I too have a Beretta 81, picked up for $195 from Sarco in PA in late January. It's a 1978 production gun and looks like it was barely fired, despite being a surplus gun with no box, papers, and only one magazine.





I lusted after an 84 for years for many of the reasons above - the 'just right' size and racy looks - but the recoil of a blowback .380 kept me from buying one. When I found out about the .32s, I kept a look out, but was scared off by their obscene price (frequently $600 for beaters, $700+ for new ones). When I saw that one at Sarco, I jumped on it since I knew I'd never find one that cheap again.

Recoil is interesting - it's mild, but very sharp due to the blowback design and small caliber. It's fun and easy to shoot rapidly, but I can't shoot too many rounds through it before something in my hand stings a little. The sights are terribly small, but the gun is very accurate. The trigger is surprisingly good, with a short and distinct reset. I agree that it would be a much better locked breech 9mm than a blowback .380, but it's a boat load of fun in .32. Here's a picture below comparing it to my CZ75 pre-B.