"This is THE Most Underrated Pistol in 2023" ( The PX4)

[Evil_Ed]

I bought a normal PX4 Compact, put in a Beretta Competition hammer pack with a...12? 13? lb hammer spring from Wilson Combat (I don't remember the weight but it was discussed in the big PX4 thread somewhere), put on a single side slide stop lever, larger mag release, the stealth decocker levers...great gun. It really does shoot above it's weight class. It also totally freaking disappears AIWB; the sloping curve on the rear of the slide really breaks up it's profile vs the square Glock slide. I wore one tucked in in a suit, and I could NOT make it print, even with my shirt pulled in taut over it. The Discrete Carry Clips on my JMCK holster were more visible than anything else.

Since PX4 Compacts were dirt cheap not that long ago, when you step into a used one at $200 and throw the parts above at it...you're just shy of a Compact Carry price wise, and have a gun that's all that and potentially then some. Still needs good sights though.

The only reason I'm not %100 super duper all in and sell everything and concentrate on this one...there's no ACRO/MPS optic plate/cut for it. Though I guess with the 509T and the EPS that's not such a big deal anymore if you can stomach Holosun. I'm really tempted to send it off and get a cut and live with Holosun, or maybe even spend the money and buy a new LTT worked over version fresh from Earnest's mines of excellence..

I also have XL hands and have not run into hammer spur issues or slide bite issues - but I'm also not nearly at the level of shooting as a few people here are so I don't know if it's me, a lack of practice/training, or what. Maybe it just works out for me, like some people can shoot a BHP all day and not get bit by it...I can't even look at one without welts forming and my hand starting to drip blood.

The grip slickness issue is a real thing though. Now that I'm not constantly taking the grip module apart to fiddle with the hammer pack, I could probably go back to using a Talon grip panel (their "pro" version, for sure) vs the moleskin-type thing I've currently got wrapped around it. I bought this stuff from amazon a while ago and it works really well; think a thick moleskin, or the Brooks AGrip type of stuff. When I first got the gun I put the rubber Talon grips on it with the medium backstrap, quickly realized I needed to swap to a large backstrap, then I needed to reseat something in the hammer pack, etc...I wound up removing the Talon grips because I was constantly removing the backstrap and stuff. This microsuede stuff was a LOT cheaper, and I could reapply it several times; I made a template out of the backer from the Talon grips and used that. I've had it on my gun for maybe 3 years now and it's held up though the edges are getting a little frayed. It's not really grippy if your hands are dry (as an IT guy in climate controlled rooms, your hands can get really dry) but starts working better as your hands get more hydrated, even outright wet they work great.

[Guerrero]

Guys, guys, guys...

he didn't say, "The PX4 is the perfect pistol for everyone." What James is saying is that the PX4 deserves to be considered at the same level as other "good" guns in the same class (Glock, Sig [insert P320 joke here], HK, etc.)



I didn't know the thing about the interaction between the recoil spring and a striker on striker-fired guns.

[Guerrero]

Last year I had a handful of Canadian LEOs in a class who are issued the PX4 in .40 S&W. They literally had to bring a mallet with them to the class. A mallet? Yeah, I was confused, too. Then every 300-500 rounds of shooting, their guns would jam shut and they had to use the mallet to get the things apart.

My memory is fuzzy: what ended up being the root cause for this? @LangdonTactical ?

[Hot Sauce]

Since PX4 Compacts were dirt cheap not that long ago, when you step into a used one at $200 and throw the parts above at it...you're just shy of a Compact Carry price wise, and have a gun that's all that and potentially then some. Still needs good sights though.

Did you say $200?!

[vcdgrips]

The safety moves in a counterintuitive manner and can be inadvertently activated when vigorously manipulating the slide. These facts form the basis of my core objection to the 92 as well. I fully acknowledge that the inadvertent manipulation issue may not be as prevalent with the PX4 as it is with the 92.

Those facts coupled with my 30+ year utilization of pre gen 4 Glocks has me saying “meh.”

I recognize the platform to be reasonably accurate, reliable and supported by the factory and non OEM quality stuff from LTT and others. But for the safety, it would have my “endorsement” if asked by a friend/associate re its suitability as a primary defensive firearm and/or EDC.

[HeavyDuty]

I think it’s time to get my PX4CC slide back to Langdon for a RDO cut, probably a EPS Carry. Time to crunch numbers, I’ve been a little profligate with the gun budget lately.

[WobblyPossum]

The safety moves in a counterintuitive manner and can be inadvertently activated when vigorously manipulating the slide. These facts form the basis of my core objection to the 92 as well. I fully acknowledge that the inadvertent manipulation issue may not be as prevalent with the PX4 as it is with the 92.

Those facts coupled with my 30+ year utilization of pre gen 4 Glocks has me saying “meh.”

I recognize the platform to be reasonably accurate, reliable and supported by the factory and non OEM quality stuff from LTT and others. But for the safety, it would have my “endorsement” if asked by a friend/associate re its suitability as a primary defensive firearm and/or EDC.

Pretty much everyone here who carries a Beretta 92 or PX4 by choice, as opposed to by work requirement, uses a G configuration which doesn’t have the manual safety at all. The slide mounted control becomes strictly a decocker and once you activate it to decock the gun, it springs back up.

ETA: Beretta sells the 92G levers for about $50. With a PX4 it’s as simple as popping out a little detent in the safety to turn it into a decocker only. The slimmer decockers cost about what the 92G levers do.

[JAH 3rd]

I've had a PX4 compact for about 18 months now. The only thing I have done to it was to install an OEM Beretta D-spring. Posting a link. The spring gets good reviews. It makes the DA trigger pull a pleasure. The DA is smooth and predictable. In fact if it was a DAO, I'd be well served with the trigger pull the D-spring provides. I don't have a trigger pull gauge to measure poundage.

My only complaint is the lack of grip traction, it is too slick. I know there are options to address this. Just with it came out of the box with the more traction.

Seems the PX4 has upgrade parts just like the 92 series......sights, slide release lever, and thumb safety profiles....although not to the extent of Glock or the 1911.


https://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/mgwi/prod/eu00043

[gc70]

I didn't know the thing about the interaction between the recoil spring and a striker on striker-fired guns.

Hammer-fired guns are cocked as the slide opens.
Striker-fired guns are cocked as the slide closes.

Part of the slide's recoil force in hammer-fired guns goes to cock the hammer and rest of the recoil force is stored in the recoil spring.
Striker-fired guns store all of the slide's recoil force in the recoil spring.

Recoil springs in hammer-fired guns only have to be strong enough to load a round while pulling the slide forward into battery.
Recoil springs in striker-fired guns have to be strong enough to load a round while pulling the slide into battery as well as cocking the striker.

In short, recoil springs do not have to be as strong in a hammer-fired system as in a striker-fired system (all other things being equal, etc.).

[EVP]

So what keeps me from buying one? The whole "underrated pistol" thing is pretty much an admission they aren't getting the market acceptance that guarantees they (and their parts) will still be available in ten years.

In the interview Ernest said that the px4 has been successful internationally with multiple big contracts and is not going anywhere.