Action: DA/SA
Caliber: .380ACP
Capacity: 8 round, single stack magazine
Barrel Length: 3.8 Inches
Sights: Patridge style
Front is machined into slide and has a white dot
Rear is dovetailed to slide and has a white dot
Front dot goes on top of rear dot to align the sights
Safety: Manual with decocker function; frame mounted
MSRP: $675, $550-600 in shop
These Cheetah models come in a few variants. You can get them in matte black or nickle finish with wood or black plastic grip panels. Model differences include:
84: Double stack magazine with wider frame. 10 and 13 round magazines available.
85: Single stack magazine with more narrow frame. 8 round max capacity.
86: I think it's single stack but not sure. Very different due to its tip-up barrel hinged at the muzzle end. You don't need to rack the slide to load a round, just tip the barrel to put a round in the breech.
87: Single stack in .22LR.
This site has good photos of the different models.
I really like these Cheetah models. They are accurate (for a .380ACP), reasonably concealable, feel good in my average-sized hand, and reliable. I have to say also that I think they are beautiful pistols. I love the lines and silhouette of the Beretta Cheetah and 92/96 series pistols.
While the Cheetahs look very similar to the 92/96 series pistols there are significant differences. The Cheetahs do not use a locking mechanism to fix the barrel to the slide. As soon as the the slug starts down the barrel the slide moves back and the breech opens. The barrel does not move back with the slide for a distance as with pistols that fire more power cartridges. I think some people are confused about this because the barrel does come off the frame when disassembled. Barrels of other fixed-frame pistols such as the Sig 230/232 .380ACP pistols and the HK P7 series are pinned to the frame. However, when assembled the Beretta Cheetah barrel does lock into the frame.
The other important difference for me is the frame-mounted safety. 92/96 series pistols have a slide-mounted safety that I find cumbersome and difficult to use. There are other differences (like a drop-magazine safety) but the frame-mounted safety and non-locked breech are the important ones to me.
I've fired about 500 rounds through this pistol (I bought it used and well shot-in) and experienced only one type of issue. However, it has happened many times. About half the time the slide fails to lock back on the last round. It happens with both magazines I own. I have no idea why. I've disassembled, cleaned and lubed both with no resolution. I am not willing to invest in another magazine to troubleshoot the issue. It's very annoying but not a real functional problem for me. When I carry a gun I don't carry a spare magazine. I have no illusions of being an action hero pumping dozens of rounds at an enemy. If I need to use a gun for defense it's most likely going to be a few shots to thwart an attack then I'm out of the area looking for a cop. I still wish it locked back every time though.
I shoot this gun almost as well as my Sig P239 which is my primary carry gun. I point-shoot it better than any other pistol I own. That means keeping focused on the target, getting the pistol into my line of sight and pulling the trigger. I really like having a frame-mounted thumb safety for a carry pistol. Actually with the Don Hume IWB holster this is my favorite pistol to carry. It feels good in the holster and hand. I think it's a really safe design with a manual, frame-mounted safety and DA/SA functionality. If this gun were chambered in 9mm and had tritium sites it would be the perfect carry gun for me.
The trigger pull is nice. It's not to hard, even in DA. With a round in the chamber the manual safety is used to decock the pistol but it really rests at a half-cock on a hammer block. This means that the difference between DA and SA trigger pull is less than some other pistols. That means more consistent trigger pull between first and subsequent shots.
My big complaint about the Cheetahs is the caliber. It's a lot of gun for a .380ACP. It fits well in the hand but it's so much bigger than other .380's and even 9mm's being made today. I think the 92 series pistols are too much gun for a 9mm and the Cheetah's are too much for a .380. That does not stop me from carrying mine when I feel like it though. I would think Beretta could redo a Cheetah in 9mm with today's production processes and materials. That's just my 2 cents.
The price for a Cheetah is nuts; too much for a .380ACP. So are the Sig 230/232 pistols. Both the Beretta and Sig sell new for about $550-600. However, if you shop you can find them used for $350-400. I got my Cheetah on gunbroker.com for $350. For this price I like them. But for over $500 I'll pass. I guess someone has to be buying them new to fuel the used market though. For $500+ buy a Glock 26/27 or the new Ruger LCP .380ACP for $350. For the cost of a new Cheetah you have lots of options. I do like the SIG P238 pistols for this price. They are .380 but at least they are small and much easier to conceal.
This page was last modified on 03 Sep 2010 14:11