The Beretta 21A (Bobcat) Inox — my new BUG.

[Echo40]

After years of carrying a Ruger LCP as a BUG and dragging my feet about buying defensive ammo for it due to the relatively high cost and poor performance of the average .380 JHP, I got to thinking that it was time to switch to something else.

Unexpectedly, I found a Beretta 21A Inox at my LGS for $275 LNIB and promptly decided to buy it. Since then I've been carrying it around and I've got to say that I like it. It actually carries a bit lighter than the LCP when fully loaded, namely because the ammo weighs less than half as much.

As you can see, they're roughly the same size, although the 21A is a bit thicker in the grip, yet not so much thicker that it makes it more difficult to concealed carry. In fact, the thicker grip is actually a bonus because it fits my hand better. The 21A also has a DA/SA Trigger, providing second strike capability and the tilting barrel will actually eject an unfired round too, so if I get a dud then I can easily eject it.
Obviously, the ammunition is substantially cheaper, and surprisingly requires less careful ammo selection because even a High Velocity Copper-Plated Round Nose will achieve FBI Specifications in Ballistics Gel Tests. Furthermore, it has substantially less recoil, is faster to fire, and easier to keep on-target.

So yeah, as strange as it might seem, I've already decided to replace the LCP with the 21A, at least as far as a Backup Gun is concerned. If I ever needed to exclusively carry a pocket pistol, then the LCP would still fill that role, but as a BUG, I honestly have no reservations about carrying .22LR.

Currently, I have it loaded with CCI Mini Mag, which I see no reason to replace because based on what I've seen, seem to be perfectly viable.

 

[Shibadog]

I had a 21. Nice little pistol, mine was very reliable and pretty accurate, esp considering the lousy sights and short sight radius. Remember though that .22 LR is pretty weak power wise. They are lethal, however they do not quickly incapacitate/stop unless very precise shot is delivered. Also, rimfire ammo is not the most reliable ignition wise. If you are carrying this for SD, suggest you use one of the higher quality rounds specifically designed for that purpose (Federal Punch/similar)

 

[jframesj]

Congratulations on the Beretta. I'm a fan of Berettas, and have a 21A also. I also love the DA/SA trigger mechanism. It's a fun gun to shoot.

I will caution you about your comment "...the tilting barrel will actually eject an unfired round too, so if I get a dud then I can easily eject it."
Unfortunately, since this is a rimfire, when the firing pin hits the rim, it will deform the case. If you have a dud, releasing the barrel will not fling the round out of the chamber due to the deformed rim binding against the edge of the chamber. Most of the time when I have a dud in my 21A, it remains firmly stuck in the chamber despite releasing the barrel. Unless I can stick my fingernail under the feed ramp, I have to eject the round by pushing a cleaning rod, zip tie, q-tip, or something else down the front of the barrel.

Also, keep an eye on the mag release button. The button is threaded onto a shaft. Over time, the vibrations from shooting can cause the button to unscrew, which results in the button sticking out more. I discovered this when the magazine ejected while I was carrying the 21A in my pocket. If you unscrew the button far enough, it will come off of the threaded shaft.

The mag release is powered by a coil spring. It was too easy to press, so i replaced the spring with a stronger spring of the same diameter that I got from McMaster-Carr. I also put a tiny dot of paint at the top corner of the mag release button as a witness mark. I have had to tighten the button after several range sessions. You can tighten the button by removing the left grip. There is a hole on the side of the button. You can insert a punch in the hole to help you turn the button.

If you remove the grips for cleaning, be aware that if you tighten the right grip screw too tightly, it can cause the grip to interfere with the trigger bar. Some users have reported that other styles of grips sometimes interfere with the trigger bar.

My 21A is mostly (but not 100%) reliable for the first 35 rounds or so. After that, if I want to keep shooting it, I have to brush out the bore and the breechface. I also have to pull the magazine follower down and use a bore brush down the inside front surface of the magazine. This is because lead bullets will deposit lead or wax on the inside front surface of the magazine, which builds up and can cause failures to feed. The gun seems to be more reliable when carried 6+1 instead of 7+1. If I have a long range session and don't feel like brushing the inside front surface of the magazine, it will start to experience failures to feed. When that happens, I find that the 21A continues to function if I load the magazines with no more than 5 rounds.

I highly recommend a magazine loading tool made by Hilljak. I bought it on Amazon. It's very useful and makes loading the mags so much easier.

 

[Phenix]

After years of carrying a Ruger LCP as a BUG and dragging my feet about buying defensive ammo for it due to the relatively high cost and poor performance of the average .380 JHP, I got to thinking that it was time to switch to something else.

Unexpectedly, I found a Beretta 21A Inox at my LGS for $275 LNIB and promptly decided to buy it. Since then I've been carrying it around and I've got to say that I like it. It actually carries a bit lighter than the LCP when fully loaded, namely because the ammo weighs less than half as much.

As you can see, they're roughly the same size, although the 21A is a bit thicker in the grip, yet not so much thicker that it makes it more difficult to concealed carry. In fact, the thicker grip is actually a bonus because it fits my hand better. The 21A also has a DA/SA Trigger, providing second strike capability and the tilting barrel will actually eject an unfired round too, so if I get a dud then I can easily eject it.
Obviously, the ammunition is substantially cheaper, and surprisingly requires less careful ammo selection because even a High Velocity Copper-Plated Round Nose will achieve FBI Specifications in Ballistics Gel Tests. Furthermore, it has substantially less recoil, is faster to fire, and easier to keep on-target.

So yeah, as strange as it might seem, I've already decided to replace the LCP with the 21A, at least as far as a Backup Gun is concerned. If I ever needed to exclusively carry a pocket pistol, then the LCP would still fill that role, but as a BUG, I honestly have no reservations about carrying .22LR.

Currently, I have it loaded with CCI Mini Mag, which I see no reason to replace because based on what I've seen, seem to be perfectly viable.

I prefer the Taurus PT-22, which is basically the same design except it is double-action only. I have had 2 of them for years, and have carried one of them often. Both are EXTREMELY ACCURATE. I mean like "Rabbit-hunting" accurate.
The only drawback to those designs I'd that if you shoot the gun dry, it is extremely hard to rack the slide to load the chamber after loading another full magazine because the recoil spring is so stiff. It is much easier to pop the barrel open and load the empty chamber with a single round then snap it back shut. Not something to be done quickly and easily in a very stressful situation. So if someone needs to shoot one of these guns in a self-defense situation, better resolve the situation before the magazine runs dry. Which should not be a problem, I suppose, because most shooting self-defense situations are resolved in 4 rounds or less.

 

[Echo40]

Congratulations on the Beretta. I'm a fan of Berettas, and have a 21A also. I also love the DA/SA trigger mechanism. It's a fun gun to shoot.

I will caution you about your comment "...the tilting barrel will actually eject an unfired round too, so if I get a dud then I can easily eject it."
Unfortunately, since this is a rimfire, when the firing pin hits the rim, it will deform the case. If you have a dud, releasing the barrel will not fling the round out of the chamber due to the deformed rim binding against the edge of the chamber. Most of the time when I have a dud in my 21A, it remains firmly stuck in the chamber despite releasing the barrel. Unless I can stick my fingernail under the feed ramp, I have to eject the round by pushing a cleaning rod, zip tie, q-tip, or something else down the front of the barrel.

Also, keep an eye on the mag release button. The button is threaded onto a shaft. Over time, the vibrations from shooting can cause the button to unscrew, which results in the button sticking out more. I discovered this when the magazine ejected while I was carrying the 21A in my pocket. If you unscrew the button far enough, it will come off of the threaded shaft.

The mag release is powered by a coil spring. It was too easy to press, so i replaced the spring with a stronger spring of the same diameter that I got from McMaster-Carr. I also put a tiny dot of paint at the top corner of the mag release button as a witness mark. I have had to tighten the button after several range sessions. You can tighten the button by removing the left grip. There is a hole on the side of the button. You can insert a punch in the hole to help you turn the button.

If you remove the grips for cleaning, be aware that if you tighten the right grip screw too tightly, it can cause the grip to interfere with the trigger bar. Some users have reported that other styles of grips sometimes interfere with the trigger bar.

My 21A is mostly (but not 100%) reliable for the first 35 rounds or so. After that, if I want to keep shooting it, I have to brush out the bore and the breechface. I also have to pull the magazine follower down and use a bore brush down the inside front surface of the magazine. This is because lead bullets will deposit lead or wax on the inside front surface of the magazine, which builds up and can cause failures to feed. The gun seems to be more reliable when carried 6+1 instead of 7+1. If I have a long range session and don't feel like brushing the inside front surface of the magazine, it will start to experience failures to feed. When that happens, I find that the 21A continues to function if I load the magazines with no more than 5 rounds.

I highly recommend a magazine loading tool made by Hilljak. I bought it on Amazon. It's very useful and makes loading the mags so much easier.

Thanks for the information, I'll keep that in mind.

I prefer the Taurus PT-22, which is basically the same design except it is double-action only. I have had 2 of them for years, and have carried one of them often. Both are EXTREMELY ACCURATE. I mean like "Rabbit-hunting" accurate.
The only drawback to those designs I'd that if you shoot the gun dry, it is extremely hard to rack the slide to load the chamber after loading another full magazine because the recoil spring is so stiff. It is much easier to pop the barrel open and load the empty chamber with a single round then snap it back shut. Not something to be done quickly and easily in a very stressful situation. So if someone needs to shoot one of these guns in a self-defense situation, better resolve the situation before the magazine runs dry. Which should not be a problem, I suppose, because most shooting self-defense situations are resolved in 4 rounds or less.

I tend to prefer Taurus as well, hence why I chose a PT92 over a 92FS.

However, in this case, I prefer the Beretta 21A to the Taurus PT22 with its larger frame.

 

[chief38]

I do not have any issue with the Beretta pistol itself, I just would not carry a 22 rimfire for SD. Even though rimfire ammo has been improved over the last century, FTF with rimfire ammo is still common. Even if the RF cartridges all work, 22 RF is not a great stopper. At least a .380 acp is a viable SD round and the LCP is reliable.

 

[681ismyfavorite]

I had a 21a in .22lr. It was a good gun but it would occasionally jam no matter what brand of ammo I tried. Ironically it jammed, as in failure to feed far more often than getting a dud round. You can see it here compared to my LWS32. I ended up using it as trade fodder.

However, being enamored with the little Beretta guns, I ended up getting a 950bs in .25acp. While it is still ever so slightly larger than my LWS32, it has been 100% reliable. It's loaded with Buffalo Bore which gives me the same muzzle energy as the .32.

 

[Lt.Donn]

After years of carrying a Ruger LCP as a BUG and dragging my feet about buying defensive ammo for it due to the relatively high cost and poor performance of the average .380 JHP, I got to thinking that it was time to switch to something else.

Unexpectedly, I found a Beretta 21A Inox at my LGS for $275 LNIB and promptly decided to buy it. Since then I've been carrying it around and I've got to say that I like it. It actually carries a bit lighter than the LCP when fully loaded, namely because the ammo weighs less than half as much.

As you can see, they're roughly the same size, although the 21A is a bit thicker in the grip, yet not so much thicker that it makes it more difficult to concealed carry. In fact, the thicker grip is actually a bonus because it fits my hand better. The 21A also has a DA/SA Trigger, providing second strike capability and the tilting barrel will actually eject an unfired round too, so if I get a dud then I can easily eject it.
Obviously, the ammunition is substantially cheaper, and surprisingly requires less careful ammo selection because even a High Velocity Copper-Plated Round Nose will achieve FBI Specifications in Ballistics Gel Tests. Furthermore, it has substantially less recoil, is faster to fire, and easier to keep on-target.

So yeah, as strange as it might seem, I've already decided to replace the LCP with the 21A, at least as far as a Backup Gun is concerned. If I ever needed to exclusively carry a pocket pistol, then the LCP would still fill that role, but as a BUG, I honestly have no reservations about carrying .22LR.

Currently, I have it loaded with CCI Mini Mag, which I see no reason to replace because based on what I've seen, seem to be perfectly viable.

I owned several in the late 80's( blue only) ...they were a ton of fun, reliable and very accurate

 

[Echo40]

I do not have any issue with the Beretta pistol itself, I just would not carry a 22 rimfire for SD. Even though rimfire ammo has been improved over the last century, FTF with rimfire ammo is still common. Even if the RF cartridges all work, 22 RF is not a great stopper. At least a .380 acp is a viable SD round and the LCP is reliable.

It is important to not that my intended use for this is as a backup.to my M&P40 Shield (Spring/Summer) and M&P40 Compact (Autumn/Winter) ergo it would most likely only be deployed under dire circumstances in which I had already expended all the ammo loaded in my primary + spare magazines, and frankly under such circumstances I'm in deep trouble regardless of what my BUG is.
Besides, I'm fed up with the cost of .380 ACP defensive ammo which frankly feels like a scam seeing as the vast majority of the ammo only expands 40% of the time out of a Pocket Pistol like the LCP, and even when it does it only penetrates between 8 to 11" in Ballistics Gel, otherwise it will just function as an FMJ, likely resulting in collateral damage due to overpenetration.

Furthermore, I've yet to experience a FTF using CCI Mini Mag, and I can shot the Beretta 21A faster, more accurately, and with greater confidence than I can with the LCP, so to me it's a worthy replacement.

That being said, under circumstances in which I could only carry one pocket pistol, I would choose the LCP.

 

[Smith391]

Currently, I have it loaded with CCI Mini Mag, which I see no reason to replace because based on what I've seen, seem to be perfectly viable.

Do yourself a favor, & try this...

Get yourself a box of Aguila Supermaximum 22 LRs (solids or hollowpoints, it doesn't matter) & run 'em through your Beretta 21A.
Shoot a cardboard target backer from about 7-10 yards away, & then go check the holes you just made in your target (let me know what you think).




FYI: You'll only get these results with the Supermaximum load through a .22 LR caliber Bobcat ... Different ammo throught the Beretta, or running the Aguila through another pistol won't cut it.

 

[681ismyfavorite]

It is important to not that my intended use for this is as a backup.to my M&P40 Shield (Spring/Summer) and M&P40 Compact (Autumn/Winter) ergo it would most likely only be deployed under dire circumstances in which I had already expended all the ammo loaded in my primary + spare magazines, and frankly under such circumstances I'm in deep trouble regardless of what my BUG is.
Besides, I'm fed up with the cost of .380 ACP defensive ammo which frankly feels like a scam seeing as the vast majority of the ammo only expands 40% of the time out of a Pocket Pistol like the LCP, and even when it does it only penetrates between 8 to 11" in Ballistics Gel, otherwise it will just function as an FMJ, likely resulting in collateral damage due to overpenetration.

Furthermore, I've yet to experience a FTF using CCI Mini Mag, and I can shot the Beretta 21A faster, more accurately, and with greater confidence than I can with the LCP, so to me it's a worthy replacement.

That being said, under circumstances in which I could only carry one pocket pistol, I would choose the LCP.

First I would recommend fmj in 380 or below caliber. Penetration penetration penetration.
Second, your backup gun, as you say, might only be used after your primary has run dry or is disabled. However, it may be the one that you have accessible Quicker at that time. For instance, if your hands are in the pocket and you can grasp that gun without alerting anyone prior to a potential problem; rather than a drawing motion from the waist etc.
Regarding the .22lr, while modern ammunition has proven to be more reliable than previous, it is still a rim fire and less reliable for ignition than a center fire. For this purpose, if I were to carry a .22 for self defense, it would have to be a revolver; because the instinctive action of pulling the trigger again, gives you a fresh round without having to do any tap, rack, bang or any other manipulation.

Think of it this way; if you have to use your backup gun, you may only get one shot, and that's the bullet that's already under the hammer. Do you want a rim fire or a center fire to be that round?