Beretta Model 81 cal. 7.65 racking difficulty

I

IamArmed

Inactive
MY friend inherited a really sweet Beretta Model 81. The trouble is it is extremely hard to rack the slide. I cleaned it and looked for problems but found nothing out of the ordinary. Would changing the recoil spring help? Would a lesser spring damage the gun? Suggestions would be appreciated.
 
It's blowback operated, meaning it has a very strong recoil spring.
Changing out that recoil spring will undoubtedly affect function and reliability.

Wolff doesn't offer reduced power recoil springs for the 81.
 
+1 what Jim Watson said. Previous generations of Berettas for the most part rather have their hammer springs lightened rather than recoil springs. Going lighter on the recoil spring for typical factory ammunition does little more than helping the pistol to beat itself to death.
 
Well, given that the Cheeta is blowback (thus no extractor) you really don't need to rack the slide.

Use the barrel latch to pop the barrel up and drop in a round. Push the barrel back down to latch it and you're ready to go.

I've been looking for a Cheeta for years. Always loved the thought of a medium sized pistol holding 12 rounds of .32 ACP.
 
I'm confused now,,,

I thought it was only the model 86 Cheetah that had a tip-up barrel,,,
According to Wikipedia, all of the other models do not have a tip up barrel.

~scratching head~

Aarond

.
 
Mike Irwin Well, given that the Cheeta is blowback (thus no extractor) you really don't need to rack the slide.
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It's blowback and DOES have an extractor, as do the 84/85. They do not have tip up barrels.
The Beretta 86 with tip up barrel does not have an extractor.
 
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Yeah, you guys are correct.

I don't know why I was thinking that all of the Beretta Cheeta .32s had tip barrels...

And I don't know why I clutched on the extractor. Of course it does, the .22s don't.

And I didn't know that the 96 doesn't have an extractor.

Sigh.



Edit in... Wait, the 96 is the .40 isn't it? The ones I have seen DO have extractors...
 
Try this...with the gun empty cock the hammer, with the weak hand hold the slide steady, solid and close to the body. With the strong hand push the frame forward.

Should work.

tipoc
 
Mike Irwin you were thinking of the Tomcat, the Beretta 3032, infamous for its tip-up barrel and the incidence of frame cracks with hot ammunition.

OP, the overhand method should help. And remember, don’t pull the slide back, hold it in place and push the grip forward. Once you shoot it for awhile, it will get easier...or more likely you will get stronger. ;)
 
No, I was thinking of the Model 86 Cheeta, which is larger than the Tomcat.

I thought the tip barrel and no extractor was a feature of all versions of the Cheeta, I was wrong.


And I just found a Model 81 for sale... I've wanted one of the double-stack Cheetas for a long time...

But I'm not paying $800 for one. Yikes!
 
berettaprofessor Mike Irwin you were thinking of the Tomcat, the Beretta 3032, infamous for its tip-up barrel
Click to expand...
"Tip up" barrels have been common on quite a few Beretta pistols in .22LR, .25acp, .32acp and .380acp.
 
No, I was thinking of the Model 86 Cheeta, which is larger than the Tomcat.
Click to expand...

I don't know why I was thinking that all of the Beretta Cheeta .32s had tip barrels...
Click to expand...

Sorry, when you mentioned the 32's and tip ups in the same sentence, I assumed you went mentally to the Tomcat. The Model 86 is a tipup, the only one of the Model 80's, but it's a 380acp.
 
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