Beretta 86 fs

[theboyscout]

Any Information about berretta 86fs with the tip up barrel. Dependability, reliability, usage, self defence, price worth, opinions welcome.

Looking into a semiautomatic that does not have to be racked on the slide. Not a revolver. The berretta 86fs was the biggest caliber 380 that had this capability.

Any others out there, feel free to share.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

They are good pistols. Not sure if they are in production now, Beretta has some lines they cycle through so that doesn't mean they are gone for good. However, that gap seems to have driven the price up for now. I was looking for one but wasn't willing to pay the current market price for one. If you're good with the price for your needs then I would go for it.

 

[bannockburn]

i was looking for one a while back for my wife but never came across one. A unique design but pretty pricey.

 

[hAkron]

I bought a used one that was just like brand new. It's a very cool design. I haven't shot mine, but I assume it shoots about like my wife's 85FS. You can clean the gun without stripping it down, however, if you do want to take it apart, you have to drive out a pin. They must go bad after a few drive outs because in the box were a few extra pins. The only reason though that I could see to take the whole gun apart like that is to replace the recoil spring, so probably not something you would be doing a whole lot.

 

[Tacoma]

I had one for a bit. Figured I'd use it for newbie instruction. I found the recoil more than expected for a gun of this size in 380 so traded it off in favor of using a FS 9mm.
Personally, I think it was an OK range gun (and of high quality of build) but would not consider it for personal defense /house gun . Specifically, I would not want to depend on the flip up barrel option for loading in a hurry and under stress. ( My test is: Will the wife be able to load it under stress , in the dark at 3am? )IMHO, it just required too many sequential actions and familiarity of the controls to load it this way.

 

[golden]

I would avoid the BERETTA 86. I have one and it is a disaster. I bought it used and fired 19 rounds at the range before it broke. I had it fixed and then it broke after 41 rounds. None of the ammo I was using was cheap surplus or reloads or over pressure boutique maker ammo.
Both times it was the same part.
As far as I know, BERETTA has dropped producing or at least importing it.

Jim

 

[browningguy]

They were very good pistols back when the price was realistic, great for people with problems with their hands as you didn't need to rack the slide. All the ones I have seen lately are in the $8-900 range and personally I don't think they are that good.

 

[JohnKSa]

Both times it was the same part.

Which part?