What do you think of pistols with tip up barrels for quick chambering, etc. photos - The Firearms Forum

Remington597 · 06-21-2004, 08:49 PM

Easier chambering, easier cleaning, and just super cool. What are everyone's thoughts on these.

Beretta 86. .380ACP

Taurus PT.25 .25ACP

mtnboomer · 06-21-2004, 08:59 PM

Berretta has used this method for over 50 years. I guess it must work.

BlueTic · 06-21-2004, 09:18 PM

I just picked up a beretta 950 tip up .25 - it is a heck of alot easier than using my FN Browning .25.....

Remington597 · 06-22-2004, 05:33 AM

It would seem that Taurus and Beretta have dominated this market. Are there any others?

Woodman · 06-22-2004, 02:49 PM

My Tomcat is in the shop after a thousand rounds.
It tips up and locks, but stopped locking all the way down, instead stopping .5 to .75 mm shy of "full lock".

The feed ramp is on the frame, and on the tip-up barrel.

I found myself suddenly with a situation in which there was a tiny seam, or crack in the feed ramp, leading my primary self-defense ammo into a FTF situation.

I'll put another few hundred through it, and have a talk with Beretta.
One 'smith said the firearm was not meant for my type of "practice" (I practice often with my CCW sidearm; a tip from Dave Wilson); I have a feeling Beretta will say the gun should go 20K rounds between overhauls. Never-the-less, it is guaranteed for three years - ample time for a true assessment.

punchie · 06-22-2004, 03:37 PM

I have only one complaint on the small Beretta tip-ups. I have rather small hands but they are quite meaty and the rear of the Beretta slide is like two needles attached to a razor blade. The web of my hand suffers greatly with anything more than a one finger hold!

The only other problem that I can see is not really a problem just that it is different. Because it has no extractor I have observed many people check the gun by racking the slide without checking the chamber. Now we all know that this is wrong but I have seen it happen on too many occasions. They just automatically assume that the loaded round has been removed. Wrong!!

358 winchester · 06-22-2004, 07:05 PM

I think they are good guns for folks that have a hard time with slides.
Punchie if your hams are small then mine are tiny

Remington597 · 06-22-2004, 07:06 PM

Excellent feedback everyone, this area of firearms fascinates me, please keep the responses coming.

Woodman · 06-22-2004, 07:16 PM

Beretta USA has two repair facilities.
One at Beretta, NY I think, and a company in California.
I mailed mine to the CA company, since I live here.
It should have arrived June 11th, and they said it would be a ten day turn-around.

Anyone who has mailed to Beretta itself might say "three months".
Geez, a gun could be out of warranty by the time they log it into the system.

I'll let you know what the 'smith does to it. I have the feeling the lockdown lever was somehow chipped, rather than worn, but we'll see.

The firearm is the Inox model. I can't see the area of the stainless barrel that locks wearing down after 1000 rounds.

p.s. My new Kahr (still in transit) PM9094 will have the same capacity, same weight (roughly), similar size, but shoot 9mm instead of .32ACP.

bambihunter · 06-29-2004, 04:31 AM

As someone above eluded to, I think they are mainly meant for people that have a hard time working the slide (weak grip, or missing digits or something like that). For those, I think they'd be a god-send, for all the rest, I think they're mostly a novelty and something else to break. I suppose they would help with cleaning, but then again they also give you something else to clean and oil...
I've had several but the only one I can think of off the top of my head is the Beretta 21 in .25 acp and .22.

06-21-2004, 08:49 PM	#1
Remington597 Former Guest Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 3,201	What do you think of pistols with tip up barrels for quick chambering, etc. photos Easier chambering, easier cleaning, and just super cool. What are everyone's thoughts on these. Beretta 86. .380ACP Taurus PT.25 .25ACP --> Last edited by Remington597; 06-21-2004 at 08:51 PM..

06-21-2004, 08:59 PM	#2
mtnboomer Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Oklahoma by birth. America by the grace of God. Posts: 649	Berretta has used this method for over 50 years. I guess it must work. __________________ The cost of freedom, is eternal vigilance. The cost of bondage, is your life. - mtnboomer Support the Second Amendment - Join the NRA! > http://www.nra.org < Oklahoma State - #1 - GO POKES!

06-21-2004, 09:18 PM	#3
BlueTic Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: WA Posts: 652	I just picked up a beretta 950 tip up .25 - it is a heck of alot easier than using my FN Browning .25..... __________________ If you don't like my rights - please leave my country!

06-22-2004, 02:49 PM	#5
Woodman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Da' Keystone State Posts: 270	My Tomcat is in the shop after a thousand rounds. It tips up and locks, but stopped locking all the way down, instead stopping .5 to .75 mm shy of "full lock". The feed ramp is on the frame, and on the tip-up barrel. I found myself suddenly with a situation in which there was a tiny seam, or crack in the feed ramp, leading my primary self-defense ammo into a FTF situation. I'll put another few hundred through it, and have a talk with Beretta. One 'smith said the firearm was not meant for my type of "practice" (I practice often with my CCW sidearm; a tip from Dave Wilson); I have a feeling Beretta will say the gun should go 20K rounds between overhauls. Never-the-less, it is guaranteed for three years - ample time for a true assessment. __________________ www.fiftycal.org http://www.ccrkba.org/

06-22-2004, 03:37 PM	#6
punchie Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Chesterfield, VA Posts: 784	I have only one complaint on the small Beretta tip-ups. I have rather small hands but they are quite meaty and the rear of the Beretta slide is like two needles attached to a razor blade. The web of my hand suffers greatly with anything more than a one finger hold! The only other problem that I can see is not really a problem just that it is different. Because it has no extractor I have observed many people check the gun by racking the slide without checking the chamber. Now we all know that this is wrong but I have seen it happen on too many occasions. They just automatically assume that the loaded round has been removed. Wrong!! __________________ AN ARMED SOCIETY IS A POLITE SOCIETY

06-22-2004, 05:33 AM	#4
Remington597 Former Guest Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 3,201	It would seem that Taurus and Beretta have dominated this market. Are there any others?

06-22-2004, 07:05 PM	#7
358 winchester TFF Admin Staff Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pensacola Fl. area Posts: 7,335	I think they are good guns for folks that have a hard time with slides. Punchie if your hams are small then mine are tiny __________________ Administrator & Owner RangeDay.com Proud, White, Heterosexual, Gun Owning, Southern American, Christian. Any question about where I stand?

06-22-2004, 07:06 PM	#8
Remington597 Former Guest Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 3,201	Excellent feedback everyone, this area of firearms fascinates me, please keep the responses coming.

06-22-2004, 07:16 PM	#9
Woodman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Da' Keystone State Posts: 270	Beretta USA has two repair facilities. One at Beretta, NY I think, and a company in California. I mailed mine to the CA company, since I live here. It should have arrived June 11th, and they said it would be a ten day turn-around. Anyone who has mailed to Beretta itself might say "three months". Geez, a gun could be out of warranty by the time they log it into the system. I'll let you know what the 'smith does to it. I have the feeling the lockdown lever was somehow chipped, rather than worn, but we'll see. The firearm is the Inox model. I can't see the area of the stainless barrel that locks wearing down after 1000 rounds. p.s. My new Kahr (still in transit) PM9094 will have the same capacity, same weight (roughly), similar size, but shoot 9mm instead of .32ACP. __________________ www.fiftycal.org http://www.ccrkba.org/

06-29-2004, 04:31 AM	#10
bambihunter V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 197	Re: What do you think of pistols with tip up barrels for quick chambering, etc. photos As someone above eluded to, I think they are mainly meant for people that have a hard time working the slide (weak grip, or missing digits or something like that). For those, I think they'd be a god-send, for all the rest, I think they're mostly a novelty and something else to break. I suppose they would help with cleaning, but then again they also give you something else to clean and oil... I've had several but the only one I can think of off the top of my head is the Beretta 21 in .25 acp and .22.