# Beretta Pico



## rich47 (Nov 17, 2013)

Hi everyone,
Can anyone tell me if the Beretta Pico .380 has hit the stores yet?
Where can I get one.
Thanks
Rich


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## Heidi (Dec 3, 2013)

Rich, I called Beretta two weeks ago and the answer I received was, (and I quote) "Good question".
I'm not holding my breath for 2013!


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## sftl97 (Sep 19, 2013)

Any word on availability?


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## warbird1 (Apr 17, 2012)

Nothing that I have seen yet.


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## Babbalou1956 (Sep 2, 2014)

Picos are still on the website but not available to buy. I was able to dig up a few internet rumors that Beretta held back production because of cracked frames. Not sure if that's true or not. For me there are times I need a really small, thin gun & I prefer DAO with second strike capability. If the Pico is still on ice by next spring I'm getting a S&W Bodyguard 380. Rented one & it was 100% reliable & fun to shoot. But cooler weather's ahead so my snubbies will be back in my jacket pockets again.


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## GCBHM (Mar 24, 2014)

Get the Glock 42. Best striker fire .380 available IMHO.


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## denner (Jun 3, 2011)

Babbalou1956 said:


> Picos are still on the website but not available to buy. I was able to dig up a few internet rumors that Beretta held back production because of cracked frames. Not sure if that's true or not. For me there are times I need a really small, thin gun & I prefer DOA with second strike capability. If the Pico is still on ice by next spring I'm getting a S&W Bodyguard 380. Rented one & it was 100% reliable & fun to shoot. But cooler weather's ahead so my snubbies will be back in my jacket pockets again.


I've been waiting likewise, very cool concept, with a change of a barrel it goes to .32cal and you can change out the frame, laser frame etc.... I agree or speculate there's gotta be something wrong with the Pico to delay it this long. Supposedly one of the smallest, thinnest, and lightest .380's produced,(you would think an engineering challenge) if they ever release it. :watching:


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## GCBHM (Mar 24, 2014)

It looks somewhat like the Kel Tec.


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## Hauptmann (Aug 2, 2014)

*Beretta Pico to ship later this year (?).*

Talked to Beretta USA a few minutes ago. The rep said that the Pico is due to start shipping *"later this year". * I hope it really happens.


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## Hauptmann (Aug 2, 2014)

*Beretta Pico Delivered! (but not to me).*

Beretta 1526 (an admin on the Beretta Forum) got his Pico a few days ago. He's hoping to get to the range this weekend. Can't wait to hear his report (BANG?). Maybe BUSA will start shipping to us mere mortals this year, after all.

*The Handgun: The State Flower of Texas*


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## Babbalou1956 (Sep 2, 2014)

I just found a couple of places online that didn't say "Out of Stock" or "Unavailable". Been waiting since last year. So I placed an order for a new Pico & it went through! If I get an email confirmation that it actually shipped I'll believe it. I ordered 3 boxes of FMJ & 2 boxes of what I'd use for carry if the gun likes them. I won't carry this in winter, my jackets hide the bigger guns quite well but for summer carry sometimes it will be this or nothing. Update; it just shipped.


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## Babbalou1956 (Sep 2, 2014)

My Pico arrived & I picked it up in time to get to the range today. It's tiny! That's why I got it. My wife couldn't guess which front jeans pocket it was in. Once I start walking it moves more horizontal & then you can see 2 little pointy corners sticking out just a bit. So easy to strip down & reassemble. I greased the slide rails, lubed it & took it to the range with 4 boxes of ammo; PMC FMJ, Armscor FMJ, Blazer FMJ & Precision One HP. Now the bad stuff: FAIL. Big time. First few clips of Armscor failed to extract almost every round. The empty casing jammed against the upper part of the barrel opening/forcing cone, whatever it's called. After a few magazines I tried the Blazer. Better. Noticeably more recoil but I got the same type of failures about 1/3 of the time. Same with the PMC. The Precision One felt a little less snappy but almost every round failed to extract in the same way. I think the recoil spring is just a bit too stiff & maybe needs a bit hotter load to cycle reliably & spit out the casing. I'll order some Buffalo Bore rounds & try again. They seem to be a little hotter from what I've read. It occurred to me I should have tried the magazine with the extension. Might have reduced muzzle flip enough to let the slide work better. The good news; no failures to feed, it's reasonably accurate for what it is, sights are very good, it's snappy but gets back on target instantly & the DAO trigger is VERY smooth. I'd guess about 9 pounds. Very similar to the S&W Bodyguard 380 I rented last summer but a little shorter & smoother trigger stroke. That S&W was perfectly reliable, at least with the FMJ I used. The Pico may be perfectly reliable with the right loads or after 250-300 rounds, I'll see. It's still new. The last few magazines did work better than the first ones so I'll give it time. If I can get 200+ rounds to work I'll get a pocket holster & start carrying it. If I can't I'll get rid of it & get the slightly larger S&W. I'm partial to DAO being a revolver guy for so many years. I'll post an update after a few more trips to the range with it.


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## Babbalou1956 (Sep 2, 2014)

Update: ZERO failures today! 220 rounds. One modification turned this paperweight into a useful tool. The manual reads "The Beretta Pico is designed to safely use the ammunition marked as +P. The extended use of +P ammunition may decrease the component part service life expectancy." So, I won't use +P but the recoil springs seem designed for it which explains the FTE I got yesterday. So I reduced the spring pressure about 10.5%. There are 2 recoil springs. The inner one is tiny, almost like it's out of a ball point pen. I removed it. Some guy online claims he did this & it fixed the FTE problem. I held a nut driver on the bathroom scales & pushed down on it with the front of the slide until it was far enough to engage the slide lock lever. Scales read 20 pounds. Did this again after removing the little recoil spring. Now 17.9 pounds. The foot pounds of energy of +P 380 vs standard pressure is way more than 10.5 % so I figured it should be stiff enough to avoid beating up the gun. Got to the range & bought a box of Aguila FMJ & Remington HTP hollow points. I shot those up, nearly 2 boxes of my leftover Precision One HP & finished off the rest of yesterday's box of Armscor. 100% reliable. The ejected brass didn't fall out & roll off my arm like yesterday. It spun out 2-3 feet to my right. I probably just voided my warranty but now the pistol works. Not a bad trade. Would I carry this now? Yes.


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## Babbalou1956 (Sep 2, 2014)

Trujicon was to make night sights for this but they're not on the website. Maybe they gave up after the long delay. The optional Lasermax frames aren't on Beretta's website either. Maybe in another year? Two? :anim_lol: I'll still carry this in the summer though when a bigger gun isn't an option. *Update: most accurate load for me so far is the Aguila FMJ. Biggest fireball is from the Remington HTP. : ) Probably not a good night option. My Snap Caps arrived but I've already put a few hundred rounds through the Pico.


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## Babbalou1956 (Sep 2, 2014)

After watching an impressive Youtube video I ordered 3 boxes of Lehigh Xtreme Penetrator ammo. They claim these may not work in all guns. Didn't work so well in my Beretta Pico. Loaded the clip, racked the slide & oops...that flat nose is stuck at the bottom of the feed ramp. Wouldn't fall out with the slide pulled back & the clip wouldn't come out. Gave the slide a little bump with my palm & it chambered. After that it jammed about 2 of 6 shots when firing. Same thing, bump the slide & it feeds. Accuracy was ok, about in the middle of the best & worst I've shot. Pricey stuff but leaves a heck of a "wound channel" in gel blocks for a .380, at least from what I saw online. Just a solid X shaped bullet, not hollow. Penetration in the video was between an fmj & a hollow point. I'll keep one round of this chambered but load my clip with Precision One XTP. Other news, I see that the laser frame is finally available but I'm changing my thoughts on those. When I first got lasers for my 2 Ruger LCRs I shot way better with them. Now I shoot just as well with iron sights, actually Trijicon night sights. Probably the same with the Pico so I'll save my money. Looks like Trijicon night sights are available for the Pico now so I'll give them a try.


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