Can the Beretta bobcat be carried cocked and locked?

[TrailRambler]

Recently aquired a Beretta 21a bobcat. The wife really likes it and wants to use for CCW, but she doesnt have alot of hand strength and has trouble getting off the first shot in double action mode. Could this gun be carried condition 1, "cocked and locked" as an alternative? Is this how people carried the old single action only jetfire 950 model?? (predecessor to the bobcat)?

 

[Bovice]

Does it have a manual safety? If yes, then you can carry it in SA with the safety engaged.

 

[MikeJackmin]

Some guns are safer than others when carried cocked and locked. The modern 1911 pistol has the thumb safety, and a grip safety, and a firing pin safety, which, in combination, render the gun safe even if it has been dropped.

With other pistols, it is possible (unlikely, but possible) that dropping gun may cause the thumb safety to disengage on impact, and if the gun take a second bounce, it may fire. A much more common failure mode involves an improper holster allowing the safety to slide off if the gun comes in contact with things while it is carried.

If you have a good holster that covers the thumb safety, and if the shooter has good trigger discipline, it's probably OK.

 

[jdh]

In a properly designed holster yes. Loose in a pocket or bag, not me!

 

[340PD]

Cocked and locked in a pocket, holstered or not, could present a lot of snagging issues. Removing a gun caught up in a pocket is dangerous enough, let alone one cocked and locked.

 

[Orion8472]

My 21a has a very stiff safety on it. Highly unlikely to be swiped off unless the intent is there. Still would carry it hammer down.

 

[groundhog34]

IMO no cocked and lock only works in a 1911 in a holster.
But again that is IMO I would not consider carrying the bobcat or tomcat this way

 

[kBob]

Friends that carried the Minx single actions carried them hammer down on a loaded chamber and thumbed back the hammer on drawing. Not sure I would carry a Minx that way. DA pull on every 21A I have tried did not seem to heavy to pull through for even little old arthritic ladies (several of whom were students in classes I taught.)

-kBob

 

[pockets]

Is this how people carried the old single action only jetfire 950 model?? (predecessor to the bobcat)?

Actually, the predecessor to the Model 21A Bobcat was the Model 20. The predecessor to the Model 20 was the Model 950bs.
I don't know anyone who carried a 950 Jetfire or Minx with the hammer cocked. My 1957 950b Jetfire doesn't even have a safety lever to 'lock' anything with. Beretta didn't add the safety on the 950 until after 1968...with the Model 950bs.
When I have carried my Jetfire, I carried it as designed; round chambered and hammer down.
My 21A Bobcat has a very nice DA trigger, quite smooth....as does my 3032 Tomcat. My Taurus TP22 (a sort of '21A clone') is DAO, no single action option.
.

 

[Pilot]

I have a 21a that I carry as a BUG sometime. Yes, it can be carried cocked and locked. Would I? No. I carry it hammer down with safety on, and it is in a pocket holster.

 

[wolf695]

As most have stated, the 21 bobcat is a good small cal. pocket gun. My wife too, has one! for safety reasons most times, carries it decocked with the safety on. It is a good old style beretta, made to take yrs of service. Ive never heard of the safety failing on one. For the first shot, I recommend cci shot shell 22lr, for personal protection.

 

[MedWheeler]

Wolf965 writes:

For the first shot, I recommend cci shot shell 22lr, for personal protection.

Could you expand on this some? In virtually every jurisdiction within the US, the discharge of a firearm in lawful self-defense requires that the shooter feel fear for his/her life, or that of another person. Most every jurisdiction also recognizes that such discharge, regardless of the round used, constitutes the use of "deadly force".

If one feels that "deadly force" is necessary, why should one use a round known to be unable to deliver it? If deadly force is not necessary, then the gun should not be fired.

 

[ku4hx]

For the first shot, I recommend cci shot shell 22lr, for personal protection.

Only if I felt my most likely assailant would be a rat ... the four legged variety.

 

[TrailRambler]

Thank you guys.

I was surprised that she was having so much trouble pulling the DA trigger, its a bit stiff since the gun is brand new but i wouldnt call it heavy. She is a lefty, so we assumed she should shoot with her left hand. I will have her try to shoot with her right hand to see if it is stronger.

 

[MICHAEL T]

For the first shot, I recommend cci shot shell 22lr, for personal protection.

I recommenced you rethink that nonsense .

If one feels that "deadly force" is necessary, why should one use a round known to be unable to deliver it? If deadly force is not necessary, then the gun should not be fired.

That's the reason why. Mine are loaded with 22 LR all the way not mouse shot.

 

[JohnRob]

I know some of us prefer stiffer safeties on BUG/carry guns, but for those who prefer it to work more easily, it is very simple to adjust especially on the little Beretta Bobcats. I adjusted it on my 21a to make it easier for my young son to operate the safety.

I just removed a very small portion of the safety plunger spring with cutters to get the right tension on the safety. I also smoothed out the tip of the plunger a bit by buffing it lightly with a piece of shop leather.

A replacement spring is just a couple buck from Brownells if desired for original tension or if you take too much off.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I wouldn't unless the holster was designed specifically for that purpose.

 

[j1]

Does your wife have trouble cocking the pistol? It is faster and easier to cock the pistol than it is to get the safety off. Then again my safety has only been used once to make sure that it works. It does.

 

[TennJed]

Lots of people carry the Sig 238 in a pocked cocked and locked without issue

 

[Ron James]

JMHO, carrying a pocket pistol cocked and locked in your pocket is a accident waiting to happen, sooner or later. Regarding the little Beretta, just carry a round in the chamber, then all she has to do is cock the hammer. or buy her a Kel Tec P 32. Again the is only my own opinion , but it is based on personal experience, the Kel Tec is more reliable.

 

[Jim K]

FWIW, that type of pistol was originally intended to be carried with the chamber empty and a round in the pocket. When it appeared the gun might be needed, the barrel was opened and the loose round dropped in the chamber, the gun closed and then cocked. Not very practical, but that was the way it was done. (A French police issue pistol of the same type even had a loop on the magazine floorplate for the extra round, which was not to be loaded unless necessary or under orders.)

Since I don't trust those guns in any carry mode, I consider them part of the collection, not using guns. Should I want to carry a .25 ACP pistol, I have Colt 1908's that have good safeties and even Astras I would trust further than the little Berettas.

Jim

 

[heeler]

You guys can carry them as you see fit but...
True story.
I was using a Colt Mustang Pocket Lite for a while in a Bianchi IWB holster appendix carry.
It too was cocked and locked.
One afternoon after coming home from work I started shucking my stuff to get into home clothes.
After pulling the holstered gun out I also would then pull it out of the leather holster to wipe it down.
That's when I noticed that somehow or another the safety had been disengaged and that light trigger single action firearm had been menacing my manhood for no telling how many hours.
I will never carry a cocked and locked single action pistol again.
I sold that Colt and bought my PM9.

 

[JWH321]

Yes it can. No I wouldn't do it. I had a Bobcat 21A for years. I would not recommend it for personal defense.

 

[MedWheeler]

Those of you posting at number 16 and later, did you know the thread was opened in June of last year?

The OP may not even be monitoring it anymore (I wonder what his wife is carrying!)

 

[MICHAEL T]

She as many said can thumb cock it. I have 2 of the 21 A I shoot one every day a couple rounds. It eats standard velocity 22 LR ammo no problem as will as the hotter ammo. I would trust for carry . But I like my 950 better because lot thinner and 25.auto. My model 20 be next choice as its nothing but a DA 950. I don't understand Beretta need to make the 21A so thick and extra weight. As for the over priced 32 . I just carry my old PPK/s when get near that size and weight. I will handle hot ammo. Their 32 won't