If you lot've read my Beretta M9A1 review, or seen one of my countless M1911 articles, y'all'll know that I'm a large fan of both of these prolific pistols. I love both the M92's light single activity pull and low recoil and difficult-hitting ballistics of the .45 caliber M1911. Though it wasn't until a recent visit from SilencerCo that I began lusting for a hybrid that retains the M9A1's silencer-friendly operating method, which is unimpeded past the weight of the sound suppressor. It was at that very moment that I recalled a variation of Beretta PX4 Tempest, chambered in .45 ACP with an FDE frame and extended barrel: the PX4 Storm Special Duty Type F.

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The SD variant of the Beretta PX4 Tempest is the result of the U.S. military'due south Joint Combat Pistol program of 2005. The premise behind this program was to replace the crumbling stock of M9 pistols currently in use with U.S. armed forces with a superior weapon. It stipulated that the weapon be chambered in .45 ACP, more resistant to common salt spray be capable of mounting a sound suppressor and be capable of firing 5,000 rounds without failure. Furthermore, the replacement pistol should take a grip no larger than the standard M9, characteristic a depression-glare finish and ideally be in FDE.

This program spawned the cosmos of endless quality combat handguns like SIG Sauer'due south P220 Combat TB, FN'due south FNP-45 USG and the Heckler & Koch HK45. All of these weapons are earth renown for their immovability and reliability, so how does Beretta'due south JCP entry, the PX4 Storm SD measure up? Damn well. Like the HK45 and FNP-45, the Storm SD features a polymer frame, external safety and extended barrel to facilitate mounting a audio suppressor. Unlike the other applicants, however, the PX4'south barrel isn't threaded from the factory, which is truly unfortunate, since its rotating barrel design isn't hampered by the boosted weight of a sound suppressor like the Browning-style locking action of the other pistols.

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That's right, the Beretta PX4 Storm serial of handguns don't utilizing a traditional locking method of operating, simply rather a rotating, camming lock. Once internal pressures accept dropped to a safety level during the recoil cycle, the PX4 Storm'south butt rotates 45 degrees. The barrel's lugs cam against a locking cake with curved grooves that let the barrel to travel a short distance rearward, unlocking the action. The remaining hot gas from the recoil then propel the slide back, ejecting the spent trounce casing, before the compressed recoil spring's force per unit area returns the slide and barrel to the locked position, while chambering a fresh round.

The next logical step is to inquire, why? Why would Beretta choose this method of operation over the more common Browning-mode locking lug? 1 give-and-take: recoil. The rotating barrel method translates some of the recoil radially, equally opposed to straight back at the shooter. When shooting, you'll discover that your muzzle doesn't rise as much as other polymer .45 ACP handguns, but that the recoil impulse feels unlike. What you're feeling is torque from the rotating barrel. It's non significant, but definitely noticeable. The recoil reduction on the other manus is very noticeable, though I'one thousand somewhat biased, since my favorite carry gun, the Boberg XR9s, also utilizes a rotating barrel.

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The Beretta PX4 Storm SD Type F, is a semi-automatic, rotating-butt, breech-locked pistol chambered in .45 ACP. Information technology ships with three magazines, one flush-fitting magazine that holds nine rounds and two x-rounders with extended base of operations-plates.

The PX4 Storm, it's magazines and accessories transport in a fitted, flat nighttime world colored airtight Pelican-manner case featuring the Beretta logo on superlative. Inside the case you'll notice 2 additional backstraps for the pistol that allow shooters to change the PX4's grip to amend fit them and 2 reversible magazine release buttons for the same purpose.

In testing, I found the accuracy of the PX4 Tempest to exist on par or ameliorate than the gilded standard of polymer pistols, the Glock 17. I was able to place all rounds touching at x yards with Federal American Eagle and SIG Elite Pro ammunition, with groups opening upwards when shooting Wolf brand ammo. After getting a feel for the recoil and big combat-mode iron sights of the PX4 Tempest, I decided to stretch its ballistic legs at 25 and 50 yards. At 25 yards, striking bowling pins is an easy, point and click affair, and 50 yards is a little more difficult due to the relatively small size of the pin combined with the PX4 Tempest's enlarged front sight postal service. These over-sized three-dot sights may be detrimental to bullseye shooting, but are ideal for defensive or combat shooting, since they make acquiring a proper sight moving-picture show much quicker.

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Reliability wise, the PX4 storm powered through 700 rounds of ammo without a single failure. For testing I utilized 300 rounds of Wolf brand 230 grain FMJ, 300 rounds of Federal American Hawkeye 230 grain FMJ and 100 rounds of SIG 200 grain JHP. Switching between rounds, there wasn't a noticeable shift in point of impact, which is good since the PX4 Storm's sights are only adjustable for windage.

Now for the near subjective portion of the review, ergonomics. In my experience the PX4 Storm fits my manus better than a standard, full-sized Glock, but not also equally an M1911 or Browning Hello-Power pistol. Initially I had problems reaching the mag release without significantly shifting my grip, only remedied this by swapping out the medium back strap for the small one and the smallest magazine release push for the largest one. In total this took around ten minutes and thankfully the Beretta pistol includes all the tools necessary to perform this change. Recoil, as I mentioned before, is significantly reduced thanks to the weapon'southward unorthodox rotating-butt design.

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The PX4 Storm is an piece of cake-shooting, ergonomic .45 ACP polymer pistol with a stellar record of reliability and impressive accuracy, but why doesn't anybody own one? Cost. Retail goes for $ane,145, placing it just exterior the financial reach of virtually shooters. While the street toll of the Tempest SD is often below $ane,000, this is still nearly twice the price of a standard PX4 Tempest.

This may seem over-priced, but is correct in line with most of the other JCP entries offered on the civilian market today. Shooters new to handguns or the PX4 Storm organization, may want to buy the standard PX4 Storm and invest the remaining money in extra magazines, ammo and preparation. However, if you love Berettas or PX4 Tempest pistols and desire either a .45 caliber sound suppressor host or the most durable .45ACP pistol Beretta has always fabricated, the PX4 Storm SD Blazon F is the pistol for you.

Source Article from http://www.guns.com/review/2014/ten/02/gun-review-the-beretta-px4-tempest-sd-45-acp-video/