The Beretta Pico .380

[Ron3]

I finally got one to try out. The newest version. (Gen 2 or 3)

Put about 150 rds through it (three brands of fmj, 20 hornady xtp's) with zero issues.

Of the pocket .380's I've fired this has the best DAO trigger, best sights, (steel, dove-tailed) and recoils the least. It is also the best built as far as machining and quality of materials. Steel trigger, FCG housing, and hammer, too. Even the magazine and its parts are high quality-machined stainless steel.

What I didn't care for was the grip. It's very small and smooth. (Smooth easily fixed) it's one and a half fingers for me.

It's also only 6+1. I wish it were 7+1 .32. (They said there would be a .32 barrel in 2014...I guess it will come out with the .300 ARX barrel)

It weighs 13.5 oz loaded with 7 rds.

While plenty accurate, it shot very low for me and a buddy. As on about 8 inches low at about 15 yds. I also haven't warmed up to the shape of the grip. It doesn't feel natural like the old Beretta Jetfire, Bobcat, and Tomcat. Maybe I need more time with it. The older guns always shot to point of aim for me.

It cant be fired as fast as the old Berettas either. The DA trigger isn't bad, but still DA. it's about 8-9 lbs with a very weak reset. Smooth though.

I'm not sure if I'll keep it. The Beretta Jetfire drawback is the .25 caliber and SA-only that needs the hammer cocked before firing. But once that is done 9 rds of .25 come out in a very accurate nearly no-recoil burst.

Both pistols are designed to keep the magazine from accidentally being released in a pocket, but the Jetfire is a faster, smoother reload operation.

The slide on the Beretta isn't that hard, but my wife cant work it. An arthritic may not be able to either. The tip-up old Beretta wins there, too. The slide is so high on the Pico that there is no way it can cut you on it's way back.

The Beretta should prove very resistant to corrosion. Stainless steel and polymer parts and even a nitrided bore.

I ran some fmj rounds across the chrono and 795-875 fps range is what I got. I'd call the average about 850 fps but I didn't record the numbers.

I think the Pico is superior to all of the other sub-15 oz .380's. I would say it's better than the kel-tec P32 .32 but there are two places it isn't. For one the P32 is 10 oz loaded while holding 7+1. And two, the P32 has a factory 9-rd mag available. (Its a tighter draw, but it will fit in a pocket with that mag) The Pico only has the 6 rd mag.

Anyone else have Pico experience to share or comparisons to same-type pistols?

[halfmoonclip]

A buddy has one, and I couldn't warm up to how it felt in my hand. It was ergonomically terrible IMHO.
The Glock 42 is the way to go, but it is bigger.
Moon

[Ron3]

I also found the included 2nd mag with finger extension too long. It provides a full thee-finger grip but that isn't really needed and compromises pocket carry.

It should be easy to shave it down (the base plate is poly) half an inch so it's just long enough to provide a two-finger grip.

I'm gonna do that and put another couple hundred rounds through the gun and see if I get better with it.

[halfmoonclip]

Hey, don't want to pee on your cornflakes; if it runs, and you can hit stuff, go with it.
I have a lot of respect for Beretta, and it just seemed an odd design from them.
I take it the standard floorplate isn't big enough? You might look online to see if anyone else has done anything. I have a 7.65 Tomcat, and found some finger extension floorplates that feel really good.
Moon

[GNXII]

Stipple it like mad or get grip tape for it ASAP. I purchased a ANIB one that had like 15rnds through it for $100. After a few rounds, I put it down and went home picked stippled it as much as I could. Its not a winner in ergos but can be worked with if you want to devote time.

[halfmoonclip]

Hey, some guns are meant to be carried a lot and shot a little. Don't feel like you're failing if you don't put two boxes of cartridges thu' it on a range trip.
Stay proficient, and call it good.
A buddy carries an LCP, and once a month he shoots up the carry ammo, takes it home and cleans/delints it.
Then back in his pocket it goes.
Moon

[Ron3]

Hey, don't want to pee on your cornflakes; if it runs, and you can hit stuff, go with it.
I have a lot of respect for Beretta, and it just seemed an odd design from them.
I take it the standard floorplate isn't big enough? You might look online to see if anyone else has done anything. I have a 7.65 Tomcat, and found some finger extension floorplates that feel really good.
Moon

Right. The flat base plate only gives me a finger and a half. The extended base plate is way too long.

I didn't find any aftermarket ones. I'll just shave half an inch off the extended plate so I can get two fingers on it.

Yes, it also needs stippling or Talon rubberized grip adhesives.

[Ron3]

A follow-up.

I did shave about half the extension off the finger lip magazine. That worked out great.

After another 250 rds or so I'd had a couple stoppages reasons unknown. The gun shot low, it wasnt me.

The recoil spring felt "crunchy" and lost a bit of its shape. I replaced it and later traded the gun away.

I recently fired a buddy's new Pico. His had a better trigger than mine. It also shot point of aim and had no stoppages on the few mags fired. I guess I just had a lemon.

While my Pico was a disappointment, the new Tomcat .32 I took a chance on was even more so. It's at Beretta in Maryland. IIRC they said 8-10 weeks. (Covid dont cha know?)

The frame broke, then the slide. But that's another story.

[halfmoonclip]

Beretta has moved their operation south, and the slide breaking was a common problem. IIRC, the new Tom's slides are thicker. I've one of the newer ones, works fine.
Tell me about how the frame broke?
Moon

[Ron3]

Beretta has moved their operation south, and the slide breaking was a common problem. IIRC, the new Tom's slides are thicker. I've one of the newer ones, works fine.
Tell me about how the frame broke?
Moon

Mine was a new 2019 model. The frame cracked where they commonly do. Somewhere around 550 rds.

Once that broken "bridge" section was gone the gun was finally getting broken in and became reliable for about 200 rounds. I was finishing up a box of ammo and declaring the gun reliable enough to carry. That's when the slide broke. The section towards the front that connects the two split halves of the slide broke off each side and into two pieces. Game over.

So, Beretta sent me a box and they have it now.

For more, go the Beretta forum, and find all the other stories of broken Tomcats. I bought one anyway thinking I was special. Nope. Got burned.