Beretta 87 Cheetah?

Site Notices

TNVC Partners With Envision Technology - MARS Rangefinder & RAIL Family, MARS-Lc In-Stock!

Posted: 4/21/2014 11:18:04 AM EDT

Greetings,

I have a line on a Beretta 87 in good shape. I have only seen a few for sale over the years. They struck me as a quality (if pricey) .22.

Anyone have any opinions on them? Do they cycle standard velocity rounds or do they like warmer loads like the CCI MiniMags?

Thanks,
Cheese

Posted: 4/26/2014 5:22:27 PM EDT

[#1]

I have one and love it; VERY fun gun to shoot. Mine is very reliable and had eaten up all the various bulk ammo I've fed through it, but not sure if any of it was standard velocity. I don't think I'd pay $800 for one or whatever new ones are currently going for, but if you can get a good deal on one definitely go for it!

Posted: 4/27/2014 8:47:45 AM EDT

[#2]

Yea, they are silly expensive these days.

I found a used one for $500, so I will add it to the "rotation".

I like that it will probably not be a "one load only" rimfire. I can't keep much of any particular rimfire load in stock these days. Just about everything I have likes CCI Minimags for some reason.

Thanks again,
Cheese

Posted: 4/27/2014 8:47:59 AM EDT

[#3]

Double tap.
Ooops

Posted: 5/5/2014 8:54:58 PM EDT

[#4]

I have one as well....I'd have to say it's the best "quality" .22 that I own. Very well made gun and shoots anything I feed it (after a little bit of break-in). I usually shoot bulk pack or CCI standard vel, but it shoots Minimags just as well.

You got a good deal for $500....that's about what I paid for mine years ago!

Apparently Beretta doesn't make too many of them, is the story I've always heard as to why they're so hard to find and pricey. I've also read multiple places that Beretta is no longer importing the 80 series (as of 2013?).

If you can find them, 87T magazines will work as well and give you 10 rounds instead of 8 with the extended base pad that they have.

Posted: 5/5/2014 10:17:19 PM EDT

[#5]

A friend had one and he gave it to his daughter when she got her carry permit. We were shooting it at the range one afternoon and it's a nice gun, I really liked it.

Posted: 5/6/2014 1:41:40 AM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
If you can find them, 87T magazines will work as well and give you 10 rounds instead of 8 with the extended base pad that they have.

View Quote

It's actually not the extended base pad that adds the extra 2 rounds. It's the slot in the side of the mag that the screw going through the follower rides in. The slot goes down further in the 87 Target mags allowing the follower to go down further. If you remove the screw in the follower in the 87 Cheetah mags you can load 10 rounds in them; I did that to mine. Also pick up a baby uplula mag loader, works great; the mags are a pain (literally) to load without it.

Posted: 5/9/2014 4:12:05 PM EDT

[#7]

Thanks all,

I picked it up today and put a few rounds through it. I looked up the serial number and it was built in 1987.

The trigger pulls are smooth and the gun looks great. It did not shoot to point of impact for me (all rounds tested hit high).

There were two mags with the gun and they both work. I didn't know it had a magazine disconnect safety.

I am tempted to get it threaded for a suppressor.

You weren't kidding about how hard the mags are to load. Thumbbuster!

Posted: 5/9/2014 11:30:38 PM EDT

[#8]

Definitely pick up a baby uplula, makes it a breeze to load mags. The mag disconnect safety looks pretty easy to remove if you take off the right grip panel. I keep meaning to take mine out.

Posted: 5/10/2014 2:08:06 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:
Definitely pick up a baby uplula, makes it a breeze to load mags. The mag disconnect safety looks pretty easy to remove if you take off the right grip panel. I keep meaning to take mine out.

View Quote

Will do. Does the mag disconnect safety effect the trigger pull? The pulls are quite good on this thing.

I am going to have to build a custom rear sight to get the beast to shoot point of impact. I cleaned up the internals and it mitigated the occasional light strikes.

The pistol is smooth in operation.

Posted: 5/10/2014 10:41:32 PM EDT

[#10]

Removing the mag disconnect shouldn't affect the trigger pull, but I haven't gotten around to removing mine yet. The trigger is very smooth, but has a ton of over travel.

Mine shoots to POA with most ammo. I seem to recall when I first got it one kind of ammo was a bit off, maybe Rem GB. So maybe try some different ammo before messing with the sights? And I haven't had any light strike issues with mine. I actually don't recall if it's had a single malfunction.

Posted: 5/11/2014 10:34:13 AM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
Removing the mag disconnect shouldn't affect the trigger pull, but I haven't gotten around to removing mine yet. The trigger is very smooth, but has a ton of over travel.

Mine shoots to POA with most ammo. I seem to recall when I first got it one kind of ammo was a bit off, maybe Rem GB. So maybe try some different ammo before messing with the sights? And I haven't had any light strike issues with mine. I actually don't recall if it's had a single malfunction.

View Quote

I wonder if they changed the sights at some point in manufacture? The one I have is a 87BB and doesn't reference "Cheetah" anywhere on it. The s/n indicates it was made in 1987.

Mine shoots high with all loads. I have tried five loads so far and they are all 2-3" above point of impact at 10 yards. I will figure something out and I can get a replacement rear sight to file on if required.

The light strikes are probably just due to a worn out hammer spring. The rounds all go off with a second pull of the DA trigger. The gun functions fine in single action mode.

Thanks for your insight,
Cheese

Posted: 5/11/2014 9:25:03 PM EDT

[#12]

Just checked GB and there are five for sale......Dig deep

Posted: 5/11/2014 10:12:46 PM EDT

[#13]

Mine was manufactured in 2001 and is an 87 Cheetah, which just means it has more ugly writing on the slide. Nice score with the 87BB. Not sure if yours is the same, but on mine the rear sight is staked in place, so it might be a pain getting it out to replace.

Quote History

Quoted:
Just checked GB and there are five for sale......Dig deep

View Quote

Damn, one is over $1k and still didn't meet the reserve

. They're really fun little guns, but I can't imagine paying over $1k for one. I got super lucky and found mine like new for $350, best gun deal I've ever gotten.

Posted: 5/12/2014 11:46:48 AM EDT

[#14]

They do seem to get stupid prices for these things but 1k? Uh....no.

My rear sight is staked in place. I am sure it will be a treat to get it out.

Smash, must smash.

Posted: 5/17/2014 3:48:46 PM EDT

[#15]

Glad you got it OP! About the only thing I've been debating doing to mine (other than removing the mag safety) is changing the grips, but the wood grips on it look pretty classy so I haven't done it yet.

But if you're looking for different grips, CDNN has black plastic factory grips.

And here's a thread with a picture of the 87T magazine in an 87, so you can see how it looks.
http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=69487

Posted: 5/17/2014 4:25:12 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
Glad you got it OP! About the only thing I've been debating doing to mine (other than removing the mag safety) is changing the grips, but the wood grips on it look pretty classy so I haven't done it yet.

But if you're looking for different grips, CDNN has black plastic factory grips.

And here's a thread with a picture of the 87T magazine in an 87, so you can see how it looks.
http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=69487

View Quote

I put the black plastic grips on mine. I like them better than the wood in this case, it makes the pistol look sleeker.

Posted: 5/17/2014 8:46:01 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:

I put the black plastic grips on mine. I like them better than the wood in this case, it makes the pistol look sleeker.

View Quote

It kinda does

(not my pic - credit to Mongo on silencertalk):

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Beretta 87 Cheetah?

Handguns » Rimfire Pistols

Win a FREE Membership!

Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!

You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us