Beretta PX4 Storm Sub Compact Review

The Beretta PX4 Storm Sub Compact Pistol. Lets check it out. (Available Here)

 

You know there are times when things surprise you. You can look at something and make a judgment and say, eh, I don’t think I’d like that. Then there are times where you pick it up and you find out, you know what, I was wrong.

This little PX4 by Beretta subcompact 9mm is one of those things. It really kind of took me by surprise. Well I have to admit that I’m a lot more impressed once I shot the PX4 by Beretta.

It’s the 9mm version. This is their subcompact and this handles like a full size pistol and yet excellent for concealed carry. Beretta is legendary for its high quality and in the land of Ferraris and Lamborghinis, the Beretta pistol has really smooth, sleek lines.

It’s always had the real nice line with the 92, been a very sleek pistol ever since Lethal Weapon. I have wanted a Beretta 92 and a few years ago I picked up one and I have not been disappointed. But the new PX4 design is really something else.

Very smooth, very sleek, a very beautiful handgun. Of course, first things first, we’re going to look at a lot of the details, a lot of the features, how to break this pistol down, but I’ve been looking at the PX4 for a while and this little sawed off subcompact has never really caught my eye. But I’ll tell you what, for the size of this little pistol, for a subcompact concealed carry option, this makes an excellent option for carrying concealed.

Now the original PX4 was introduced in 2004 and it was just really an upgrade from the original 92F. This also comes in a compact version, but the subcompact version and the one we’re holding here was introduced in 2010. They offer these in 9 and 40 caliber.

Beretta also offers this in the 45, but only in the full size model. Beretta refers to this as their concealable duty ready pistol. So it’s concealable, but yet again, it feels like a full size pistol.

So I understand why they use that term. The grip and the finish and just the way this thing handles really does simulate a full size pistol. The balance, it’s very ergonomic.

The proportions are not too wide. It is a little thick if you look at it, but when you compare it with the Glock 26, there’s not really a lot of difference. They’re really pretty close to the same size.

Now the only thing that’s going to widen the pistol are the decockers right here on either side. Now the subcompact holds 13 in one in the magazine and with the 40 caliber, it’s 10 in one. Magazines are really nice steel magazines.

It does have a nice butt pad, gives you a nice grip, but even on a subcompact, you’re going to have to give up some on the grip. And what I really like about this particular magazine is that it pops down and gives you a little more purchase on the gun itself. So when you’re carrying it concealed, pop the magazine latch up and then you’ve got a small compact package.

If you really want to get some shooting done, drop the magazine lip and then it really gets your hand in a good position. It does come with two magazines and the other magazine has just the standard base plate. But again, 13 in one in this magazine.

That’s pretty impressive. Okay, the Beretta Storm is a single double action pistol and double action means when you pull the trigger that it actuates the hammer and as you can see, it falls forward. Subsequent shots, the hammer will be in the rear position and then you have a really smaller trigger pull.

The trigger pull itself is pretty lengthy and pretty strong, but it’s smooth. Your single action trigger comes together, then there’s a resistance and then it fires. Not a bad trigger.

Reset on the trigger about midway. Not too bad of a reset, but not very short either. Now the Beretta is a really safe pistol.

It does, if the hammer is pulled back to the rear, it does have a decocker. One thing you need to realize after you decock is that this gun is on safe mode. This is actually not only a decocker, but a safety.

That means if you pull the trigger, nothing happens. You’ve got to decock it, then you have to release the safety. As you can see from the red dot, this is the fire position.

If you’re not careful and you’re used to just decockers and then being able to fire, the Beretta’s going to surprise you. You need to make sure that you get accustomed to releasing that safety. Once you release the safety, there is a half cock position that you can bring back.

It makes it just a little bit easier on your double action trigger pull. It does come with a couple of extra back straps. You have a small, a medium, and a large.

It also comes with a magazine loader. When you get up to about that 12th or 13th round, you’ll really be glad you have this. The frame itself is a fiberglass reinforced polymer.

Very smooth, very slick to the touch, and yet there is a little bit of texturing. Then you’ve got your checkering here on the back strap and right here on the front strap. It gives you a really good grip on the gun, yet it’s not uncomfortable.

PX4 Storm right here and the Beretta logo. It does have a Picatinny accessory rail, which is really nice for a subcompact, rounded off trigger guard. If you’ll see right here, there are these little divots in the frame.

This is a memory notch, so you’ll remember to put your finger up here instead of in the trigger. When you finish that last shot, you can throw your finger up on this memory notch, and then it keeps it out of the way. The magazine release is very positive, drop free magazine.

This magazine release can also be switched to the other side, and there are other options for larger magazine releases as well. Now the decocker is also ambidextrous, as you can see right here. Has a nice, solid slide stop, yet it’s not too obtrusive.

It stays real close to the side of the frame. Your takedown pin right here, of course we’re going to look at that in just a minute when we break it down, but it does stay really close, very smooth lines. The slide itself has two areas for serrations, flat surfaces, and then right here you have a good solid angle that comes down with the slide.

Does feature three dot sights. I believe these are the illuminated sights, but it’s a three dot illumination. These are those that you charge up.

They’re not necessarily tritium, and they last for about 30 minutes. Has a commander style hammer. One of the things about an external hammer is it gives a much greater impact to your firing pin.

So if you ever have any weak primers, that helps. Also, second shot, if you hit a misfeed or a misfire, you can cock the hammer again and fire, unlike many of the Stryker fire pistols. The barrel is a cold hammer forged barrel, which is really top of the line.

Now the barrel length on these are about three inches. The total length is just over six inches at 6.2 inches. It’s just under five inches tall at 4.5 inches, and the weight on this is 26 ounces.

I’m going to tell you, the fit and finish of this little pistol is exceptional. Now we’re going to disassemble the pistol and release the magazine. Go ahead and bring your slide back and actuate your slide stop.

So then here’s your takedown lever, and so you just turn it down to the down position and then pull it out. Now you won’t remove it, and that’s one of the features that’s an advantage of the Beretta system is that you’re not going to remove it and lose it. It retains itself in the pistol.

And then release your slide stop and then just bring your slide forward. The fiberglass reinforced polymer gives it a totally different feel than most of your polymer, standard polymer frames. It is, it’s almost a glass-like, very smooth finish, but the weight is still really low.

Here’s a look at the internals. Has a double-spring recoil guide rod, and then your barrel system comes out. A really nice stainless steel barrel.

Your crown is protected by this raised area, and then you have the recess that’ll protect your lands and grooves. The subcompact has a little bit of a different barrel system. The full-size and the compact have the rotating barrel system.

This is the tilt barrel system, and it’s just because of the size of the pistol. But this really helps with recoil, felt recoil, and then it gets your second shots off very quickly. Here’s the internals of the slide.

Everything is well-machined, finely finished. Of course, to assemble the pistol, just do it in reverse order. Very quick and easy.

Then you just push your takedown lever back into position, straight, and then pop it back up. You’re ready to go. If you’re looking for a great concealed carry option, but you don’t really like the little micro subcompacts, this is an excellent option for concealed carry.

Very smooth, high quality, very accurate, and very ergonomic. This little Beretta is very smooth and cycling. It’s really a pleasure to shoot for the size.

And really, the grip is really nice in your hand. It looks kind of chunky because it’s cut off, but really, it’s smooth as butter. Now, I forgot to bring regular paper target to check the definite accuracy, but all of the shots were hitting the steel, and as you can see, the nine millimeter really kind of shows up kind of cool.

But just hitting all this area right here with a nine millimeter, and those were pretty rapid shots. I have to say that when I first started this review, I was not all that impressed with the pistol. Since the review, this is an excellent, high quality, well-designed pistol.

Now, the suggested retail for the PX4 Storm in nine millimeter is $575, but I’ve seen these at Academy Sports for $519. And I’m sure there are others you can find at different prices at your local gun shop. So check out the Beretta PX4, either full-size, compact, or sub-compact, and I think you’ll find it to be an excellent pistol, and then if you’re looking for a concealed carry option, the sub-compact is very nice.

Be strong, be of good courage. God bless America, and long live the Republic.