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Beretta Pistol Guide

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Handguns are easily the most popular firearm category for new gun owners, and industry giants like GLOCK, SIG Sauer, and Heckler & Koch have become household names amongst enthusiasts. However, among these top brands, there’s one that deserves special recognition. 

Beretta’s reputation often precedes them. As the industry’s oldest operating manufacturer, they’ve cemented their legacy as one of the most iconic brands around. Although the breadth of options offered by Beretta is wide, their lineup of handguns holds a particularly high regard amongst enthusiasts thanks to their reliability and innovation.  

Regardless of your intended use, Beretta offers pistols that cater to all needs. But between the company’s rich history and the wide range of handguns, it’s easy to get lost in the sauce when trying to learn more about them. Follow along as we break down history and some of the most popular pistols offered by this industry giant.  

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History of Beretta 

As we mentioned above, the legacy of Beretta spans quite a long time—499 years to be exact. The Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta, or the Petro Beretta Weapons Factory, was founded by Bartolomeo Beretta in 1526 in Gardone Val Trompia, a town in Northern Italy. One of the first known projects taken on by Beretta in their early years was the production of barrels for the Arquebus rifles (a match-lock long gun), which were fielded by the Venetian fleet during the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.The quality of their barrels quickly helped establish Beretta as a respected manufacturer, allowing them to take more projects, and begin crafting their own firearms..  

Much later in the 1900s, Beretta would begin to release some of their more iconic firearm platforms, such as the Beretta Model 1915. Notably, it was Beretta’s first semi-automatic pistol they ever created, and it saw widespread use during World War I. Not long after this they released the Model 1918, one of the earliest submachine guns ever produced. The success and ingenuity of their early projects would only fuel the company to begin producing more iconic designs. Post World War II, they even altered the design of leftover M1 Garand rifles to create the BM-59, which was essentially an Italian version of the M14. Afterwards, they continued to produce several iconic rifles, pistols, and shotguns, solidifying their legacy and status in the industry. 

Significance of Beretta 

Today, Beretta has several notable firearms to their name, including some of the industry’s most popular handgun models. Their commitment to quality has been recognized for nearly 500 years, with each of their products demonstrating their dedication to innovation and excellence.  

Their heritage as a family-owned business is incredible as well. Like most other European industries at the time, Beretta operated under a guild system until such a system was done away with in 1797. This meant that Bartolomeo’s knowledge of the trade was passed down to his son, Jacopo, who would pass down his knowledge to his son, and so on. Over the years, the Beretta family has continued this tradition, and today, long after the abolishment of the guild system, Beretta is still owned by the same family with Pietro Gussali Beretta at the company’s helm. And as the world’s oldest operating firearm manufacturer, Beretta still holds true to their initial vision, producing innovative and high-quality firearms. Consequently, they’re considered a cornerstone of the industry.  

Over the years, Beretta has built up a diverse lineup of pistols consisting of several unique options that each have offer their own set of advantages in different applications. Below is an overview of some of their most iconic models: 

Types of Beretta Pistols 

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Beretta 92FS 

The Beretta 92FS was first introduced in 1985 and is one of the most iconic pistols ever made. The 92FS is an enhanced version of the Beretta 92, coming with an updated slide and hammer pin design to make these pistols safer in the event of a catastrophic failure. Original Model 92 pistol slides would fly off the frame after some failure tests, but the 92FS’ updated design prevents that from happening, protecting the user in the process. It performed so well, in fact, that it was selected to replace the M1911 as the U.S. Military’s standard issue sidearm, becoming the M9 in the process.  

Still popular to this day, 92FS pistols are packed with features that make them a solid choice for multiple applications, even when compared to more modern designs. Notably, the 92FS is a hammer fire pistol with a double/single-action trigger, meaning you can fire the pistol while the hammer is down, and your subsequent shots will have a lighter trigger pull as the hammer gets pulled back. Additionally, it also features a combination safety and decocker, allowing you to safely drop the hammer without risking a negligent discharge—it’s ambidextrous too 

Standard 92FS pistols feature a 4.9-inch barrel, removable grip panels, a standard magazine capacity of 15 rounds, and they’re available in multiple finishes. These pistols call back to the original 92FS’ design, but Beretta also produces various enhanced models as well, such as the 92GTS. Notably, these come with ambidextrous decocker, an accessory rail for lights, enhanced fiber optic sights, and they’re optic ready too. Moreover, JJ Racaza, a world-champion of several IPSC shooting competitions, primarily uses a Beretta 92X optimized for competitive use, further showcasing the versatility of Beretta’s 90 series pistols across all skill levels. 

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Beretta M9 

Based on the Military’s former standard issue pistol, the Beretta M9 is another incredibly iconic handgun design. Currently, they offer the M9 in multiple configurations, with the standard M9 paying homage to the classic design, while the newer M9A4 pistols come equipped with extra features and more modern comforts. Standard M9 pistols are essentially a clone of the mil-spec M9, featuring a 4.9-inch barrel and a similar styling. There are two main variants of this pistol available, one chambered in 9mm and another in .22LR.  

M9A4 pistols maintain the aesthetics of the classic M9 but come equipped with multiple upgrades to make them more capable in the modern firearm landscape. Most notably, M9A4 pistols come standard with an optic-ready slide and different mounting plates to accommodate different optic footprints. They also come with Beretta’s Xtreme Trigger System, giving the M9A4 a much lighter pull weight and a shorter reset. And lastly, instead of 15 rounds, the M9A4 comes with flush mount 18-round magazines. 

As of right now, the M9A4 is available in either a full-size or Centurion configuration. Full-size M9A4 pistols have a 5.1-inch threaded barrel, while M9A4 Centurion models are shorter, coming with a 4.8-inch threaded barrel. Both options share the same features, and they’re both available in a “G” configuration that replaces the safety/decocker combo with just a decocker. If you aren’t sure which option is best for you, our guide on choosing a handgun with a safety can help you out.  

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Beretta APX 

Beretta APX pistols are more akin to other popular pistols such as those from GLOCK and SIG Sauer. APX pistols use a lightweight polymer frame and are striker-fired instead of hammer-fired. Although this is a departure from their other designs, these pistols are incredibly lightweight and ergonomic, making them ideal for everything from competitive use to concealed carry and recreation. One of the APX’s key features is its modularity. From the factory, each APX pistol comes with a set of adjustable backstraps and reversible controls, allowing you to tailor your grip and controls based on your dexterity. Each model is optic ready as well, and they come with a set of mounting plates for different optic footprints. 

APX pistols are offered in a full, carry, and compact size. Full-size and compact APX pistols use double-stack magazines with a 17- and 15-round capacity, respectively. Likewise, full-size models have a 4.25-inch barrel, while the APX compact has a shorter 3.7-inch barrel. Boasting a smaller and thinner profile, the APX carry was designed specifically for concealed carry. It has a 3-inch barrel and uses single-stack magazines, giving it a 6- to 8-round capacity, and it’s one of the thinner pistols on the market (only 0.9-inches wide).  

Just like with the 92FS and M9A4, the APX has multiple configurations to choose from. The Beretta APX A1 Tactical series builds on the foundation of the APX to better accommodate duty and competitive shooting disciplines. These pistols come with upgraded suppressor height iron sights, a threaded barrel, and the full-size version even comes with three 21-round extended magazines.   

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Beretta PX4 Storm 

The Beretta PX4 Storm is the one of the more unique options offered by Beretta that essentially blends the best elements of their APX and 90 series pistols. The PX4 Storm is a hammer-fire pistol that is built around a polymer frame, giving it a consistent DA/SA trigger pull, and a light overall weight. As such, they’re a solid choice for just about every application.  

The PX4 Storm is designed for rugged reliability. Capable of withstanding harsh use in adverse conditions, they were reported to survive firing over 150,000 rounds without failure during testing. It’s equipped with a unique rotating cold hammer forged barrel to aid in recoil reduction, and compared to other semi-auto pistols, the PX4 Storm doesn’t have as many moving parts, meaning they have fewer potential points of failure.  

Much like the APX, the PX4 Storm is available in a full-size and compact configuration. Full-size models come standard with a 4-inch barrel and have a standard capacity of 17 rounds, while the PX4 Compact has a shorter 3.27-inch barrel and a smaller capacity of 15 rounds. Even further, full-size models are even available in a G-SD configuration that comes with a decocker instead of a safety. It’s important to note that the PX4 Storm Compact doesn’t come with a rotating barrel feature, but the PX4 Compact Carry 2 does, giving it superior recoil mitigation capabilities. Lastly, the PX4 Storm SD Type F is another solid pick that’s chambered in .45 ACP and has a 10-round capacity.  

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Beretta Tomcat 

The Beretta Tomcat is an ultra-compact pocket pistol designed for concealed carry. It features a snag-free design and many other unique features like its tip-up barrel design. Instead of having to rack the slide, you can open and tip up the barrel to load a round directly into the chamber, making it ideal for those who can’t pull back a slide on traditional handguns. 

The Tomcat is chambered in .32 ACP and has a 2.9-inch barrel. Standard Tomcat pistols are available in an assortment of finishes such as black, FDE, and stainless, to name a few, and there’s even an upgraded version available too, known as the 30X Tomcat. These pistols come equipped with enhanced triggers, extended magazines, and wooden grips, but select 30X pistols even come with threaded barrels as well as suppressor height iron sights too. 

Beretta Bobcat 

The Bobcat is essentially a slightly scaled down, .22LR version of the Tomcat. Being chambered in .22LR, they’re primarily used for recreational shooting, though some instructors use them to teach others the fundamentals of how to shoot with a pistol.  

Bobcat pistols are available in an assortment of different configurations, much like the Tomcat. As such, you can find the Bobcat available in multiple finishes, while 20X Bobcat models come with upgraded triggers, sights, and at times, threaded barrels, just like the 30x Tomcat.  

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Why Choose Beretta Pistols? 

Beretta pistols represent the company’s unwavering commitment to quality and innovation, a sentiment that’s spanned literal centuries. Each of their models are backed by their rigorous quality control checks, and the sheer variety of their lineup ensures that there’s a Beretta pistol available for every application and purpose.  

Their dedication to excellence isn’t just tied to their firearms either, it extends to each of their components and aftermarket accessories too. Beretta offers multiple upgraded parts for each of their handgun models, ranging from enhanced triggers assemblies to extended baseplates for Beretta magazines, allowing for a near-endless degree of customization for every pistol. 

Conclusion 

Beretta has long been, and will continue to be, a cornerstone in the firearm industry. As the oldest operating firearm manufacturer in the world, they’ve garnered a sizeable reputation as one of the greatest brands around, with their commitment to excellence being evident in their diverse array of handguns.  

Each of their handguns is meticulously crafted to offer maximum reliability and performance across all applications. Models like the 92FS and M9A4 call back to their earlier designs and can come equipped with an array of modern comforts and upgrades, while the APX and PX4 Storm series offer exceptional modularity and reliability. Even their more unique options like the Tomcat and Bobcat have their place, offering a level concealability that isn’t found on other compact platforms. 

At the end of the day, each of Beretta’s pistols has their place, and each one is backed by a nearly 500-year-old legacy of proven reliability and ingenuity. If you’re thinking about adding a Beretta handgun to your collection, we recommend checking out our threaded barrel handguns guide. It breaks down all the benefits offered by such pistols.