Guns Beretta Pico First Impressions Iain Harrison May 6, 2013 Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Learn More We got to handle the new pocket gun from Beretta at the NRA annual meetings and will hopefully get one of the first available to put through the wringer. Looking it over in their display booth, we came to the conclusion that this might be Beretta's first handgun since the model 92 that doesn't suck. Beretta Pico First Impressions OK, let's get this out of the way. It isn't all things to all men. If you're headed to the range with some buds for a practice session, it's not going to be your first choice to chew the center out of a target. It's a gun that you'll stick in a pocket when carrying a bigger alternative is going to be too uncomfortable or inconvenient and where your choice of self defense tools is limited. If this piece proves to be reliable, it should be an improvement over the phenomenally successful Ruger LCP, as it's thinner and comes with a better trigger, as well as decent sights, and a slide hold-open. We initially thought the bore axis was a little high, but once you wrap your hand around it you figure out pretty quickly that any lower and you'd be well into slide bite territory. The 380 acp probably won't generate enough recoil for this to be a problem, but we'll look for any issues on the range. Like the LCP, the Beretta's trigger is a true Double Action with a long pull which felt around 9lbs. The ones we cycled were smoother than sunscreen on Kate Upton's ass, but we'll see if that's typical when the production sample arrives in a couple of months One area of concern for some of the folks handling the gun was its mag release. It's a paddle under the trigger guard that must be pressed down to operate, rather that a button on the side of the frame. Although this presents a different manual of arms than most of the pistols in the safe, it addresses a potential problem in last ditch pocket guns of inadvertently releasing the mag. You're not going to get a sub 1 second reload here, so why not make it more difficult to make the gun go “bang, click?” One feature that may appeal to the fashion conscious, is the pistol's ability to swap out the entire grip frame for a different color to match your outfit. If this is important to you, then the ease of which it can be achieved should be appreciated, which is made possible by making the entire serialized fire control system into one unit. All joking aside, Lasermax has partnered with Beretta on the Pico to offer an optional frame with an integral 70 lumen light or a laser which can be swapped in depending on your needs. We're big fans of weapon mounted lights and having one on a gun this small takes some pretty slick design work. Explore RECOILweb:Buildsheets: Softening up the AR-10Curated Offers: Rugged Pens for Your EDC[WATCH] RECOILtv All Access: Langdon Tactical Beretta PX4 pistolWhat About a Drop Leg Mag Pouch? NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOILFor years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included). Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.You want this. Trust Us.