When you say you were "hoping to make it work", did you know when you bought it that it has issues?
It was maypoping, giving misfires. I can usually fix that with good ammo. But, it also was jamming, not just once in a while, but a couple rounds every magazine. I tried to fix it by fiddling with the magazine, this and that, not sure what the problem was, was getting improper extraction though and as the thing doesn't have an extractor, I was at a loss. I was thinkin' the rounds were riding too high in the magazine, but when I bent the feed lips down just a tad, then it wouldn't FEED, either.
But I couldn't fix the maypop issue with CCI or anything, either. So, I gave up. I just don't like that design. It belonged to a friend and it'd never worked for him, either. He's a little short up stairs with things mechanical and not really a gun guy. I figured I could make it work. Oh, well, wasn't HIS fault. LOL!
One of the things that irks me, though, if it's a Beretta, well, it was just your gun. If it's a Taurus, oh, they're all CRAP! I have three Taurus revolvers I have to defend on this board all the time. Well, I don't HAVE to, I just like to argue and they're great guns, in fact, my 66s are BETTER than the S&W 19 and Security Six that preceded them in my collection, better shooters, anyway.
You can argue stuff like resale value, but straight up shooters, the 66s are better, at least MINE are.
I just picked up an SR22 last weekend and put about 200 rounds through it Sunday, what a fun little gun! Not sure I'd call it a mouse gun but at 18 ounces it sure will be nice out walking the woods.
I think being a might larger is a good thing. Mine feeds ANYthing I've put through it so far and it shoots EVERYthing into 3" at 25 from the bench, bulk Federal into 2" and RWS target into 1.5". This is superior to any smaller guns I've ever fired. That Beretta wasn't even minute of BG head at 25 yards off the bench even when it did fire. The SR22 has real utility.
One little gun I have that I've bad mouthed on this board for its material of construction, but is cheap because of that and it's very reliable and amazingly accurate is the Phoenix Arms HP22. that thing will put rounds into 3" at 25 yards off the bench with CCI. I cannot recommend it as a range gun, though, because it's not very durable. I've had to fix issues with mine caused by the soft zinc frame and slide. The slide went back to Phoenix Arms early on. I don't have 2000 rounds through that thing, don't think it's got a 5000 round life span based on the issues I've had with it. It's a gun that is very pocketable, quite accurate for field use, but not capable of much range use. It's got a lifetime warranty and PA is very good about customer service, but heck, I've had my SR22 for 2 months and already have as many rounds through it as I've put through that HP22 in 20 years.
It just won't hold up to a lot of range use. The OP is about a range gun and I don't think the HP22 is it. He needs to try the Taurus, see if it works for him. If not, move on to something else.
The SR22 works for me, have a little .22 Rossi revolver I LOVE that's even MORE accurate. I've considered the Bersa, very good reviews out there on that one, but bought the Ruger instead when it came out and am very happy with it. It'll fit in a large pocket or on the belt when I go fishing.
As you said, it's quite light.