An "ANIB" nickel-plated Beretta 84FS just popped up for sale near me (i.e., consignment at a local shop) at a relative bargain asking price vs. MSRP and even pretty good vs. supposed street price. While still a little rich for me, if it doesn't sell after a while I'm tempted to make an offer on it... but I don't even know why?

This has got to be the world's flashiest, world's heaviest .380 pistol. It would seem to have no practical value at all unless you are very recoil-phobic. It would make a great all-metal 9mm compact double stack... except for the fact that it isn't a 9mm.

On the other hand, it's still a Beretta and my twin full-size 92FS pistols and my little baby 950BS might like a compact sibling in the safe with them?

I do remember liking this series of pistols a lot when they first came out 40+ years ago. It's amazing that they are still made in this brave new plastic world of ours. On the other hand, I am decidedly not a nickel-plated kind of guy... having only one such handgun and being far less than happy with it.

But I *am* an all-metal pistol guy after all, and this gun is all-metal and, I must admit, interesting to me in a sick, inexplicable sort of way.

I need help. Should I make an offer on it or not? It won't be cheap if I do. It's still going to be relatively expensive by my poor old retired man's standards. Any other owners out there? Would anyone else make an offer on such a gun? Any and all thoughts on this appreciated.

I think they are particularly slick and pretty, and some of the smoothest-shooting .380s on the market. They are remarkably common in civilian and police holsters in Italy, and the three of four of them I shot over there were very accurate and reliable.
A co-worker here in Maine has one (nickel double stack) and carries it most every day as his primary CCW. Previously he carried a Beretta 1934 .32 so to him this is a massively powerful handgun haha!
I like them very much, and if one came along at a reasonable price I would scoop it up in a second. I too have Beretta 92 series guns and think the 85/85 FS pistols are very cool.

Beautiful well made pistol. I ordered one years ago when they still had Kitchen table FFL's Took one look at it and it was HUGE!!! Decided I didn't want it and the FFL said OK, he had a buyer for it so thankfully I got my money back.
Oh, btw, did I say it was HUGE

If Beretta ever came out with this pistol in 9mm with a single stack mag, I'd be on one like stink on shinola!

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Forum consigliere

I've shot one and was unimpressed. It has more kick and muzzle flip than a 9mm of the same size. That's blowback operation for you. The locked breech (and lighter) Sig 250SC in 380 we have kicks much less.

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Release the Kraken

Yep. I've been thinking a lot about that. That was probably the biggest reason that I didn't try to bargain for it right on the spot... and why I'm asking for feedback in this thread. Thank you.

And therein lies the problem. It's a .380.

Supposed improvements in ammo notwithstanding, it still seems to take a whole lot of 9mm rounds to bring down your typical drugged-up perp these days... so what's it going to take with a .380? I'll admit that I sometimes pocket carry .380 when absolute maximum concealment is the priority, but I prefer 9mm otherwise.

But this would not be a carry gun for me. No way José. Might turn out to be the good wife's favorite pistol. I could easily see that happening.

I think it's a pride-of-ownership type gun. A conversation piece. If you're not planning on carrying it, then I think it would be a great purchase.
For home defense purposes, 13 rds of .380 will certainly work in a pinch.

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Because of the metric system?

Once again Pete, I think you have hit the nail right on its head. It strikes me too as less of a practical gun in today's world and more of something you'd have to justify for other more esoteric reasons. And I don't have a big problem with that except for the fact that this would not be a cheap purchase. This would have to take the place of a future 3rd Gen purchase in my "zero-sum game" world.

On the other hand, for right now at least, top condition 3rd Gens are not exactly growing on trees around these parts.

Thanks for the review! I'm not surprised that it would have been a popular cop gun in Italy... but I'll bet that plastic is now the order of the day there just as it is here.

No question that I am a Beretta fan. I wish more of them were on our MA approved handgun roster. Turns out that the 84FS *is* on the roster so even if this nickel-plated one sells before I'm in a position to make an offer on it, I could always keep an eye out for a blued one.

Actually I was living there only one year ago, and there's a LOT more metal guns in holsters over there than here.
In Italy, civilians ( and private security) can't own "military ammunition" like 9mm, 5.56, etc (whatever happens to be in NATO standard inventory).
.380 and 9x21 are FAR more common there than any other cartridge for pistols, and revolvers are basically not seen at all outside of military use (save for some excellent SAA copies I saw up in the hills).
All that to say that the Beretta 380s are extremely common there, and the carry of .380 is also extremely common.

Interesting! I hadn't thought about that... the military ammo exclusion thang... and how that may have played into the extraordinary longevity of the series. Also good to know that our Italian friends haven't given up entirely on all-metal pistols. We all-metal fans need all the help & support we can get these days.

I had a Beretta 84B, maybe a BB? As everyone else has stated, these are large pistols. I compared it to my S&W 908 one evening and then gave it to my son.



Here is the S&W 908, Walther PP, and the Beretta 84.

Good comparison pix... thank you!

I think the consensus, so far, is clear that the 84FS is a hard gun to justify here in America based on a typical CCW evaluation approach or even a range gun approach... my opinion too and hence this thread.

So why the heck does it still appeal to me? Or at least would appeal to me at a slightly more attractive price?

No way I can test before buying. No range around here has one in their rental fleet... no surprise at all.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's update.

I'm also a all steel handgun guy, 380 PPK clone, BHP 9mm,
The S&W 9mm shield sits in a basket, haven't shot in several years.

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

Yeah, I hear you loud and clear. I already sold my Shield 9 and plan to sell the good wife's Shield 9 very shortly.

I'd have a BHP right now if Browning hadn't gone and discontinued the damn gun. My best hope now is a Turkish stainless steel clone. Maybe I can be the first old man on my block to get one.

I am not going to be very helpful in convincing you to pass these up.

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Yeah, I've figured that out. It *is* a work of art in a very Beretta kind of way.

I just wish it were a 9mm... then it would be a done deal.

Let's see where this goes tomorrow.

Not one little bit.

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Ohhh man they are pretty.

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Oh, come on you guys! You're killing me here!

That is the exact gun... and yes, it is a handsome devil.

I prefer the BDA but both are cool guns to own and very accurate.

Perfect little brother to my 4566


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It looks like it's going to outgrow it's big brother in a few years! That pic puts it in perspective.

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Because of the metric system?

It really does, doesn't it.

I wear XXL gloves so for a normal grip I need the double stack, the fact that it matches up nicely to the .45 but weighs half as much with 14 rounds of BB hardcast.

A “big” .380 may not be the answer for little men but for me it works, I got no use for the 9mm


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Practicality is over-rated. Buy that thing.

I have an even less practical version - the Model 81 in .32 ACP. Not only is it less powerful, it holds one less round than the .380, thanks to the semi-rimmed case.

I carry it all the time. It shoots great, has never jammed, and I have faith that a swarm of those little FMJs will do just fine in the face of adversity.

And its not THAT big........

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I really don't know why all the beefing and moaning about the size of these pistols - of course, I carry either a 84 or an 85 most of the time, so I am hugely biased. Sure, I have small 9mms, and even smaller 380s, but the 84 and 85 are the best combination of safety, accuracy, and dependability for me. Improvements in 380 ammunition make for an even better defensive arm. I can put several accurate shots on the target astonishingly quickly with these pistols, far more so than a 9mm and needless to say am very pleased and satisfied with these Berettas.

Here's a couple of comparison photos. Note in particular the one with that enormous J frame Smith.

HUGE, eh?

Are they the same size? I always though the .32 held 12 because it was a single-stack.because

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Because of the metric system?

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.

I have a Browning BDA380 which is a variant of the Beretta 84. It feels right in my hand, easy to carry concealed, not much recoil. It feels like less recoil than a Walther PPK/S. It has a 13 round normal magazine, 10 round reduced capacity depending on your State. If you like the Beretta 84, buy it. Six months from now you'll forget what you paid, and you'll be happy.

The Beretta 80 series was the best of the 2nd generation .380 pistols.

Beretta once made a single stack, slim, Model 92, but it didn't sell.

Geoff
Who passed up a .22LR 70s and I've been kicking myself over it for 40+ years!

That gun was somewhat unique when it came out because of it's relatively high capacity. Today there are smaller lighter guns available in a better cartridge with approximately the same capacity so it has been outperformed. By all means if you like it for some reason, buy it but there are more practical guns available in the same price range.

Aren't the Browning BDA and the Beretta Cheetah more or less, not counting some whistles and bells, the same gun? I always thought they were pretty much the same (okay, there are visible differences and the BDA has lovely wood grips).

I wanted one for years and happily acquired this one some time back - it's a fun gun, just kind of a giant for a .380.



Then, again, it's fun to shoot and a quality handgun for all purposes.

This is a Star Model S - another fun .380 that's big but tons of fun to shoot:



I can say the same for my Beretta Model 70 .22, among other large .22s. Sort of big but fun to shoot.

Someone has a Beretta Model 84 32 ACP for sale on the Forum today, actually. I was and am looking for a larger .32 than my Seecamp but I am not ready to spring for 600 plus dollars. But it's sure a looker!

Well, my absolute best offer is in, and I broke the house rules in order to make it. Since it was below the tagged price, I have to wait for the consignment owner to give it a thumbs up or thumbs down. Unfortunately, I won't be back in town during the shop's open hours until next Thursday night, so even if the consignment owner goes for it, he won't get his money for a week unless I can weasel a "by appointment only" meeting before then.

Anyway, gave it my best shot. Stay tuned to see if I scored it!

++++++++++

EDIT: Score!!! As it turned out, I had missed the shop's voicemail message that the owner had accepted my offer. I changed my weekend plans and was able to pick it up yesterday. Pix to be posted when I'm back home mid-week.

IIRC the BDA is an EE with a 'typical' (instead of skeleton) slide. A friend had one in .380. It is a piece of practical art. Beretta seems to value aesthetics highly. At this time I had Star S models in .32 and .380. We both agreed the BDA was prettier, but the JMB locking breech made either Star more pleasant to shoot.

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Certified Curmudgeon

I lust after one. One of the older ones with the rounded trigger guard. This is for two simple reasons: I'm a Beretta fan and I think it's one of the sexiest pistols made. It's nothing I'd every carry, but life shouldn't be only about practicalities.

In a "By Gone Era" I was issued a Browning Model like this one for a "Special Assignment". I was a "Bigger Is Better" caliber guy. On the advice of a "Experienced" officer I used .380 PMC 88 grain JHP ammo.
I had nothing but positive results with this combo.

This one IS bigger! (They issued our Narco teams the 21a.)

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Certified Curmudgeon

Well done and nice example.