Beretta 80X Cheetah 380 ACP 3.9in 13rd Black — Superb Carry Pistol

Description

The Beretta 80X Cheetah brings the .380 ACP service-size pistol back into a modern package. It carries the DNA of the Cheetah line Beretta built through the 1980s and 1990s, but very little on this gun is a straight carryover. The frame is new, the trigger is new, the slide is cut for a red dot at the factory, and the magazine holds thirteen rounds instead of the old eight. This listing is part number J80XBLK13, the black anodized model with a 3.9 inch barrel and the thirteen round magazine.

It pairs a full-size grip with a micro-compact frame, and that combination is a large part of why the pistol shoots as flat as it does.

The Beretta 80X Cheetah is a blowback .380 that behaves like a bigger gun

Beretta kept the open-top slide and the straight blowback action that made the original 80 series so pleasant to shoot, then went after the two complaints people always raised: the grip was wide and the trigger was heavy. The new frame uses a Vertec style profile measuring 1.25 inches across the grip, and the X-treme S double/single trigger pulls a noticeable amount of weight and creep out of both the first shot and the follow-ups.

Because the action is blowback rather than locked breech, the slide carries more mass and the recoil spring does more of the work. Beretta tuned both so the slide is easier to rack than most pocket .380 pistols, which matters for anyone with reduced hand strength. At the range the result is a gun that tracks flat and settles back on target without much effort from the shooter.

Carry features that are actually usable

The slide arrives cut for a micro red dot, so there is no milling bill and no waiting on a gunsmith. Under the optic plate sit three white dot irons that stay usable as a backup. A short accessory rail runs ahead of the trigger guard for a light or laser, and a beavertail at the rear of the frame keeps the hammer clear of the web of your hand.

The safety is frame mounted rather than slide mounted, so your thumb works it the way it would on a 1911 and the slide stays uncluttered. A skeletonized hammer trims reciprocating weight, and the anodized aluminum frame holds unloaded weight at 25 ounces, heavy enough to soak up recoil but light enough to carry all day in a proper holster.

Specifications

• Model: Beretta 80X Cheetah, part number J80XBLK13
• Caliber: .380 ACP
• Capacity: 13+1 rounds
• Barrel length: 3.9 inches
• Overall length: 6.8 inches
• Overall height: 4.9 inches
• Overall width: 1.4 inches
• Grip width: 1.25 inches
• Weight unloaded: 25 ounces
• Action: double/single with the X-treme S trigger
• Locking system: blowback
• Frame: anodized aluminum in black, with accessory rail and beavertail
• Slide: serrated and cut for a micro red dot optic
• Sights: three white dot
• Safety: frame mounted
• Frame size: micro compact

Why it is worth considering

• Optics ready from the factory, so a red dot costs you a plate and a screwdriver instead of a milling job.
• Thirteen rounds of .380 in a pistol narrower than most compact nines.
• An easier-to-rack slide and a genuinely light double action first shot.
• An aluminum frame that soaks up the recoil a polymer pocket .380 hands straight to your palm.
• Beretta fit, finish, and a service network that has supported the 80 series for four decades.

Who it suits

The 80X Cheetah suits the shooter who wants a defensive pistol that is enjoyable to practice with. Anyone dealing with arthritis, a hand injury, or reduced grip strength will appreciate how little force it takes to run the slide. It also suits the experienced carrier who already owns a 9mm and wants something lighter recoiling for warm weather without dropping down to a pocket .380 that is unpleasant to shoot. It is not the smallest .380 on the market and it is not trying to be.

If your priority is the flattest thing you can slide into a pocket, look elsewhere. If your priority is a carry gun you will actually train with, this is one of the better answers currently in production.

Ammunition, optics, and transfer notes

The .380 ACP is a standardized cartridge, and the pressure and dimensional specifications are published by SAAMI. Any factory .380 ACP load that meets those specifications will run in this pistol. Practice ammunition is inexpensive by centerfire standards, and we stock 95 grain FMJ range loads alongside 95 grain jacketed hollow point defensive loads. Because the action is blowback, very light bullet weights and reduced-power handloads can short-stroke the slide. Stick with standard pressure factory ammunition in the 90 to 100 grain range and it will run.

The optic cut uses a Beretta plate system, so confirm your red dot footprint before ordering. If you want a longer sight radius and a threaded muzzle, the 80X Cheetah Tactical runs a 4.4 inch barrel on the same frame. Every handgun we sell ships to a licensed FFL for transfer and background check, and Pennsylvania buyers should plan on the state point of contact check at pickup.