Any Experience with a Tomcat or Cheetah?

Waitone · February 1, 2001, 08:24 PM

Anyone out there had any experience, good or bad or indifferent, with a Beretta Tomcat (.32 ACP) or Cheetah (.380)? Size, heft, and feel look good for concealed carry, but the tilt up barrel gives me doubts.

Any experience????????

Tamara · February 1, 2001, 10:52 PM

...has been utterly reliable and quite accurate for a pocket pistol. Some early ones (usually blued rather than "widebody" parkerized or stainless) had reliability and durability issues. Mine is a gloss blue one, but the look of the "PB" logo on the slide leads me to believe that it may have been sent back to the factory and reblued at some point (I bought it used).

I really like mine; it may not be the smallest of the current round of .32's, but I've sampled the lot of 'em and find the Tomcat is by far the easiest to shoot well for me.

Quantum Singularity · February 1, 2001, 11:47 PM

Good news:

The Cheetah series I have shot are good handling pistols. I recommend them.

Bad news:

The Tom Cat I shot was a POS. The trigger pulls were wretched, and because of this I had one heck of a time hitting anything. It also was not 100 percent reliable. I had approximately 1 malfunction per 15 shots. I cannot recommend the Tom Cat until Beretta works the bugs out (especially that pathetic trigger).

Coronach · February 2, 2001, 12:53 AM

Cheetah: no experience

Tomcat: Uhm...it makes a good, fist-sized rock, which you can throw at an opponent. Downside? You only get one shot.

Mike

Mike in VA · February 2, 2001, 10:00 AM

My Tomcat took about 200 rnds to 'break-in', but has been quite reliable with Silvertips, Fed. H/S, Gold Dots, and most any factory ball. It doesn't like Fiocchi JHPs for some reason, and I haven't tried the CorBon JHPs yet. It is sensitive to being kept clean and LIGHTLY lubed, particularly the magazines. It's a blow-back, so it tends to get dirty quickly and will start to act up after 100+ rounds without cleaning, but it isn't the sort of gun ne gets into a protract firefight with anyway. As Tamara noted, it is quite accurate for such a short tube. the tip-up barrel is a nice feature for those who don't have teh hand strength to rack the slide. The trigger has continued to improve with use (do NOT dry-fire a Tomcat!! you will break the firing pin), and while it isn't great (prolly never will be), it's quite serviceable.

I also have a Cheetah 85, which is a sweetie. It's big as .380's go, but it feels good in hand, is thoroughly reliable and accurate, and I figure the longer barrel (3.8") helps get a little more oomph out of an otherwise marginal round.
HTH, M2

cobraman · February 2, 2001, 10:07 AM

I have a new TOMCAT manufactured late last year. Mine is great. Very accurate. The trigger isnt too bad in DA or SA.

Marko Kloos · February 3, 2001, 01:07 PM

I've owned two Tomcats of the parkerized variant and never had a problem with either of them. They were both reliable and accurate, with usable sights and enough frame to hold on to comfortably. They're a tad big for a .32 these days, but that's what makes them very pleasant to shoot.

logansdad · February 3, 2001, 07:08 PM

http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...threadid=54836

February 1, 2001, 10:52 PM	#2
Tamara Moderator Emeritus Join Date: March 11, 2000 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 16,002	My Tomcat... ...has been utterly reliable and quite accurate for a pocket pistol. Some early ones (usually blued rather than "widebody" parkerized or stainless) had reliability and durability issues. Mine is a gloss blue one, but the look of the "PB" logo on the slide leads me to believe that it may have been sent back to the factory and reblued at some point (I bought it used). I really like mine; it may not be the smallest of the current round of .32's, but I've sampled the lot of 'em and find the Tomcat is by far the easiest to shoot well for me. __________________ MOLON LABE! 2% Unobtainium, 98% Hypetanium. The Arms Room: An Online Museum.

February 1, 2001, 11:47 PM	#3
Quantum Singularity Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2000 Posts: 925	I have good and bad news... Good news: The Cheetah series I have shot are good handling pistols. I recommend them. Bad news: The Tom Cat I shot was a POS. The trigger pulls were wretched, and because of this I had one heck of a time hitting anything. It also was not 100 percent reliable. I had approximately 1 malfunction per 15 shots. I cannot recommend the Tom Cat until Beretta works the bugs out (especially that pathetic trigger).

February 3, 2001, 07:08 PM	#8
logansdad Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2000 Location: Northern KY Posts: 184	Similar question - different day..... http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...threadid=54836

February 1, 2001, 08:24 PM	#1
Waitone Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2000 Posts: 2,904	Anyone out there had any experience, good or bad or indifferent, with a Beretta Tomcat (.32 ACP) or Cheetah (.380)? Size, heft, and feel look good for concealed carry, but the tilt up barrel gives me doubts. Any experience????????

February 2, 2001, 12:53 AM	#4
Coronach Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 1999 Posts: 3,147	Cheetah: no experience Tomcat: Uhm...it makes a good, fist-sized rock, which you can throw at an opponent. Downside? You only get one shot. Mike

February 2, 2001, 10:00 AM	#5
Mike in VA Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 1998 Location: Santa FE, NM Posts: 2,163	My Tomcat took about 200 rnds to 'break-in', but has been quite reliable with Silvertips, Fed. H/S, Gold Dots, and most any factory ball. It doesn't like Fiocchi JHPs for some reason, and I haven't tried the CorBon JHPs yet. It is sensitive to being kept clean and LIGHTLY lubed, particularly the magazines. It's a blow-back, so it tends to get dirty quickly and will start to act up after 100+ rounds without cleaning, but it isn't the sort of gun ne gets into a protract firefight with anyway. As Tamara noted, it is quite accurate for such a short tube. the tip-up barrel is a nice feature for those who don't have teh hand strength to rack the slide. The trigger has continued to improve with use (do NOT dry-fire a Tomcat!! you will break the firing pin), and while it isn't great (prolly never will be), it's quite serviceable. I also have a Cheetah 85, which is a sweetie. It's big as .380's go, but it feels good in hand, is thoroughly reliable and accurate, and I figure the longer barrel (3.8") helps get a little more oomph out of an otherwise marginal round. HTH, M2

February 2, 2001, 10:07 AM	#6
cobraman Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 1999 Location: orlando fl Posts: 751	I have a new TOMCAT manufactured late last year. Mine is great. Very accurate. The trigger isnt too bad in DA or SA.

February 3, 2001, 01:07 PM	#7
Marko Kloos Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2000 Location: Enfield, NH Posts: 5,521	I've owned two Tomcats of the parkerized variant and never had a problem with either of them. They were both reliable and accurate, with usable sights and enough frame to hold on to comfortably. They're a tad big for a .32 these days, but that's what makes them very pleasant to shoot.