Beretta Cougar 8000

     Notes: This small pistol was first designed for use as a gun for undercover police forces, but began to be carried by growing numbers of regular police officers in the US and Europe, and has proven popular among US civilians.  Despite being fully NATO qualified, no large-scale military orders have occurred.  The Cougar was, in fact first produced in .40 Smith & Wesson, with 9mm Parabellum and 9x21mm versions appearing a short time later.  The .41 Action Express model was produced only in very small numbers for a very short time.  Later, .45 ACP and .357 SiG chamberings appeared.

     The Cougar’s barrel-rotating action and ergonomic design harnesses some of the recoil forces to reduce felt recoil.  Due to its small size, it is preferred by many officers as a backup gun, and by female officers due to their smaller hands.  The edges and hammer are rounded to avoid snagging when drawn from pockets or other concealed positions.  The trigger is double-action, with an exposed hammer; the trigger action may be DA/SA with an ambidextrous safety/decocker, DA/SA with a decocker only, and DAO with no safety or decocker.  Barrels are 3.6 inches in all cases except for .45 ACP versions, which have a 3.7-inch barrel.  Cougar Minis have the same barrel length, but a shorter grip. The frame is of aluminum alloy, with the slide and working parts being of carbon steel or Inox stainless steel.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: .45 ACP and .357 SiG chamberings do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

     Merc 2000 Notes: This is one of the preferred pistols of Italian Intelligence services, as well as the Mafia.

Beretta M-21 Bobcat

     Notes: This pistol was designed as a light self-defense pistol, especially for ladies.  It is a small caliber pocket pistol that is not good for much beyond emergency use.  The M-3032 Tomcat is a somewhat larger version of the M-21 Bobcat.  It is only slightly larger, however, and fires the more powerful .32 ACP cartridge.  The heavier weight actually makes it easier to shoot, however, and the more powerful cartridge makes it a better self-defense or backup gun.

Beretta M-70

     Notes: This pistol was originally designed as a plinking pistol and for short-range self-defense.  The M-70 has found its niche as an assassin’s pistol, however. When used with a silencer/ suppresser, the weapon is virtually noiseless.  The M-70S is the most common version, with .22 Long Rifle as the most common caliber of the M-70S.  The M-70T is a match version of the M-70, with a long barrel and adjustable sight.  The M-71 uses a light alloy frame, but is otherwise like the M-70S in .22 Long Rifle.  The M-72, also known as the Jaguar, comes in two barrel lengths and also has a light alloy frame.  It was sold primarily in the US.

Beretta M-81/82/83/84/85/87 Cheetah

     Notes: These weapons are basically smaller versions of the M-92 series.  The “Cheetah” moniker is not used in Europe, but is the name by which these pistols are commonly known in the US and Canada.  They are simple weapons which have a double-action-only mechanism, several safeties, and easy disassembly.  By 1987, the M-81 was out of production, in favor of the M-84 and M-92, but by then several thousand had been made and employed by police forces in Western Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.  The M-81 is the base model, with an ambidextrous safety, a magazine release which may be switched between the left and right sides of the frame, and an optional magazine safety. The M-81BB uses a straight blowback operation, and is mechanically simpler, but more prone to fouling. It also has chamber-loaded indicator and a firing pin safety.

     The M-82BB is a Beretta M-81BB with a few differences.  The biggest difference is that the pistol has been made smaller by reducing the magazine capacity.  The M-82BB has a total of four safeties: a manual safety, a pin safety, a half-cock safety, and an inertia-operated firing pin that will not allow the weapon to fire if it is dropped or bumped.  The M-82FS is also similar to the M-82BB, but has decocker. All three are otherwise identical for game purposes.  The Model 83FS is the same as the M-82FS, but chambered for .380 ACP.

     The M-84 is pretty much an M-81 in .380 ACP and with a slightly longer butt holding a larger-capacity magazine.  The M-84BB is also equivalent to the M-81BB; it was discontinued in 1983.  The M-84F is an M-84 with a decocker and a squared trigger guard to help facilitate a two-handed grip; it is otherwise identical to the standard M-84 for game purposes.  The M-85BB is virtually identical to the M-84BB, but has an even slimmer grip; the M-85F is an M-85BB with a decocker.  Both are otherwise identical to the M-84BB for game purposes.

     The M-87BB is a rimfire variant of the series; it has an adjustable rear sight and has a 3.8-inch barrel.  A variant of this pistol, the M-87BB/LB, has a 5.9-inch barrel.  The Model 87 Target is a development of the M-87BB/LB introduced in 2000; this version has a heavy, squared steel slide along with a light alloy frame, dovetailed adjustable sights, and an integral sight base.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The M-87 Target is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Beretta M-86

     Notes: This is a simple pocket pistol designed for use in both law enforcement and self-defense.  It has a tip-up barrel, a feature which was common before and shortly after World War 2 but by the time of the Twilight War was not normally seen in contemporary pistols.  This allows easy access to the chamber and breech, making the barrel and chamber easy to clean without disassembling the entire weapon.  It also makes it easier to slip an extra round in the pistol, by inserting a full magazine and then inserting a round manually into the chamber.  Other features include ambidextrous controls and a chamber loaded indicator. 

Beretta M-89

     Notes: Though primarily designed as a target pistol, the M-89 can also be used as a training pistol for heavier weapons due to its design and weight.  Other than the optional adjustable sights and trigger, the M-89 is otherwise a simple weapon, easy to maintain.  It has also been marketed under the name M-89 Gold Standard. 

Beretta M-92 Series

     Notes: The M-92 offers the widest product selection of the entire Beretta line of pistols; there are at least 15 major variants of the M-92, plus several other minor variations.  In addition, the M-81, M-84, M-98, and M-99 are merely smaller versions of the M-92. 

     The base model is the standard M-92.  It uses a short recoil system rather than the straight blowback system of Beretta’s smaller designs; this reduces recoil somewhat as well as making stoppages less common than they would be if a blowback system were used with the more powerful ammunition of the M-92.  There is one manual and two internal safeties, and a chamber loaded indicator.  The action is simple and reliable, and stripping takes very little training.

     The M-92S is similar to base M-92, but has a more reliable safety mechanism.  The safety has been moved to the slide and a decocker has been added.  It is slightly heavier due to these improvements.

     The M-92SB is an M-92S with an ambidextrous safety, the magazine release moved to a position under the trigger guard, a firing pin safety, and a half-cock safety.  It is otherwise identical to the M-92S. The M-92SBC (Compact) is a smaller version of the M-92SB, but is otherwise the same. The M-92SBC Type M is the same as the M-92SBC, but with a narrower grip and a smaller magazine.  A variant of the M-92SB is employed by US armed forces as the M-9; the modifications resulted in the M-92F. 

     The M-92F (also called the M-92SB-F, particularly in early iterations designed for the US XM-9 trials) is perhaps the most common version of the M-92, due to its employment as standard service pistol for US armed forces as well as some Italian military, the French Gendarmerie Nationale, and widespread sales to civilians.  It is almost identical to the M-92SB, but the front of the trigger guard is squared off to aid in two-handed shooting, the magazine has an extended base, the grip plates have been replaced with ones made of a more durable plastic, and a lanyard ring has been added to allow the attachment of a “dummy cord.”  The finish is made from Bruniton, a derivative of Teflon. The M-92FS was the template for later versions of the US M-9 pistol, and like the M-92S, it has more reliable safeties and a decocker. (It is otherwise the same as the M-92F for game purposes.)   As would be presumed from the name, the M-92FC Compact is a smaller version of the M-92F; a similar version exists for the M-92FS, the M-92FSC.  The mechanisms are the same, but the dimensions are smaller.  They are both identical for game purposes.  The M-92FC was discontinued in 2000, replaced in production by the M-92FSC. The M-92FS Border Marshall version was produced only for a short time during 2000; it was designed for US Border Patrol and used a slightly shorter barrel than the M-92FS, along with tritium inlays for the sights and rubber grips.  It was issued to the US Border Patrol for a few months, but later rejected in favor of true M-92FSs with tritium inlays for the sights.

     The M-92G is designed specifically for police use (the “G” stands for “Gendarmerie”).  It is basically an M-92FS with only a decocking lever and no manual safety.  The M-96G Centurion is a variant of the M-92G, but chambered for the .40 Smith & Wesson cartridge.  The M-92G is otherwise the same as the standard M-92 for game purposes.  The M-92G Elite is a variant of the M-92G, with extra cocking grips at the front of the slide, a slightly shorter barrel, a beveled magazine well, a skeletonized hammer, ribbed frontstrap, and 3-dor Novak Lo-Mount Carry sights.  The M-92G Elite II is basically the same, but uses an alloy frame instead of a steel frame.  The M-92G Elite is otherwise the same as the M-92FS Border Marshall version for game purposes; the M-92G Elite II is lighter than the Elite, but otherwise shoots the same for game purposes.

     The M-92SB-C Type M is a standard M-92SB-C with a narrower grip for smaller hands.  Because of this grip, the magazine used is a single-column 8-round instead of the normal double-column magazine.

     The M-92 Brigadier FS is a variant of the M-92F designed for combat competitions and other situations where a large number of rounds are to be fired in a short period of time.  The base M-92F is strengthened and reinforced, and the contours are smoothed.  There are three variants: the M-92 Brigadier FS is in 9mmP, the M-96 Brigadier FS is in .40 Smith & Wesson, and the M-98 Brigadier FS is in 9x21mm.  Besides civilian and isolated police and military sales, the M-92 Brigadier FS and its variants are used by the US Border Patrol and armed ICE agents.

     The M-92D and M-92DS are essentially similar to the standard M-92F for game purposes; the differences are that both are DAO weapons that have no manual safety.  The M-92D is the DAO counterpart to the M-92F, and the M-92DS is the DAO counterpart to the M-92FS.  The M-96D and M-96DS variants are identical to the M-92G Centurion for game purposes, being chambered for .40 Smith & Wesson but otherwise identical to the M-92D and M-92DS.  The M-92DC is a compact version of the M-92D, with a smaller grip and barrel.

     The M-92, M-96, and M-98 Combat models are further refinements of the Brigadier series above, and are geared more towards international shooting competitions than actual combat.  They are single action only weapons, adjustable rear sights that are micrometer-adjustable, tritium sight inlays, ultra-thin aluminum grips, and oversized safety and magazine release levers.  Each model comes in two barrel lengths, 125mm and 150mm. 

     The M-92 Vertec is a standard M-92 that has undergone a redesign to make it better suited for special operations personnel.  The grips are smaller and ergonomically better in form to allow a surer grip.  The trigger reach is shorter.  One of the biggest changes is the integral rail on the bottom of the receiver to allow the mounting of laser aiming modules, flashlights, and suchlike.  The barrel is slightly shorter to allow it to fit in a holster better and draw faster.  The rear sight is adjustable, and of the high-visibility 3-dot variety.  The M-96 Vertec is the .40 Smith & Wesson counterpart to the M-92 Vertec, it is a newer weapon than the M-92 Vertec, built with newer technology, and also has a light alloy frame, so it is considerably lighter than the M-92 Vertec.  One notable user of the M-96 Vertec is the US ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement), whose M-96 Vertecs have a reinforced slide to ensure that the slides will not crack under normal use.

     The M-98/M-98F is an M-92SB-C chambered for use with the 7.65mm Parabellum cartridge.  Intended for use by police, it saw some service in that role, but was mainly a civilian weapon.  In appearance and mechanics, it is otherwise identical to the M-92SB-C.  The M-98F is identical, but may be chambered in either 7.65mm Parabellum or 9x21mm ammunition. 

     The M-98FS Target is a target pistol version of the M-98F. It is longer (with a 150mm heavy barrel), and is a bit heavier.  The rear sight is adjustable, it has anatomical grips (before the war, Beretta would tailor the grips for the user), and has a muzzle counterweight for better balance. 

     The M-99 is similar in concept to the M-98, but is based on the M-92SB-C Type M instead of the M-92SB-C.  This means that it has a narrower pistol grip housing a single-column magazine instead of a double-column magazine; it also has a shorter barrel.

     ATI in the US imports a Turkish copy made by Girsan of the M-92 called the AT-92.  It is an almost straightforward copy of the M-92FS.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The M-92 Vertec does not exist, nor do the M-96 Vertec the M-92FS Border Marshall, and the M-96FS Border Marshall.

Beretta M-93R

     Notes: The Model 93R (R for raffica, which is Italian for “rapid-fire”).  I have found conflicting information on whether the M-93R is based on the M-951 or the M-92, but as the M-92 is a descendant of the M-951, both may be true in a way.  The M-93R was designed for the same reason most modern machine pistol were: to provide a compact close-combat weapon that is also reasonable concealable if necessary.

     Differences between the M-92 and the M-93R are extensive.  The receiver is strengthened in critical places; the shape is also a bit beefier, and the trigger guard is enlarged and has a rudimentary folding foregrip attached to help the shooter stabilize the weapon when firing automatic bursts.  The slide is noticeably heavier, which holds down the cyclic rate of fire.  At the bottom of the grip is a plate with a stud for the attachment of a folding shoulder stock.  The barrel is extended to 6.14 inches, and near the muzzle are compensator slots to help fight recoil.  The design of the extended barrel also allows for the use of a silencer.  The selector lever is on the frame above the rear of the grip, apart from the safety, allowing burst or semiautomatic fire.  The M-93R can use any 9mm Parabellum magazine that will fit into an M-92-series pistol; in addition, the M-93R can use an extended 20-round magazine that projects below the grip when inserted.

Beretta M-948

     Notes: Also known as the Featherweight or Plinker, the M-948 is a small-caliber version of the M-1934 chambered for .22 Long Rifle and with an extended barrel.  It is a basic small-caliber pistol for recreational shooting or vermin killing.

Beretta M-950

     Notes: This is a very small pocket pistol also known as the Minx in .22 caliber and the Jetfire in .25 ACP.  Introduced in 1950, only the Jetfire is still produced.  While similar to many other such pocket pistols, the M-950 is noted for its reliability – most such tiny pistols firing small-caliber ammunition are very prone to stoppages, because of the small size of their parts and the tight tolerances necessary to achieve that small size.

     The M-950 is typical of Beretta pistols of its time period (1950s and 1960s) in having an open slide from just behind the front sight to just ahead of the ejection port (when the slide cycles back, the ejection port is exposed long enough to eject the spent case).  It also has the tip-up barrel typical of many small-caliber pistols of the period, allowing for quick clearing of the weapon, removal of a stuck case, or a quick barrel cleaning. Spent case ejection on the M-950 is achieved literally by blowing the case out of the pistol using spent gas and the cycling of the slide – the M-950 has no extractor at all.  (While this can theoretically lead to frequent stoppages, it is actually quite rare on an M-950.) In the case of dud rounds or normal clearing of the M-950, the user tips the barrel up normally, and the case or round is ejected by springs from the barrel. The M-950 also has no manual safety.  The sights consist of a very small fixed notch in the rear and a half-moon blade in the front which is also quite low.  The magazine release is at the heel, another common feature of the time.  The M-950 is very light and kicks ferociously even with its small-caliber ammunition. 

     Minor variants of the M-950 include the M-950B, which uses dual recoil springs, and the M-950BS, which has the dual recoil springs as well as a manual safety (added to cover laws in other countries).  The M-950 is usually found with a 2.4-inch barrel, though it can be had with a 3.7-inch barrel.

     A great deal of export sales went to the US, until 1968, when the Gun Control Act of 1968 prohibited the importation of almost all such pocket pistols.  This situation continued until 1978, when Beretta set up Firearms International in Maryland, which later became Beretta USA.

Beretta M-951

     Notes: The predecessor to the M-92 and M-84 series of handguns, the M-951 (also called the M-1951, or the Brigadier in its civilian form) was designed for shooting ease and accuracy. Also known as the “Brigadier” (primarily on the civilian market) M-51, or M-1951, the M-951 was the standard sidearm of the Israeli military until its partial replacement by the Browning Hi-Power and later by the Jericho.  This weapon was first designed in the wake of World War 2 in 1950, but Beretta had difficulties with the design and it wasn’t put into full-rate production until 1955 – though early examples were in limited production in 1951.  (The biggest difficulty was the very light weight of the original design, but another problem was an inadequate locking mechanism (which had been borrowed from the Walther P-38, but not properly implemented on the M-951).  A shooter with experience with the M-92 or M-9 will find the M-951 easy to shoot, once he gets used to the single-action design.

     The original M-951 used a frame made from a light aluminum alloy called Ergal.  While the Ergal frame worked with the rimfire M-948, it was far too light (0.71 kg) and not strong enough for the far more powerful 9mm Parabellum cartridge, and this early M-951 was quickly withdrawn for redesigning.  The new frame was made from lightweight-but-strong steel, and this became the M-951 we all know and love.  The “new” M-951 was used as a primary and secondary service weapon by dozens of countries worldwide – thousands are still being used today as service weapons by military and police forces.  Several countries also produced the M-951 under license – especially Iraq (their copy being called the Tariq, and the existence of the contract not being known until after Desert Storm), Nigeria, and especially Egypt. Italy terminated production of the M-951 in 1983; production of the Egyptian copy, the Helwan, (identical to the Beretta version except for its marking and the lesser-quality finish) remains in production, and enjoys considerable export sales to civilian, police, and military forces worldwide.

     The M-951 uses a 4.5-inch barrel, and is known for its exceptionally smooth operation, ease of maintenance, and accuracy -- features that carried into later Beretta pistols.  Sights are what became standard for many later Beretta pistols -- a fixed notch rear and a low blade front.  The largest complaints about the M-951 are about awkward controls: the manual crossbolt safety button is in the upper grip, just out of the reach of the thumb of the firing hand for most shooters.  The M-951 also has a slide lock on the left side of the frame. There are no passive safeties.  On most M-951s, the magazine release is a button near the heel, but some early examples, as well as the on the Egyptian Helwan, the magazine release is actually on the heel, and is similar to that of the Walther P-38/P-1.  The grip includes a large hooked finger rest at the bottom, which give some shooters with large hands problems and also tends to snag when drawn.

     Variants include a light alloy model of the Helwan (made from a much stronger alloy), which made a brief reappearance in the late 1990s and is rather rare; the M-951 Target, with an adjustable rear sight, ergonomic grips, and a 5.7-inch barrel, with the last inch being conical in cross-section and topped with larger front sight consisting of a bead atop a blade. The frame is of light alloy.  (This target version is a very rare weapon).  The magazine catch is at the heel.

     The Helwan M-51/57 Berhama is a relatively rare version; it was designed before the M-951 Target by an Egyptian Army officer named Berhama for his military competition shooting team.  The Berhama chambers 7.65 Parabellum instead of 9mm Parabellum, but for the most part otherwise conforms to features of the M-951 Target (or actually, vice-versa).  An extremely rare variant of the Berhama is essentially a standard Helwan chambered for the 7.65mm Parabellum.  Beretta also manufactured this variant in small numbers for a short time, calling the Berhama target version the M-952 Special and the standard-sized Berhama the M-952.

     Two versions are available: one with a relatively heavy steel frame, and one with a light alloy frame.  A rare variant is the M-952, which is chambered for 7.65mm Parabellum.  The M-951 may also be considered the predecessor of the M-92 and M-96.

     Italian special operations units asked Beretta for another version of the M-951 for use in certain CQB situations.  This version, the M-951R (also called the M-951A) originally grew out of field modifications by military armorers at the request of Italian special operations units, and was later refined and standardized by Beretta.  It is the M-951 turned into a light machine pistol.  It uses an extended magazine and has a folding forward grip to help stabilize the weapon in automatic fire. Eventually replaced in the Italian military and other armed forces by the M-93R, the M-951R was popular with criminals and terrorists worldwide and lived on in their hands.  The M-951R suffers from its light weight as well as a tendency for the locking block to wear quickly and eventually crack.  The M-951R uses a lengthened 4.9-inch barrel, a heavier slide to reduce the cyclic rate of fire to about 1000 rpm, a larger, heavier hammer, and a rear sight adjustable for windage (though both the front sight and rear sight are quite small). 

Beretta M-1915

     Notes:  The Beretta M-1915 was produced in quantity when the demands of World War 1 outstripped the ability of Italy to produce the Glisenti pistol Italians were using at the time.  It is a simple blowback weapon meant to be easy to build and maintain.  Though most were chambered for either .32 ACP or .380 ACP, a few were chambered to fire the 9mm Glisenti cartridge, and some were chambered for .38 ACP.  Though 9mm Parabellum will chamber in these 9mm versions, NEVER try to fire 9mm Parabellum from this pistol, as the more powerful Parabellum cartridge will cause the chamber to explode.  Barrel length is for the most part 3.5 inches; however, a version of the 9mm Glisenti-chambered M-1915 used a 3.75-inch barrel and heavier construction.

     After World War 1, the M-1915/19 was produced; it was basically an M-1915 with the slide cut away from the front sight to the breech face, a feature which later became common in Beretta pistols; the internal mechanism was also changed to give the M-1915/1919 a greatly-improved trigger pull.  The entire weapon is also 4mm shorter, yet has a 2mm longer barrel.  It is chambered only for .32 ACP.  It was made largely for civilian sales, but small numbers were taken into military service as the Model 1922.

     The Beretta M-1919 was introduced in 1920.  It is basically a smaller version of the M-1915/19, chambered for .25 ACP and much smaller than the M-1915/19, with a barrel only 2.5 inches long.  The M-1919 does not have sights, but does have an aiming groove down the slide.  Production stopped in 1939.

     The M-1923 is an enlarged version of the M-1915/1919.  Changes include a 4-inch barrel and an exposed loop hammer; some are also slotted for a stock.  As prior to World War 2, the 9mm Glisenti cartridge was still the Italian standard, the M-1923 was chambered for it.  Like most other 9mm Glisenti-firing Italian pistols, the M-1923 will chamber the 9mm Parabellum cartridge, but attempting to fire the Parabellum cartridge will cause a chamber explosion.  This is perhaps the reason the M-1923 was not produced after 1925.

     The M-1931 is a modified M-1931; the main difference is that is chambered for the .32 ACP cartridge and has a shorter barrel. It was used only in small numbers by the Navy itself, but all models carried the symbol of the Italian Navy, even those made for civilian sales.  Other than the caliber, the distinguishing feature of the M-1931 is the external hammer.

     The M-1934/M-1935 is essentially a “cleaned-up” M-1915/1919, built of first-rate materials, better finishes, and cleaner lines.  It is far better made than the typical Beretta pistol of pre-World War 2 manufacture, which is why many of them survive until this day in perfect working order.  They were widely issued as a sidearm to Italian forces in World War 2, which also means that there are more M-1934s than other pre-World War 2 Beretta pistols.  Virtually all M-1934s found will fire .380 ACP; there is a .32 ACP chambering, called the M-1935, but it is very rare.

     The M-1937 is a civilian version of the M-1923.  Then, as now, civilian weapons could not be sold in “military” chamberings, so the M-1937 was chambered for 9mm Largo.

Beretta M-9000S

     Notes: This is basically Beretta jumping on the compact polymer-frame bandwagon.  The frame is actually polymer reinforced with fiberglass, and is quite strong.  The Beretta also does not use the modified Browning operating system and most Berettas use, opting for a new, more efficient (but more complicated) system.  The M-9000S comes in two major variants: the Type F with a double action trigger system, and the Type D, which is double-action only.  Other than the action, they are virtually identical except for minor weight differences.

Beretta BU-9 Nano

     Notes: In most cases, the “BU-9” is dropped and this pistol is known as merely the Nano.  According Beretta’s web site, “The Beretta Nano is the ultimate evolution of the micro compact carry pistol.”  The Nano’s development was driven from the beginning by ease of use and concealment.  The Nano is almost totally dehorned, including very low profile, almost flat, non-adjustable front and rear sights with a 3-dot-typoe sighting pattern.  The sights are adjustable, but a hex wrench is required. Controls are fitted almost flat into the body of the Nano; the controls can be reversed for left- or right-handed use.  The frame is of ulktra-modern thermoplastic and reinforced fiberglass mixed with what Beretta calls “technopolymer.”  The barrel is 3.07 inches and made of stainless steel, but otherwise ordinary.  The interior of the grip is reinforced by slim stainless steel rods.  The grip and frame are black polymer; the slide is stainless steel finished in black Pronox.

Beretta Px-4 Storm

     Notes: This pistol is a further development of the Beretta Cougar pistol.  It uses the same basic operating principle, with four trigger mechanisms available: The Px-4F, with a double-action trigger and a manual safety/decocker; the Px-4D, a double-action-only weapon with no safety or decocker and a shrouded hammer; the Px-4G, double action with a decocker but no manual safety; and the Px-4C, with a “constant action trigger” (a double-action-only system with less pull), and a shrouded hammer.  (All are identical for game purposes.)  The Px-4 Storm (when bought from the dealer) comes with a set of three interchangeable backstraps of differing sizes, allowing the weapon to be fitted to larger or smaller hands.  The Px-4 also has a short MIL-STD-1913 rail under the barrel for the attachment of lights or laser aiming modules.  Construction is primarily from high-strength polymers, particularly the frame and grip.  The standard magazines are the smaller ones (they fit into the grip); the larger ones are extended magazines which stick out from the bottom of the grip.  There are (according to Beretta literature) going to be four calibers of the Storm; however, the .357 SiG version is not yet available as of the time I write this (mid-April 2007). Many customers have apparently contacted Beretta asking that they produce a version of the Px-4 in .45 GAP, but they so far have been told that a .45 GAP version is not in Beretta’s plans at present.

     The .45 ACP Px-4 did not appear until early 2007, and it appeared in two versions: The standard Px-4 .45 ACP, and the Px-4SD (Special Duty) .45 ACP.  The standard Px-4 in .45 ACP is essentially a Px-4 enlarged to accommodate the .45 ACP round, but the Px-4SD .45 ACP was designed as a military weapon, primarily to compete for the new US military .45 ACP pistol (the US military has recently announced that it is looking at replacing the M-9 with a new .45 ACP pistol for some purposes).  The SD was designed to meet even the US SOCOM’s specifications, and includes features such as a redesigned grip angle (while retaining the ability to use interchangeable backstraps), true ambidextrous controls, two sizes of interchangeable magazine release buttons, standard and low-profile “dehorned” interchangeable slide catches, 3-dot “Super Luminova” luminous night sights which are dovetailed in to allow replacement with other sights (the rear sight is adjustable), and a slightly longer MIL-STD-1913 rail under the dust cover.  The Px-4SD has an extended barrel with threads, allowing the use of various screw-on muzzle devices including brakes and silencers.

     In the Summer of 2007, Beretta introduced the PX-4 Storm Subcompact.  This is essentially a smaller version of the standard Px-4; it has a shorter grip with a smaller magazine, and an inch lopped off the barrel for a barrel length of 3 inches.  Currently, Beretta intends to introduce the Px-4 Subcompact in 9mm Parabellum and .40 Smith & Wesson only.  The Subcompact version does have an attachment point for accessories, but this attachment point is quite short and small.  It will be available in C, D, F, and G configurations.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Introduced in 2004, this pistol does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Beretta U-22 Neos

     Notes:  This is a small-caliber pistol designed specifically for target shooting, with a secondary use as a training pistol for the neophyte.  It is based around a frame and mechanism that uses as much polymer and composites as possible, to reduce weight.  The most novel feature is the sight mount: it is on a rail above the receiver that does not move with the slide, reducing abuse on sights and allowing a wide variety of devices through its Picatinny-like interface.  The entire weapon is designed to be quick and easy to use, but this means that some controls are not the same as is standard on most pistols.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.