New Beretta 80X Cheetah

[Ben_G]

Launch edition guns are going to be one time limited quantity runs. Now, depending on production delivery schedule they might show up on the market in one or two surges, but its still a limited item. There will be additional colors of the 80X available throughout the year, but the bronze is done on the factory side.

For RDO plates; the main issue we're seeing is on EPS carry optics. It turns out the EPS Carry line can have a thinner deck height than the drawing spec on the 407K (which is what Beretta design and validated with), meaning the screws can bottom out on the slide and prevent the optic from being fully secured to the plate. If you then shoot that setup, the play in the optic fit will cause it to slam around and generally not go well. We're making new custom screws with thread lock patches per Beretta Italy's specs, but in the meantime, it is possible to file down the current screws to resolve this. I'm obliged to recommend this is performed by a trained and qualified gunsmith. But it should be 0.5-0.75mm of material removal IIRC to get those thinner optics to fit up properly.

In general, dealing with evolving third party patterns and shifting standards is a nightmare when it comes to RDOs.

[R_Shackleford]

Launch edition guns are going to be one time limited quantity runs. Now, depending on production delivery schedule they might show up on the market in one or two surges, but its still a limited item. There will be additional colors of the 80X available throughout the year, but the bronze is done on the factory side.

For RDO plates; the main issue we're seeing is on EPS carry optics. It turns out the EPS Carry line can have a thinner deck height than the drawing spec on the 407K (which is what Beretta design and validated with), meaning the screws can bottom out on the slide and prevent the optic from being fully secured to the plate. If you then shoot that setup, the play in the optic fit will cause it to slam around and generally not go well. We're making new custom screws with thread lock patches per Beretta Italy's specs, but in the meantime, it is possible to file down the current screws to resolve this. I'm obliged to recommend this is performed by a trained and qualified gunsmith. But it should be 0.5-0.75mm of material removal IIRC to get those thinner optics to fit up properly.

In general, dealing with evolving third party patterns and shifting standards is a nightmare when it comes to RDOs.

See post #243 and a few after that. The screw length is not the only issue and it does not only apply to the EPS carry. The screws are much too small in diameter as well. More importantly, the little recoil lugs are not the same shape as the holes in the optic so it doesnt fit onto the plate properly. I tried it with a holosun 507K as well and have the same issue.

[GyroF-16]

Just found that LOK has wrap-around G10 grips with an arched backstrap shape like the B81.
Just ordered some for my wife’s 80X.

https://lokgrips.com/beretta-pistol-...ce-wraparound/

Dear Beretta,

I like the arched mainspring housing (backstrap, whatever we're calling it today). It fits me and works well. The curve also matches the rest of the gun. Please knock it off with the flat bullshit.

I do not care about anyone else.


Warmest Regards,
SCCY

[GyroF-16]

For the good of the Order:

https://berettaforum.net/vb/showthread.php?t=86229

A report from 2012 on the compatibility of Beretta 81 (.32 ACP) barrel in a Beretta 84 (.380 ACP) gun.

Apparently you need the correct double stack mag for caliber.
I’ve tested the fit by putting an 81 barrel in an 80X and cycling dummy rounds through it.

Also a report on that forum that Allegheny Arms has threaded 81 (.32 ACP) barrels for sale.

I’ll put testing the 81 barrel in the 80X on my “to do” list…. After testing and chrono-ing various .380 loads, including some of my hand loads built for reduced recoil and some high-vel HP loads.
I also have a RDO plate on the way from Beretta, as well as a Holosun HS407K from Amazon.
Placed that order before seeing the report from @R_Shackleford re: Beretta RDO plates for another RDS. I’m hoping I have a better result, otherwise I’ve wasted some money.

Quoting myself to update…
I’ve validated that the .32 ACP barrel from the Beretta 81 works in the 80X. Ran like a champ for several hundred rounds.
I now have one of the Allegheny Arms threaded .32 ACP barrels installed in the 80X, and that’s the next thing to validate functionality with after the holidays. Probably along with the LOK wrap-around grips that appear to replicate the old arched-backstrap design of the 81 that my wife prefers.

Oh, and the Holosun HS407K is working well on the RDO plate from Beretta so far. (300 rds with the RDS installed).

[GyroF-16]

Quoting myself to update…
I’ve validated that the .32 ACP barrel from the Beretta 81 works in the 80X. Ran like a champ for several hundred rounds.
I now have one of the Allegheny Arms threaded .32 ACP barrels installed in the 80X, and that’s the next thing to validate functionality with after the holidays. Probably along with the LOK wrap-around grips that appear to replicate the old arched-backstrap design of the 81 that my wife prefers.

Oh, and the Holosun HS407K is working well on the RDO plate from Beretta so far. (300 rds with the RDS installed).

Quoting myself again to update…

Successful testing of the Allegheny Arms threaded .32 ACP barrel in the 80X. Put 99 rds through it today essentially without incident.
The 4.5” threaded barrel is only a bit longer than the OEM, but gave a 6-12% increase in average velocity with various loads.
I shot 71 gr FMJ reloads through it, as well as a few factory Hornady 60 gr XTP. Of note, the XTP went from 983 fps in the stock-length 3.9” barrel to 1055 fps in the new 4.5” barrel. That gives some nice energy and likely increased penetration for that load.

The only minor hiccup was the initial loading of the Hornady XTP. Loading from slidelock, the first round was too nose-low and hung up on the feed ramp. I locked the slide back again and pulled the mag… turns out I’d induced some rim lock when loading the mag - the top round was too nose-low and the next round didn’t really advance properly when I pulled the top one off. After forcefully removing the next round and unloading the next few, I reloaded them all properly. Bottom line- as long as everything’s loaded properly (as evidenced by the top round being appropriately nose-up), everything works fine. After that initial issue, every XTP round fed fine, so the HP shape was not the issue.

FWIW - the new barrel + RDS + my reloads yielded 1.25-1.5” groups at 10 yds. I’m pretty pleased with the accuracy potential, given this gun’s mission.

[Noah]

Quoting myself again to update…

Successful testing of the Allegheny Arms threaded .32 ACP barrel in the 80X. Put 99 rds through it today essentially without incident.
The 4.5” threaded barrel is only a bit longer than the OEM, but gave a 6-12% increase in average velocity with various loads.
I shot 71 gr FMJ reloads through it, as well as a few factory Hornady 60 gr XTP. Of note, the XTP went from 983 fps in the stock-length 3.9” barrel to 1055 fps in the new 4.5” barrel. That gives some nice energy and likely increased penetration for that load.

The only minor hiccup was the initial loading of the Hornady XTP. Loading from slidelock, the first round was too nose-low and hung up on the feed ramp. I locked the slide back again and pulled the mag… turns out I’d induced some rim lock when loading the mag - the top round was too nose-low and the next round didn’t really advance properly when I pulled the top one off. After forcefully removing the next round and unloading the next few, I reloaded them all properly. Bottom line- as long as everything’s loaded properly (as evidenced by the top round being appropriately nose-up), everything works fine. After that initial issue, every XTP round fed fine, so the HP shape was not the issue.

FWIW - the new barrel + RDS + my reloads yielded 1.25-1.5” groups at 10 yds. I’m pretty pleased with the accuracy potential, given this gun’s mission.

How does the recoil compare?

[GyroF-16]

How does the recoil compare?

I didn’t shoot the 4.5” barrel back-to-back with the stock-length 3.9” .32 AUTO barrel, so I can’t say for certain, but I didn’t notice any increased recoil. It’s more than a .22 LR, but not much.

Or, if you mean compared to the original B80X .380 barrel - there’s really no comparison- while the .380 isn’t sharp (except with +P Underwood 90 gr rounds), the .32 is very mild and pleasant to shoot, even with the “hotter” loads.

[Up1911Fan]

Just checking in to see if @Ben_G has any updates that can be shared on 32 version?

[Ben_G]

Just checking in to see if @Ben_G has any updates that can be shared on 32 version?

Not really. It is generally something we have mentioned at tradeshows that we'd like to expand the 80X lineup into with either a barrel or top end swap. I'll note that caliber has international demand outside of the US market, which is good because the US market doesn't pull enough weight on .32 to justify it by ourselves right now.

I have no ETA there though, and any development resources to that caliber will hinge on ammo availability and the performance of other guns in that cal.

[Up1911Fan]

Not really. It is generally something we have mentioned at tradeshows that we'd like to expand the 80X lineup into with either a barrel or top end swap. I'll note that caliber has international demand outside of the US market, which is good because the US market doesn't pull enough weight on .32 to justify it by ourselves right now.

I have no ETA there though, and any development resources to that caliber will hinge on ammo availability and the performance of other guns in that cal.

A barrel or top end swap would be a great option. I'm looking at this in 32 as a great step up from a rimfire for teaching my kids to shoot in a few years.