TTAG: "Beretta Unveils The New 80x Cheetah .380 and 92XI 9mm Pistols, A300 Ultima Patrol Shotgun"

 Article here. The 92XI is a version of the Model 92 that is single-action only and, for that reason, has a safety mounted on the frame (as it should have been in the first place). The A300 is a semi-auto shotgun that has been modified to have many of the same features as the 1301, but uses a different bolt and gas system, so I guess time will tell if it is as reliable as the 1301. What really caught my attention was the 80X Cheetah (photograph below) because I have an older Model 84.

The New 80X

By comparison, here is a later model 84F (Source)

    Most people that own one of the older 80-series "Cheetah" pistols seem to really like them. They were DA/SA blow-back pistols in either .32 (the 81) or .380 (the 84 and 85) featuring either a single stack magazine (the 85) or double-stack magazine (the 81 and 84). Although much smaller than 9mm handguns of their day, they are larger than most .380 pistols. I think of them as full-sized .380s--as large as a .380 would need to be as a duty handgun, but no larger--and in fact their main purpose was to serve as a duty handgun for police and prison officials. Beretta stopped making the 84 in 2017 (I believe that manufacture of the other models had stopped earlier). I don't know if this new model was planned that far back or Beretta saw the popularity of the used models and decided to update the design, but the 80x is an updated version of the Model 84, featuring a 13-round magazine. I don't know if it uses the same magazine as the older 84, but I suspect (hope) that it does.

    The pluses to this model is that it features an optic cutout on the slide to accommodate a small red-dot, and the front sight is no longer milled into the slide but could, in theory, be replaced. I've also read one source indicating that the safety incorporates a decocker, which I would consider a plus as I've never carried my 84 cocked-and-locked but carry it with the hammer down. It has an adjustable trigger stop but I'm not convinced that will be an improvement over the trigger stop on the old models.

    The biggest downside to this new model, in my opinion, is the optic rail. Most of the people likely to purchase this firearm would probably do so with the intent of carrying the weapon. Weapon mounted lights and concealed carry typically do not go together because of the added bulk and weight. It also means that the weapon will not fit existing holsters for the 80-series pistols. The trigger guard also looks enlarged which I do not really like. Frankly, I prefer the sleek look of the older, rounded trigger guard on the 84BB (see below), because it not only is more aesthetically pleasing but it won't catch on something when being holstered. Even the 84F's squared off trigger guard is esthetically preferable to the oversized guard on the new model.

Model 84BB (Source)

    One thing that I'm curious about is the barrel. Beretta went to a chrome-line barrel on the 84F and I wonder if they have stuck with that or gone to a different barrel coating. 

Update: Here are "first look" articles from Shooting Illustrated on the new 80X pistol and the A300 Patrol shotgun.