Beretta Blog

There are two types of gun owners—those that are deeply in tune with how their guns work and those that simply like some old-fashioned trigger time. Those who like a deep-dive have a lot to study in the tiny Beretta Pico.

Have you ever gotten all worked up about something only to later figure out that whatever was causing anxiety wasn’t all that big a deal? I have. In fact, I used to spend way too much time and energy thinking about the optimum way to “zero” a laser sight on a pistol.

Since the laser can’t be in the center of the bore itself, it’s (by definition) offset from the path of the bullet. That means that, like a rifle and scope, you have to choose a distance at which the laser beam and bullet path will intersect. Let’s walk through the zeroing thought process using a Beretta APX RDO pistol. This pistol has a rail forward of the trigger guard, so I mounted a Crimson Trace Railmaster Pro.

I just read a story in the news about a foiled robbery attempt where a concealed carry permit holder intervened and stopped the crime. It made me pause and reflect on the types of decisions with which anyone who carries a concealed gun can face in a moment’s notice.

Right out of the box the Beretta APX is an awesome pistol for personal protection, competition shooting, or fun on the range. After putting a few hundred rounds through my new APX RDO, I investigated performance upgrade possibilities.

The firearms industry is susceptible to fashion trends, just like everything else. Over the last decade, as Instagram seized control of image-driven social media, "Everyday Carry" has become a thing. The high-fashion side of EDC has become cultish, but there’s something elemental to the viral fad.

Congratulations, you’ve decided you want to take responsibility for your personal safety and carry a firearm with you regularly. This is one of the most adult decisions you can make in your life because you’ve realized that there will not be a policeman around when you need one the most. 

A trip to your local gun store can be overwhelming for someone new to concealed carry. Almost all guns bear a striking similarity to each other. They’re almost all black. Most pistols incorporate a hefty amount of plastic and some steel. What sets them apart?

If you carry a defensive firearm or compete in practical pistol, you know consistent practice is the key to confidence and skill-building. We all need to practice more often, so we dry-fire at home to improve our skills without the time and expense of going to a range. Dry-fire is effective, and it’s something I do it on an almost daily basis, but at some point, the rubber has to meet the road and we need to put our plans into action and send rounds downrange. 

When I rounded the corner in front of my house, I could see into my backyard. The man was there, behind my garage. I had seen him earlier, when I’d left to pick up my son from school, just across the street. He looked out of place then, and I’d made a mental note of him. I even made eye-contact as I slowly drove by and gave him my best I-see-you look.

 

When loading a fresh magazine or changing to a new one, there are two ways to “recharge” a semi-automatic pistol. You can push down on the slide lock lever using your firing or support hand thumb, or you can go through a partial slide racking motion. Some on the internet will insist that choosing the wrong method will get you killed and result in Justin Bieber lip-synching Milli Vanilli songs at your funeral.