Anyone own one of these?? Good, bad, and ugly on this gun would be appreciated. I'm not looking to carry it as my CC weapon, I'm carrying a 640 Pro for that. I'm not much of an automatic guy. All the guns I own now are revolvers but for some reason this one has caught my interest.

I have one and like it.
It's better than yellin for help.

There well made little autos that are normally pretty accurate. I had one and wish I would have hung onto it.

They're just dandy (excepting the caliber). I have owned a couple over the years, and - unlike my experience with the double action 21a, I found the 950 BS to be quite tiny and utterly reliable. Be aware there's a half-cock notch on the hammer, as the firing pin marks primers if the hammer is left all the way down on a loaded chamber . . .

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How God has blessed us!

I've had a couple and really like them. Mine were unfailingly reliable and fun to shoot. I like the 950 better than the double action version - its easy to just thumb cock the little guy as it comes out of your pocket.

Be prepared for the following mandatory comments whenever a .25 ACP is mentioned on the internet:

Rather have a hatchet....
If you shoot somebody and they find out.....
I knew a guy named (insert macho name here, usually Thor or Tugboat or Tiny) who got shot 5 times with one, showed me the scars, put the other guy in the hospital........
Good gun to carry if you don't want to be armed......
Friends don't let friends carry ..........
Will bounce off a (skull, elbow, soft shell taco).......

Then the other side will say:
Better a .25 in my pocket than a .45 at home.....
Who wants to volunteer to get shot with mine.......

I just picked up a neat little FN .25 so I'm still slightly benumbed from reading a bunch of internet posts about the .25 ACP.

I think you'll like the little Beretta.

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Rule of law, not a man.

Well made guns. I used to own one, also called the "Jet Fire". Liked the pop up barrel for loading. Never jammed. Only reason I had bought it was because I was given a case of .25 auto ammo, and wanted something to shoot it out of. Fun gun. I lost any faith I might have had in the .25 when one day I was out camping, with that gun in my pocket, when I decided to shoot at a tree about 20 feet from me. 1st two shots bounced off, and hit me in the belt area, causing no harm. Eventually sold it when I ran out of ammo.

Larry

I've had one for about 15 years, and have fired perhaps 100 rounds through it. (I bought it because it was dirt cheap at the time, and came with a holster, extra mag, and ammo.)

Like all Berettas, it's well-made and reliable. The tip-up barrel makes loading, unloading, and cleaning ridiculously easy. It's accurate at the close ranges for which it was intended to be used. There is self-defense ammo available for it from Hornady and probably other manufacturers as well.

Even though it's only a 'mousegun', you will definitely feel the recoil. If you have big hands, the 950's slide can hit the top of your hand when you shoot it.

If I was going to carry a modern .25 for self-defense, I can't think of a better one.

Thanks for the chuckle...the above comments reminded me of an incident from my career. (I was a firefighter and EMT in Baltimore for 30 years.)

We responded to a shooting in a housing project some years ago. The shooter attempted to execute his victim with a .25, and aimed the pistol at close range right at the guy's forehead. As the gun discharged, the victim jerked his head to the left, and the bullet hit him at an angle. The bullet went through his scalp, but didn't penetrate his skull, and instead skidded around the right side of his head under the skin, coming to rest at his right temple. When we got there, the victim was conscious and alert, and complaining of a terrible headache! The hematoma on his head looked like a golf ball, and we could see the track the bullet made from the entry wound. I responded to hundreds of shootings in my career; that was one I'll never forget.

Regarding your second comment above: When the subject of caliber effectiveness comes up, I tell people that the one indelible lesson I learned in my career was that I don't ever want to be shot with ANYTHING. When a projectile of any size enters your body, anything can happen. Not too many years ago, an old man in inner-city Baltimore fired a .25 from across the street at some neighborhood punks who were vandalizing his car...and killed one of them. And then there was the armed robber who stuck his .22 pistol in his waistband as he was leaving a store he held up. It discharged, the bullet severed his femoral artery, and he bled to death before our medics could get there. You never know...

My Beretta 950 BS in .25 ACP was my EDCG for more than 20 years. I only switched to my M642 after I got a CHL. And when I say every day carry I mean every day, everywhere, including back in the day when we had not yet seen 9/11 and even before the FOPA which allowed us to declare guns in checked luggage on planes. I simply popped it into a little lead lined box and checked the luggage - never a problem.

My first round in the barrel was always a Glaser safety round, my second was a hollow point, the third was a full metal jacket, the rest were all HPs. Yes, it's a mousegun, but a face full of .25 ACP will spoil any bad guy's day and that satisfied the issue as far as I was concerned. Remember, stopping attacks is central to self defense; killing attackers is secondary.

The Beretta 950 BS will do the job it is intended to do - but you do have to practice getting it into action, meaning out of your pocket (whichever pocket you happen to choose), then cocking that little hammer, and then firing. I used to practice all the time, unloaded, to be sure I was fluid and fast.

I still have it and I still carry it from time to time. It's handy in the house otherwise, although it has a lot of big brothers for the home defense scenario. But it's available....

ISCS Yoda's rule of thumb - NOBODY likes to get shot with anything - so, whether it's a .25 or a .22, or other mouse caliber, bad guys won't like it.

***GRJ***

PS:

If you look up .25 ACP deaths on line....here, I'll do it...

https://www.google.com/#q=.25+acp+deaths

Read that second item about the guy being stabbed to death with a sword and what happened when he fired off his .25 caliber Beretta 950 BS.

Nope, it wasn't his first choice......Yup, it worked fine and dandy properly applied. FACE FULL.....

***GRJ***

I had one of those in the late 70's when I was working as a patrolman. I wanted something really small for an "Onion Field" gun that couldn't be easily detected. The little pistol was reliable and accurate enough for its intended purpose. The little .25's were popular among cops in my department in those days because there wasn't much else to pick from other than a little .22 autos. I don't remember anyone who was enamoured with the puny little .25. Nobody carried one as an off duty primary and the department didn't approve of those for that...I think the small .32/.380 pistols have replaced those little .25's. I certainly wouldn't bet my posterior on a .25 when there are so many other pistols around in that size category. Is it better than no gun? I guess it is and if others want to depend on one, I don't care a bit. It's their choice and doesn' effect my survival. I have no dog in that fight. Your decision to not depend on it for your primary defense gun makes sense to me.

Frizzman, he didn't say it was his primary gun. One has to presume he likes it as a backup, and it will work well for that.

Who knew the gun was so small and light he really forgot it for awhile!

I like my little ole Berretas. Have the earlier 418, (original James Bond gun) and a 950. I have carried the 418 just because it's better than nothing and I'm not yet comfortable or am unable to carry larger size guns.
The 950 is great for woman because of the tip up barrel, as most woman struggle to rack the slide, and my mom can still load the gun. I too prefer to carry it chambered with the hammer uncocked, and needs cocked before firing, thus acting as a safety.

I know he didn't say its going to be a primary arm for concealed carry. He made that clear. And if one wants to hunt elephants with a .25, that's fine with me too. I always like any excuse to get something new. More power to him and I hope he enjoys and have no wish to debate the whatever vs sharp stick thing. I have handguns that range from 500 S&W to a NAA Mini pipsqueak.

I have two 950s but both are the pre safety 950B. With the exposed
hammer the safety is unnessessary in my opinion. I have carried one
of them often in the past but not so much recently. I always use 50 gr
FMJ ammo and in my limited tests penetration in pine and wet
newsprint greatly exceeds 22 LR in short barreled guns. The 950 is
very reliable and despite it's detractors the 50 gr FMJ 25 acp has made
many one shot stops. Having one in your pocket is a long way from
being unarmed.

I have the 21a. Its 22 cal double action. My only concern is there is no extractor. My Dads Tomcat does not have one either. This is why I no longer carry it as my only.

David

I have three. I have bought five but gave one to my brother as we both like the challenge of trying hit pop cans with them. 30-40 feet s about our limit. The sights are tiny but on with the little Gold Dots. One is a 22 short version and a lot of fun. Actually my daughters first pistol Using the tip up barrel to make it a single shot aiming at old oranges sitting in a cardboard box 10 feet. Win hit a lot of action, splatter, fun. She now carries a Glock 17 L in a purse she made with a special pocket. She still treasures her .22 short. I have also had several Walther TPH in both 25acp and 22lr. In 25acp the TPH is reliable. Most in 22 are not. Had a smith work one and he figured he made less than min.wage making reliable and swore never to do another. That one absolutely reliable with RWS and CCI mini-mags. The 950's are almost given away here and I am starting to hoard them while I can. My friend shooting my TPH...at least I think it is still mine.

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Not having an extractor is a deal breaker for me. I prefer the Colt Jr. or Astra Cub. Larry

19 posts and no M-950 photos?

Tisk, Tisk....

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NULLI SECUNDUS

So even in hard-as-nails, brown-bear-in-the-backyard Alaska, there is somebody who likes pocket guns as I do, and more than one!

I think that offering these vest pocket autos in .22LR (when LR was inexpensive) had much to do with "killing off" the .25ACP round. Gunshops here usually carried these guns in .22 and not in .25. Sad, as a FMJ centerfire round, the .25 is more reliable than the RF. But, "Gotta get the .22 version 'cause the ammo is cheap!"

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Not the OP, but I will help out!

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Miss Buddies crsides & fat tom

I'm in.

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SWHF #448

Not the world's best picture.

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I always take precautions

I own a first production (early 50's) 950 made in Italy and a newer Maryland 950 BS. Both are outstanding weapons for their purpose- a carry gun smaller than a J-frame, but more shootable than an NAA Mini revolver. The later Model 21 (.22 LR capable) put the 950 series to bed, along with the trendy polymer .380's. However, the build quality of the 950 guns far excedes the typical pocket poly.

THE KEY TO AN EFFECTIVE .25 ACP IS TO CHRONOGRAPH ANY CARRY AMMO TO ENSURE YOU ARE GETTING FULL RATED OUTPUT!

THAT reminds me why I happily switched to my 642. My 950 BS has the nasty habit of having the safety pop up after a shot or two. Locks it up just when you need another shot. Not so hard to wipe it off but, still, rather disconcerting in a gunfight, eh, what? Never mind at the range.

I can't tell or I can't recall, anyway, if the recoil pops the safety on or if my thumb hits it. Looks like a range session is in order to remind me!

That's what I thought. How do you forget a thing like that?

Can you explain that, please? I'm a mechanical dullard....

The remaining issue for some women is whether they can cock the hammer in any kind of a timely fashion to get the gun into action. I am sure the safety was added because of a lawyer (I can say that), it's pretty silly to carry a 950 BS cocked and locked, especially in your pocket, but I have seen women struggle to cock that little hammer.

***GRJ***

The no extractor thing. In a rimfire, if it misfires the shell is still in the chamber. The shell is peened in place from the firing pin. It will not come out now even if the barrel is tipped up. You may need to push the dud out with an object from the front of the barrel. The chamber is recessed, so fingernail is tough.


In the case of a 25 cal, it MAY fall out with the barrel tipped up.

Racking the slide does nothing after a click no bang because there is no extractor to pull out the dud.

True Blow back operation.

I had a sterling 22. Carrying that "cocked and locked" made me nervous, so I traded for the double action model 21a as an upgrade. I can carry that one with one in the pipe, safety OFF ready to go just like my chiefs special. Once it misfired and i found out about the no extractor, I bought an LCP and a 637.

David

I have a 950BS and it's a great little pistol. The only reliability issue I ever have is when the plastic grips are screwed on too tight. They can compromise reliability. I made a nice little pocket holster for mine but I'm reluctant to carry it either cocked and locked or cocked and unlocked. I carry it (as a second or third gun) with the hammer down on a loaded chamber. Only other issue I can think of is my right thumb constantly engaging the safety during recoil when I shoot it right handed. I shoot it equally well left handed so I simply carry it somewhere on my non-dominant side. I also reload .25 ACP and a maximum charge of 231 (all 1.5 grs. of it) gives an honest 900 FPS over the chrono. Combined with the more sensitive Federal primer and the hard jacketed Sierra 50 gr. FMJ, I can assure you that the .25 ACP is no joke and it does penetrate. All the stories about lack of penetration (and I have seen a few of those myself on the street) likely involve watered down ammo or bullets that are too soft, or both. A proper loading of .25 ACP is more powerful than anything .22 rimfire when shot out of pocket pistols with similar barrel lengths. And the .25 is much more reliable too. I regard the 950BS as a great little backup for those who are not out to save the world.

Dave Sinko

Was one of my first guns 20 years ago. Sold it to a buddy. Then went through 3 differant model 21A .22 lrs. Bought another 950B. About five years ago for 400 here in MA. Its not going anywhere and neither is my model 70 .22 lr. Great lil guns. The .25 and .32 Seecamp are my summer pocket guns.

Beretta should put loops under the barrel to carry a ramrod then if a shell misfires the ramrod will be handy to clear the chamber. Larry

So who else prefers older ammo over newer offerings? I've found my Berettas function better with older and what seems like hotter winchester (western) ammo. I've heard mixed reviews about hollow point .25acp ammo. I have some older hps but haven't shot them. I also got a box of the newer Hornady 35gr? Hollow point ammo, I think it's 20 in a box and kinda pricey. I just prefer the 50gr jsp ammo.

I have a Beretta Jet Fire in 22 short, nice little gun for biting your hand with the slide.

Way better than a rock.

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John

Agreed. While my 950 wouldn't be my first choice in a serious fight, I wouldn't feel helpless by any means if that's what I had available when I needed something to go bang.

I have a model 20 ( precursor to the 21) and it is very reliable and accurate. My brother also has one and we participate in a snubby match a couple times a year with shooting out to 25 yards. He has won a good number of these shooting the beretta ! I my self use playing cards for targets and my beretta will hold groups well within the card at 15 yards

I have asked several times here over a couple of years about the accuracy of these guns. Yours is the best answer received.

My dad had the Beretta Minx in .22 Short when I was a kid. It was the first handgun I got to shoot unsupervised, not as an auto, but as a single-shot with no magazine, utilizing the tip-up barrel.

As an auto, it wasn't totally reliable, but I'm sure it was the caliber, not the gun. The Jetfire's in .25 have always had a good reputation for reliability.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy one now, if it was in .25 ACP. Of course, it would be a back-up to my back-up!

I used to have a 950 Jetfire but sold it cuz the ammo was so expensive. Mine broke/fell apart. So after I fixed it, it got sold.

But I recently found the box and manual...that go with a gun I no longer own...:rolleyes

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But then, what do I know?

The 950 was one of my first guns, but I no longer have it. Carried it for a few years, taught my kids to shoot with it, one round in the tip up barrel at a time. It was always reliable.

I once emptied a magazine of FMJs at a target stapled to a piece of 1/4" plywood from about 25 feet. When I looked at the back of the board it looked like a hedgehog, none of the rounds went completely through.

I have a 21 that I love, but for carry, I like my J-Frames better.

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SWCA #2817

I paid $125 plus tax for it new a few years ago. I shot the dandy little thing even on falling plates and it was easy to clean the rack. The time was not exactly as good as with the 1911, though.

1/4" plywood stopped all the FMJ factory ammo with none
fully penetrating? Something wrong here.

I've got a 950BS that I bought over 30 years ago. It's a fine little gun and still like brand new. I carried it way back when during a time when crazy numbers of people were getting mugged in the big city parking garage where I had to park for work. It was very comforting there in my pocket despite its small size. Truthfully, it was the only thing I could get away with carrying into work at the time.

At other more dangerous times, it was the back-up to my main concealed carry gun at the time, my S&W Model 49.

ive always wanted one, just never pulled the trigger