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beretta tomcat problems
- Thread starter dw
- Start date
It's too bad the Beretta Tomcat 3032 is getting a bad rep. It's actually a great gun, it's just that those who don't like it are very vocal. One would guess that Glocks .40's are terribly dangerous by strictly looking ONLY at the posts. It's a good little hideout gun. Try it for yourself.
Beretta wouldn't continue to build the gun if it were CRAP. They want to protect their name as much as the next company.
Ben
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AOL IM: BenK911
ICQ # 53788523
"Gun Control Is Being Able To Hit Your Target"
Beretta wouldn't continue to build the gun if it were CRAP. They want to protect their name as much as the next company.
Ben
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AOL IM: BenK911
ICQ # 53788523
"Gun Control Is Being Able To Hit Your Target"
Mike in VA
New member
I've had one a bit over a year. it took about 200-250 rounds to break in, but now it's quite reliable with Silvertips, Federal HydraShoks, and Speer Gold Dots, and almost as good with Fiocchi JHPs. I've only run Winchester FMJs, but it's fine with them too. Keep it clean, VERY lightly lubed and use a pocket hoster. Mine is flawless for about 150 rounds, then it starts to gunk up and will stovepipe occasionally. As long as it's clean, it's fine. One other caveat - if you've got big hands, beware of slide bites. It is quite accurate for a 2.5"barrel. Good luck, M2
Well, the first one I bought literally fell apart in my dad's hands as he was shooting it. Before that occured we both had experienced numerous failures to feed with both ball ammo and Winchester Silvertips. I thought perhaps when it fell apart my dad did something wrong, and it wasn't the gun. But I sent it back to Beretta to have them check it out just to be safe. Well, two weeks later (good service) they sent back an entirely new pistol stating that the other one had a faulty frame. My gunshop owner told me he had recently sent back two other Tomcats for the same problem. Mind you, these were early production models. Supposedly the kinks have been worked out since then.
Tomcat #2 wasn't without it's problems though either. The firing pin broke after less than 100 rounds. And no, I never dry fired it. The manual states that can cause firing pin damage. So, I sent that one back to Beretta. Again, the service was good and I had the pistol back within two weeks. It too has had a few failures to feed. But it's usually towards the end of 50 or 100 rounds, and oddly, usually with ball ammo. When it's clean it works okay. That said, I'm looking at trading it for a Kel-Tec P32 or even a Beretta 950 Jetfire.
As stated earlier the tip-up barrel is great for people who can't rack a slide. Though those same people may have trouble with the heavy double action pull. Hell, even the single action pull is heavy and gritty. The accuracy out of the one's I had was great, but they just weren't reliable.
My advice is to buy one if you really want one, but beware. Mine sucked, but others love theirs. Beretta's customer service was great for me though, and I wouldn't hesitate to purchase another one of their pistols in the future. Just not a Tomcat!
Tomcat #2 wasn't without it's problems though either. The firing pin broke after less than 100 rounds. And no, I never dry fired it. The manual states that can cause firing pin damage. So, I sent that one back to Beretta. Again, the service was good and I had the pistol back within two weeks. It too has had a few failures to feed. But it's usually towards the end of 50 or 100 rounds, and oddly, usually with ball ammo. When it's clean it works okay. That said, I'm looking at trading it for a Kel-Tec P32 or even a Beretta 950 Jetfire.
As stated earlier the tip-up barrel is great for people who can't rack a slide. Though those same people may have trouble with the heavy double action pull. Hell, even the single action pull is heavy and gritty. The accuracy out of the one's I had was great, but they just weren't reliable.
My advice is to buy one if you really want one, but beware. Mine sucked, but others love theirs. Beretta's customer service was great for me though, and I wouldn't hesitate to purchase another one of their pistols in the future. Just not a Tomcat!
My friend bought one as a back-up gun. While practicing, the firing pin flew out towards his eyes. What happened was that the solid pin which retains the firing pin worked loose and out and with it gone, the firing pin dislodged from the firing pin channel and became a missle.
Another problem was difficulty in reassembly. He couldn't get it back together and took it to our other armourer (who is Beretta trained). He couldn't reassemble it and they sent it back to the factory. The gun returns, he shoots it, and disassembles it and can't get it back together. This time, he brings it to me and I attribute the difficulty a part on the frame (it could have been something else and I posted it here before at our Gunsmithing Forum) which must be depressed to get the slide back on.
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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
Another problem was difficulty in reassembly. He couldn't get it back together and took it to our other armourer (who is Beretta trained). He couldn't reassemble it and they sent it back to the factory. The gun returns, he shoots it, and disassembles it and can't get it back together. This time, he brings it to me and I attribute the difficulty a part on the frame (it could have been something else and I posted it here before at our Gunsmithing Forum) which must be depressed to get the slide back on.
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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
I have a love/hate relationship with the small Beretta autos. The 3032 that I have fails to feed or eject about 5% of the time. Ball, Silvertips, Hydra-Shok, makes no diff. Sent it back to the factory once. They polished the feed ramp and replaced the slide, still wasn't any better. Since this gun is essentially a larger model 21, I guess I shouldn't expect it to work well either. I had 2 21's in 25 acp and 1 in 22 lr. Absolute junk. Unreliable in the extreme. See the thread here on Firingline on "worst gun you've owned". The 21 is mentioned several times. I had 2 25 acp Jetfires and 2 22 short Minxes about 10 years ago. They were all reliable, less than 1% malfunctions, but fell apart after 500 rounds (yes, I practice!). Not like I cared; they were $125 nes and I'd get $75 in trade on my old ones! I think I'm gonna dump that Tomcat turd on a nice Jetfire......
- turbo
- turbo
Walt Sherrill
New member
I had two 3032, and know of a number of others.
My first one had a firing pin failure -- using snap caps only -- very early in its life. Sent it back to the factory. They acknowledged receipt and I didn't hear from them for three months. I called, and they told me the gun was being replaced, but they were waiting for "product."
The new gun, like the original, was very accurate. Easily shooting 2" groups at 30' rapid fire. Firing pins kept disintegrating, while using snap caps or while using live ammo.
I found that it took about 1000 trigger pulls before the trigger really smoothed out, and no local gunsmith would attmept a trigger job: too damned small and too much work for the fee they could charge.
Finally, one day, while firing at the range, the slide flew back and somehow got off track. It locked in a rearward position.
I had to use a rubber mallet to force it forward again. It shot fine after that, but I had lost all confidence in the gun.
Cleaned it up, and sold it. Bought a Kel-Tec P11. Slightly larger, about the same weight, but 10-rounds of 9mm. That gun has been flawless.
I know of several others with Tomcats who had big problems, but all of these (and mine) were EARLY production models. I suspect that the problems experienced with these early guns are now remedied.
I like the gun, hated the trigger. I love my Kel-Tec P11. (But that gun takes some getting used to...)
My first one had a firing pin failure -- using snap caps only -- very early in its life. Sent it back to the factory. They acknowledged receipt and I didn't hear from them for three months. I called, and they told me the gun was being replaced, but they were waiting for "product."
The new gun, like the original, was very accurate. Easily shooting 2" groups at 30' rapid fire. Firing pins kept disintegrating, while using snap caps or while using live ammo.
I found that it took about 1000 trigger pulls before the trigger really smoothed out, and no local gunsmith would attmept a trigger job: too damned small and too much work for the fee they could charge.
Finally, one day, while firing at the range, the slide flew back and somehow got off track. It locked in a rearward position.
I had to use a rubber mallet to force it forward again. It shot fine after that, but I had lost all confidence in the gun.
Cleaned it up, and sold it. Bought a Kel-Tec P11. Slightly larger, about the same weight, but 10-rounds of 9mm. That gun has been flawless.
I know of several others with Tomcats who had big problems, but all of these (and mine) were EARLY production models. I suspect that the problems experienced with these early guns are now remedied.
I like the gun, hated the trigger. I love my Kel-Tec P11. (But that gun takes some getting used to...)
I suggest you pass on it. Gun Tests Magazine, which accepts no advertising and really gives an honest, unbiased evaluation, tested the Tomcat in two separate issues and rejected it both times based on unreliability. Also, Beretta's warranty service is reputed to be poor. Consider the Kel-Tec P-32 as a similarly-priced alternative.