Beretta 87 target

Brian James

Brian James

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I’m wondering if anyone can share their thoughts on the Beretta 87 Target. I’ve been shooting ISSF and Bullseye for a number of years but have never come across one of these pistols, but every time I see it I’m curious.

I’m confident it’s as accurate as any M41, but how have people found the trigger and trigger reset compared to SW41 or Hammerli Exesse.

Thanks

Brian
 
I have both an S&W 41 and a Beretta 87 Target. The 41 is a nicer piece to shoot, in my opinion. The trigger on the 87 breaks at around 3 to 3.5 lbs (not consistant, but that could just be me) after a bit of initial creep (which is very easy to feel). Reset is approx 3/8ths of an inch of "let off" - if you stop your finger right then, there is no creep. The trigger on the 41 breaks just under 2 lbs (no creep) - consistantly and reset is maybe 1/8 th of an inch of "let off" and you have to be paying attention, or you won't feel it. The 87 weighs around a pound and a half, while the 41 is around a pound heavier - that's using my RCBS trigger scale, FWIW. The Beretta has an alloy frame and barrel shroud, while the S&W is all steel. The Beretta also has a skinnier grip - not horrendously so, but it's noticable right away. The 87 has not seen very much use, so the trigger may get a touch easier, after a few hundred (or thousand) rounds. Even though the 41 is more expensive, that is the one I'd be putting my money on. I've seen some nice looking used ones come up on the EE, for a pretty decent price.
 
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Thanks Fire@will.

Your review is really helpful, especially the the length of the reset! Im fortunate to own a few target pistols, but they are not NY state friendly as the magazine is in from the of the trigger guard. Yep those Pardini and Walther GSPs got caught in the NY assault weapon ban legislation. All that to say is I’m looking for a target pistol to shoot some bullseye matches in NY & PA that has a magazine that loads through the grip. I own currently own an old buckmark but Im not convinced its reliable enough and foolishly sold an older and reliable 41 a few months ago.

This leaves me looking for another 41, or other classic target pistols. Hence the random interest in the Beretta as I owned a Benelli MP90 which had a good trigger so I was hopefully the Beretta might be decent. The built in rail would be nice and save a bit of money when adding a scope.

The search continues..... its a shame target grade 22 conversions for 1911s are scarce these days.
 
That's a shame that some target pistols got caught in that foolishness. It seems that the very same "mouth-breathers" are heavily involved in the current nonsense that's going on here. "It beggars belief" - as the saying goes.
Another piece you might check out are the High Standards. I have a Citation and the trigger is on par with the 41 - both pull and reset. Dead nuts reliable and will eat anything you can fit in the mag - unlike my 41, that will only reliably extract/eject anything less "hot" than 1050 ft/sec. More accurate than I am - but then the previously mentioned ones are too. I suck at one handed "Bullseye" - can't hold it steady enough. I have a 7.25" barrel for it, that has been tapped for a rail and I have a red dot mounted on it. The barrels change with a (fairly hard) push of a button - so that's something to consider, if you're wanting to mount an optic. They show up on the EE from time to time and for less $ than a 41. Too bad you sold the one you had - ya' shoulda' listened to your mother, when she told you to NEVER sell your guns.
 
High Standard Victor is a nice pistol
I have two Beretta 89 pistols, nice guns
I really like the old Browning Challenger and Medalist pistols
 
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Interesting discussion...
None of the guys in my bullseye league shoot SW41...we call them jam-o-matics
One guy bought one brand new in 2019 and has had nothing but trouble with it, it’s not reliable

Anyway.....
Walther SSP is a fabulous target pistol that loads through the action, magazine is in the grip.
Same as old FAS 602 or 607, all of which are very good
FAS can be finicky until you get the right ammunition

Chiappa now makes FAS 6007 available in Canada
Several dealers have it, shop around for best price
I’m waiting for one, if you are not to far from me, you are welcome to try it
 
Jamming M41...possible round issue. They need to try different ammunition and see what works consistently.
The internet claims that CCI Standard ammo works well.
A brand new 41 should have no issues with any type of ammunition, IMHO, at least I haven't had any issues.
An older one with a shot out recoil spring...that's a problem. So it could be a spring issue. I've had that problem with a Model 46.

The Beretta 87 is a very nice pistol. I've put a few boxes through one. Fire@Will makes a good point on the trigger vs 41 and I agree with that (41 is way lighter). My experience, and my hand is medium (17.8 cm from base of palm to tip of middle finger) sized, is that the 41 has a better grip. Feels like you have the whole gun in your hand. For me, the 87 it felt like the butt was too short, the bottom edge of my hand felt like it wasn't on the grip.

If I was shooting for fun, either pistol works for me.
If I was shooting for competition, I prefer the 41.
 
The guy with the BNIB SW41 had all kinds of trouble.
Tried all kinds of target ammo - started with CCISV - NFG.
Tried some SK, some Eley, nothing worked consistently. Had lots of stove pipes, failure to feed, you name it

Sent it to the warranty center - what a joke that was - told him to run a scrub brush in and out of the chanber a lot.....idiot.

Anyway, people are welcome to shoot what they want, but I sure wouldnt want one with the money on the line
Rapid fire scores killed him. He was ok in slow fire - had time to cleat the jams ...lol
 
I serviced a couple 41's one had to be cleaned at every 50 rds or more. It was partly limp wrist. the other fine, I don't like the grips. I shoot Hi standards.
The Beretta's to me are not target guns, just heavy barrel on a standard blaa frame, I have not spent any time with them, so Take that with a grain of salt
The Hammerli, Which is a Sako now I think make some great guns. I really liked the Xesse for informal bull eye, easy to put a red dot on with that little rail. A bit light weight, all alloy
Than I picked up a nice old Hammerli 215 International and that thing never ever had a problem, in 5 or 6 years, and as good as a trigger as you wanted to make it.
Trade Ex has some in stock now.
For Rapid fire , Nothing beats a Hi-Standard Olymipic, Made for rapid fire, but no one shoots it here, fun on a steel challenge, when you have the grand kids out.
The last one I had , you measured the trigger in grams.
A old good smith 41 is better than a new one ,I think from what I hear, never had a new one, none of my guns have been new ones , other than a couple 9mm, and a kimber.
We don't have Assault GSP's up here , LOL, but lots of other stupid B.S. stupid crap.
BTW , I did some mags for a ladies Hi Standard 107 Citation , and she had not ever had a extractor in it, speeds her time up she said.
I ran 200 rounds in it and she was right, but had to be kept clean, so we installed one while it was here.
 
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When I worked at CIL in the 60's, whenever we made any change to 22 ammo we had to test to make sure it would still feed and fire in all the guns out there.

They first gun we tested in was the S&W41. If it worked in that, it would work in anything.

The 41 is/was fussy about what it eats.
 
Bigbubba said:
Interesting discussion...
None of the guys in my bullseye league shoot SW41...we call them jam-o-matics
One guy bought one brand new in 2019 and has had nothing but trouble with it, it’s not reliable

Anyway.....
Walther SSP is a fabulous target pistol that loads through the action, magazine is in the grip.
Same as old FAS 602 or 607, all of which are very good
FAS can be finicky until you get the right ammunition

Chiappa now makes FAS 6007 available in Canada
Several dealers have it, shop around for best price
I’m waiting for one, if you are not to far from me, you are welcome to try it
Click to expand...

Once you fix the extractor they run just fine :) I have personally worked on 10 M41's and my Personal M46, and they will eat anything .. except the Aguila 60gn
 
OP: The 87 is a fine pistol, but fow what you are looking for, probably not the best fit. But you need to own one anyway. They look great, and are just fun to shoot. Quite accurate, even if the trigger is a little bit spongy.
 
I agree with Got Juice?. I enjoy my Beretta 87T. It is a well made,fun to shoot and accurate pistol but I would not use mine for competition.
 
Bigbubba said:
Interesting discussion...
None of the guys in my bullseye league shoot SW41...we call them jam-o-matics
One guy bought one brand new in 2019 and has had nothing but trouble with it, it’s not reliable

Anyway.....
Walther SSP is a fabulous target pistol that loads through the action, magazine is in the grip.
Same as old FAS 602 or 607, all of which are very good
FAS can be finicky until you get the right ammunition

Chiappa now makes FAS 6007 available in Canada
Several dealers have it, shop around for best price
I’m waiting for one, if you are not to far from me, you are welcome to try it
Click to expand...

sorry for resurrecting this thread by I am intrigued by the Chiappa FAS 6007. Did you finally receive yours? What do you think? Is it worth the one and a half grand (before taxes)? Reliability? Durability? How many mags did it come with?
 
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