Beretta Tomcat frame crack issue

[Koukalaka]

I'm wondering if anyone on INGO has personally had issues with frame cracking on a Beretta Tomcat--particularly on the inox (stainless) version. I used to have the regular, matte black Tomcat, and I liked it a lot and shot it well. I really enjoy shooting my Bobcats (.22LR and .25ACP) but I'm thinking about buying a Tomcat again for actual BUG use or maybe even primary CC in very light clothing.

I know that a lot of users have reported cracking of the frame with the matte/blued Tomcats. From what I've read elsewhere, Beretta has been willing to replace those pistols with the inox version, which presumably is less prone to cracking.

The problem is, I think the frame of the stainless version isn't stainless--it's just anodized so that its appearance matches the barrel and slide, which actually are stainless. So I'm not sure how the inox version would be less prone to frame cracking--the frame isn't actually any different!

I guess it's possible that the additional mass of the stainless slide somehow dampens the force being imparted to that portion of the frame. But I wonder if Beretta is really just pulling one over on Tomcat owners. I have seen one report of cracking on an inox version.

Gotta say that I just like the appearance and feel of the Beretta tip-up pistols. They are certainly a lot heavier than the modern crop of polymer pocket .380s, but I think I was much more accurate with my old .32 Tomcat than I would be with the ultralights like the LCP, etc. Hits with .32 certainly are better than misses with .380, and the Tomcat certainly can be pocket carried. But I don't want to drop $400 on a pistol that will crack after 500 rounds.

 

[Koukalaka]

Update: I've been reading a lot about the Tomcat lately. Apparently, Beretta has indeed redesigned the slide of the matte-finish version so that it has a greater mass. The thought is that the cracking of the earlier Tomcats was due to excessive stress on the frame from recoil. I have not seen reports of frame cracking on the new "wide-slide" version.

[EDIT: See the other posts below, with pictures--it's not really the substance of the frame itself that cracks, it's a tiny piece at the top--hard to describe, but obvious in the photos. This portion of the frame may not actually do much.]

I just ordered a wide-slide "Alley Cat" (i.e., equipped with a tritium front sight and beveled magazine well). I ordered this from C and J Firearms in Frankton, as the owner gets his pistols from Davidson's, a company that offers a lifetime replacement guarantee. So--if the frame cracks, Davidson's will replace the pistol and I won't have to deal with Beretta directly.

After the pistol arrives and I have a chance to shoot it a bit, I'll repost to update on its condition.

 

[gunman41mag]

I have a BERETTA 950 SPITFIRE 25acp, that I like very much, NEVER had a jam, It's a very good back-up gun

 

[snorko]

I have a couple tomcats that have been flawless. I have always wanted an alleycat.

 

[Kagnew]

From what I've been able to learn (and I hope that I'm correct, because I just bought one) some models of the blued and black Tomcats (including the Alleycat) as well as the INOX do have heavier slides which are supposed to prevent the frame from cracking - kind of a shock-absorber effect brought on by the greater mass of the slide. Beretta does, though, still recommend .32 ACP ammunition with a muzzle energy of no greater than 130 foot-pounds. The 71-73 grain FMJ Fiocchis, Sellier & Bellots and Buffalo Bores are three which are too "hot". (Of course, they'd probably have too much poop for a gun that size, anyway. I know I shot some S&B in a Keltec P32 one time, and did not find the experience to be very pleasant!)

 

[Kagnew]

Update: I've been reading a lot about the Tomcat lately. Apparently, Beretta has indeed redesigned the slide of the matte-finish version so that it has a greater mass. The thought is that the cracking of the earlier Tomcats was due to excessive stress on the frame from recoil. I have not seen reports of frame cracking on the new "wide-slide" version.

I just ordered a wide-slide "Alley Cat" (i.e., equipped with a tritium front sight and beveled magazine well). I ordered this from C and J Firearms in Frankton, as the owner gets his pistols from Davidson's, a company that offers a lifetime replacement guarantee. So--if the frame cracks, Davidson's will replace the pistol and I won't have to deal with Beretta directly.

After the pistol arrives and I have a chance to shoot it a bit, I'll repost to update on its condition.

Sounds as if we're on the same schedule. Our "Baby M9s" might be on the same plane from Arizona!

 

[foszoe]

This being the internet...

I have read alot about Tomcats cracking.

However,

Unless you load hot rounds (CIP standard), I think all will be fine.

Put quite a few rounds through mine with no issues.

 

[Jim W.]

I had the Black tomcat 32. I bought it used but believe it had never been shot. There was no marks on it at all. Well after 100 rounds the frame cracked right above the trigger area where all of them have been cracking. I sent it back to Beretta and they confirmed the gun was cracked on not useable (no poop). So they sold me the inox version for a real good price. $160.00. I have put 2 or 3 hundred through it and love it. It is my main carry do to the ease of concelling it. I haven't heard or read of any of these cracking.
One thing to watch is the grip screws. They loosen and fall out. I lost one. When I replaced it I put some thread lock on them

Jim

 

[Koukalaka]

My new Tomcat arrived today, and I just finished my initial cleaning. So far, I'm impressed. The weapon feels solid and points naturally...it definitely does feel better in my hand than the small .380s I've owned.

This is my second Tomcat, and it's the "wide-slide" version. I will say it is definitely beefier than the original Tomcat, which I purchased about 8 years ago. I never had issues with the original, but sold it to raise the cash to buy something else and almost immediately regretted it. I'm kind of glad now, though, as I like the feel of the updated version and hope it will prove to be durable. The tritium front sight is pretty cool too. The current "Alley Cat" deal from Davidson's included a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster, which fits the gun perfectly. I'm a fan of the Nemesis and own two others, for a J-frame and for a Kahr PM9 (which has ended up working great for my Taurus TCP).

Hope to shoot it tomorrow, and I'll definitely be filling out the Davidson's lifetime-guarantee card, just in case.

 

[Koukalaka]

I fired the Tomcat today, and was impressed. It's much easier to shoot than other small pistols I've owned, including my TCP. The recoil is minimal, of course, and accuracy was reasonable for such a small pistol (fired standing, all shots inside a 6-inch circle at 7 yards, improving to groups of about 2 inches once I got used to it). I have to admit that my hand starts to shake with the TCP after about 25 rounds, due to the recoil. With the Tomcat, I felt like I was shooting a .22!

The pistol functioned well with Remington UMC FMJ ammunition, as well as Federal Hydra-Shok and Cor-Bon JHPs. I had one failure to feed, at round #45; the feed ramp was completely black at this point. I wiped it clean with a rag and the pistol resumed normal feeding. I think this illustrates the same issue I've had with several other pocket pistols--they function great when they're clean, but after a few dozen rounds, they become dirty enough to malfunction. I wouldn't accept that in a full-size pistol, but I've come to accept it in pocket pistols, which are not generally intended for extended range sessions. In an actual self-defense situation, I certainly wouldn't expect to fire dozens of rounds of .32 ACP! We'll see how this holds up next time.

The tritium front sight is nice and bright, and in sunlight it becomes essentially a big-dot sight which is very easy to see. The pistol points quite naturally. As with all the Beretta tip-ups, field stripping and cleaning is a breeze.

I did not find any cracks or other evidence of stress to the frame when I stripped the pistol. It certainly appears well-machined, and looks great.

So far, so good. I actually carried the pistol today after cleaning it (as a BUG to my Glock 27). In a pocket pistol, I really like the DA/SA trigger with a safety, since the pocket-carry position results in the firearm being aimed in the direction of anyone who is sitting across from you at a table!

 

[DaveO]

I picked up a used Tomcat several months ago. I haven't had one before. How do I tell if it's the "wide slide" version.

 

[Koukalaka]

I picked up a used Tomcat several months ago. I haven't had one before. How do I tell if it's the "wide slide" version.

I was unable to find any information online regarding the serial number (or date of manufacture) at which Beretta switched to the wide slide. But I measured mine with a caliper, and the slide is 1 1/16 inches wide.

 

[Koukalaka]

...Also, on this page, a guy measured his old Tomcat with calipers, and the slide was 0.914 inches wide.

So, my guess would be that a Tomcat that is clearly less than an inch is NOT wide, and one that is clearly over an inch is.

You could also, if you really want to know, take your Tomcat to a gun shop and compare it to a display model of a wide-slide version (ask to see the box, as I believe the label from the factory will say "wide slide"--unless it's an Alleycat, like mine, in which case the label says "3032 ALLEYCAT .32 BLK XS TRIT".)

 

[snorko]

But I measured mine with a caliper, and the slide is 1 1/16 inches wide.

For comparison, I just measured mine, an older model with the smaller safety, and it measured 15/16" measured with a ruler.

 

[Koukalaka]

I found another discussion of this issue at this link. This includes a photo of a cracked frame, so you know where to look for the crack:

Another photo, of a matte version, with the crack seen from above:

Interestingly, the first photo is of a cracked Inox Tomcat. The owner reports that he continued to shoot the pistol without problems, and it seems possible that the cracked portion is not essential to the proper functioning of the gun. Still, if mine cracks I will return it for replacement under the lifetime Davidson's warranty.

In the discussion, another possibility was raised--perhaps the cracking is not due to normal operation, but is the result of abnormal stress to the frame that occurs if the gun jams. That's interesting. I suppose it does make sense to limit the pistol to a few dozen rounds between cleanings, to prevent jams--not only because jams are annoying, but also because they could be damaging to the frame.

 

[Koukalaka]

I took the Tomcat to the range again this evening, and fired 24 more rounds (7+1 three times, with 8 JHPs and 16 FMJs). The pistol functioned perfectly, and the single-action trigger has already become pretty smooth. On careful inspection after cleaning, I see no evidence of any cracking or damage. 73 rounds down and I'm pleased so far.

Edit: 101 rounds fired. No damage. No failures of any kind since the single misfeed at round #45.

 

[Koukalaka]

OK, so I've been thinking more about this issue. I read a suggestion that the small broken piece could just be removed with a Dremel tool if it cracks.

If I didn't have that warranty, and my Tomcat were to crack, I suppose I'd just remove the broken piece and polish the area. That tiny little piece shouldn't affect the structural integrity of the remainder of the frame, and if it really has no function except to close that gap, its absence may be harmless. Unless, that is, it breaks off completely, falls into the rest of the gun, and causes damage to something else when the slide is cycling--which would be prevented by removing the piece if it cracks. That said, one user reports firing hundreds of rounds through his Tomcat after a crack, with no malfunctions.

So--I will continue to shoot and carry this pistol. After each range session and cleaning, I'll inspect this area; if a crack occurs I'll think about either sending it back, or simply removing the broken piece. If anyone else with a not-under-warranty Tomcat decides to try that, please post in this thread to let the rest of us know.

I still feel that the Tomcat is a quality pistol, despite this issue. Although I'm biased by just having purchased the Tomcat, I did know of the issue beforehand and decided to buy it anyway. I've owned a series of different pocket pistols, and I simply haven't liked any of the others as much as the Tomcat. Most are too big for pocket carry, or are so extremely thin and light that they're painful to shoot and less accurate than the Tomcat. Also, most don't have safeties (The Sig P238 is an exception, but I won't pocket carry a SAO pistol that is completely reliant on the thumb safety and has no grip safety). I guess I feel like the Tomcat fills a niche that no other pistol fills.

I really wish that someone would come out with a metal framed, DA/SA with safety, tip-up barrel, pocket .380. Wishful thinking, I guess. Everyone is obsessed with making the lightest pistol possible, which is cool, but I just haven't found another option for pocket carry that feels like a "real gun" in my hand!

EDIT: I've seen several comments online from Tomcat owners who have removed the cracked piece entirely--apparently the pistol functions just fine without that little piece. It really looks like this is not that much of an issue after all--annoying, but not fatal to the gun's utility. Just check that little piece each time you clean the gun, and if it cracks, remove it with a Dremel tool and polish it.

 

[BerettaGuy]

Works for the first two magazines worth.

Have had a matt blue Tomcat for over ten years.
Almost constant pocket carry.
Had FTF after extensive time at range two years ago (whole boxes of Magtech fmj and Winchester WB); failures were after first two magazines had dirtied the gun quite a bit.
Emailed Beretta and they advised to send in for evaluation. I paid shipping. They had it for about three weeks total time out of my use. They found a problem I did not even know I had - an almost invisible crack in the magazine. They replaced the magazine and polished the feed ramp. They test fired two full magazine of WWB with no problems.
They sent back to me.
Beretta paid all expenses except for my initial shipping.
I test fired two full magazines with no problems.
This is a last resort self defense pistol and I expect all rounds in magazine to work - which they now apparently do. I can't ask for more. All my other pistols (.380 to .45) are too heavy or bulky for everyday carry. This piece fills a daily carry need.
Less then five inches overall length and under 16 ounces.
Overall, I thought I had a very good service from BerettaUSA.