Thursday, September 8, 2011

The .22 caliber Beretta Bobcat 21a




As regular readers know, I like miniatures, be they guns or anything else. I've always been interested in the small double action Beretta "mouse pistols," which appear to combine function with well thought out ergonomics and safety features. They're not cheap, but they are exceptionally well made. And they're made in the US, as a consequence of the factory Beretta had to build to get the US Army's sidearm contract- a good thing, not only for our economy, but for the availability of guns and parts. A small gun like the 21a probably wouldn't make it in as an import under current BATF rules and regs.

The 21a Bobcat  and the slightly larger .32ACP Tomcat share an interesting feature- a tip up barrel. To load the chamber on most autos, you rack the slide, and then you have to either carry a cocked (and hopefully locked) gun, use the decocking lever (if your gun has one), or very carefully lower the hammer and hope your thumb doesn't slip. With the Beretta guns, you release the barrel, which flips up, exposing the chamber:



You can then insert a round and snap the barrel closed, leaving the gun uncocked. Simple. I've often heard this described as a feature for older people with weak hands who can't rack a gun, but I doubt that's why Beretta came up with it- it's really a safety feature. And speaking of safe, the Tomcat and Bobcat both have thumb safeties, another feature I am a strong believer in. Thumb safeties are easy to engage and disengage with practice, and they're one more thing keeping a curious child or adult from an accidental discharge should a loaded weapon fall into their hands- or should someone take it from you.

Anyway.... I was shopping for reloading supplies at a local Gander Mountain not long ago when I spotted a used Taurus PT-22 in the display case with a $149 tag, which led me to ask the clerk if I might examine it. The PT-22 is a near-clone of the 21a and has a lot of fans, but after examining one close up I have to say I'm not one of them. It has a spurless hammer, and is designed to be fired double action only. That's a safety factor, but it also means it's not a gun you can fire accurately. Judging from the example I saw, it's also a piece of junk. A search of the web reveals a lot of fans- but also a lot of horror stories of broken guns. While looking at the PT-22 I idly asked if they had a 21a in stock... and yes, they did- a nice Stainless steel slide version. Comparing the two side by side, well, there's simply no comparison. And I'd just gotten paid for a guitar I sold...

So it followed me home. I've only had it to the range once, where I put 70 rounds of CCI Minimags and one magazine of Aquila SSS Subsonics through it (see the previous article). I had a few jams in the first few dozen rounds with the Mini-Mags, and then a pattern emerged: The first round would fire, and partially cycle, and a push with the thumb was needed to push the slide forward about 1/4" into battery. I had a few more jams, but the frequency of jams diminished as I worked my way through the box of ammunition. Curiously, I had no problems with the Aguila SSS, a round that has a reputation of being notoriously fussy about what semiautomatic guns it will cycle in. Based on what I've read on line, another 100 or so rounds should be enough to fully break in the gun, and a slight polish of the feed ramp may help, too. I suspect a slight adjustment of the lips on the magazine might help, too.

Accuracy is not bad, considering the very primitive sights- a tiny blade and a notch in the slide. I was able to get 6" groups at 25', and kept them all well within a foot at 50'. I suspect this could be improved with practice (and maybe some improvements to the sights.) Guns like this are designed for close-up defensive use, but better accuracy is always something to aspire to, especially as this gun is a lot of fun for plinking, too.

Summary: A very well made gun, albeit with a few break-in issues. Small enough to carry everywhere, and fun to shoot.

Postscript: Since writing the above, I've read that the 21a with the stainless steel slide is fussier about ammunition than is the blued model, a difference that some ascribe to higher friction from a rougher finish on the slide. I spent a few minutes a few nights ago gently polishing the slide on a very hard Arkansas stone with plenty of oil, but that didn't change the gun's behavior with MiniMags. I did buy a few boxes of CCI Stingers, which a lot of Bobcat owners say are the single best round for the Bobcat- and after yesterday's range visit, I have to agree. 100 shots with not one FTF or FTE.  At first, I thought this might be a consequence of the plated cases of the Stingers having less friction, but I found that  non-plated CCI Velocitors, and they worked just as well. My next step (when I have time and remember!) will be to polish the feed ramp with the Dremel and some rouge. (Read about that here.)

Post-Postscript: I later briefly replaced the stock plastic grip panels with a very attractive set from Altamont in Super Rosewood- see this link for details. Also see this link for my efforts on improving the feeding of the gun.

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