Beretta brought a new pistol to the IDEX 2015 show in Abu Dhabi. It was only a matter of time, really. While most of the haters were busy talking about how the Beretta would insist on proving that the M9 was still relevant, Beretta was at work on this–a gun that would meet the specifications of the Modular Handgun System trials.
The New APX–The X means multicaliber.
Yes, there was a brief moment of distraction when Beretta brought out the badass updates now known as the M9A3, but we all knew this was coming. And it fits with a theme. The Beretta ARX is a multicaliber rifle–as denoted by the X. The APX will be a muticaliber pistol. Early indications suggest 9mm, and .40 S&W, and 9×19 IMI.
As information begins to roll in, we’ll add it in here. I’ve pulled what looks like text from a press release from All4shooters.com.
Following the market trends and demand for a certain type of features in a semi-automatic pistol, the new Beretta APX comes built around an ergonomically-molded reinforced polymer frame fitted with a built-in MIL-STD-1913 “Picatinny” rail for tactical accessories. As standard nowadays, the Beretta APX is issued with interchangeable backstraps, which also include grip panels, in order to better fit several hand sizes and thus remain viable to shooters of all genders, ages, sizes, and build.
Unlike the Beretta 92 series − which, like the predecessor Beretta 951, was based on a Walther-type tilting barrel − and unlike the more recent Beretta Px4 Storm series − which was built around a rotating barrel − the new Beretta APX comes with a much simpler modified Browning locking system; it can only be disassembled when it is disarmed, and that’s why a slot on the frame allows the use of a tool to decock it before it can be field-stripped by operating a lever found on the left side of the frame itself, right over the trigger guard.
The trigger can be considered a light double action, with a 2,8kg/6.17lbs break, a 6mm/0.2″ travel and a 3mm/0.12″ reset; the Beretta APX is a striker-fired design, and the rear portion of the striker itself will slightly protrude from a round slot on the back of the slide providing a visual and tactile confirmation of its status.
The slide of the Beretta APX semi-automatic pistol is machined out of stainless steel, and is nitride-coated upon construction to make it glare-proof, scratch-proof and corrosion-resistant; wide front and rear slide serrations allow easier manual cocking and chamber checks.
The three-dot front and rear sights are dovetailed on the slide, and sport a unique and patented adjustment system.
The baseline Beretta APX semi-automatic pistol will come with no manual safety whatsoever, featuring a “Glock-style” trigger safety and a redundant drop/striker safety system instead. Optionally a manual safety system will be available upon request, consisting in a frame-mounted two-positions switch.
The Beretta APX semi-automatic pistol has been conceived to be just as much left-hand-friendly as it can be; as such, it comes with a reversible magazine release catch and a factory ambidextrous slide stop/hold open release lever.
The Beretta APX will feed through black double-stack metal magazines with a polymer bottom pad, offering a 17-rounds capacity in 9x19mm caliber (a.k.a. 9mm “Luger”, 9mm “Parabellum”. 9mm NATO), and a 15-rounds capacity in 9x19mm IMI (a.k.a. “9 Italian”) and .40 Smith & Wesson.
The overall lenght of the Beretta APX is in the standard bracket for this kind of pistol: 192mm/7.56″ long overall, 108mm/4.¼” barrel. The handgun has however been designed to be as streamlined as it could possibly be, in order to constitute a viable and comfortable alternative for 24/7 concealed and open carry.
The action is based on a very traditional Browning design.
The real question is, of course, how this will compete on the American market. I find it curious that Beretta didn’t bring the gun to the SHOT show last month, or wait to debut the gun at the upcoming NRA convention. IDEX isn’t the show for uniquely American product launches. But, if you look closely on the slide here, this says Made in Italy. Could it be Beretta has its sights on a wider global market?
Serrations all down the slide?
The widest part seems to be the flared grips.
Nope, not the Army’s next gun. Striker fired pistols with no safety or at least a decocker are way too dangerous. Imagine being deep in the bush and having drawn your locked and cocked pistol for some reason. The danger or whatever passes and so you go to reholster but some twig or branch or some of your equipment gets in the way as you reholster and bang you shoot yourself in the foot or your femoral artery. Lets say you are just moving slowly in teh dark with your finger outside teh trigger guard and oops, a twig or branch or whatever hits your trigger and bang you shoot the guy in front of you… Yeah, only a matter of time before people get smart and get tired of Glock foot…
If you are crawling/moving through brush so thick that you are worried about it getting into the trigger guard, maybe you need to be trained to either holster your weapon, or carry it with an empty chamber. Brush as thick as you describe could just as easily flip the safety off without the soldiers knowledge thus making the weapon unsafe.
That being said, I do think that Glock could engineer an external safety into their otherwise excellent weapon design, with little or no change in cost.
I fail to see what is so bad about the M9. But if they are determined to have a new weapon, I would think that the Sig P226 would certainly be up to the required standards.
In this awesome design of things you get a B- just for effort and hard work. Exactly where you actually lost everybody was first on all the particulars. You know, they say, the devil is in the details… And that couldn’t be more accurate here. Having said that, let me reveal to you exactly what did give good results. The article (parts of it) is actually highly powerful and this is probably why I am making the effort in order to comment. I do not make it a regular habit of doing that. Second, whilst I can certainly notice the jumps in logic you come up with, I am not convinced of exactly how you appear to connect the points that make your conclusion. For now I shall yield to your issue however hope in the future you actually connect your dots better.
It Looks like a pistol that Lorcin or Highpoint would manufacture. I generally believe in the ‘function over form’ approach but this is a very homely gun.
Looks a lot like my S & W M&P.
It needs a spot in front of the rear sight for a mini red dot that can be co-witnessed with the rear sight or to have the mini-red dot quick released in case of damage, so the rear sight can be used. It would then be perfect!
“and a 15-rounds capacity in 9x19mm IMI (a.k.a. “9 Italian”)”
One correction: The round is 9x21mm IMI (or 9mm IMI), not 9x19mm.
http://bullet-blog.com/9×21-italian/