Thoughts Needed on the Beretta Tomcat

J

JMB

New member
I'm curious if the Tomcats that are coming out of the factory these days are more reliable than the earlier models. I bought one when they were fairly new and it literally broke apart in my hands. Beretta's customer service was fantastic though and they had a replacement sent to me fairly quickly. Unfortunately this one broke two firing pins without any dry firing! I had it repaired by Beretta and then sold it.

I like the guns as far as ergonomics and especially accuracy are concerned. Mine were real tack drivers when they actually worked.

I'm thinking of giving the Tomcat another try in the form of a newer stainless model. But I want to make sure that the quality has been improved before I drop any money on one. So any experiences you can share would really be appreciated. Thanks.
 
I have one of these little beasties and I love it. I did have a problem out of the box with the recoil spring in one of the grips. One disassembly and reassembly later, it was fine. Ammo wise I had problems with HP rounds like the Fiochi but the FMJ's work great with never a problem. If your looking for a carry I'd go with he P-32, But if you like the Safty features and the DA/SA action go ahaed and give it another shot.
 
I have the new widebody stainless Tomcat. It's definitely the most accurate mousegun I've ever shot, and it has held together quite well over about 500 rounds. I have had some FTFs though.

The first two mags full nearly always shoot ok. Then I start to have problems, more with HPs than FMJ. If I clean the powder residue off the feed ramp and chamber area, usually another mag or two shoots without problems.

I generally carry Fiocchi FMJ in it, and it's never failed to fire off the first mag ok, which is why I'm not too worried. At some point, I'd like to send it back to Beretta for reliability work, but frankly, I rarely carry the thing outside the house.

Be aware that the safety on the widebody has a different shape, so none of the aftermarket grips for the Tomcat fit. Custom-fitted holsters for the original Tomcat don't fit well either. Also, the original plastic grips melt in contact with GunScrubber or similar products.

It's a nice little gun, and it's great for when you need really deep concealment. I'd be happier if it went bang every single time, but I haven't had a .32 mousegun that would do that yet.
 
You are right that Beretta's customer service is great. I know cuz I just had them work over my Tomcat. The slide spring arm bent on it after only a few hundred rounds. This was indeed one of the newer widebodied models. It also stovepiped one round out of every 15 fired. So, in my experience, they are not terribly reliable.

tstr
 
I'ld save a few more bucks and get a used PPK in .380... or a FIRESTAR 9 or 40.
I dont like these little mouse guns and see no point in them - they are bigger than Guardians or Seacamps and not much smaller than the PPKs or other types. Or maybe I'm thinking of the wrong 'cat... either way - your better off with a bigger gun. If your really wanting a tiny gun, look at NAA.
 
I have had trouble with mine jamming, but I starting using silvertips and it solved the problem.

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"We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force."

--Ayn Rand, in "The Nature of Government"

http://hometown.aol.com//jsax13/web.html
 
This fall the Titanium Tomcats are due to hit the shelves. That's what I'm up for!

Will

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Mendacity is the system we live in.
 
I have one of the early models. I purchased it in early 1997 as a backup gun. I've never had a problem with mine. For concealed carry I carry it more often than I do my Glock 19, simply because I can grab it as I go out the door and put it in my pocket. I load it with FN FMJ flat nose.

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/s/ Shawn Dodson
Firearms Tactical Institute
http://www.firearmstactical.com
 
Have a 1998 HP Blue Tomcat that hates all fiocchi ammo, but loves silver tips. No breakage problems at 300 rds, grip screws keep backing out every 100 rds and have to tightened. Used for summer time carry and deep CCW. Utah gets real hot in the summer.
Wanted something for up close and personal use and the Tomcat fit the bill. It's worth a second look.
 
Mine is fairly accurate out to about 20 ft.. One word of warning, it's a good pocket gun but don't put loose change in that pocket.

One night as we came out of a wedding reception, we had to cross a parking lot when I noticed a shadowy figure cutting across the lot in a path to cut us off (my wife and I)...I pulled my Tomcat and started to put my finger inside of the finger guard only to find a quarter occupying that space...it was wedged!

Went to plan B...pulled the ol' Spyderco after swiching the Beretta to my left hand. Guess, the potential BG didn't like all the activity on my part and he veered off to lurk in another dark area.
 
Based on a sample size of one. A friend ordered one not too long ago and after shooting it asked if I would take it and shoot it. He didn't tell me what to look for. It was reliable, but had the worst DA pull and the SA pull was even worse somehow. The words that come to mind are gritty, uneven, nasty and nearly impossible. I hope they can fix it for him. John
 
I had one of the first Tomcats, and later -- after the original was replaced by the factory -- a second one.

Mine had a rough trigger that improved with use. You won't find a gunsmith who'll work on it to improve the trigger, either: these guns have a crappy reputation among Gunsmiths. I got snap caps and pulled the trigger hundreds of times. After about 500-600 pulls, the trigger got quite smooth.

Very accurate. Nice gun. But it continued to break.

I know several folks who have the guns, and the only ones who are happy are the guys who shoot them very infrequently.... as they are among the guys not having problems.

I put several thousand rounds through my first one, and it broke several firing pins. (Always use snap caps!!) After another break I sent it back. They kept it for three months and sent me a new gun.

You've got to shoot a gun a lot to become proficient, and if it won't stand up to that wear, then you'd be better off with a different gun.

I fired the second one a good bit, too... and it was very accurate as well. But one day, at the range, the slide came loose and locked, off rail, in the rearward position. I had to use a nylon mallet to drive it forward. It was okay after that, as there seemed to be no damage.

I had previously had a firing pin disintegrate at the range, and a trigger return spring break.

I no longer had ANY confidence in the gun.

If they've got the bugs worked out, they coud be OK guns -- but so bulky that they're not all that concealable.

But I think a small 9mm is better, or, if you've got to have a .32, the Kel-Tec P-32 is a better gun...
 
Well, since Kel Tec has introduced the most popular pocket pistol of all time, you should be able to buy someon'e Tomcat (traded in for the P-32)!

Junk baby. Sitting on the sheleves. If not a P-32, then a NAA Guardian.

Don't waste your money. Beretta 92 Brigadeer yes, Cheetah yes but no Bobcats or Tomcats - they jam!

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The Seattle SharpShooter - TFL/GT/UGW/PCT/KTOG
 
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