Beretta APX

Status
Not open for further replies.
potmetal

potmetal

Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2010
Messages
460
Location
Missouri
A local shop had some new APX models on closeout. I picked up a brand new Centurion 9mm for $329.
It's a nice feeling gun, good ergo's, Beretta quality. I'm surprised these aren't more popular.
It may be a week or two before I can get it to the range but I look forward to shooting it.
 
Ok, 2 questions for any APX owners.
1) does the button that releases the take down lever get looser with use? This thing id a bear to use.
2) is it normal for the recoil spring assembly to fall out when you take the slide off? Everytime I take the slide off the spring falls out. When I reassemble it, it is set in place and stays put. Does it come loose in the slide during use?
 
potmetal said:
Ok, 2 questions for any APX owners.
1) does the button that releases the take down lever get looser with use? This thing id a bear to use.
2) is it normal for the recoil spring assembly to fall out when you take the slide off? Everytime I take the slide off the spring falls out. When I reassemble it, it is set in place and stays put. Does it come loose in the slide during use?
Click to expand...

My take-down lever has not loosened one bit in the past year plus.

The recoil assembly on mine can fall out on disassembly.

Still though, good pistols.
 
Nice pistols, my complaint was the overly wide slide for concealment and I just couldn’t shoot it as well as my Glocks, despite the nice trigger. Never could determine why, but it was.

Very nice gun and a whale of a deal for the price they go for.
 
potmetal said:
Ok, 2 questions for any APX owners.
1) does the button that releases the take down lever get looser with use? This thing id a bear to use.
Click to expand...
I don't own one, but have watched a bunch of APX field stripping videos on the net. An awful lot of them are bad. It's possible you're following some bad recommendations. A couple of observations.

1. It's not a SIG. Don't lock the slide back to take down the gun. The slide should be forward. It will take a bunch of pressure off the recoil spring and make take down easier.

2. Don't try to pull the trigger, push the take down button and rotate the take down lever all at the same time. Release the striker tension first, either by pressing the striker release button or pulling the trigger. After that is accomplished, then push the take down button and rotate the take down lever. It simplifies matters and allows you to concentrate on the take down button and lever.

- Some videos show pressing the take down button against the edge of a counter top/table or on a block of wood, not using your fingers to do that work. That seems like a good idea.
 
My take-down pin has loosened somewhat (or I just got so used to it & better at doing it) because I have no trouble now. Three years in with it and can't remember the last time I struggled to break it down. My recoil spring has never just fallen out on disassembly. APX 9mm Centurion.
 
JTQ has this nailed. I was basing my take down procedure on how I do my M&P, and what I saw on a Youtube video. Last night I found another video that laid out the procedure just the way he said and, sure enough, it worked much better and my recoil spring stayed put.
Thank you all. Lot's of good people here.
 
I'm glad we were able to help.

I frequently see folks lock the slide back on the M9/92FS for field stripping, which is also not needed. It is common to see folks taking the PX4 out of battery before pulling down the take down tabs (like a Glock) - the PX4 doesn't need to be taken out of battery, just pull the tabs down.

There is one APX field strip video on "the net" where the guy is using, I think, a screw driver to push the take down button, and ends up driving the take down lever all the way out of the gun. He does it more than once, and I believe this is a follow up video to one where he had greater difficulty field stripping the APX. Watching it, I kept thinking Beretta should pay that guy to take the video down until he learns how to field strip the gun. It was painful to watch, and I don't even own an APX.
 
That's exactly the video I found. I just took down the gun again, just for practice, and all was good.
Thanks again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JTQ
I wish I could come across a .40 copy to go with my full size and compact 9mm models. I've read reviews also on Berettas website that it seems nearly impossible to push or remove the sights
 
I drifted my front sight a bit, and yes, it was a pain to move it. I used a hammer and brass rod, and tried both the front and rear to see if either was easier than the other, and it wasn't.
 
Last edited:
potmetal said:
Ok, 2 questions for any APX owners.
1) does the button that releases the take down lever get looser with use? This thing id a bear to use.
2) is it normal for the recoil spring assembly to fall out when you take the slide off? Everytime I take the slide off the spring falls out. When I reassemble it, it is set in place and stays put. Does it come loose in the slide during use?
Click to expand...
FWIW- the takedown lever seems a little tricky at first because you have to press the button in hard while rotating the takedown lever. The owners manual does provide good instructions on field stripping that are worth studying carefully. I grasp the (empty) pistol in left hand, draw the slide back slightly with fingers of same hand and use a pen to press the striker release button. Then let slide go forward. Then, while pointing the pistol slightly upward, press the slide release button with right thumb and pull the slide release lever down with right forefinger while holding the button in with right thumb.
Give it a try.
Excellent deal you made btw. Enjoy!
 
JTQ: Excellent video. So simple. Before I decide to buy an unfamiliar gun..... I first watch a video about the field strip/takedown process.

For people who don't seem to know about such Youtube videos, this might help:
when finally in a gun store (any FFL) to pick up a new type of gun, it can help to ask Whether store staff know how to break down a gun.

Whatever the problems caused by lousy, unhelpful Youtube vidoes,
watching the Ruger Mark 1,2,3 (.22LR) field strip--process--done correctly, makes any of this seem pretty easy.
 
Last edited:
I own 3 APX pistols. My take down lever has gotten easier to use with use. Was tight at first but now it's easy. I wonder how many rounds and how often have For the people who say theirs did not become easier to use, I wonder how many rounds and how often they actually broke down their examples? I put over 2k rounds through one of mine, and I have stripped it down to bare components for cleaning after every range session and after carrying it for a few weeks.
 
Styx said:
I own 3 APX pistols. My take down lever has gotten easier to use with use. Was tight at first but now it's easy. I wonder how many rounds and how often have For the people who say theirs did not become easier to use, I wonder how many rounds and how often they actually broke down their examples? I put over 2k rounds through one of mine, and I have stripped it down to bare components for cleaning after every range session and after carrying it for a few weeks.
Click to expand...

2k rounds is pretty low for a call out post on other shooters. Mine is closer to 3k, but I'll wait a few thousand more before I start asking people if their guns even have holster wear yet.
 
Mars5l said:
I wish I could come across a .40 copy to go with my full size and compact 9mm models. I've read reviews also on Berettas website that it seems nearly impossible to push or remove the sights
Click to expand...
I just had fiber optics installed on my Centurion. Bought Beretta set, and they expressly say they must be installed by a gunsmith, if you look on their site they sell a $500 sight tool. Ridiculous arrangement, and i soured me to the Beretta APX line of pistols. Work by LGS was great and love the sights, but disappointed in Beretta's design of these.
 
NWcityguy2 said:
2k rounds is pretty low for a call out post on other shooters. Mine is closer to 3k, but I'll wait a few thousand more before I start asking people if their guns even have holster wear yet.
Click to expand...
Sensitive much? I was not calling anyone out nor was I trying to pull some kind of rank. I was inquiring that maybe the reason why their takedown lever was still stiff was because they did not have enough rounds through their APX and/or have not actually stripped theirs a significant amount of times to break it in completely. Most people do not EDC an APX, and it's not their primary range gun....

Like I said, I have a APX Compact, APX Centurion FDE, and APX Centurion Combat all puchased from different online venders from different parts of the country at different timeframes. All of them have broken in with use. Others have stated they had the same experience. I didn't think it I was out of line or insulting anyone by inquiring that maybe some are still stiff because the lever and the gun wasn't fully worn in yet.

Maybe you should stop being so sensitive and looking for insults where they do not exist? Maybe you were having a bad day or something? And, I stated over 2k. I stopped counting, but I know I have well over 2k at least. Would be more if not for ammo prices.
 
Last edited:
DTL said:
I just had fiber optics installed on my Centurion. Bought Beretta set, and they expressly say they must be installed by a gunsmith, if you look on their site they sell a $500 sight tool. Ridiculous arrangement, and i soured me to the Beretta APX line of pistols. Work by LGS was great and love the sights, but disappointed in Beretta's design of these.
Click to expand...
Their sight tool can periodically be had for $250 aka half price with free shipping. BerettaUSA routinely has 40% and 50% off sales. Still very expensive though... I use this sight tool that I purchased elsewhere new for $125. I pushed out the sights on two of my APXes with it. I agree though, it's usually not expensive, a much less pain in the butt, and you will be reimbursed if anything goes wrong uf you have a gunsmith install them.

Anyway, I typically wait for their sales which happen very often, and then I buy a bunch of mags and other components. This makes APX mags of any size $12-$17 each.

MM77qDh.png
 
Last edited:
I had one, really liked the trigger when I was checking it out at the store. Different story when I went to the range. It shot fine but the trigger would bite the crap out of my finger. It's like it would pinch the bottom of my finger between the trigger and trigger guard as it reset. That same day I shot 100 rounds through my HK and 100 through my CZ with no issues. Was painful to finish just 50 rounds through the APX. I sold it after that. I had high hopes for it but it just wasn't comfortable to actually shoot for me. Probably a fluke and a personal issue but I've never had that problem with any other gun or trigger.
 
Styx said:
Sensitive much? I was not calling anyone out nor was I trying to pull some kind of rank. I was inquiring that maybe the reason why their takedown lever was still stiff was because they did not have enough rounds through their APX and/or have not actually stripped theirs a significant amount of times to break it in completely. Most people do not EDC an APX, and it's not their primary range gun....

Like I said, I have a APX Compact, APX Centurion FDE, and APX Centurion Combat all puchased from different online venders from different parts of the country at different timeframes. All of them have broken in with use. Others have stated they had the same experience. I didn't think it I was out of line or insulting anyone by inquiring that maybe some are still stiff because the lever and the gun wasn't fully worn in yet.

Maybe you should stop being so sensitive and looking for insults where they do not exist? Maybe you were having a bad day or something? And, I stated over 2k. I stopped counting, but I know I have well over 2k at least. Would be more if not for ammo prices.
Click to expand...

I think you're the one who needs to take a deep breath and let it go. It was a silly post, not directly asking anyone the question, and the round count you dropped was quite low.

I don't typically emphasize round counts but I shoot at least 10k a year and have been doing so for over a decade. I also run a competitive shooting club and hold master in both the IDPA and USPSA.

If I feel the need to point out something silly, I'm going to.
 
NWcityguy2 said:
I think you're the one who needs to take a deep breath and let it go. It was a silly post, not directly asking anyone the question, and the round count you dropped was quite low.

I don't typically emphasize round counts but I shoot at least 10k a year and have been doing so for over a decade. I also run a competitive shooting club and hold master in both the IDPA and USPSA.

If I feel the need to point out something silly, I'm going to.
Click to expand...
"Was tight at first but now it's easy. I wonder how many rounds and how often have (they field stripped) for the people who say theirs did not become easier to use. I wonder how many rounds and how often they actually broke down their examples?"

That is a question (with typos), and a valid question IMHO. I did not make an assertion. I do not understand why you are getting so upset over it. You seem to be itching for an argument, and are being overally sensitive. Now you want to get into a general contest about which one of us shoots the most rounds a year? I am not sure how or why how many rounds you generally shoot in IDPA annualy has to do with the topic? I put over 2k rounds through my APX, broke it down a plothera of times, and within that round count on that gun, things loosened up. Whether that round count is low or high in on that particular gun in your opinion is irrelevant. I was pointing out a factual cause and effect. I put X amount of rounds through my APX, broke it down a bunch of time, and the effect was things loosened up, so logically that made me wonder if others who say theirs is still stiff at least had a similar round count AND field stripped just as often as I did.

Are you okay? Going through something?
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Mars5l
  • Locked
Beretta APX
2 3 4 5 6
Replies
131
Views
10K
Shipwreck
Shipwreck
T
  • Locked
Beretta APX : The most underated striker pistol of 2017
2
Replies
27
Views
3K
JR24
JR24
Shipwreck
  • Locked
Beretta APX and Orange Ameriglo sights
Replies
0
Views
378
Shipwreck
Shipwreck
E
  • Locked
Sad news for the New Beretta APX
2 3
Replies
74
Views
6K
GHinNH
GHinNH
cluttonfred
  • Locked
Nylon OWB holster for Beretta APX?
Replies
10
Views
715
cluttonfred
cluttonfred
Back
Top