Beretta 80X Cheetah

The Beretta Cheetah series dates back to 1976 and has always been subcaliber, blowback-operated handguns designed to be small and easy to carry. The Cheetah disappeared as the concealed carry market evolved and guns got smaller. Yet, what’s old is new, and the Cheetah has returned to the form of the 80X series. 

The 80X Cheetah – What’s Old Is New 

Concealed carry firearms have gone through a variety of transformations over the years. A few different factors often spur it. There are technological innovations, like the SIG P365. Sometimes, it’s a fad, like the pocket .380 world. Other times, the market changes to address the needs of the consumer. We’ve seen a distinct rise of people who aren’t high-volume shooters or gun guys getting into firearms. 

The market has produced guns like the 80X Cheetah and guns like the S&W EZ series, the Ruer Security-380, the Walther PD-380, and more. These mid-size guns are smaller than a Glock 19 but bigger than a SIG P365. They offer a mid-size gun that’s easy to shoot and small enough to carry. The 80X is for that crowd of shooters. 

It’s a mid-size, lightweight, compact carry gun that packs 13 rounds of .380 ACP and comes with all the fancy accessories we don’t see on most of this new genre of firearms. The 80X promises a low recoil, easy-to-shoot alternative for self-defense with the ability to accept a light and red dot. 

The 80X revives the Cheetah series but also stands out. It’s unlike any other Cheetah, and the modern touches bring the series into the modern era. 

Beretta Cheetah 80X Features 

1 Accessory Rail

2 Optics Ready

3 Ambidextrous Safety

4 Reversible Magazine Release

Other Models

The Beretta 80X Cheetah – Throwing .380 

The Beretta 80X Cheetah has one glaring flaw to me. Beretta stuck to the direct blowback system of the original Cheetah. I think switching to a short recoil system like the M9/92 series would have been a welcome change. Blowback systems are simple and reliable but produce more recoil than necessary. With that said, does the 80X beat you up? 

Nope. Beretta worked some ergonomic magic to produce a fairly soft shooting blowback-operated pistol. The grip isn’t super thin, so the recoil is spread throughout your hand. You get that holding a firework-like bark with each shot, but it’s completely manageable and something I’d feel comfortable suggesting to smaller shooters.

The gun’s fixed barrel must help a fair bit with reducing muzzle rise. There is hardly any, and the gun remains flat, making it easy to stay on target while firing rapidly. Putting multiple shots on target isn’t difficult, and the gun never fights its way too far off target. The little 80X handles quite nicely overall. 

Ergonomically, the gun delivers a solid performance. The frame-mounted safety also acts as a decocker. The thumb can easily catch it and press it down and out of the way. When cocked, press the safety down one more notch, and it decocks. Personally, with the long double-action trigger pull, I don’t see a big reason to keep the safety on while carrying and would run the gun hammer down and safety off. 

The wide grip is comfy and doesn’t just cut recoil but fills the hand and increases control. The gun allows for a high grip, and a pronounced beavertail allows for a high grip that’s hammer and slide bite-free. The slide has that Beretta minimalist design, but the deep grip serrations make it easy to grip and to cycle the slide. 

Tight Groups 

The Beretta 80X performed admirably in accuracy. Its double-action trigger is quite smooth and impressive, indicating that Beretta took its time with this gun. The single-action trigger is very light and smooth, with a nice short reset. You’ll enjoy pressing it. 

The gun comes with simple three-dot sights—nothing impressive but workable. The rear sight has to be removed to mount an optic. I’m not a fan of that design by any means, and I dislike that it’s becoming the norm. Luckily, they make solid red dots these days. 

At 15 yards, I can print tiny groups, and out to 25 yards, I can easily hit a 10-inch gong. Speed and accuracy combine well to produce excellent results with Bill Drills, 10-10-10 drills, and the famed Dot Torture test. The weapon is mechanically and practically accurate. 

In terms of reliability, it does what blowback systems do best: it runs. It shoots through everything I’ve put through it. This is mostly a diet of 95-grain FMJs but also the other half of a box of Hydra Shok rounds. It goes bang, regardless. 

As you’d imagine, the Beretta 80X isn’t the cheapest gun on the modern .380 market. It’s actually the most expensive. A basic model is about 600 dollars. The 80X series brings us a pricey but also premium option in the modern .380 market. 

Ultimately, the 80X retains the flair of Beretta’s all-metal, open-top guns. If you’re a Beretta fan, then you won’t be disappointed. It’s not boring like the APX, and it breaks the mold of the overlay standardized striker-fired, polymer frame pistol. It has low recoil and is convenient to carry.

Beretta 80X Cheetah Pros and Cons

Accessories to Include: 

1. Holosun EPS Carry		Enclosed Emitter Design Fits Standard RMSc Footprints Shake Awake Tech	Check It Out
2. Streamlight TLR-7		Perfect for Small Guns 500 Lumens Ambidextrous Controls	Check It Out

Important Links and Manuals for Beretta 80X Cheetah

Are you looking to pick up a Beretta 80X Cheetah but need a bit more info?  Or maybe you’ve just misplaced your user’s manual?  Either way, check out the links below.

• Beretta 80X Cheetah Download Manual