XavierBreath
Member
For many years I have been interested in Berettas. One derivative in particular has fascinated me, the single action Egyptian Helwan Brigader. The Helwan is a 8 shot 9mm copy of the Beretta 1951, much the same as a Sistema is a copy of a Colt 1911. Beretta set up the factory and trained the workers to produce the pistol in Egypt. Of course, that was a long time ago.
Helwans have often been derided in the US as a cheap pistol with no real value. Recently Helwans have once again become available for $159 at SOG. I placed an order. I figured for that kind of money, I could take a chance.
When the pistol arrived, it was NIB, and a pretty flimsy box at that. It came with a manual, two single stack magazines, and a brush. The fit and finish was OK, but not up to Beretta standards by any stretch of the imagination; not even close. The serial number and importer's marks were the typical CAI buzzpen job. The slide is obviously cast. The sights are pure itty bitty military. The magazine release is on the bottom of the grip, Euro style. The barrel locks up with a falling block, like the 92FS. The safety is a button that runs though the frame at the top of the grip. Left to fire, right to safe. Cocked and locked is an option. The safety blocks both the sear and the hammer.
I began to clean the pistol, and lube it in preparation to go to the range. I found that the grips do not like Gun Scrubber. "Ah well, it's a cheapo pistol, and a bit of spray paint will take care of it" I thought. The trigger was heavy, and the underside of the slide was corrugated with machining marks, but it slid easily along the frame rails. The barrel locked up tightly. It is about as narrow as a 1911, with the length a bit longer than a Commander.
The next day, after the grips had hardened up again, I took the pistol to the range. I also carried 300 rounds of Winchester White Box, 100 rounds of Wolff, and a gallon bucket of 9mm reloads. I did my usual load one shoot one, load two shoot two, load three etc routine and had no unintended double taps. I ran a target out to 25 feet and loaded up a full magazine. I began to shoot 4 inch groups, and as I settled into the heavy trigger, they began to shrink down, finally averaging around two inches.
I stopped counting rounds at 500 (and still had a half bucket of ammo). I had no failures of any kind. No failures to extract, no failures to eject, no failures to fire. Nothing. The recoil was heavier than I was expecting in a pistol this size. I'd equate it along the lines of my HK USP in .40S&W. The pistol will empty a magazine as fast as you can pull the trigger.
The slide release was a bit pointy and could use some smoothing out, and the trigger never did lighten up. All in all though, I have to say that I am happy with the pistol. It is a low buck service pistol. You have to figure that into the analysis. It has the design of a Beretta, the finish of a KelTec, and the price of a High Point. I found this pistol to be reasonably accurate at combat ranges. It is certainly no target pistol, nor was it meant to be. I found it to be easy to aim and shoot despite the small sights.
I will definitely strip this one down and see if I can lighten up that trigger some. Oh, and I think it deserves some new grips. It's a keeper.
Helwans have often been derided in the US as a cheap pistol with no real value. Recently Helwans have once again become available for $159 at SOG. I placed an order. I figured for that kind of money, I could take a chance.
When the pistol arrived, it was NIB, and a pretty flimsy box at that. It came with a manual, two single stack magazines, and a brush. The fit and finish was OK, but not up to Beretta standards by any stretch of the imagination; not even close. The serial number and importer's marks were the typical CAI buzzpen job. The slide is obviously cast. The sights are pure itty bitty military. The magazine release is on the bottom of the grip, Euro style. The barrel locks up with a falling block, like the 92FS. The safety is a button that runs though the frame at the top of the grip. Left to fire, right to safe. Cocked and locked is an option. The safety blocks both the sear and the hammer.
I began to clean the pistol, and lube it in preparation to go to the range. I found that the grips do not like Gun Scrubber. "Ah well, it's a cheapo pistol, and a bit of spray paint will take care of it" I thought. The trigger was heavy, and the underside of the slide was corrugated with machining marks, but it slid easily along the frame rails. The barrel locked up tightly. It is about as narrow as a 1911, with the length a bit longer than a Commander.
The next day, after the grips had hardened up again, I took the pistol to the range. I also carried 300 rounds of Winchester White Box, 100 rounds of Wolff, and a gallon bucket of 9mm reloads. I did my usual load one shoot one, load two shoot two, load three etc routine and had no unintended double taps. I ran a target out to 25 feet and loaded up a full magazine. I began to shoot 4 inch groups, and as I settled into the heavy trigger, they began to shrink down, finally averaging around two inches.
I stopped counting rounds at 500 (and still had a half bucket of ammo). I had no failures of any kind. No failures to extract, no failures to eject, no failures to fire. Nothing. The recoil was heavier than I was expecting in a pistol this size. I'd equate it along the lines of my HK USP in .40S&W. The pistol will empty a magazine as fast as you can pull the trigger.
The slide release was a bit pointy and could use some smoothing out, and the trigger never did lighten up. All in all though, I have to say that I am happy with the pistol. It is a low buck service pistol. You have to figure that into the analysis. It has the design of a Beretta, the finish of a KelTec, and the price of a High Point. I found this pistol to be reasonably accurate at combat ranges. It is certainly no target pistol, nor was it meant to be. I found it to be easy to aim and shoot despite the small sights.
I will definitely strip this one down and see if I can lighten up that trigger some. Oh, and I think it deserves some new grips. It's a keeper.