[Papabear]

Had a opportunity to pick up a Beretta 950BS .25cal a short time back. I had shot one last summer and was impressed on its handling and performance. Picked up this one for $165 OTD, came with two mags and a reproduced manual. Good friend gave me a extra mag. I did have a chance to shoot it, but just briefly due to weather conditions. My best effort at 7 yrds with a standing free two hand stance was a 2 1/8" group using Remington UMC 50 gr MC.

The Beretta 950BS has a inertia type firing pin , OAL is 4 1/2" and has a 2 1/2" tip up barrel, empty weight is 8oz, mag capacity is 8rds. Frame is aluminum alloy with a steel slide. Its easy to clean and field strip. It travels nicely in the side pocket of my shaving kit, also carries well when I am in my PJ's or sweats, I am impressed with this little mouse gun.

papabear

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. The ones I've seen and shot in the past were as reliable as homemade sin.

Best.

 

[Chris Stephens]

Hi Papabear,

I have not owned the 950BS, but here is the second 21A Bobcat that I have owned in 5 years.

The Beretta 21 A is shown here with my Bob Mika pocket holster.

Count me in as a fan! I really like the diminuative Beretta small frame pistols. Mine is accurate and a nice deep concealment CWP handgun.

Chris

 

[erich]

Before seeing too many non-penetrative .25 shootings made me really leery of the caliber, I used to carry a 950 BS constantly. Really like the design.

 

[Papabear]

Erich,

Understand your feelings about the .25cal and thank you for your reply. I have had the same thoughts, and still do for that matter, but I would rather have a .25cal than nothing. In 1972, I witnessed a 200 lb + man stopped with a .25cal at a party one night, he rushed a guy over a dispute over the other man's wife, and was shot in the arm and it broke his upper arm, he didn't go down, but he stopped his attack. I admit it was a fortunate placement, but it did stop him from attacking the husband.

I mostly carry the 950BS around the house and while walking our dog or letting her out a night while I watch her. My normal CCW is a P-64, CZ82 or a Makarov in 9x18 depending on dress. I think no matter what caliber you carry, the most important factor is placement, regardless of caliber. Just my $0.02 worth.


papabear

 

[Chris Stephens]

Hi there,

Papabear, you should check out Bob Mika's pocket holster. They are very inexpensive and work very, very well.

I've heard my fair share of tales of small caliber self-defense scenerios over the years and some of them have had some pretty amazing "fatal" results.

I carry my Beretta 21A in situations where I have to walk the dog, go to the beach in the summertime down the block, or work in situations where carrying a concealed weapon is prohibited by company work rules.

Also, my orbits are reasonably tamer these days.

Placement is criticial with small caliber handguns and most of the time--I am more than confident I can make my shots land where I aim them. Particularly with my Beretta.

Chris

 

[erich]

Papabear, no criticism was implied for your gun - they're such fine guns that I felt I needed to explain why I no longer carry one! (There was a time when I carried two!

)

You know, I own a well-used hard leather pocket holster for the 950BS. Just send me an email if you'd like it - I love Bob Mika's holsters, but this little leather thing always served me well, and it's free to you if you'd like it.

 

[Papabear]

Erich,

No criticism taken at all, and thank you sir for your kind offer, PM sent.



papabear

 

[Papabear]

Chris,

Thanks for sharing the pics of your 2 Beretta 21A Bobcats, and the Bob Mika pocket holster, looks like a fine holster, Erich also mentioned them too. I have to admit I wasn't aware of them, I'll have to do some research on them, you can never have to many holsters, mine are mostly military types and they seem to breed in the dark, I have some I have no idea where they came from......

papabear

 

[carguy]

Papabear like myself jumped on the bandwagon of the Beretta 950. Several of us "drooling old farts" (inside joke) really enjoy their accuracy, concealability and high quality. Always need a bug and this really serves the purpose well. I had some shot shells for it that proved to be alot of fun atthe range but certainly not for ccw.

I love this little bug...

 

[florida1098]

I was looking at one today in a Delray Beach gun shop. They were asking $225. Looked real nice, will probably check again tomorrow.
I remember them being excellent point and shooters with no recoil. Ammo is reasonably priced also.
I may talk myself back their tonight.

 

[Papabear]

carguy,

I wasn't very impressed with mouse guns for a long time, but fate intervened and I got acquainted with the Beretta 950BS and the tide turned, I really like it for grab and run or with shorts and tee's, walking the dog or just around the house, never know who will be at your door at any time, day or night these days. I found out it is very accurate out to 10yds and its 6+1 capacity with the tip up bbl for me makes it a easy to carry pocket pistol.


Florida1098,

You are right about the little Beretta, I point shoot with all my CCW's, practice with them every chance I get, with the Beretta 950 its really easy to point shoot with it.

 

[claymore]

papabear, and other fans of the 950BS:

The little Hornady 35 grain XTP hollow point is 100% reliable in both mine and my wife's 950s.
(she looked mine over when I brought it home and said, "Where's mine?" - back to the gunshop!) The sharp-edged hollow point seems like it would cut into bone much better than a jacketed RN bullet, and the little buggers expand every time in water jugs. It's our carry load in both guns.

 

[oberstlt]

First shooting I ever responded to was a guy who took six (6) 25 ACPs to the headbone but still killed his commonlaw wife with the butcher knife. Those Berettas work but I am leery of the cartridge. I think I would prefer a 22 LR myself but I can tell you I will not volunteer to take a 25 ACP in the body. Still the guy lived and none of the 25s penetrated his skull. Lucky...

 

[degatesjr]

Remember the first James Bond movie, where M tells Bond he's going to stop carrying the Beretta .25, and the armorer will issue him a nine? Me personally, I always had a weakness for these guns. Weak cartridge, maybe, but an elegant design.

 

[pff]

Been a lot of tombstones bought with .25's

First guy I ever watched die of gunshot took a single .25 just above the heart. Went right down, tho it took him a while to bleed out. Then there was the guy I worked with whose wife put six of them in his chest and he was back in the office in a couple days. Had a case locally where a guy popped his ex through her open mouth while she was screaming at him. DRT Then he tried to kill himself and made it to the ER with one in the brain. Just shows how unreliable mouse guns can be.

Unlike .22LR in small autos, the .25 tends to go off every time.

While not as cheap to shoot as a rimfire, they have some hope of being effective.

I really need a 950 to add to the pile here.

Regards,

Pat