I have been thinking of picking up either the Beretta APX or the Tomcat in .32 acp with rebate. Both look like great buys.

The Tomcat has a reputation of wearing out quickly.

Beretta ships them with heavier dual recoil springs as of about three years back. That and the wider black slides after s/n 430xxx (and all Inox slides)makes them more durable but a worse trigger

A used Walther PP or PPK is a better shooter (and I have owned half a dozen Tomcats including a few Titanium models with Ti frames)

^^^ After watching one break on a Military Arms Channel vid a couple years back, I should hope that Beretta addressed the issue. Rumors and hearsay were one thing, visual evidence takes it to whole 'nother level.

I don't watch MAC videos anymore after learning how he lacks integrity. Which did he break? The one where I he smacks the overloaded magazine in?

Both those models are "new" design so interesting to see he's had issues...but he's got a history of causing his own issues (e.g. Sig 556R)

Thanks for the video. Leaning towards APX now.

The APX will prove far more durable.

And yes, PGT, I agree with you about that youtube channel and its publisher. I will no longer watch his nonsense and I would prefer that his videos never show up in this forum.

quote:

I will no longer watch his nonsense and I would prefer that his videos never show up in this forum.

Understood. It won't happen again from me.

From just now reading the comments that were posted with the original YT vid, there was one post that was very pertinent about the content provider's use of S&B ammo that supposedly is too powerful--too high muzzle energy--for the factory specifications of the Tomcat, which is presumably found in the owner's manual since it wasn't on the product page on Beretta's website (I couldn't verify the owner's manual source since I don't own a Tomcat and Beretta.com didn't have a link that I could find to download it). It was said by the shooter in the video after the trigger failure, that approximately 100 rounds of ammo had been run through the gun by the time that the trigger broke, though it isn't clear if all of that ammo was the supposedly over-spec'd S&B. But the use of ammunition that evidently had overpowered the engineering and build of the pistol would certainly explain why the gun failed.

I have to say that's the sort of limiting specification I never would have considered if at some point I had actually thought to buy a Tomcat (or for that matter, most any other current production firearm). With the realities of .32ACP production and shipments here in 2023, I would've happy just finding ANY load in these COVID-impacted days let alone two years ago when the vid was made, never thinking that I should first verify in the owner's manual for appropriate loads that the gun can tolerate, despite all the claims on the suspect durability of the Bobcat design. I suppose that's one of those 'shame on me' moments, but it's kind of how we've become wired (and spoiled) given how reliable so many gun designs are these days. But when considering a gun for purchase, I'd hazard a wild guess that most of buyers (aside from some first-timer customers I've experienced at the shop) aren't keen to looking over the digital copy of the owner's manual before making the decision to buy or not buy. Not that anyone can easily find it on Beretta's website in the first place (see above).

Frankly in my imaginary shopping scenario, if I had known that the Tomcat had that sort of ammunition limitation, that in and of itself would make it an intolerable 'no bueno' from the very start.

The safety of the Tomcat is designed such that if it's on and you try to pull the trigger way too hard, you can break stuff. The manual does show ammo restrictions based on muzzle energy in an optimal range, or, at least it used to.

Here's the thing about the Tomcat and Bobcat...they're belly guns. They're not range guns. There's little point using them regularly at the range; they're not meant for that. They're intended for deep carry and "get off of me" standoff distances.

I carry a 25acp Bobcat 21a. Why? Because it's not rimfire, it fits nicely in any pocket, I got it cheap at a pawn shop, it's 100% reliable and if I had to use it, I wouldn't miss it. Mostly though, it's to scare off the black bear, coyote and random thru-hiker in the woods by my house if we're out for a walk.

With the prices after rebate on these new APX's, it's hard not to think they fit the same bill but better with modern 9mm loads. I'm still stuck on DA/SA for carry however.

I bought one, shot it 20 times and took it to the gun show and sold it! It's about the size of a G19 with a 7rd mag, Not a bad gun, just didn't do anything for me. Sold it for $300 and got the $50 rebate. I turned around and bought a Sig P365 and I'm enjoying it.

It is not the size of a Glock 19.

Probably referring to the APX A1 compact vs the Carry sized APX A1 pistol.