The above address doesn't seem to be working. The following was written by Massad Ayoob for Handguns Annual 2001. You can find the entire article by doing a search using the words Guns Magazine: Best Buy Handguns.
Beretta 950.25
The .25 auto has long been a favorite of those who appreciate its tiny size and light weight. Professionals have seen so many failures with these small-caliber guns, however, that they steer away from them, except in rare cases where they need the tiniest, most undetectable firearm.
The Beretta Jetfire .25 automatic is always at the top of the list of guns of its type. There has never been a more reliable pistol in this caliber and only a few of the other best-quality brands have ever equaled it in this regard. Despite its tiny, vestigial sights, it will easily stay on the center "5" zone of an International Practical Shooting Confederation target at 25 yards.
This gun has three claims to fame that earn it "best buy" status. First, consider its "most reliable" factor. This is the non-negotiable baseline from which you begin any assessment of a firearm's worth, especially a firearm that might ever be used for defense. Second, its nine-shot capacity puts it above almost everything else in its category. This is especially important when you consider that the less powerful your gun is, the more shots you are likely to need.
Now, let's tallc dollars. This is a genuine Beretta, a brand known for very high quality. My favorite of the newest generation Berettas, the Cougar .45, goes for almost $700 in the base-line model. The famous Model 92 9mm pistol starts at $629 suggested retail. The cheapest Beretta .380 goes for $543. By contrast, the 940 sells for a piddling $220.
How do they do it? The 950 was introduced roughly half a century ago. It was the first Beretta pistol to be produced in the United States by Beretta USA. The equipment it was made on was phased out long ago. Little things like a trigger guard of sheet steel can result in big-cost savings to the manufacturer. This is why a Beretta .25 costs less than a third as much as a Beretta .45, even though the quality is essentially the same, which is to say, top-drawer.