BERETTA APX REVISITED
Guns go modular – one licence fits all
IIN THE MARCH 2019 edition, Paul Scarlata introduced us to the new Beretta APX pistols – Beretta’s attempt to win the US Army’s Modular Handgun System competi tion. The APX is a chassis-based design with a focus on modular features such as interchangeable grips and ambidextrous controls.
Beretta did not win the contract, but the APX was made available to the civilian market. In addition to the full size service pistol (17-round capacity) they have the smaller Centurion and Compact. Both feature a shorter slide, slightly shorter than that of the Glock 19, while the Compact has a short grip and a magazine capacity of 13 rounds. The Centurion’s grip length is in between that of the Compact and full size, and has a 15-round capacity.
Beretta also opted for interchangeable frames, similar to the system used in some of SIG’S pistols. A serialised and removable fire control chassis (which includes the trigger assembly) is used. The chassis, with the weapon’s serial number, can be removed from an existing frame and simply inserted into another. The frames are sold as separate accessories (no licence needed). At the time of writing I found full-size frames online for R795.
I like the idea of buying an additional frame over the counter; it can be the same size in a different colour (black, flat dark earth, green and grey), or for conversion from the Compact’s frame to the slightly larger Centurion, or vice versa. The Compact makes an excellent concealed carry gun, leaving a rather small ‘print’ beneath clothing, but for extended range sessions I’d prefer a slightly larger frame for my over-sized hands. A Centurion frame will make this possible.
REMOVING THE CHASSIS and placing it in the larger frame is straight forward once you have figured out the procedure – something that can be done in a few minutes. It involves removing a pin and lifting the chassis out of the frame, which most handgun enthusiasts should be able to manage. Of course, with a longer grip, longer magazines are needed, and instead of opting for the Centurion’s 15-round mags I’d probably just buy additional 17-round magazines, which can be used in all the frames.
The three interchangeable backstraps (small, medium and large) supplied with each pistol frame allow for further customization. These are held in place with a long steel retainer. To remove the retainer you need to remove the slide and push the top of the retainer to one side while at the same time gripping it at the mag-well
end and drawing it out in the same direction you remove the magazine. I found a noticeable difference in the grip size by swopping the inserts, and finally settled on large, which allowed me better control over the pistol during recoil.
I also tried the small frame of the Compact with the long slide of the fullsize pistol. The shorter dust cover of the frame revealed part of the guide rod and springs, but the pistol functioned perfectly and was a revelation to shoot. This assembly is the opposite of the Glock 19X with its Glock 19 slide and full-sized grip of the Glock 17. The Beretta with its short grip and long slide actually felt well balanced in my hands. Even better, it shot well.
THE SMALL FRAME of the Compact has only enough space on the grip for my middle and ring finger, the baby finger had to go below the magazine. As the 17-shot full-size magazines work in the Compact frame I decided to use these for a more comfortable grip. Beretta also offers extension pieces that slide over the longer mags. The problem with the longer mags is that you have fingers gripping the frame and the magazine. With your baby finger on the magazine insert, the mag will not always drop free when the mag release is pressed, but I soon worked around this by relaxing my grip when reloading mags.
THE AVAILABILITY OF INTERCHANGEABLE FRAMES IS A STEP INTO THE FUTURE
Out of curiosity I fitted the full-size pistol’s barrel onto the Compact, and apart from the barrel protruding beyond the slide, the pistol functioned perfectly.
A Centurion was unavailable, but on the range, the full-size pistol and Compact performed well. My colleague André Grobler proved that the larger pistol was accurate and easy to shoot by placing two shots very close to each other at 3m and then repeating the exercise with similar results at 20m.
Both pistols are clearly very efficient and the full-size version will make an excellent police or military sidearm, or defensive weapon for farmers, rangers, etc. The finger-grooved grip fitted my large hands surprisingly well and the pistol pointed naturally. Right from the start I was able to shoot scores similar to those with my own trusty carry piece. However, I’d prefer a grip without finger-grooves.
In contrast, the Compact has an extremely aggressive textured grip without finger-grooves. My first impression was of an overly abrasive surface that would be uncomfortable when used for longer shooting sessions. I was wrong, I got used to the aggressive grip after just two range sessions. Although the grip had space for my index and ring-finger only, I could hold the pistol very steady during recoil and found it easier to shoot than its bigger brother. The diminutive frame soon found favour among all shooters who tried it; Beretta hit the nail on the head with this one. However, holster choice will be important to keep the abrasive grip away from your body during concealed carry.
THE TRIGGERS WERE the typical striker-fired pistol type, yet one devoted Glock user had the problem of not always releasing the trigger far enough forward to reset. As my EDC pistol is not striker-fired, I’m no expert on the subject, but comparing it to the Glock’s, I found the Beretta’s trigger slightly ‘slower’ in resetting. However, I adapted to the Beretta trigger fairly easily and was soon achieving extremely fast follow-up shots.
Beretta’s magazine base plates are a clever design with a flared bottom affording a firm grip should a mag need to be ripped out due to a failure or malfunction.
APX accessories like holsters and mag pouches are available at retailers, but the Compact posed a challenge. The dust cover of the frame is slightly higher than the service model’s, rendering it impossible to insert a Compact into Beretta’s tight fitting APX full-frame holster.
IN MY BOOK the APX series of pistols offer good value for money and if I was in the market for a polymer striker-fired pistol I’d opt for the Beretta (or SIG) with its modular systems. The availability of interchangeable frames is a step into the future and provides the opportunity to customize your pistol by simply buying what you need over the counter. Why pay for two pistols if I want a compact carry gun and a larger frame for range work?