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New Beretta Model 87 Target

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  • billt
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2012
    • 1179

    New Beretta Model 87 Target

    I purchased this gun at the same time I ordered my Ruger GP-100 .22. I had been wanting one for a long time, and finally decided to go ahead and make the purchase. I had not handled or shot one, which made me a bit concerned. Now after getting and handling the gun, I'm extremely pleased. The quality, along with the fit and finish is superb. One area of concern I had was the trigger. Many people who have owned and shot these guns complained about them having too much over travel.

    Just dry firing the gun with my thumb to catch the hammer, I find the trigger to be very good. It will take a bit of getting used to over a single action target .22 auto like my S&W Model 41, or even any of the Ruger Mark pistols, because it is a bit "different". But it's far from objectionable. The gun comes with 2 magazines in a nice foam lined plastic case. The sights are very distinguishable, and come with a replaceable front blade that can be easily changed out with the provided Allen Wrench. The thicker of the 2 blades comes installed on the gun, which is what I prefer. I like to fill the rear notch with as much of the front sight as possible.

    I'm hoping to get out to the range with it next week, along with the GP-100 to give both of them a good wringing out. You don't see too many of these Beretta 87 Target Models. They're an expensive gun that hardly qualifies as a plinker. It's a dedicated target pistol, that's for sure. Disassembly is pretty straight forward. 2 Allen Head Screws are loosened to remove the front under barrel weight. Then the pistol field strips much like an M-9, or 92-FS. The one thing I did notice was the advertised weight of this pistol is not 41 ounces as claimed. It's more like 29 ounces, give or take. With that said the gun doesn't seem too light. It balances very well. I'm looking forward to doing a lot of shooting with this gun. It looks like I'll be needing a lot of Standard Velocity target .22 L.R. Something I don't have a lot of. Most of my .22 ammo is high velocity. If this new Beretta cycles dependably with Standard Velocity, then that's all it's going to see. I'm most likely going to pick up a few extra magazines for it as well.





    If common sense was so common, why don't liberals possess any?
  • #2
    ptoguy2002
    Veteran Member
    • Jul 2006
    • 3863

    I have an 87, 87T, and 92 Practice kit, they are all great.
    Before the 87, I had Walther P22, and decided from then on that I'd rather buy once, cry once, and then be happy then on out.

    Now you need the wood grips......
    WTB: SWISS & German police trade in pistols
    WTB: German made & proofed SIG P226R & P228R
    WTB: Factory cutaway pistols & rifles
    WTB: LAPD Ithaca M37 / CHP S&W / Other PD trade ins....

    Comment

    • #3
      billt
      Senior Member
      • Jan 2012
      • 1179

      Originally posted by ptoguy2002
      Now you need the wood grips......
      Yeah. I like the Walnut grips. I put a set on my Beretta 92-FS. I'll get a set for this gun as well.
      If common sense was so common, why don't liberals possess any?

      Comment

      • #4
        cnj
        Senior Member
        • Nov 2004
        • 1275

        Originally posted by ptoguy2002
        I have an 87, 87T, and 92 Practice kit, they are all great.
        Before the 87, I had Walther P22, and decided from then on that I'd rather buy once, cry once, and then be happy then on out.

        Now you need the wood grips......
        Good advice about only crying once right there. I have a model 87, and love it, but the more I see and read about the Target model makes me want one of those as well.
        Beautiful gun, and yep, get the wood grips. They look great on the Berettas.
        "Bye Felicia!" - Said by me, as I looked at Kalfornia in my rearview for the last time, 9/22/17.
        NRA member
        My experience is from the '80's and '90's, when mullets ruled the world!
        If azzholes could fly, this place would be an airport!
        I support gun control.....if there's a gun around, I want to be in control of it!
        You go ahead and give peace a chance. I'll cover you if it doesn't work out!

        Comment

        • #5
          sloppy joe
          Senior Member
          • Aug 2006
          • 776

          Has to be one of the nicest looking 22lr pistols ever.

          Comment

          • #6
            billt
            Senior Member
            • Jan 2012
            • 1179

            I finally got the Beretta 87 Target out to the range the other day. I've had a lot of projects going on, so I wanted to wait until I had the whole day to play. I brought with me several different types of ammo, along with 4 Beretta magazines. The 2 that came with the gun, and 2 more original Beretta magazines I purchased from Midway last week.

            I didn't know how it would function with Standard Velocity, especially being new, so I brought some high velocity with me as well. The first thing I noticed when I looked the gun over after I bought it, was the magazines have no tab on the side to help you depress the follower, to help make loading easier. I thought that could be a problem, and it was. The springs on these magazines are a bit stiffer than on my Browning Buckmarks, and Ruger Mark pistols. Getting the last 3 or 4 rounds in requires putting pressure on the round, while using both fingers to help depress the follower on what little you have to push on the sides. After a few full magazines I got the hang of it.

            At 50 feet the gun printed right on. I never touched the sights all day. The trigger took some getting used to because it does have quite a bit of creep and over travel. That said, I'm not very, "trigger sensitive", and got used to it rather quickly. After 100 rounds or so, the gun felt beautiful in my hand, and I was able to group the rounds really well. This gun is VERY ACCURATE.

            I oiled the slide well, and I fired just 2 magazines of high velocity before switching to standard velocity stuff, and the gun functioned fine with it. So that was all I fed it from then on. I had zero operational issues with the gun all day. It digested, fired and ejected every single round perfectly. You can't ask for more than that.

            I initially thought the gun would be too light at just 29.5 ounces. But after shooting it extensively the weight seemed perfect. The gun was just muzzle heavy enough for a rimfire target pistol. All total I ran around 350 rounds through it. Mostly some old CCI Green Tag I had, and the rest newer CCI Standard Velocity. It grouped off a rest better with the older Green Tag. Especially after moving back to 25 yards.

            All in all I really like this gun. My biggest, and really only complaint are the magazines. I wish they had incorporated a loading tab on them. I think I'll pickup a Uplula Magazine loader in .22 for it. That should help make things easier next time out. The gun cleaned up easily after 350 rounds, and it didn't take long before it was as clean as when I took it out of the box.

            As I mentioned, I purchased this gun sight unseen, without ever handling one. That made me a bit nervous because it wasn't cheap. But after getting out to the range with it, I'm glad I took the chance in buying it. It's a gun that will get shot a lot. I think I will add a set of Beretta Walnut Grips to it just to dress it up a bit.

            If common sense was so common, why don't liberals possess any?

            Comment

            • #7
              cnj
              Senior Member
              • Nov 2004
              • 1275

              Originally posted by billt
              I finally got the Beretta 87 Target out to the range the other day. I've had a lot of projects going on, so I wanted to wait until I had the whole day to play. I brought with me several different types of ammo, along with 4 Beretta magazines. The 2 that came with the gun, and 2 more original Beretta magazines I purchased from Midway last week.

              I didn't know how it would function with Standard Velocity, especially being new, so I brought some high velocity with me as well. The first thing I noticed when I looked the gun over after I bought it, was the magazines have no tab on the side to help you depress the follower, to help make loading easier. I thought that could be a problem, and it was. The springs on these magazines are a bit stiffer than on my Browning Buckmarks, and Ruger Mark pistols. Getting the last 3 or 4 rounds in requires putting pressure on the round, while using both fingers to help depress the follower on what little you have to push on the sides. After a few full magazines I got the hang of it.

              At 50 feet the gun printed right on. I never touched the sights all day. The trigger took some getting used to because it does have quite a bit of creep and over travel. That said, I'm not very, "trigger sensitive", and got used to it rather quickly. After 100 rounds or so, the gun felt beautiful in my hand, and I was able to group the rounds really well. This gun is VERY ACCURATE.

              I oiled the slide well, and I fired just 2 magazines of high velocity before switching to standard velocity stuff, and the gun functioned fine with it. So that was all I fed it from then on. I had zero operational issues with the gun all day. It digested, fired and ejected every single round perfectly. You can't ask for more than that.

              I initially thought the gun would be too light at just 29.5 ounces. But after shooting it extensively the weight seemed perfect. The gun was just muzzle heavy enough for a rimfire target pistol. All total I ran around 350 rounds through it. Mostly some old CCI Green Tag I had, and the rest newer CCI Standard Velocity. It grouped off a rest better with the older Green Tag. Especially after moving back to 25 yards.

              All in all I really like this gun. My biggest, and really only complaint are the magazines. I wish they had incorporated a loading tab on them. I think I'll pickup a Uplula Magazine loader in .22 for it. That should help make things easier next time out. The gun cleaned up easily after 350 rounds, and it didn't take long before it was as clean as when I took it out of the box.

              As I mentioned, I purchased this gun sight unseen, without ever handling one. That made me a bit nervous because it wasn't cheap. But after getting out to the range with it, I'm glad I took the chance in buying it. It's a gun that will get shot a lot. I think I will add a set of Beretta Walnut Grips to it just to dress it up a bit.

              Nice review. I have the standard 87, and am just as impressed. Now I want the 87T like yours. Glad you like it.
              "Bye Felicia!" - Said by me, as I looked at Kalfornia in my rearview for the last time, 9/22/17.
              NRA member
              My experience is from the '80's and '90's, when mullets ruled the world!
              If azzholes could fly, this place would be an airport!
              I support gun control.....if there's a gun around, I want to be in control of it!
              You go ahead and give peace a chance. I'll cover you if it doesn't work out!

              Comment

              • #8
                cudakidd
                Veteran Member
                • Apr 2007
                • 3290

                I know where a Like New 87T is for sale...spendy but apparently worth it?
                TURNING and turning in the widening gyre
                The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
                Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
                Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
                The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
                The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
                The best lack all conviction, while the worst
                Are full of passionate intensity.

                William Butler Yeats 1865-1939

                Comment

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