Beretta Pico Review

Pistols designed specifically for deep concealment are a big thing in the firearms world for obvious reasons. No one wants to blatantly print, and sometimes it’s also more comfortable to carry a smaller gun. Of course, you want the gun in question to be well-made, and that’s why you look at manufacturers like Beretta. With roots that can be traced back to the 16^th century—yes, really—Beretta has serious experience backing its design and quality. The Beretta Pico is the company’s answer to the need for a diminutive concealed carry pistol, and we’re going to tell you all about it.

Beretta Pico Background

The Beretta Pico was originally introduced early on during the timeframe when the sub-compact 380 ACP enjoyed significant popularity. It entered production in 2013 and enjoyed a seven-year run before production ended in 2020. And while Beretta designed the gun to be compact, durable, and highly concealable, they took care not to simply make it small without considering what that might mean for performance. So while it isn’t the tiniest 380 ACP on the market, Beretta did state it was the thinnest at that time (0.71-inches). Slim is good for concealment—some would argue it’s far more important than other dimensions.

This pistol is made in the United States and created specifically for concealed carry use. It’s also designed for versatility, something we’ll get into later. With its 6-round capacity it’s a gun that might make you want a spare mag, but it does make a solid backup gun (BUG) with just the one. The standard Pico is black, but over time the pistol came out in myriad colors including pink, lavender, and blue. You could collect them all like pistol playing cards. 

Features of the Beretta Pico

The Beretta Pico is one of those guns that’s recognizable on sight thanks to its overall design. Thought clearly went into its features, such as:

Features of the Beretta Pico

1 Trijicon night sights available as an upgrade.

2 Double Action Only, making it more useful for pocket carry.

3 Rounded edges on slide and frame to drastically reduce risk of snagging or printing.

4 Serial number on chassis not the frame, making it easy to change to a different frame color.

5 Polymer frame is lighter weight.

6 Magazine with pinkie extension included.

Other Models and Colors

Beretta Pico—Our Take

Face it, we can all benefit from highly concealable pistols. Even if 380 ACP isn’t your favorite defensive caliber, it still holds a rightful place as a reasonable option. The Beretta Pico had a few parts kinks to work out when it was new that resulted in minor changes like upgraded springs. But overall, it hasn’t had any big issues and has performed well and reliably. It’s small enough to pose a challenge for many shooters—especially those with bigger hands—but that doesn’t mean it can’t be mastered. It’s a viable option particularly for scenarios when you want or need to pocket carry.

Shootability

The fair way to judge a pistol isn’t by how it performs compared to completely different designs but by contrasting it with similar sizes and designs. As a DAO pistol chambered in 380 ACP that’s made to be slim and easy to conceal, the Pico does well. Yes, the trigger is stiff, and the pull weight is stout at a measured 9 pounds, 8 ounces. However, that ups the safety level for the gun’s use for pocket carry, and you can improve your trigger control on the Pico with practice. Overall, it’s a decently shootable pistol that you wouldn’t use for extensive range time, but that’s not it’s purpose.

Accuracy

This pistol has a 2.7 inch barrel and isn’t meant for precision. What it’s made to do is perform accurately at reasonable distances, and it does that. This gun is meant for close-range use and it excels at that. That means it does great and stays on target under five yards with groups broadening by 10 yards but remaining useful for defensive applications. Beyond that, the groups do spread quite a bit, but it isn’t likely you’re using it that far out. And because it’s a tiny 380 ACP, it’s relatively snappy and has noticeable muzzle rise which is something you can only do so much to manage. Rapid fire is possible, but it comes with a certain degree of loss of accuracy.

Ergonomics

The Pico has an overall width of 0.71-inches and with the flush-fit magazine in place, your pinkie will dangle. It has an overall length of 5.1-inches which is short enough to make indexing your finger along the slide a bit of a challenge, but not impossible. The gun feels as expected for a sub-compact such as this. It’s not the most comfortable gun ever, or the worst. The texture of the frame isn’t super aggressive which is a downside for sweaty hands. Bottom line is this is a small, slim gun that has rather snappy felt recoil, and it will take practice getting used to it. Personally, I find thumbs forward still give me the greatest control, but I do know shooters who switch to thumbs down on these tiny guns.

Value

This is a gun that’s a solid value. It’s well-made, durable, reliable, and accurate within the expected closer ranges. Today you can find them for sub-$300. That’s pretty good for a pistol you can rely on. And because the chassis is serialized, you can always swap out the frame if you want a different color or somehow manage to damage it (the latter of which is unlikely).

Pros and Cons

Gun Deals

Preferred Ammo

Ammo

Federal Premium Personal Defense 380 ACP 99 grain Hydrashok

Marketplace	Cost
Cabela’s	$34.99

Upgrade and Accessory Options

Upgrade and Accessory Options

1. Beretta Pico Barrel		Check Price
2. Beretta Pico Extended Grip 6-Round Magazine		Check Price
3. Beretta Pico Grip Frame Replacement		Check Price
4. Beretta Pico Right Hand IWB Holster		Check Price