The 6 Best Beretta 9mm Pistols

The 6 Best Beretta 9mm Handguns

Beretta is one of the biggest brands of pistols, but which are the best Beretta 9mm guns to get for the neophyte? After all, you have to get your toe in the water somewhere.

Just like asking which is the best Smith and Wesson revolver or the best it's less the case as there's a best one but rather a best one for a specific purpose. A gun is a tool, and there is a right tool for a specific task.

What are they, though? Let's have a look at 6 Beretta pistols.

Beretta PX4 Storm Compact: A DA Beretta 9mm Perfect For Concealed Carry

The Beretta PX4 Storm Compact is quite possibly the best of all possible worlds. It combines old-school hardware and wholly modern design features.

The PX4 Storm platform is a modernised DA/SA pistol, with a polymer frame to reduce carry weight and a smooth slide for easy draw. It comes in Full Size, Compact and Subcompact frames, though the Compact is arguably the most popular model. The operating system is much like the venerable 92, with slide-mounted decocking safety levers.

The party pieces are the rotating barrel and the polymer frame, which also includes swappable backstraps. While not the lightest at 27 ounces unloaded, it's much smaller than many other DA/SA pistols, with a 3.27-inch barrel and overall dimensions of 6.8 inches long, 5 inches tall and 1.42 inches wide. There's even a rail for a laser or light. The DA trigger is smooth, pulling steady to the back without stacking, which makes DA operation much easier. It's one of the better DA triggers for the price point.

It holds 15+1 of 9mm, meaning you get the same capacity and manual of arms of the classic 92FS in a pistol you could actually carry everyday. Arguably, that makes it the best Beretta 9mm of them all.

Beretta 92/Beretta M9: The Original Beretta 9mm

Then again, the classics are classics for a reason and the and/or Beretta M9 is exactly that. It is one of the most successful pistol designs of all time. They are laser accurate, easy on the shooter and - with a bit of care - are iron-clad when it comes to reliability.

The 92 is a DA/SA pistol, with slide-mounted decocking safety levers. It carries 15+1 rounds, and though it wasn't the first Wonder Nine (that would be the Browning Hi Power, or arguably the Smith and Wesson Model 59) it is certainly the most famous.

It is a beast, however. Barrel length is 4.9 inches, and overall dimensions are 5.4 inches tall by 8.5 long by 1.5 inches wide. It weighs 33 ounces unloaded, so it isn't really the best CCW gun...but there are folks who do conceal it on the daily.

The Beretta 92FS was adopted by the US military (and other militaries) and dubbed the M9 in their nomenclature. It has served well in that role. The 92FS is also one of the most popular service pistols for . It isn't the easiest gun to carry, but you'll know why it's so popular.

Beretta APX: The Modern Beretta 9mm

The Beretta APX was the proverbial hat that Beretta threw in the ring for the XM17 handgun trials, as the US military was seeking a new handgun. They picked the Sig P320 (aka Sig M17) but Beretta is selling it anyhow.

While known for double action autos, the APX is a polymer-framed striker-fired handgun. In essence, an Italian Glock. However, in typical Italian fashion, it has panache.

Per Army specifications, it has modular backstraps so you can alter the grip, along with ambidextrous slide release levers and a switchable magazine release. The grip housing has understated finger grooves for comfort and a good shooting grip. The slide is machined to be uber-grippy, so you can run the gun in any conditions.

You can order the base gun, or get one of the tactical models as extended barrels and red dot optics are available with this platform. It makes a great tactical pistol, for those wanting one. A compact version - the APX Centurion - is now available too. A Carry model, a slim single-stack subcompact, is also available.

The party piece on the APX is the ergonomics, as it is incredibly comfortable to hold. The full-size model has a generous backstrap for a high, right grip. The trigger is not exactly custom 1911 grade, but is very decent among the polymer striker gun segment.

Overall dimensions are 7.55 inches long, 5.6 inches tall and 1.3 inches wide, with a 4.25-inch barrel, so it's a service gun through-and-through. Unloaded weight is 28.24 ounces, and carrying capacity is 17+1 of 9mm. If you prefer a big plastic fantastic, this is Beretta's take on the format. Most reviews indicate it's one you shouldn't miss.

Beretta APX Carry: A Beretta 9mm Subcompact Single Stack

The Beretta APX Carry is a single-stack subcompact, perfect for easy concealed carry. The APX Carry is to the APX line as the Smith and Wesson Shield is to the M&P series by that brand; a tiny, single-stack variant of their striker firing system.

The APX Carry holds 6+1 of 9mm with the flush fit or pinkie extension magazine, or 8+1 with the extended magazine. It's slim, at less than 1 inch wide, and quite compact with a 3-inch barrel. Weight is just under 20 ounces unloaded. As a result, it's easily concealed and barely noticeable to carry.

And with an MSRP of about $350, it's definitely a Beretta that's worth eyeing for CCW purposes.

Beretta PX4 Storm: Big Beretta 9mm For The Digital Age

Everything good about the PX4 Storm Compact in a package, making it even more accurate, even more shootable, which has actually made the PX4 Storm a popular service pistol. While it wouldn't make the best daily carry gun due to sheer size it actually isn't a bad choice if one carries a full-size as their daily carry gun.

The barrel length is 4 inches, and the magazine capacity is increased to 17+1 of 9mm. That brings overall dimensions to 5.51 inches tall, 7.68 inches long and 1.42 inches wide. Weight is 27.7 ounces unloaded. Not tiny, for sure, but not desperately impractical for carrying.

Beretta 92X Compact: A Big Beretta 9mm That Conceals More Easily

New for 2020 is a fresh take on the Beretta 92, the 92X series, and the concealed carry-friendly version is the Beretta 92X Compact, which is essentially the CCO model of this product line. It has the Centurion slide and 4.25-inch barrel, and capacity is 13+1 of 9mm, though aftermarket magazines will hold 15+1.

The 92X series incorporates a number of improvements to the /92 to make the gun better in a number of regards. The classic slide is ditched in lieu of the Vertec slide, with dovetailed front and rear sights. The front sight has a high-visibility orange insert, for fast sight acquisition. The grip housing is also shaved for a straight grip, much like the M9A3. This reduces the trigger reach, and makes the pistol a lot easier to shoot really well.

The 92X Compact has a slightly reduced beavertail and a slight radius to the grip housing for easier concealment without printing, and can be ordered with or without a Picatinny rail for mounting accessories. You can choose either the FS model or a G model, if you prefer a decocker rather than the decocking safety. This is definitely the EDC model, though Centurion and Full Size 92X pistols are available too.