Decided to pickup this pocket pistol. New from the Beretta TN factory.

Nice little pistol. I thought my jframe was small. This is a new level of small.

Got some CCI high velocity copper rounds. 1800 ft. Sec. on the label.

The only thing I’m disappointed with: at the pivot that tips the barrel, the assembler missed with the hammer and struck the frame. There were other models at the store with the same marks. I picked this one because the other models had worse problems ( one was rusted on the barrel.)

I don’t THINK this will affect integrity of the 22. And, in that area of the frame, the aluminum is very thick.

I have to wonder what gun makers are doing these days. I bought 2 new Colt 1911s with defects from the factory (damaged crown and a gouge in the frame rail), and now this hammer peened frame on a Beretta.

Maybe I’m being too picky.

Anyway: seems to be a nice little pocket gun. Anyone have one?

Attached Images

	C370AA99-529C-4D19-B2D2-511C24193614.jpg (103.1 KB, 257 views)
	38D6CC1E-FCFF-49B7-9D35-178953F10535.jpg (40.5 KB, 246 views)

I own one, bought 15 years ago or so. It is a well made, functional little pistol. I load mine normally with WW super X. I don’t carry mine as a defensive weapon, preferring larger calibers for that role. But it is fun to shoot, accurate enough for what it is, and being a Berreta, it is a quality product.

My brother has the 22, I have a 3032 Tomcat in 32ACP. it's just a hair bigger. I like both of the Berretta's feel in ankle holsters. The steel J-frames are a little heavy in the ankle holster.

Ivan

As I have posted - got a Beretta 70s on a trade.
Remembered that the first handgun I shot was a tip-up Barrel Beretta.
So I bought a 21a. It is small!
Mine likes Minimags.

Attached Images

C4F37D59-66B1-4CAB-AFD6-5F0B248BCC99.jpg (45.5 KB, 95 views)

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

I had one, probably shoulda kept it. It was well-made. My mother carries one daily.
I replaced it with a Kel-Tec .380. If you think the Beretta is small, try one of those suckers!

__________________
Because of the metric system?

That heavy-handedness is a shame on an otherwise very nice looking little pistol. I have the .25ACP version - with Accokeek markings. I have been lusting after a stainless .22 version, like yours, but those marks would bother me too much ... The pin appears to be off-center in the hole too - which would add even more misery for me ...

Their "final inspection" person apparently also owns a white cane! I have an
older example without these assembly issues.
Jim

I've been wanting to buy one but no luck finding one.
How did you get yours new from the TN factory?

__________________
Science plus Art

Local gun store had a bunch in stock.

Thanks for the input.

I’ve looked at pics online of various bobcats. Looks like this pin installation mark is not uncommon. I even see some where the edge of the hole is deformed. I guess it’s a peculiarity with this model. It doesn’t affect function of the mechanism. I imagine if I contacted Beretta they’d tell me it’s in spec.

Here are other examples of this heavy handed mark.

Attached Images

	F5A32288-C28F-4807-9F98-F93D81D0191A.jpg (24.1 KB, 132 views)
	71621A93-AFB5-4731-8F8A-1176C783C402.jpg (27.7 KB, 135 views)
	6311B7B6-DFB4-4A5D-88A1-C4C67E4FF25E.jpg (35.5 KB, 131 views)

Be sure and check the rifling in the bore. I had one that I could never hit anything with. I took a close look in the bore, and the rifling was decent on one side of the bore, but almost non-existent on the other side. I got rid of it. I liked the little gun but the accuracy was so bad I couldn't stand to own it.

__________________
H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Years ago I had the .25 ACP version, and it's one of the guns I deeply regret selling.

Mine was flawless, and recently I shot a buddy's 22 Bobcat and it was perfect, which kind of surprised me because I figured 22 would be problematic in such a small auto.

That's one gun I'd buy in a second if I found one for the right price.

I have had two of the Taurus versions of that gun for several years, and consider them superior to the Beretta version, surprisingly. They are in the Carry Rotation of the pocket guns I pack around every day along with my .380 S&W Bodyguard.
The Tauri are great little guns, with what I refer to as " rabbit hunting accuracy ", meaning pretty darned good.
It is not unusual to have to send them back to the factory/warranty place for a point of aim adjustment to get them to shoot to the sights.
I really like the little things and may even pick up another one some time.

Are you sure it's not supposed to be there?
The mark could be there for the purpose of staking the pin in so it doesn't work out on it's own.

I had one years ago. It was most reliable with CCI Stingers. Had a Tomcat, too. Both long gone, no regrets.

Some have the marks, others don't. I think it's just some ham-handed nitwit at the Beretta assembly line smacking the frame after tapping the pin into the hole.

It seems to be purely cosmetic.

This thread has prompted me to expunge my stnls Tomcat to check for a similar mark. Looks like neither of my Accokeek pistolas have the mark ... but the Tomcat pin does look off-center. Having more time to think about it - I guess I could learn to ignore the mark if the pistol was reliable with a brand or two of .22 ammo ...



Added: just noticed the difference in finish quality, on the barrel itself, between the Gallatin .22 and Accokeek .32. Wow - what a difference a couple of years make!!

I have an older blue model with the wooden grips. It never fails to surprise me with it's reliability and accuracy. Every time I shoot it someone always wants to buy it.

There’s a picture on Beretta’s Official website, advertising the Bobcat. In that picture, the pivot pin hole looks to be deformed by the tapping hammer as well. Not as obvious as mine, but it’s there. We can be sure the company hand picked the best Bobcat they can find.

I’m thinking this is not unusual, and if I call Beretta they’ll tell me it’s in spec and there’s nothing to fix or replace.

I think I’ll just shoot it and keep it.

Attached Images

F112A3D6-009A-4427-B2D3-229CF4776F42.jpeg (123.8 KB, 80 views)

I picked one up today at the FFL that I purchased here last week.
1994 model looks perfect at the pivot pin.
Had one a while back 500 rounds of mini mag no malfunctions. Impressive to me.
Plan to hold onto this stainless model.
Regards
Mike

The old Jetfire 950 was a FAR better gun. Why Beretta decided to make as big a .25 as they could with the 21s and discontinue the tiny 950s is beyond me.

I'm glad you like your 21, OP. I do NOT like them. The older discontinued 950s are tremendously superior .25s.

Be extremely careful if removing the Beretta's left grip panel. Under the left panel there is a spring detent which holds the safety in both the on and off position and it is very easily popped out. The detent pin (and possibly the detent spring) will then go flying and it is so tiny you will not find it without a great deal of luck. Replacement detents are difficult to find. I recommend never removing the grips.

Thanks for the tips. I took the right grip panel off to take the slide off and clean the insides. I didnt' take off the left side, luckily.

The old Jetfire 950 was a FAR better gun. Why Beretta decided to make as big a .25 as they could with the 21s and discontinue the tiny 950s is beyond me.

I'm glad you like your 21, OP. I do NOT like them. The older discontinued 950s are tremendously superior .25s.

Good choice!

I have 3 model 21s, 2 in .22, 1 in .25. I carried a .22 as a bug for over 10 years. I run CCI mini mags 40gr solids, penetration is your friend, I figure Stingers or HPs might dump their energy too soon.

Before and after it is/was a 950. I like the 950 in .25 a bit better, its smaller, but its SA, so it's cocked and locked or at half cock. I like the DA/SA trigger on the 21

When I'm traveling I take the 21 in .22, ammo is easier to find.

__________________
SWCA #2817

I have one in blue finish the which is excellent and no marks on it. Made in Accokeek Md. I bought it new, years ago. The sights are hard to see but it is surprisingly accurate once they are lined up. I don't shoot it often,but use CCI Stingers which it handles well.
Steve W

I have both the Beretta Model 21A (blued) and the Taurus PT-22 in stainless. I like them both about equally well with the right ammo. The Beretta is slightly smaller in overall size and so works maybe best as a BUG deeply concealed. I'm very glad to have both of them.

I especially like the option of tipping the barrel on either to load a snake shot cartridge when out walking in snake country. No real weight to carry, and little bulk where ever I carry it. It's always a comfort to have either one in that place. I also prefer the .22LR over the .25 or .32, simply because I get a lot more practice for the money with the .22 than the other two because of ammo cost. The ammo I carry is intended for maxium penetration primarily so I use solids that are reliable for shooting and accurate enough to be confident that if I do my job, I'll get the best possible results.

__________________
So long ... Ken

Stingers and bulk ammo were what my Bobcat didn't like early in it's life, but would eat CCI Mini-mags all day and never fail. Now that it's a few decades old and has countless rounds through it, it'll do pretty good with the cheap bulk ammo and only fail occasionally. It still doesn't like Stingers and will stove-pipe spent shells about 50% of the time. The case is just too long I guess.

I think that you will find that the overall quality of the Italian made
Berettas will be better than that of the US made guns. I doubt that the
slight peening of the pin hole will hurt your gun and could have been
intentional to help retain the pin. And as for your 1800 fps CCI 22 ammo,
maybe if you put a 24" barrel on your little Beretta.

A friend's gave me a M21A he'd pocket-carried as a store clerk for many years. It was in a bag, in pieces. With only a few pieces missing.
I sent it to Beretta, came back tuned, but I chose not to have it refinished.

Really surprised me. Little .22's are supposed to be problematic.
Not this one. Feeds and fires everything. Solids, HP's, hyper-velocity stuff.
Even to POA if you pay attention to the micro-sights.

Honestly, don't use it for much, but a remembrance of this good friend, who went through some tough times and eventually took his own life.

__________________
Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

I have Beretta 950s in .22 SHORT and .25 ACP. Wonderful guns. IIRC the 22/22a was offered in .22 LONG RIFLE which dictates its size.

With a clean bore (no extractor) and sufficiently powerful ammo, I find the Beretta to be fully functional rather than finicky.

__________________
Certified Curmudgeon

Hmmmmm......Beretta makes the Inox Bobcat but the blued version is not in production? I don't get that.

I went on their website because I have been awaiting the reintroduction of the Bobcat (although I admit they could have introduced it months ago and I wouldn't have known - I have not actually been waiting with baited breath or anything.... ).........

This is on the blued version site:

Not so on the stainless version site. Very interesting.

I carried my 950-BS for a very long time - I have it here in a group photo with two other .25s:



It is, indeed, an excellent little gun. (My Model 70-S is excellent, too, but, obviously, as you can see above, it ain't near so tiny as the 950-BS which I do think was called a Minx way back when).

So now I have to decide if I need to get that Inox Bobcat. Fun to decide things like that!

While you’re deciding today, someone who was deciding yesterday.... bought the last Inox today.

Swab the bore every 40 rounds or so and if you beat it to death with high velocity ammo it will break/wear out faster.

Mag lips slightly angled in solved the jamming issue of bullet nosing high into the chamber top.

But a pair!!!