Beretta has released some exciting pistols lately. The company continues to update the classic 92 series, while bringing back upgraded versions of the classic Bobcat, Tomcat, and Cheetah lines. The latest version of the latter is the 80X Cheetah Tactical, offering enhanced capability for Beretta’s newest .380 ACP handgun.
The 80X Cheetah brought back the beloved 80 Series with all new styling that, at first glance, looks like nothing so much as a scaled down 92X. Nothing wrong with that, but first glances are often deceiving.
The 80X is not merely a smaller 92X. It retains the old 80 Series controls and functionality, with several upgrades, along with that modern Beretta vibe. The results were outstanding, so Beretta is now expanding our choices for the new Cheetah.
I recently got the opportunity to test and review an 80X Cheetah Tactical. My Italian police trade-in Model 81 Cheetah is among my favorite handguns to shoot, so I eagerly accepted. For the record, Beretta provided the 80X for testing, and I do not get to keep it. Onward.
Beretta 80X Cheetah Tactical Specifications
- Caliber: .380 ACP
- Capacity: 15+1 – 10+1
- Semi-automatic
- Hammer-fired
- Barrel Length: 4.4 inches
- Overall Length: 7.3 inches
- Sight Radius: 5.23 inches
- Width: 1.4 inches
- Grip Width: 1.06 inches
- Height: 4.9 inches
- Weight: 25 ounces (unloaded)
Before addressing the gun’s features, I like that the 80X Tactical looks like a Beretta. I know that looks have nothing to do with functionality and reliability. But I like my guns to look good while they operate properly. I bet you don’t mind that either.
Like the 80 Series, the 80X guns have the Beretta open-top slide many of us love, which also cuts down on weight. The prominent beavertail and distinctive trigger guard make the 80X’s manufacturer clear, even before seeing the grip panel’s Beretta logo. I find few handguns as visually appealing as the Beretta 92, but the 80X is right there.
The all-metal construction, with the aluminum alloy frame and steel slide, is nice too. I like polymer-framed guns, but there’s just something satisfying about metal. Sure, it adds a little weight, but the 80X isn’t heavy, and the sometimes snappy .380 ACP cartridge feels a lot better in the 80X than in many other small handguns.
Beretta 80X Cheetah Tactical Features
That’s all well and good, but how does the 80X perform? Glad you asked.
The gun’s features set the shooter up for success. I already mentioned the solid construction, which Beretta enhances with their nicely textured Vertec grip. Like the 92X, the 80X dispenses with its predecessors’ palm swell grip, instead featuring a straight-backed design that feels better than you might expect. I do prefer the palm swell, but the new style filled my hand well and it didn’t seem to affect my shooting.
The 80X is exactly the same height and length as my old Beretta 81, and the width is close enough not to matter. But the 80X uses those dimensions more efficiently. The slide is slightly taller, and it tapers less on top. That provides a more positive manipulation surface, which, when coupled with the added front cocking serrations, makes the 80X noticeably easier to rack.
The slide is also optic-ready, a clear upgrade from the old 80 series. I immediately added a Vortex Defender CCW red dot, using the Shield RMS plate Beretta kindly provided. Beretta also offers Holosun K and Docter footprint plates.
The ½ x 28 threaded barrel allows you to attach a suppressor or compensator, adding to the new Cheetah’s capabilities. The barrel is really what makes this gun a “Tactical” model, but it does expand the gun’s role beyond concealed carry, and I like it. The iron sights are not suppressor-height, though they can be swapped out if you want. So, running suppressed will require new sights and/or an optic.
The 80X Tactical also ships with two 15-round extended magazines, providing two more rounds than the standard 80X pistol. And it even takes those shorter 13-round mags if you have them.
Controls
The 80X, including the Tactical model, retains the same basic controls as the earlier 80 Series. But like the rest of the gun, most of these controls are upgraded. The ambidextrous thumb safety looks the same, but the 80X includes a decocker, which is a huge improvement.
The one feature I don’t like about my Model 81 is that I’m forced to manually lower the hammer on a loaded chamber because the gun has no decocker. The 80X safety lever can be used as a safety only, but clicking it up one more notch drops the hammer while also disengaging the trigger. Perfect.
I’m not a fan of “cocked and locked” carry, but the 80X can be carried that way. The thumb safety is perfectly aligned to sweep down on the draw, giving the shooter a light, 5 lb. single action trigger pull. The double action pull is typically long, though it’s consistent throughout, breaking at around 9 lbs.
Beretta gives us a third option that’s better than cocked and locked SA or straight DA. Decocking the 80X puts the trigger in a kind of half-cock mode only accessible via the decocker. This mode provides an easy take-up to the halfway point, where the trigger then stacks and breaks at about 6.8 lbs. I found this to be very comfortable, and a great incentive to use the decock function over cocked and locked. That’s how I would carry this gun. Well done, Beretta.
Finally, the Beretta X-Treme S Trigger can be adjusted to reduce the already nice reset to as short as 1 millimeter. I didn’t do that since this is a test gun, but I like having that option. The 80X also improves on its older brother by adding a reversible magazine release. Lefties rejoice!
Disassembly with a Twist
Finally, the disassembly process is almost exactly the same as my Model 81, with one big difference. When reassembling the gun, I could not get the takedown lever to re-engage, no matter what I tried. Just properly aligning the slide does it with the 81. So, like anyone else would do, I took to YouTube, because I surely wasn’t the only one having that issue.
I was right, and the first video I found told me to place the muzzle on a tabletop and press it down using my normal one-handed grip. I did it, and the takedown lever snapped into place. Numerous comments demonstrated that this was a common thing, though several mentioned that Beretta did not specify that technique in the owner’s manual. I can’t say since my test gun did not include a manual.
The Beretta 80X Tactical on the Range
We fired 280 rounds through the 80X Tactical over several range trips. Most of those were FMJ target rounds, but we also ran two magazines of defensive ammo, just to see how it cycled. The 280 rounds aren’t an awful lot, but we got a good idea of how this gun runs and its capabilities. The Cheetah was 100 percent reliable, with no malfunctions, using the following loads:
- 90-grain PMC Bronze FMJ (100)
- 95-grain Magtech FMJ (100)
- 95-grain Winchester Target & Practice FMJ (50)
- 85-grain Federal Train & Protect JHP (30)
Our good friends at Ammo-to-Go generously provided the ammunition.
We found the 80X Tactical to be very accurate, and it shot a little softer than I expected, though it could get a little snappy with the Magtech ammo. My recoil expectations from .380 rounds come from years of shooting small pocket rockets like the Ruger LCP. I got it in my mind that all .380s shot that way. But the 80X Tactical is bigger, heavier, and ergonomically superior to those guns, making the .380 far more pleasant to shoot.
The 80X Tactical is the same size as my Model 81, but, like I said, it uses that size more efficiently. It feels a little bigger and more stable than the older model. The trigger is very nice, even without adjusting the reset. If this were my gun, I might not do that. Shots are smooth and my co-tester and I easily stayed on target during follow-ups. Even the snappier Magtech ammo wasn’t bad.
The controls are where I want them and they respond positively, though I wish the mag release button was a bit larger. The Vertec grip is nice, and I didn’t really miss the palm swell once we started shooting.
Suppressing the 80X Tactical
We said the threaded barrel is really what makes this gun “tactical,” so we took full advantage. We quickly attached a SilencerCo Spectre 9 suppressor and proceeded to have a blast. The suppressor tamed the recoil even more, and while we still needed ear protection, it wasn’t as loud as it had been thanks to the Spectre 9’s 132-decibel rating.
The 80X Tactical handled the suppressor like a champ, with no malfunctions. We got a little more gas in the face, but that’s how it goes. I was glad I had an optic for the gun since the stock iron sights aren’t tall enough for a suppressor.
This pistol was a joy to shoot, with or without the suppressor. But I do need to invest in a suppressor cover. That thing got hot when we ran drills!
Functionality
Any pistol labeled as being “tactical” should be able to run defensive drills with no problem. This one did.
We ran our bread and butter 2-2-2 transition drills, some dot torture, and we played with the dueling tree. The Cheetah handled everything smoothly. Mag changes were fluid, and bringing the gun into battery was all but effortless whether we used the slide catch or did it manually.
In short, it ran like I expect a Beretta to run.
Final Thoughts
Historically, I’ve never had much use for .380 ACP pistols. The cartridge is a little underpowered, and the felt recoil seemed similar to the more effective 9mm Parabellum. And it’s more expensive. But the latest generation of .380-chambered handguns is beginning to change my mind. COVID taught me that having an extra gun in different calibers is a wise precaution when ammo availability gets adventurous. I’ve done that, but I’ve yet to buy a .380.
That’s not only because of preconceptions about the cartridge. Most .380 firearms didn’t really excite me, and I turned more toward revolvers. But this 80X Cheetah has grabbed my attention.
I like this gun a lot. I wouldn’t be surprised if I bought myself one of these sometime soon. And I suppose that’s the best endorsement I can give a product. Sure, Beretta sent me this gun to test, for which I’m grateful. I have to return it now that I’m done, but I don’t want to. So, I may have to remedy that by buying one of my own. Now that’s a happy thought.
Check out the Beretta 80X Cheetah, regular or Tactical, for yourself. I bet you’ll like it too.
