contact our customer service team for a return authorization. All products must be in original, unused condition.
If you need help choosing the right 96 Mags product, our team is available to assist. Check individual product descriptions for detailed specifications, or contact us directly and we'll help you find the best fit for your needs.