Px4 Storm: Good? Bad?

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Panzerschwein

Panzerschwein

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Hey all!

Well I've been on the hunt for the "perfect nightstand gun" which will be my dedicated home defense handgun.

I am wanting something in 9mm (we all know it's just as effective as the larger rounds but has a lot of benefits) and I want a DA/SA gun. No striker fired guns or SA only guns. Why? I leave my gun on the nightstand out in the open. I live alone, no kids. I want to be able to grab my gun and fire it as soon as I wake up. I'm a revolver guy by trade, so the DA trigger stroke and no need for a safety of any kind is natural for me. I simply do not trust to have a loaded Glock or other strike fired gun on my nightstand. The trigger is too light and has too little travel for me to be comfortable leaving it out of a holster.

So getting that out of the way, I really like what the Px4 Storm brings to the table. It's got a nice large magazine capacity of 17+1, is DA/SA. and they have a rail for a light (which I will defiantly want to add) and are night sights compatible.

But are they reliable? Are they effective guns? I know several U.S. police departments have adopted them, as well as a number of foreign LE/military entities.

I am looking for any and all feedback on this gun, good and bad. It meets my criteria very nicely and I'd like to get one but ONLY if they are known to be reliable and durable guns. If they have a penchant for jamming or are just not very good, I'd like to know about it.

So what do you say? Would the Px4 Storm be a good gun for my needs? Thanks all, I'd love to hear what you have to say!

Cooldill
 
I've shot one, and I owned a Cougar, which is essentially the all metal version of the PX4.

Both guns were very accurate and soft shooting. Personally I like the look of the PX4 also. I just think it's something different. Some folks don't care for the slide mounted safety/decocker though, so that's something to think about. It doesn't bother me, and the decocker doesn't bother me on my Wilson Beretta B92 Brig Tac either. You could convert it to the G configuration which is decocker only.

I think it would be a great choice for a HD gun. You know I'm a revolver guy too, so I can vouch for the trigger being decent, and yes, having that nice long and smooth DA revolver like pull on the first shot. Of course, it'll be SA only after the first shot, unless you get a DAO model.

Just a thought, but you may want to look at the FNX-9 also. If you are willing to pony up the money, an HK P30L would be a truly excellent choice as well. I've got an HK45 and VP9, and both have been 100% reliable so far and look brand new, despite having many hundreds of rounds through them. I don't need it, but I want a P30L with the LEM trigger, and night sights. It's a big jump in price, but I think it's worth it. By the way, if you aren't interested in those guns, sorry. I wasn't trying to pull a fanboy move, like a lot of Glock lovers.

If you really like the PX4, I say go for it. They are under rated guns IMO. I'd happily own one if I had a need.
 
I'm a Beretta fan. A sub compact 9mm Storm is on my very short list. I think a full size Storm would make a great night stand gun. My 92fs is mine.
 
I've been circling the Beretta 92/PX4 models for awhile. Here's some things I've found about the PX4.

Ernest Langdon has put some effort into the Compact version. There is a model he worked on coming out later this summer.

Here's some comments he's made on the Compact version. http://www.gunnuts.net/2015/08/17/ernest-langdon-and-the-beretta-px4/

The Yankee Marshal on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAzcz3zl8vU

The late Stephen A. Camp http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/shooting_the_beretta_px4_storm_9.htm

follow up report http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/shooting_the_9mm_beretta_px4_storm Updated.htm

If you buy before the end of the month, you get two extra mags free, and some other stuff. http://www.beretta.com/en-us/px4mag/
 
My 9mm IS my night-stand gun.ike you, I don't like the Glock style triggers and want DA/SA. Accurate and it was one of the first with switchable grip sized. But, truthfully, I also bought a PX4 45 and it shines in thy caliber. If I had to go to just one, it would be the 45.
 
I've been wanting a px4 compact or sub-compact for a while but as soon as the thought comes up I start to hear about reoccurring issues such as the rotating barrel design being a weak link (aside from the sub compact which uses a tilt barrel), accuracy issues, and guys having to hammer their slides open when the gun becomes dirty. I have also heard of reliability issues with the few departments that have issued the px4.

I don't know how much credence to put into these reports but I do remember the cougar had several issues with their barrel lockup and now it is sold under stoeger. The only hands on experience I have is with a 45 full size model that belongs to my brother. Personally, I can't hit the broadside of a barn with it but he is fairly accurate with it which I attribute to his large hands. Gun as only 200 rounds or so through it but has had no issues as far as I know, except 1 hang fire but that was the crappy ammo he bought.
 
VoodooMountain said:
I've been wanting a px4 compact or sub-compact for a while but as soon as the thought comes up I start to hear about reoccurring issues such as the rotating barrel design being a weak link (aside from the sub compact which uses a tilt barrel), accuracy issues, and guys having to hammer their slides open when the gun becomes dirty. I have also heard of reliability issues with the few departments that have issued the px4.

I don't know how much credence to put into these reports but I do remember the cougar had several issues with their barrel lockup and now it is sold under stoeger. The only hands on experience I have is with a 45 full size model that belongs to my brother. Personally, I can't hit the broadside of a barn with it but he is fairly accurate with it which I attribute to his large hands. Gun as only 200 rounds or so through it but has had no issues as far as I know, except 1 hang fire but that was the crappy ammo he bought.
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Wow, that's not good. I haven't heard that before.

I'd love to learn more about these issues. I am trying to absorb as much info as I can before or if I buy this gun.
 
I've had two, a .45 that had to go back to the factory several times for reliability issues, and a 9mm that wasn't accurate, shot way low. Went back to the factory who charged me $75 to tell me it was within spec.

If you like the rotating barrel design try the Grand Power 9mm, very accurate, reliable, and soft shooting. IMHO a much better gun than the PX4.
 
The 9mm PX4 was my very first handgun, purchased new 4 yrs ago. Since that time it has eaten a few thousand FMJ rounds of various ammo brands and weights without a single hiccup, ever. I've also tried 2 or 3 different types of SD ammo and they also fed/fired/ejected without a single issue. I now have no less than 6 pistols, including revolvers, 1911's, and a striker-fired VP9, but the PX4 is my nightstand pistol.

On range days when I just want to have a relaxed, trouble-free day of shooting, it's the PX4 that I bring along. It is more accurate than I am, and the groupings on the targets afterwards leave no doubt as to the accuracy of it's 4" barrel.
 
A good friend has a PX4 sub-compact in .40 and it is a decent gun, pretty accurate and easy enough to shoot but it does start to jam up when it becomes dirty. By the time it gets to 100 rounds or so, you better be thinking of giving it a good cleaning.
 
I have a full size c-style. The c stands for constant action trigger. It has no safety and no decocker. I like the gun a lot and have had no problems with it.
 
If you are looking for DA/SA in 9mm, might I suggest a Sig SP2022? Standard mag is 15 rounds, but you can get 17 round MecGars. If you can, try one.
 
I have a full size in 9mm that has been dead nuts reliable. It has well in excess of 5000 rds through it, factory, reloads all without a single failure. A good trigger and ultra reliable equals winner every time.
 
The controls are clunky looking (as in they stick out a good bit from the body of the gun). Looks like they could snag on clothing.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Let me address "Clunky" and "Snagging".

They are only "Clunky" till you use one, then you understand the design and how well they work for just about anything you could use a handgun for.

The only thing I have had issue with "snagging" (and everybody does) is the stupidly big decocker "ears". I have converted all of mine to the "G" model decocker non-safety version which is easy to do. Also, I have converted most of mine to the stealth decocker levers Beretta sells. Except for the last one. I ground down an extra set of safeties I had to a form I liked and then repainted them and put them on. That works just as well as the Beretta Stealth levers.

The PX4 is thicker than say my Sig P229. So I do notice it a bit more when I am carrying it IWB. However, the ability to carry full, compact or sub-compact is really nice. The sub-compact will accept the 13, 15 or 17 round mag with a X-grip. However, the sub-compact is not the same rotating barrel design.

For the money the Compact version is more gun than most people need.
 
The only thing I have had issue with "snagging" (and everybody does) is the stupidly big decocker "ears"
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They're also fairly squared-off, and make racking the gun quite uncomfortable (at least the direction of the controls doesn't tend to decock the hammer if you let your fingers slide over the lever while racking). I'd say 70% of the issue is the same as every other slide-mounted safety design, and the remaining 30% in how Beretta actually shaped the thing.

Very nice guns, very nice shooters; if Beretta made one with a frame safety I'd be all over it.

TCB
 
Yes, Barnbwt, is correct. The decocker/safety "ears" can make racking the slide uncomfortable. That is why each one of mine have gotten the stealth decockers or I have modified the originals to my desired profile (really quite easy with a bit of patience).

To me, if Beretta would just fix this, make them all "G" models (since those of us who use them regularly always do), and add the 96 D springs they would have a stellar seller.

There are a lot of people who are totally against the slide mounted decocker but I have had no issue with them. I also think the trigger in both SA and DA is pretty nice. Not perfect, but not bad at all.

Beretta finally got some of the metal triggers in stock and I ordered two to see how I like them over the stock unit. I will post that review and the SD review soon
 
Hey, Randy, I need a good IWB that would accept any of my PX4's. I have been using a cheap pancake but would like something a bit more stable.

Shoot me a pm if you would with a cost for a holster. I figure if you tool it for the Compact with an open bottom, the Sub-compact and the FS should fit just fine since the frames are the same.
 
blinkjr said:
If you are looking for DA/SA in 9mm, might I suggest a Sig SP2022? Standard mag is 15 rounds, but you can get 17 round MecGars. If you can, try one.
Click to expand...
+1, I have one and it is more accurate and reliable than my old PX4 9mm.
 
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