The Beretta Pico

The Beretta Pico has re-strike capability, which is interesting, but not universally blessed. Training classes I’ve attended teach the student to immediately initiate the “tap/rack” clearing technique when a trigger pull produces a click instead of a bang. If you’re fighting for your life, several more redundant clicks before you fix the problem could prove costly. That said, the “tap/rack” works just as well on a double-action, conventional-hammer pistol as it does on a striker-fired handgun, and if you’ve trained properly, that training will kick in the instant you hear your gun click or feel it not fire.

Other than the double-action-only trigger, the Beretta Pico operates and cycles much like John Browning’s 1911. Also like the 1911, there is no magazine-disconnect safety, so you can fire the pistol with the magazine removed. Speaking of magazines, two are furnished with the Pico: One has a flush basepad for maximum concealability, while the other has an extended tab on the magazine base enabling the shooter to get every finger of the shooting hand on the grip. Both magazines are six-round variants and are easy to load. They slide smoothly into the magazine well and lock into place with a positive click.