Beretta PX4 Storm Handgun Review

I am a member of the NRA and a firm believer in second amendment rights, so of course I keep guns in my house. In addition to my hunting rifles and shotguns, I keep a loaded handgun in the dresser by my bed, and it's in a drawer right at arm's reach. If I ever need it, I can roll over and grab it without having to get out of bed. This is why I need something easy to handle in case I need to act quickly, because you just never know who might kick down your door in the middle of the night.

Prior to buying this Beretta PX4 Storm, I had a Smith & Wesson Sigma Series in a .40 caliber and I really disliked the heavy trigger pull on it. That handgun was difficult to shoot and not good for target shooting because it would tire out your forearms muscles too quickly. Some people like that heavy trigger, but it wasn't for me. While shopping for a replacement, one of the key factors I wanted was something that had a lighter trigger, and that's part of what led me to the PX4.

One of the unique design traits of this gun is that it has a rotating barrel. When you slide the action back, you can see how the barrel spins around. This design is to help reduce recoil, and it works. When I fire this handgun, I can feel that it doesn't jump as much as my old S&W Sigma. Accuracy is no concern and I was drilling targets without having to adjust the sights at all. I mean that. It came out of the box ready for action.

My only complaint about this gun is the way in which the safety works. If you have the safety off and you slide the action back to chamber a round, the hammer will remain cocked back. However, if the safety is on and you slide the action back, the hammer fill fall. It will scare you the first time it happens and people tend to jump when that hammer snaps back with a loud click after a round is chambered.

There is no doubt that this is one of the best looking guns on the market today. It has been used in a variety of movies like The A-Team and Inception, and Jack Bauer carried one in the TV show, 24. The ducktail rear of it adds to comfort as well as styling, and the lines of it are quite nice. The looks of a gun should be secondary to its performance, but Beretta got it right on both aspects with this one. Simply put, it feels natural in your hand.

In the end, I am very happy with my Beretta PX4 Storm. This is an excellent handgun for target shooting, home defense, or both. It retails for @ $500. (By comparison, the Stoeger Cougar uses basically the same design and is cheaper, but I didn't like the texture of the metal on it.)