Beretta Tomcat .32 ACP

[mrnic3guy1989]

I have a Beretta Tomcat in .32 ACP it is an older one which I have learned can have issues with cracking. I would like to know if Beretta will swap it with a new version?

 

[4v50 Gary]

Write Beretta. Let us know what they say. I also have one of the early ones that I bought when they first came out. Never shot mine, but my buddy who bought one at the same time did and his firing pin popped out.

 

[mrnic3guy1989]

Yea I'm gonna contact them after I get back from vacation don't want the hassle right now lol. I Will let you know though.

 

[marb4]

I had a "new" one in stainless that cracked after about 50 rounds. Its long gone now. Overall I really like Beretta but my tomcat was a real disappointment.

 

[mrnic3guy1989]

I've been hearing mixed reviews I love it and I have has no issues just want a new one. I really wld like to trade it for a pocket pistol in 9mm but my mom gave me it.

 

[MAKster]

I have read that Beretta will give you a new frame if it cracks, but I don't think they would give you another frame if it hasn't cracked yet. Since the problem is caused by the slide, the frame will likely just crack again.

 

[TennJed]

I have a bobcat 22lr and really, really, really want a tomcat, but the cracking issues have kept me away

 

[420Stainless]

My wife has had a stainless one for quite some time with no issues. In fact, everytime I shoot it I want to find a way to steal it from her. I really like it.

 

[HankR]

tomcat was a real disappointment.

This.

Is yours even broken (yet)?

You should try to get them to replace it, but it was very difficult getting them to replace ours with the similarly flawed model when it was brand new. The new "Inox" had just come out, and they flat out refused to give us one of them instead of the defective gun. That, plus the fact that you can get a decent .380 in a similar sized package makes the process almost not worth the effort.

 

[marb4]

The frame on my Inox cracked in the same spot all the Tomcat's do (the ones that crack anyway).

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I had one of the early ones. Broke several firing pins despite using snap caps. (I was trying to "improve" the trigger by dry-firing. The firing pin hit so forcefully, it would "crater" good quality snap caps quickly -- you really had to watch out! The first failure took Beretta several months to fix.

Later, I was using it at the range -- the trigger had finally gotten to the point where I liked it -- when the slide came off the rails and got lodged/jammed. It took a rubber mallet to get it loose and back on right. Got it reassembled, found no damage, it shot fine, but I later sold it -- fully disclosed to the next buyer (who tried it before buying.) Never heard back from him, so it must have been alright.

I never encountered cracking issues (frame or slide), and suspect the problems I had were related to a new model with the kinks not worked out. Seemed like a nice little gun, but the idea/theory never quite lived up to the reality, for me. They seem to be less troublesome, nowadays.

Because of the numerous problem I experienced, I lost confidence in the gun and the design. A bit chunky for such a small caliber, and some gunsmiths just won't work on them -- apparently it's so small that working on the internals is a real pain. I much prefer the Kel-Tec P3AT and Ruger LCP as better "pocket guns" (with their hotter .380 round), but they're a lot less pleasant to shoot.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Just shoot the weakest 32 you can fine and should last.

 

[Cornhusker77]

The frame cracked on my Tomcat
Beretta didn't want anything to do with it
Worst customer service in the industry as far as I can tell.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Cornhusker77:

Was the gun registered at Beretta with you as the original owner? (Did you send in the original warranty card, have proof of purchase, etc.?)

If so, I agree with you. If not... I think Beretta should at least have offered a new frame and some support at a reduced price.

 

[JERRY]

i wanted a .32acp tomcat stainless for a long time but, the way they got around the cracking issue was to noticibly beef up the gun. that took away the reason i wanted one.

 

[Cornhusker77]

Cornhusker77:

Was the gun registered at Beretta with you as the original owner? (Did you send in the original warranty card, have proof of purchase, etc.?)

If so, I agree with you. If not... I think Beretta should at least have offered a new frame and some support at a reduced price.

I think the issue was that I had had it over a year, so they felt no need to stand behind their product. I joined the Beretta forum hoping to find answers, and found a lot of people with the same issue, and no satisfaction from Beretta.
By contrast, I bought a Springfield XD 9 used. It had problems with the extractor so I contacted Springfield to see about buying a new extractor.
They told me it's a fitted part and I'd have to send it in. They paid the shipping both ways, fixed the gun, (it took one week from my house back to my house,) and never charged me a dime.
The best and the worst CS in the gun world in my opinion.
Beretta might make nice guns, but so do a lot of companies.
By the way, the crack on my Tomcat was on a very thin piece of metal in the frame right above a pin. It doesn't seem to have a lot of structural need but the piece kinda bent up and would catch. I broke it out and the gun operates fine.

 

[HexHead]

I have read that Beretta will give you a new frame if it cracks, but I don't think they would give you another frame if it hasn't cracked yet. Since the problem is caused by the slide, the frame will likely just crack again.

No, they beefed up the frame on the newer ones. I had an early one and sold it before it gave me any problems. Nice pistol, but heavy for it's size.

 

[k80]

No, they never changed the frame. They beefed up the slide only.