Beretta PX4 Storm Compact 15 Round 9mm 3.27in — Superb Carry Pistol

Description

The Beretta PX4 Storm Compact 15 Round takes Beretta’s rotating-barrel action and puts it in a frame small enough to carry. Fifteen rounds of 9mm, a 3.27-inch barrel, and the same locking system that converts recoil into rotation rather than muzzle rise. On a compact pistol, where light weight normally means a livelier gun, that matters more than it does on a full-size.

This is part number JXC9F21: a Black Bruniton steel slide over a polymer frame with a Picatinny rail, interchangeable backstraps, and fully ambidextrous controls.

Why the rotating barrel suits a compact

• Compact pistols are light, and light pistols rise more; the rotating barrel counters that directly
• The muzzle returns to the sights faster than on a comparable tilting-barrel compact
• Recoil feels smoother rather than sharper, which shows up on a long range session
• The bore stays parallel to the slide through the cycle
• Fifteen rounds in a frame that still conceals under an untucked shirt

What the compact frame gives up

• A 3.27-inch barrel rather than 4.10, so a little velocity and sight radius
• Two rounds fewer than the full-size gun, which almost nobody notices
• A shorter grip, which is what actually determines whether a pistol conceals
• Slightly more felt recoil despite the rotating barrel, simply because it weighs less
• Nothing in the controls or the manual of arms changes

Specifications

• Manufacturer: Beretta USA
• Part number: JXC9F21
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Capacity: 15+1
• Barrel length: 3.27 inches
• Barrel: Black steel, rotating
• Slide: Black Bruniton serrated steel
• Frame: Black polymer with Picatinny rail
• Grip: Interchangeable backstraps
• Controls: Ambidextrous
• Action: Rotating barrel, short recoil; double action / single action
• UPC: 082442154282

Fitting the grip

The Beretta PX4 Storm Compact 15 Round ships with interchangeable backstraps, and on a carry pistol this is worth more than it sounds. Grip circumference determines where the pad of the trigger finger sits, and that determines whether shots land left or right of where you are looking.

Fit each backstrap and shoot a magazine with it. With a firm grip the trigger finger should reach the trigger face without dragging the frame, and the bore should line up with the bones of the forearm. If you have to break your grip to reach the trigger, go a size smaller.

Carrying it, and what to feed it

A 3.27-inch barrel costs some velocity, which matters when choosing a defensive load. Most modern bullets are designed to expand at these velocities, but not all are, so run a full box of your carry load through the Beretta PX4 Storm Compact 15 Round before you trust it.

For practice, CCI Blazer Brass keeps the cost per round low enough to shoot regularly, which is the only thing that actually makes someone competent with a carry gun. Cartridge dimensions and maximum pressures are published by SAAMI.

The double action first shot

The Beretta PX4 Storm Compact 15 Round fires the first round double action and the rest single action, with a decocker to return it to that state safely. On a carry gun the long first pull is a genuine advantage: it is very difficult to fire by accident during a draw or a re-holster.

Why this pistol earns its place

• A rotating-barrel action in a compact, which nobody else offers at this price
• Fifteen rounds in a frame that conceals under normal clothing
• The Beretta PX4 Storm Compact 15 Round has interchangeable backstraps and fully ambidextrous controls
• A decocker and a double-action first shot, which suits carry better than a striker
• Beretta’s United States parts and service network is as deep as anyone’s

The Beretta PX4 Storm Compact 15 Round suits daily carry for someone who wants capacity and a soft-shooting action rather than the smallest possible gun. In a restricted state the ten-round Compact is the same pistol, and for a home-defence or range gun the full-size PX4 holds seventeen.

All firearm purchases ship to a licensed dealer and require a completed background check. Contact MAG5 Firearms if you need help arranging the transfer.