Beretta Model 70= Nasty Little Gun

[Redcoat3340]

Bought a Beretta m70 (.32 ACP) on a whim and as a possible pistol for my wife (we've got a Smith Model 30 in .32 Long , a 4" Model 15-3 .38 special, and Smith 422 to let her try an assortment). It's a nasty little shooter. Definitely not for her.

First round shot gave me a decent sized blood blister on the web of my thumb from the hammer/slide recoiling back. Ouch. Round hit the paper but not in the middle.

Next round went somewhere as I flinched expecting to get bit again.

Put on shooting gloves and that pretty much solved the hammer bite issue, but the recoil is sharp and vicious. I was all over the paper at 10 yds.

Decided it wasn't worth the effort, put the gun back in the bag after 30 rounds and went back to my 9's.

Much better.

(Anyone want to buy a slightly used .32?)

 

[Monac]

Wow. I've had a Beretta 71, which is the same gun in 22 with adjustable sights, and a Beretta 76, which is again the same gun with extended grips and barrel, and never had any hammer bite. They're excellent guns, IMO.

They are rarely seen in the US in 32, AFAIK. I've seen a lot of them in 380 and in 22, but few 32s.

 

[kozak6]

A good friend of mine has one in .380.

Each shot is like getting smacked in the hand with hammer. One magazine and you are done shooting that pistol for the day.

 

[bannockburn]

Redcoat3340

Have had the .22 version (Model 70S), for a lot of years now and have never had a problem with hammer bite; nor for that matter have any of the beginner shooters I have taught to shoot with this gun. Only thing I changed, besides having it hard chrome plated, was that I replaced the original oversized thumbrest grips with a factory pair that were flatter and more compact. If you have the oversized grips on your gun perhaps this is making you shift your grip and maybe cause the hammer bite problem.

I use to have a Walther PP in .32 and I always felt it kicked harder than the Walther PPK/s I had in .380.

 

[JN01]

I use to have a Walther PP in .32 and I always felt it kicked harder than the Walther PPK/s I had in .380.

Was it like a brick through a plate glass window?

 

[berettaprofessor]

You just trashed one of my favorite guns. Sure, I'll bite. How much do you want for it? No reason to leave a Picasso in the hands of a paint-by-numbers guy!

 

[bannockburn]

JN01

Nope not even close Q. Only gun significantly worse with more bite and a bit less bark was an Astra 600. That gun could punish your hand after only 50 rounds.

 

[Onward Allusion]

This is a very strange thread.

 

[wally]

This is a very strange thread.

Yeah, complaining about the recoil of a .32ACP.

Which .25 is the worst kicker?

 

[golden]

Not bad recoil

I had a BERETTA model 70 and thought the recoil was mild. The large grip area spread the recoil impulse. I sold the gun because this particular gun was a pain to disassemble compared to other BERETTA'S which are really easy. Also, I did not want a single action trigger.

I bought a .32ACP BERETTA model 82 and never looked back. They were the same size, but the model 82 has a double action trigger and is the .32ACP version of the BERETTA model 85 .380ACP pistol.

Jim

 

[commygun]

Have to say I don't get it. I have a 70S in .380 and it has very mild recoil. Unsurprisingly, since it's not a lightweight.

 

[chicharrones]

I'm sure the slide bite to the hand amplified the feeling of recoil in a blowback gun. If the gun doesn't fit the OPs hand and he always gets slide bite, then it's probably time to look for another pistola, unfortunately.

 

[HisSoldier]

Unsurprisingly, since it's not a lightweight.

It's not? I thought they had an aluminum alloy frame, to me steel framed guns aren't heavy. I'm just curious about it, are you comparing it to plastic guns?

 

[hemiram]

I had a 70 back about 35 years ago, it was a nice gun, and I only sold it because I needed cash. I made a decent profit on it. I never had any hammer bite from it (It's hard for me to imagine how you could even get it), and the recoil was no problem at all.

 

[bannockburn]

HisSoldier

Most Model 70s that I have encountered, including my own 70S in .22LR, have a steel frame. I think some models were available with an alloy frame (.22LR and .32ACP), and the weight difference would have been about around 5 or 6 ounces.

 

[Loosenock]

I have an earlier Beretta 70 in .32 and it is a dream to shoot. One of the easiest pistol to field strip and clean. Never been uncomfortable to shoot and very accurate. Only problem with it is trying to find another original magazine for it.

'loose

 

[Fishbed77]

Bought a Beretta m70 (.32 ACP) on a whim and as a possible pistol for my wife (we've got a Smith Model 30 in .32 Long , a 4" Model 15-3 .38 special, and Smith 422 to let her try an assortment).

More proof that husbands should not buy pistols for their wives based on diminutive size or small caliber.

A slightly larger short-recoil action pistol firing a more powerful 9mm round will be more comfortable to fire than a small blowback pistol firing .32 ACP or .380 almost every time.

 

[KeithR]

I have a pair of 84F's & a BDA (+ a 92& 96FS Inox) but DAMN, that is one sweet looking Beretta!

 

[HammsBeer]

The meat of your hand must be getting bunched up and riding over the beavertail to get any hammer bite.

I cannot see how a 23oz gun in .32 has bad recoil. Yea it's blowback, but there's not much power in a .32, unless the recoil spring is worn out or some other mechanical issue.

 

[Zerodefect]

I didn't like the .25 B at all. And it bit me.

 

[Lone Star]

Someone may have a fat hand. Also, if the frame is steel or light alloy and which grips are on the gun may be factors.

I had a M-34 .380 that I didn't feel had severe recoil. Did have a hard trigger, and about all I could do at 25 yards was palm-sized groups.

 

[BLU]

Redcoat... were you serious about selling? I've been shopping for such a piece to compliment my Beretta 1935 in .32 ACP. If you lived in Illinois, I'd be knocking on your door versus typing!

 

[Inazone]

I inherited a .380 about a month ago, and I too am having trouble imagining any "bloodletting" except in the case of having huge hands, which I do not. In fact, I expected it to be unpleasant, and it turned out not to be so, even though I'm accustomed to larger handguns in general, specifically compact and full-sized 9s with negligible recoil.

 

[armoredman]

I would love to try a gun like that, classic pistol in a classic caliber.
As for wives, I quit trying to pick her gun and she ended up with this one. She's happy.