Beretta 20X vs 21A Bobcat Review

Estimated studying time: 12 minutes

Beretta lastly offers the Bobcat an actual modernization with the 20X, and it exhibits. We shot each facet by facet to see if the brand new gun actually fixes the 21A’s quirks or simply attire them up.

Tip Up Legacy: Why These Tiny Bobcats Nonetheless Matter

More often than not, when a brand new technology of an present gun hits the market, it’s not an excessive amount of completely different. Glock has been making the identical gun for 3 many years now. That’s more often than not, however typically issues get radical. Beretta has quietly produced the tip-up pocket pistols for many years now, and lately they revamped the lineup and made it a part of their X collection of firearms with the 20X and 30X.

The Bobcat has gotten the X therapy from Beretta. This modernizes the previous pocket pistol.

The 20X is changing the 21A, which was Beretta’s micro-sized .22LR pocket pistol. The 21A has been round for a very long time and earned the title Bobcat as a moniker. The X collection has graced the Beretta 92, the previous 80 Collection Cheetahs, and now it’s reached the Tomcat and Bobcat lineup.

What X sometimes implies is a modernization of a Beretta traditional. They hold the allure and soul of a Beretta handgun, however give it a much-needed facelift. The 20X collection has made important adjustments to the 21A, however are these upgrades? That’s what we plan to determine right now.

🛒 Examine Present Worth for Beretta 20X on GunsAmerica

The Tip Up Story: How The System Works And Why It’s Distinctive

The Bobcat household of handguns is are micro-sized pocket pistols that fireside the .22LR cartridge. Each are straight blowback pistols which have the standard Beretta format. We get an uncovered barrel, a DA/SA, hammer-fired design, a single-stack journal, and most significantly, a tip-up barrel.

Beretta 20X and 21A with barrels tipped up showing chamber access — Isn’t the tip-up barrel simply charming? For these with low hand energy, it makes loading and unloading straightforward.

With the press of a lever or a button, the barrel ideas up, and you’ve got direct publicity to the chamber to load or unload the gun. The person by no means has to rack the slide to function the weapon. In actual fact, the one approach to clear the chamber is to tip up the barrel. Beretta invented the tip-up system in 1952, and it’s been marketed for folk who lack the energy to rack a slide.

Beretta has produced them in .25 ACP, .22 Brief, .22LR, and .32 ACP. The present manufacturing lineup contains the .22LR and .32 ACP.

20X vs 21A: The Huge Design Adjustments That Matter

There are many variations between the 20X and 21A, greater than you’d suppose. Let’s discuss the principle variations that flip the 21A into the 20X.

Let’s begin with the tip-up barrel. With the 21A, you press a lever ahead. With the 20X, you press a button inward to deploy the barrel. I’ve no opinion on which is healthier. Each work completely positive.

Beretta 20X and 21A tip up barrel actuation button vs lever — Button or lever makes no distinction to me. They each work successfully and simply sufficient.

The 20X comes with a flat-faced set off, which is positioned additional ahead than the 21A. The small measurement of the gun means this isn’t a serious situation and doesn’t place the set off removed from the shooter’s set off finger.

Flat faced trigger on Beretta 20X vs rounded 21A trigger close up — The 20X contains a a lot lighter and shorter set off. It’s higher in all methods

The 20X repositions the journal launch to straight behind the set off. The 21A positions it on the underside left of the grip. The 20X location is healthier and extra ergonomic than the 21A, however reloads with this gun are already pretty gradual if you need to use the tip-up barrel to load the chamber.

Beretta 20X magazine release behind trigger modernized control layout — The journal launch is a radical change. The 20X falls right into a extra trendy handgun design. I don’t suppose it issues a lot since these weapons are unlikely to be reloaded in a battle.

Among the best adjustments is the sights. On the 20X, they’re bigger and extra pronounced, simpler to see, and you may even take away and change them. The 21A options micro-sized sights constructed into the gun that can not be changed.

Replaceable sights on Beretta 20X vs tiny fixed sights on 21A — The 20X has nice sights. They’re so a lot better than the previous 21A sights.

The journal of the 20X is now polymer and holds eight rounds in comparison with the 21A’s seven-round steel journal.

Reliability Face Off: The 20X Lastly Stops The Drama

Right here’s probably the most vital distinction to me. I like tip-up weapons and the allure of the tip-up barrel; it’s simply cute, enjoyable, and neat.

I don’t use these weapons for hid carry or self-defense, however loads of individuals do. Reliability is vital to a defensive gun’s success. So which is extra dependable?

Shooting Beretta 21A on range documenting malfunctions and ammo sensitivity — The 21A isn’t a really dependable gun. It’s ammo choosy, it’s grip choosy, and simply annoying throughout.

The 20X by far. I personal two 21As, and neither is dependable sufficient for me to recommend for defensive use. They’re probably the most delicate, ammo-picky pistols I’ve ever shot.

Drawbacks You’ll Really Really feel On The Vary

Grip it too tight? It fails.

Slide hits your hand? It fails.

Shoot something moreover CCI Mini Mags? It fails.

Beretta 20X live fire reliability testing on the range — The brand new 20X proved to be a particularly dependable handgun. It has a break-in interval, however when you get via that, it really works.

Shoot Mini Mags? It nonetheless may fail.

When these weapons fail, they fail exhausting. The shortage of an extractor makes it tough to take away an unfired or spent casing. All malfunctions are difficult malfunctions, and so they all require time, endurance, journal removing, and possibly a pocket knife.

The 20X is rather more dependable after a break-in interval of 150 to 200 rounds. Inside these first few hundred rounds, you’ll get a handful of sunshine primer strikes and a few failures to cycle.

Aiming the Beretta 21A illustrating tiny sights and control issues — I would like the 21A to work, but it surely simply doesn’t.

Within the case of these gentle primer strikes, it all the time occurred in single motion. As soon as the hammer drops and the gun converts to double-action, the gun all the time fires when utilizing double-action. After the break-in interval, the gun is dependable sufficient for defensive carry.

You’ll be able to shoot low-cost stuff like Federal AutoMatch and CCI Blazer, and it runs effectively. You aren’t caught utilizing the costlier stuff.

Accuracy Examine: Actual Sights, Actual Hits With The 20X

Accuracy goes a good distance with a defensive firearm. These are micro-sized .22LRs, and total, they’re designed for close-range engagements. You may suppose it doesn’t matter that a lot so long as they’re minute-of-bad-guy correct at seven to 10 yards.

I favor a gun that may interact at no matter distance the risk decides to current itself. In that case, the 20X takes the cake. The bigger, easier-to-see sights are simpler to align and use at any vary. They’re quicker up shut and extra exact at vary.

Beretta 20X Bobcat shooting steel better sights and control at distance — The 20X Bobcat is a way more dependable possibility, and it’s the extra correct possibility. A set of actual sights makes a giant distinction.

At 25 yards, I can put {a magazine}’s value of .22LR right into a goal’s chest with the 20X. With the 21A, I’m everywhere. The 20X additionally has a a lot lighter set off and a shorter set off pull in double motion and a crisper set off in single-action.

Beretta 21A shooting showing tiny sights and heavier trigger feel — The 21A has micro-sized sights that border on ineffective. The heavier set off doesn’t assist both.

Plus, the 20X is bigger with an extended grip. Sights and grip are the king and queen of correct taking pictures, and the 20X does it higher than the 21A.

Shootability And Management: Consolation Favors The 20X

Is shootability a phrase? After I say shootability, I imply a measure of the gun’s recoil, its consolation whereas taking pictures, and the way straightforward it’s to deal with. On this case, the 20X is extra shootable.

First, not like the 21A, the 20X isn’t chewing up my hand with slide chunk. Steps have been taken to forestall that with the 20X, and it exhibits. I like taking pictures the 20X.

Beretta 20X Bobcat dynamic recoil control and grip texture on range — The 20X is extra controllable and doesn’t chew up my arms practically as badly.

Neither gun has notable recoil by any means, however the aggressive grip texture of the huge G10 grips retains the gun from shifting when your arms are soaked in sweat. The bigger, wider grip of the 20X makes it extra shootable total.

The longer journal offers a pinky extension, stopping a dangling pinky. Extra fingers imply a greater grip, and that issues even with a .22LR.

Concealment Actuality: Smaller 21A, Extra Reliable 20X

Each weapons are small, smaller than a SIG P365, smaller than a Glock 43, so each are straightforward to hide. The 21A is considerably smaller than the 20X. It seems Beretta is utilizing the identical body for the 30X and 20X.

The 20X is 1.3 inches huge in comparison with the 21A’s 1.1-inch width. The 21A is shorter at 3.7 inches in comparison with the 20X’s 4.3 inches. With the prolonged baseplate, the 20X is nearer to 4.5 inches tall.

The 20X weighs 14.4 ounces, and the 21A weighs a hair over 11 ounces. Relating to size, the 20X is marginally longer than the 21A at 5 inches versus the 21A’s 4.92 inches.

Beretta 21A vs 20X size comparison for concealed carry width height length — The 21A is far simpler to hide, however the 20X is rather more dependable. I’m going to be dependable day by day of the week.

Pocket-Sized Or IWB: Decide Your Use Case

The 21A is a real pocket pistol. It’s small, gentle, and disappears right into a pocket with ease. The 20X can nonetheless slot in most pockets, but it surely’s going to create a bulge. I assume the excellent news is you could say it’s a gun in your pocket and also you’re not excited to see it.

I believe Beretta ought to promote cheaper, thinner grips and a seven-round flush-fitting journal. That will help in concealment. I believe it’s clear Beretta is breaking away from the pocket pistol design and making a handy IWB possibility.

Beretta 21A and 20X grip thickness comparison pocket carry vs IWB — The 21A is smaller and thinner, which makes it simpler to hide.

Heck, they even promote a contemporary AIWB holster for the gun on their web site. Their focus appeared to be on making a extra shootable and extra dependable gun than minimizing measurement. There are some steps they will take to repair that, and I hope they do. A blacked-out pocket cat can be an excellent addition to the lineup.

Which Bobcat Wins For Carry?

Whereas the 21A is simpler to hide, the 20X is the higher gun. If I would like one characteristic in a carry gun, it’s reliability. The 20X takes that cake by an extended shot. It’s additionally extra correct and simpler to shoot. You’ll be able to put eight rounds right into a goal in lower than two seconds, and that’s worthwhile when taking pictures .22LR.

The 20X is the best way to go, however I nonetheless shoot my 21As fondly.

Till I’ve to clear a jam.

Beretta 20X vs 21A Specs In contrast

ModelBeretta 20X BobcatBeretta 21A BobcatCaliber.22LR.22LRWidth1.3 in1.1 inHeight4.3 in (approx. 4.5 in with prolonged baseplate)3.7 inOverall Length5 in4.92 inWeight14.4 ozJust over 11 ozCapacity87

Execs And Cons After Actual Vary Time

Execs: 20X has actual replaceable sights, lighter and shorter set off, improved reliability after break-in, higher grip and management, simpler hits at 25 yards. Cons: 21A is smaller however way more ammo and grip delicate, 20X is thicker and heavier, tip up design nonetheless complicates exhausting malfunctions with out an extractor.

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Travis Pike is a devoted firearms author, a Second Modification Advocate, and a subject fanatic for all issues firearms. He’s an beginner competitor with goals of in the future not coming in 4th place at an area defensive match. If he’s not placing textual content to phrase processor, he’s possible spending time with household, having fun with Florida’s Nature Coast, or ingesting hipster beer. Because the resident Florida man he has a choice for obscure weapons and calibers.

Expertise

Hunter – Very long time deer and hog hunter within the swamps of Florida Teacher – Volunteers to show primary firearm security lessons to children, adults, and cats Wannabe Competitor – Has lately dipped his toes into aggressive taking pictures and has fortunately found an costly interest. Marine – Served 5 years with the infantry earlier than transferring to the First Civ Div.

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