Any love for the Beretta PX4?

[ACORN]

As you may have read it my previous thread I am looking at a Beretta pool PX4 in .40. I want a .40 because I have a couple thousand rounds, maybe more, and only my CX4 carbine to shoot them. Make doesn’t matter much other than “not a Glock”.
I’ve owned 4 Glocks and sold them all off. The just don’t feel right in my hand and I don’t care for the trigger.
Fast forward to this past Friday. Local shop had a used Beretta PX4 in .40 for $350. Like new condition. I am unsure whether it was a compact or sub-compact. I had never researched these so I didn’t know what to look for. I kinda like the novel rotating barrel and understand the sub gun doesn’t utilize it. I’m hoping it’s a compact. All I know is it wasn’t a full size.
The were closed over the weekend and don’t reopen until tomorrow.
I’ll be there with bells on when they open to pick up the Charter Arms Pitbull 9mm they are holding for me.
I liked the way the Beretta felt in hand and being it’s hammer fired has a much nicer trigger than any of my Glocks.
I would not be opposed to a M&P in .40 but I haven’t run into any.
Any hands on experience?

 

[Univibe]

You already have a Cx4 in .40, and a couple cases of ammo? That's a great home defense setup, right there.

The Px4 pistol uses its own magazines. Is your Cx4 compatible with Px4 mags, or 96 mags? Might influence your decision.

The action is DA/SA, like Beretta 92 and 96, or Sig. I think that type is dreadful but some adapt just fine.

Offer them $300. If you don't like it, you can sell or trade.

 

[Skeptic 9c]

Call Beretta, you can get an adapter to use PX or P92 magazines in your carbine. The Compact is smaller than the full size and has the ROTARY lock system. The sub compact has a Browning type lockup and the magazine has a little tab that folds down to give you pinkie room.
Geoff
Who notes YouTube (TM) has a comparison of all three PiXies.

 

[Skeptic 9c]

Additional; $350 with both magazines and box would be average here in Northeast Florida. But, I agree negotiate.
Geoff
Who tried a Glock and a PX in 40 the Beretta felt better but the Glock hit better in my hands.

 

[5-Shot]

I have three. That should tell you how I feel about them. They are accurate, have good triggers and can be made to fit almost any hand. Mine are absolutely reliable. What more can you ask?

Ed

 

[CB3]

This Beretta line is truly one of the under-appreciated quality pistols of all time, IMO. I had two full size Beretta Px4s and the CX4 carbine. They are wonderful, reliable, well-made, soft shooting, good looking guns. The compact PX4 seems to be the favorite of many, but my FS editions are my favorite handguns. I paid about $600 new for each in the early 2000’s.

As mentioned, I bought the adaptor from Beretta so my CX4 .40, which originally took the 96 magazines, would take the PX4 .40 mags.

The rotating barrel action provides for a very soft shooting pistol. My FS PX4 .40 recoil felt like a 9mm. I bought the FS 9mm PX4 a year later and liked it even more. I have extended mags for extra capacity—especially good with the carbine.

Two years ago I gave the two .40’s to my SiL who loves the combo. He has 8 mags and a bunch of ammo, carry holster, mag carriers. He is set. I moved away from .40 for a reduction in the variety of my calibers.

Unfortunately, as my eyes aged and I recognized the advantage of having a red dot optic on my carry pistol, I transitioned to a FS M&P 9mm. The PX4 had too narrow a slide up top to mount an RDS without it hanging way over the sides.

Now, as to the action. Almost all PX4s were sold as traditional DA/SA, but they offered different configurations. Because I was carrying AIWB, and most traditional DA/SA triggers had heavy and long first shot pulls, I opted to go for the “C” configuration or Constant pull.

This is DAO but without a second strike capability, as the hammer is mostly cocked by each slide cycle and the trigger take up finishes the cocking. Having the same trigger pull all the time appealed to me, especially with this system as this DAO pull is relatively short, extremely smooth, and with a slight shortening of the hammer spring, it has a very shootable (and reliable) 6# pull. Very close to a good striker fired pistol, but with the Beretta being better than any other.

I believe a polished PX4 DA/SA is about 9/5# trigger pull weight, which is very acceptable. I started pistol shooting with a Beretta 92 in the early 90’s, so DA/SA is familiar to me. However, my first shot is always a little slower and inaccurate compared to a shorter, lighter pull, and for defensive purposes I’ve always believed fractions of seconds matter, so I like a shorter, lighter first (and subsequent) trigger pulls. I replaced a single stack Kahr P40 with the double stack Beretta, and that P40 had about a 5.5# trigger cocked DAO striker pull, so the Beretta C trigger was very similar.

For you, if this is a DA/SA Compact and you want to carry it, it’s a great pistol. I think the FS is even better because, uh, it’s bigger, without being a behemoth. Getting smaller in a .40 was never my cup of tea (I did it with Keltecs and the Kahr), but the Beretta rotating barrel action mitigates some of the recoil of the smaller size. That it can be a direct companion to your CX4 is an added benefit. I’d say $350 is a good price. I would not go to a gun smaller than the Compact .40 though. I’d highly recommend stepping up to the FS if that is actually what you are looking at as the best companion to the carbine.

Good luck.

 

[dmthomp32]

I had one of the Ernest Langdon examples in 9mm and it was a solid firearm. The rotating action is a little unique to shoot, sort of rotates your hand a little. My biggest complaint about the pistol was it’s thickness! They are wide which makes carrying in the waist band difficult. All that being said it had a great DA/SA trigger and was very reliable.


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[diyj98]

I find them kind of bulky as well, but they're supposed to be good guns. I wouldn't be afraid to put $350 in a 9mm version (I've got zero interest in a 40), but the only one I've seen lately used in my area is sitting tagged for $599.00. I'm assuming it will be sitting there for quite some time.

 

[Erich]

I have a .40 PX4 Compact that I got delivered in NIB surplus condition (Fresno PD) for $330 last year. Love it. I had owned a 9mm version of the gun and correctly extrapWinchester PDX-1 bonded 165-grainers did M 1084/S 29.82/D 11.00 -olated that the rotary barrel would be even more of a joy with the .40. I carry Winchester PDX-1 bonded 165-grainers that do M 1084/S 29.82/D 11.00 from the gun. Please PM or eml with any Q's.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

No........

 

[gdogs]

I've almost bought a PX4 Sub 40 several times. I like DA/SA handguns with safety/decockers, I like Berettas, and a couple of times I've come across one locally at a good price. And then I pick it up. It's too big, mainly it's just too wide (1.42"). I want to like them, on paper I should, but they just don't feel good to my hand, and they are too wide for IWB - for me anyways. What's weird is I generally stay clear of striker fired pistols, but I love my APX Centurion. Fits me like a glove, and I can shoot it about as well as any handgun I own. Too bad they can't put the APX grip on the PX4 design. I prefer 7+1 in the slimmer Sig P239 (1.18") if I'm going to carry a 40. If it was a full sized PX4, I seriously consider it for $350 as a range gun if nothing else.

 

[LVSteve]

I love pistols with different operating systems. I have several Grand Powers and a Mauser M2 that have rotating barrels, but I've yet to snag a PX4, 8000, or a Stoeger Cougar. Seen them many times at estate sales but they always creep over my self imposed limit. I agree that the PX4 is a chunky beast, so I would go with a fullsize and call it a house/range gun.

 

[Univibe]

They do look pretty horrible, now that I think about it.

 

[panther]

I've had both the PX and the Cougar in 40. I preferred the Cougar for it's recoil, but both are great guns.
I'm kind of like you, I have a bunch of ammo sitting around and I don't have a 40 anymore. From past experience, I've been leaning towards a Shield or Walther PPS. I'd get another Cougar if I could find one but I don't see many.
There's one PX4 in 9mm at a shop in town, they want over $500 for it and I know the owner. He'd rather let it sit there for 10 years then drop the price.
I hope you get the PX4 you saw. It's a good gun at a good price.

 

[BAM-BAM]

I had one of the Ernest Langdon examples in 9mm and it was a solid firearm. The rotating action is a little unique to shoot, sort of rotates your hand a little. My biggest complaint about the pistol was it’s thickness! They are wide which makes carrying in the waist band difficult. All that being said it had a great DA/SA trigger and was very reliable.


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Check out "Langdon Tactical".... he is a fan of the PX4.

As an aside; I'm with you in liking the CX4.... mine are set up to use 92 15,17,18,20 and 30rd 9mm mags. available from the factory or Mec-gar.

 

[JJEH]

Check out "Langdon Tactical".... he is a fan of the PX4.

A friend of mine has both the Langdon PX4 as well as the 92 Elite. If you want a Beretta, these two are it. I love 'em.

 

[BAM-BAM]

A friend of mine has both the Langdon PX4 as well as the 92 Elite. If you want a Beretta, these two are it. I love 'em.

Langdon competed with a Beretta 92 back in the 90s and "designed" the Beretta Elite and Elite II. Ernest gave me a heads up the the EliteII were coming and I got one of the first available.

Wilson got to Beretta first and the Wilson guns and LT Beretta's are different and features don't overlap.

I prefer the Wilson 92Gs .... and the round trigger guard. Got my Wilson Centurion just prior to Ernest coming out with his line of "custom' Berettas

 

[ACORN]

I nixed the PX4. It turned out to be the sub compact with the tilting barrel lockup not the rotating barrel.
Oh well. Big gun show next weekend. We’ll see what turns up.

 

[Chief Wiggums]

My .02 PCX4

Compact version ,its my winter carry gun. The footprint doesnt allow for optimal concealment during shorts & tee shirt weather.

The Storm isnt gonna win any beauty contest, but its one of the better tools in the box.

 

[CH4]

I am big Beretta firearms fan, but the PX4, Cougar, etc., don’t appeal to me aesthetically. To my eye they’re the Italian equivalent of the High Point; conversely, one of my buddies thinks they’re the pinnacle of gun beauty. He has been collecting them for years and has all the variations and chamberings. I do, however, have a few 96s and 92s, including a 92X Performance and would like one of the Wilson iterations. Adding a dovetailed front sight to the 92 platform was a smart move.