mouse guns with tip-up barrels - Beretta vs. Taurus
- Thread starter longeyes
- Start date
Stephen A. Camp
Staff In Memoriam
Hello. Have a Beretta Jetfire that has never ever missed a lick. I probably have less than 300 rnd through it, but it has been utterly reliable.
Best.
Best.
tubeshooter
New member
No-spin response
Prepare for a small boatload of responses telling you to consider a P-32 from Kel-Tec.
I had the same decision to make. I ended up going with the Beretta, because in my research I saw that some Tauri mouseguns (at least early models) had problems with the slide cracking. However, you know how it is; somebody gets a lemon and then curses a given make/model of gun at every opportunity. So one has to take that into consideration as well.
I went .22lr, and you can find reports of poor performance for either brand of mousegun in this caliber. Some specimens work great with certain ammo, and some work great with whatever. Some respond to fine tuning, some don't. It really seems to be a crapshoot, at least with .22lr. Fortunately, mine seems to function fine. Still, with no extractor and the mousey ballistics, it's clearly a last-resort or very-low-threat gun.
The cost is comparable, probably close enough to not be an issue. I think ultimately it will come down to aesthetics for the average individual. The Beretta is slightly smaller; the Tauri tend to hold one round more than its Beretta counterpart. I personally like the way the Berettas look a little more.
One last thing; consider the Beretta Jetfire (model 950 BS, I believe). Just about everybody who has one seems to love it. If I had been going the .25 route, I'd probably have gotten this. Very small, and apparently very reliable according to reports I came across. It's single action (if that matters to you). You will have to buy used, but I don't think one should be that hard to find with how successful the P-32 has been and all...
Good luck...
-tubeshooter
Prepare for a small boatload of responses telling you to consider a P-32 from Kel-Tec.
I had the same decision to make. I ended up going with the Beretta, because in my research I saw that some Tauri mouseguns (at least early models) had problems with the slide cracking. However, you know how it is; somebody gets a lemon and then curses a given make/model of gun at every opportunity. So one has to take that into consideration as well.
I went .22lr, and you can find reports of poor performance for either brand of mousegun in this caliber. Some specimens work great with certain ammo, and some work great with whatever. Some respond to fine tuning, some don't. It really seems to be a crapshoot, at least with .22lr. Fortunately, mine seems to function fine. Still, with no extractor and the mousey ballistics, it's clearly a last-resort or very-low-threat gun.
The cost is comparable, probably close enough to not be an issue. I think ultimately it will come down to aesthetics for the average individual. The Beretta is slightly smaller; the Tauri tend to hold one round more than its Beretta counterpart. I personally like the way the Berettas look a little more.
One last thing; consider the Beretta Jetfire (model 950 BS, I believe). Just about everybody who has one seems to love it. If I had been going the .25 route, I'd probably have gotten this. Very small, and apparently very reliable according to reports I came across. It's single action (if that matters to you). You will have to buy used, but I don't think one should be that hard to find with how successful the P-32 has been and all...
Good luck...
-tubeshooter
I have a Beretta 950 and its a great pocket gun, I removed the manual safety on mine cause allmost every shot I would somehow
thumb the safety on, which in a serious fight could be fatal, also
I carried cocked and locked once in a IWB and when putting it to bed found the safety was off, so I now carry it full mag none in chamber, a quick rack and its ready to fire.
thumb the safety on, which in a serious fight could be fatal, also
I carried cocked and locked once in a IWB and when putting it to bed found the safety was off, so I now carry it full mag none in chamber, a quick rack and its ready to fire.
I have always liked the taurus line in general. Their safteys specifically. I like the frame mounted, non-hammer drop ones.
I just got the 380 tip up from Beretta. The reason I got a Beretta this time is that tarus doesn't make one. Their 380 was the millenium, or some other one that was not a tip up. I have not had a chace to put any rounds through it at all. But it seems well built, and the trigger pull is nice. And it is one of the only new beretta's that doesn't have a hammer drop saftey.
I just got the 380 tip up from Beretta. The reason I got a Beretta this time is that tarus doesn't make one. Their 380 was the millenium, or some other one that was not a tip up. I have not had a chace to put any rounds through it at all. But it seems well built, and the trigger pull is nice. And it is one of the only new beretta's that doesn't have a hammer drop saftey.
I've owned both. I currently have a Beretta M21 in 25acp. I have big hands but it doesn't bite me. Mine has been 100% reliable and I used to carry it everyday as a backup gun when I was a cop. I also owned the M21 22lr and it was totally reliable as well. I only sold it because another officer I worked with needed a reliable backup and didn't have one. I had nickled Taurus 25 which is a little bigger but just as reliable as the Berettas. My mother carries it in her purse. The Beretta is smaller thatn the Taurus and the magazine release on the Beretta is on the lower left side of the grip frame which I don't have a problem with. The Taurus grip is wider and the magazine release is in the normal place on the frame. You can't go wrong with either one.
Kentucky Rifle
New member
My stainless Beretta Jetfire...
..has been completely reliable. No break in period at all. Not fussy about ammo at all. I usually fire MagSafes or Hornady hollow points. Great little pocket pistol. It's in my pocket right now as I write this e-mail. It's my "sitting around the house answering e-mails pistol". That being said, when I go out, my pocket pistol goes up in caliber to .32ACP and there's also a larger caliber auto on my hip. (Usually a Glock 27.)
Kentucky Rifle
..has been completely reliable. No break in period at all. Not fussy about ammo at all. I usually fire MagSafes or Hornady hollow points. Great little pocket pistol. It's in my pocket right now as I write this e-mail. It's my "sitting around the house answering e-mails pistol". That being said, when I go out, my pocket pistol goes up in caliber to .32ACP and there's also a larger caliber auto on my hip. (Usually a Glock 27.)
Kentucky Rifle
Marko Kloos
Inactive
Always around: my Beretta 950BS Jetfire. That little .25ACP has been totally reliable, it's very accurate for a mousegun, and it sure looks purdy. I'd recommend a Jetfire to anyone looking for a light, small pocket gun. The P32 is lighter and holds bigger rounds, but the Jetfire is smaller and has the edge in the elegance department.
ohen cepel
New member
My 21 (.22) never had a problem when firing "Stingers". It didn't like some other ammo so I avoided those.
I would consider something like a .32 now though since there are many on the market. However, it is a plus to be able to hunt small game with the same .22 that you carry in the 21 (not in the same weapon, of course).
Mine has run fine within it's limits, just find out which yours like before you carry it. Many guys mock a .22, it's not a joke if you are the one getting shot by it though.
I would consider something like a .32 now though since there are many on the market. However, it is a plus to be able to hunt small game with the same .22 that you carry in the 21 (not in the same weapon, of course).
Mine has run fine within it's limits, just find out which yours like before you carry it. Many guys mock a .22, it's not a joke if you are the one getting shot by it though.
Baretta vs. Taurus
Longeyes,
I've had both (Baretta 21 and Taurus PT22). I currently have the Taurus.
The Bretta was somewhat finicky about ammo, but functioned well with several brands. The Taurus functions well with all but standard velocity 22's.
The Baretta, being single action, had to be cocked and the safety taken off, The Taurus, being double action, is always ready to fire.
The Baretta was not very accurate (at least mine wasn't). Maybe it was because of the slim grips. The Taurus, on the other hand, has larger grips (really fits my hand well) and is very accurate for me. In fact, I shoot it at the 50 yd. plate sometimes, and can hit the plate 75% of the shots.
The Baretta fit my front jeans pocket better than the Taurus, but I feel much better with the Taurus for all the other reasons, so this is not a problem.
Nazman44
Longeyes,
I've had both (Baretta 21 and Taurus PT22). I currently have the Taurus.
The Bretta was somewhat finicky about ammo, but functioned well with several brands. The Taurus functions well with all but standard velocity 22's.
The Baretta, being single action, had to be cocked and the safety taken off, The Taurus, being double action, is always ready to fire.
The Baretta was not very accurate (at least mine wasn't). Maybe it was because of the slim grips. The Taurus, on the other hand, has larger grips (really fits my hand well) and is very accurate for me. In fact, I shoot it at the 50 yd. plate sometimes, and can hit the plate 75% of the shots.
The Baretta fit my front jeans pocket better than the Taurus, but I feel much better with the Taurus for all the other reasons, so this is not a problem.
Nazman44
