New Beretta Subcompact
Gun News
Beretta APX Carry 9mm
April 15, 2019
In 2019, a full-line pistol almost has to include a model under about an inch thick. The U.S. gun-buying market just can’t get enough of these little carry guns. And for good reason, too; slim fits inside the waistband better. Heck, these little guys will often fit in a pocket. And if it’s comfortable it’s far more likely to get carried. Needless to say, a carried sub-compact beats a left-at-home full-size version every time.
The Beretta APX Carry ships with two stainless steel magazines and three baseplates (“mag bottoms”) — flush, pinky rest, and extended. Capacity with the flush or pinky rest baseplate is 6+1 rounds of 9mm, and with the extended baseplate it’s 8+1 rounds.
For me the pinky rest fell a bit short. Literally. About 1/3 of my pinky fits on it, which felt more awkward than not having it at all. Dan’s pinky finger was half off the thing, too, and he’s always commenting in his reviews about how his hands are on the small side. If it doesn’t fit at least most of your average pinky, it should probably be longer.
The steel sights are excellent, suiting my tastes for a blacked-out rear and a more highly-visible front. Their shape blends with that of the slide perfectly and their height is more usable than that of many micro pistols’ sights. I also liked the width of the front compared to the notch in the rear — enough light to make the sights fast for self-defense while still capable of precision when desired.
And precise the APX Carry is. For its size it’s a heck of a shooter, putting up pretty tight 5-round groups for me at 15 yards from standing.
Mechanically, I’m positive the gun is capable of better. Like the three holes in the “DO” seen above. The Carry’s trigger may hold some shooters back from achieving ultmate accuracy.
Mostly, it’s just long. The trigger has to travel basically from where you see it above almost entirely back to the rear of the trigger guard before it breaks. It’s smooth, not gritty at all, but it does transmit the sensation of the striker spring being compressed as you go.
Which, of course, accounts for much of the APX Carry’s 6- to 7-lb trigger pull weight. I don’t take any exception to this or the travel distance, mind you. For many concealed carry and self-defense situations a longer, heavier trigger pull is the better choice. In fact, the APX Carry’s trigger is very much like that of a typical double action revolver’s, just springier and lighter.
What the APX Carry’s trigger isn’t like is the rest of the APX line. Those pistols have fantastic triggers; extremely short and crisp with a super-short reset and a pull weight a couple of pounds lighter.
Specifications: Beretta APX Carry
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 6+1 rounds with flush or pinky magazine, 8+1 with extended magazine
Frame: Technopolymer grip frame available in Black, FDE, ODG, and Wolf Grey
Weight: 19.8 ounces
Length: 5.63 inches
Height: 4.17 inches
Width: 0.9 inches
Barrel Length: 3 inches
Sights: Steel. Serrated black rear, white dot front.
MSRP: $450
Gun News
Beretta APX Carry 9mm
April 15, 2019
In 2019, a full-line pistol almost has to include a model under about an inch thick. The U.S. gun-buying market just can’t get enough of these little carry guns. And for good reason, too; slim fits inside the waistband better. Heck, these little guys will often fit in a pocket. And if it’s comfortable it’s far more likely to get carried. Needless to say, a carried sub-compact beats a left-at-home full-size version every time.
The Beretta APX Carry ships with two stainless steel magazines and three baseplates (“mag bottoms”) — flush, pinky rest, and extended. Capacity with the flush or pinky rest baseplate is 6+1 rounds of 9mm, and with the extended baseplate it’s 8+1 rounds.
For me the pinky rest fell a bit short. Literally. About 1/3 of my pinky fits on it, which felt more awkward than not having it at all. Dan’s pinky finger was half off the thing, too, and he’s always commenting in his reviews about how his hands are on the small side. If it doesn’t fit at least most of your average pinky, it should probably be longer.
The steel sights are excellent, suiting my tastes for a blacked-out rear and a more highly-visible front. Their shape blends with that of the slide perfectly and their height is more usable than that of many micro pistols’ sights. I also liked the width of the front compared to the notch in the rear — enough light to make the sights fast for self-defense while still capable of precision when desired.
And precise the APX Carry is. For its size it’s a heck of a shooter, putting up pretty tight 5-round groups for me at 15 yards from standing.
Mechanically, I’m positive the gun is capable of better. Like the three holes in the “DO” seen above. The Carry’s trigger may hold some shooters back from achieving ultmate accuracy.
Mostly, it’s just long. The trigger has to travel basically from where you see it above almost entirely back to the rear of the trigger guard before it breaks. It’s smooth, not gritty at all, but it does transmit the sensation of the striker spring being compressed as you go.
Which, of course, accounts for much of the APX Carry’s 6- to 7-lb trigger pull weight. I don’t take any exception to this or the travel distance, mind you. For many concealed carry and self-defense situations a longer, heavier trigger pull is the better choice. In fact, the APX Carry’s trigger is very much like that of a typical double action revolver’s, just springier and lighter.
What the APX Carry’s trigger isn’t like is the rest of the APX line. Those pistols have fantastic triggers; extremely short and crisp with a super-short reset and a pull weight a couple of pounds lighter.
Specifications: Beretta APX Carry
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 6+1 rounds with flush or pinky magazine, 8+1 with extended magazine
Frame: Technopolymer grip frame available in Black, FDE, ODG, and Wolf Grey
Weight: 19.8 ounces
Length: 5.63 inches
Height: 4.17 inches
Width: 0.9 inches
Barrel Length: 3 inches
Sights: Steel. Serrated black rear, white dot front.
MSRP: $450
