The Beretta APX got a facelift! This modular, polymer-framed, striker-fired 9mm started life as Beretta’s entry to compete in the U.S. military trials for a new service pistol. Beretta originally release it to the public in 2017.
Now, for 2022, the world’s oldest gunmaker is releasing the APX A1. It comes to market sporting the sum of five years’ worth of improvements and upgrades.
All of the major elements remain, including the modular design and construction, the striker deactivation button for safe and easy field stripping, the easy-to-see tritium front sight with a bright white outline and the three interchangeable backstraps.
Changes to Beretta APX Exterior
What you will notice right away are big changes on the exterior. The forward and rear slide serrations are aggressive and angled. The Beretta APX A-1 has increased stippling, most noticeably higher up on the sides of the grip. And, as the trend toward optical sights on pistols continues to grow, the APX A1 slide is milled and ready for the attachment of an optical sight. That is the only way the gun will ship. Beretta does not offer an APX version without a red-dot-ready slide.
Staying on the exterior, a new slide coating, called AquaTech Shield improves corrosion and chemical resistance. The finger grooves on the front of the frame are gone as well. There is also a subtle redesign of the backstrap and beavertail, retaining the great, low-bore axis but also adding an even better feel when shooting the pistol.
Internally, Beretta engineers have worked to improve the trigger pull, which remains at just over 5 pounds. However, the pull is smooth, with a crisp, clean break and a very short reset. The engineers also chose to go with a flat-coil recoil spring and new lighter striker spring.
Beretta admits they are working within a tough marketplace and facing lots of competition in the polymer-framed, striker-fired category. Still, the APX A1 takes a tested and reliable platform and adds the elements that shooters want. And they are doing all of this under the banner of the world’s oldest and most respected gun company and at a price point (MSPR: $529) that allows the APX A1 to compete with any other mid-sized pistol on the market.
Watch for a full review in an upcoming edition of Concealed Carry Magazine.
