Shooting the Beretta cx4 Storm
After work the Kid & I hit the range tonight. He’s had his eye on the cx4 Storm by Beretta for awhile. The futuristic design appealed to him and I was curious about its composite body so we picked one up and fired that.
The composite design felt “substantial” in the hands – not like plastic at all – and the gun seemed a bit lighter than I expected. The version we fired shot 9mm bullets although the gun comes in .40 and .45.
The Kid liked the gun and I was impressed with its accuracy. We were able to shoot very tight groups standing unsupported (the only position allowed at the indoor range). The accuracy was mostly due to the sights – what I can best describe as pinhole-pin. The backsight is so small that it indeed feels like looking through a pinhole; however because the aperture is so small, wherever you place the pin – front sight – on a target, that’s where the bullet is going to hit. It is a much tighter sight than the AR-15 or MP5.
On the downside this thing kicks. When you pull the trigger you feel there is nothing between your shoulder and that round. I don’t know much about the mechanics of the gun, but it seems simpler than the AR-15. Firing the AR-15 feels like the “kick” is translated into the loading of the next cartridge. As a result the AR-15 is much easier to keep on target when firing fast. Not so with the Storm. I had to bring the gun back down after each shot, and after about 50 rounds my shoulder started to hurt even when I was doing my best to hold the gun tightly against it. On the plus side being less complicated may make it easier to keep clean.
Overall I really liked the gun for what it is and will shoot it again sometime.
UPDATE: 06/08/08
I notice that Chris Muir incorporates the Px4 Storm handgun in his Day By Day strip. After reading up on this gun I’d like to try it out at the range next time. I don’t know whether it’s just my limited exposure to guns so far (after all prior to this past January I had shot just once in my entire life) but I’m developing a taste for Berettas.
UPDATE: 08/28/2008
The Kid and I decided to give this rifle another go tonight, and I think that after learning more about the gun it is now my favorite 9mm rifle so far – beating out even the AR-15. This time I held the gun tighter to my shoulder and instead of bringing the rifle up to my eye to sight, I brought my eye down to the rifle. I then shot a tight half-dollar group at 7 yards with ease. I think my earlier trouble with the rifle was due to inexperience with the basics; since then I’ve found videos on the web helping newbies like me.
Honestly, I love the feel of this gun a lot. Holding it with one hand just feels natural, which is amazing considering the use of composites in the gun’s frame and stock.
I’m developing a bad case gun-lust for Italian firearms thanks to the Beretta line. They might not look as tough and boxy as a Glock, or as old-school cool as a Smith & Wesson, but they feel good in your arms and shoot accurately.
Chad:
I liked the HK USC they had there at target master. Shot .45 but was pretty easy to shoot.
When are you two gonna shoot the MP5 on full auto?
6 June 2008, 11:15 pmScott Kirwin:
Chad
7 June 2008, 7:31 amWe’ve shot it on semi and liked it. I’d like to try it again.
Linoge:
Thanks for the review… I had been vaguely considering a pistol-caliber carbine over the years as a potential way of introducing my Better Half to shooting, but if it kicks as bad as you say, I am not sure about the CX4. Of course, my M1A kicks a fair bit too, so I guess it is all a matter of tastes.
As for Berettas, they are, by and large, relatively good guns. I stay away from their 92 frame (again, personal choice), but no other significant complaints.
9 June 2008, 5:06 pmScott Kirwin:
Linoge
9 June 2008, 7:56 pmHey, I’m new at this so be sure to judge for yourself. But I’m really thinking now about trying the Px4 now.
neutrino_cannon:
“The Kid liked the gun and I was impressed with its accuracy. We were able to shoot very tight groups standing unsupported (the only position allowed at the indoor range). The accuracy was mostly due to the sights – what I can best describe as pinhole-pin. The backsight is so small that it indeed feels like looking through a pinhole; however because the aperture is so small, wherever you place the pin – front sight – on a target, that’s where the bullet is going to hit. It is a much tighter sight than the AR-15 or MP5.”
Yes! The CX4 is remarkably accurate. A lot of it is, as you guess correctly, the sights, but I suspect the very substantial connection between the barrel and the body of the gun has a lot to do with it. As you say, the polymer body is quite strong, and the trunnion (where the barrel and frame connect) appears very rigid and strong.
“On the downside this thing kicks. When you pull the trigger you feel there is nothing between your shoulder and that round. I don’t know much about the mechanics of the gun, but it seems simpler than the AR-15.”
Again, your intuition is correct. The CX4 storm makes an AK-47 look downright complicated. There is no mechanical lock between the breech block (bolt) and the frame of the gun; pistol cartridges, even the beefy .45 have such modest energies and pressures compared to rifle cartridges that there really isn’t any need. The action is held closed, even during the fury and pressure of firing only by the spring pressure and inertia of the bolt. It’s an elegant and extremely simple system which means fewer parts that need to be machined exactly, and for low-pressure rounds like pistol cartridges it works within acceptable weights and safety margins.
The downside is that all the momentum of the cartridge gets dumped into the bolt. I’m too lazy to get out a scale and do the mathematics, but the bolt is about 1/3 the weight of the gun, and it comes smacking back into the body of the gun hard. That would be the kick you mentioned. It also tends to foul the inside of the gun with powder residue pretty quickly, but then the CX4’s moving parts don’t seem to much mind powder residue. They keep right on trucking; the simplicity seems to give it some degree of resistance to dirt.
Remarkable polymer the gun is made of though; light, and it takes that harsh treatment round after round and doesn’t seem to fatigue appreciably. I wonder what you could accomplish if you made a car out of it?
Anyway, here’s my review of it:
http://neutrino-cannon.livejournal.com/239095.html#cutid1
23 June 2008, 1:16 amScott Kirwin:
Neutrino
23 June 2008, 1:26 pmThanks for the explanation – and your link to the review.
Glenton:
I have the CX4 Storm in .40 and I truly love this gun. The gun is light weight and accurate. I have read blogs about the sites being difficult but I find the factory sites dead on. Where I put the front site is where the bullet hits. I easily put 50 rounds through a 6 inch target at 100 feet and 50 rounds through an 8 inch target at 100 yards with this carbine. I dont think that is bad accuracy with a pistol cartridge over iron sites. The carbine is easy to clean, (so much easier then my ar-15!) easy to come apart and assemble and in 3 years of firing I have never had a jam. I find the 180 gr. .40 rounds work the best for accuracy especially for the 100 yard distance shots. For targets pass 100 yards get another rifle, but then again this one isnt designed for distance shots. It does punch you in the shoulder a little bit while firing, but folding a wash cloth behind it takes that away if you are firing 50,100,150 rounds at the range. I would recommend the Storm to anyone.
27 August 2008, 3:03 pmScott Kirwin:
Glenton
Since I wrote the review I’ve done a lot of firing of other rifles – especially the AR-15 – and I have to admit that I think it’s time to try this gun again. As I wrote I really liked the sites of this gun, especially compared to the MP-5, and I think the trouble I had with the kick may be due to user inexperience rather than design.
And I still like the Beretta line best.
27 August 2008, 7:48 pmAlex:
I bought the .40 version, didn’t touch it after cleaning for about 6 months, then after two months of not cleaning it, fired it again, It worked perfectly. I now clean it after every day at the range, but still I feel comfortable knowing that if I were to need it to fire after a month of sitting around, it would. Easy to clean and a joy to shoot. I do not have a front grip (I should) so shooting rapidly is a bit of a problem. Shot a groundhog with the standard .40 s&w, scattered it around the tri-state area. When you hold it you get a serious sense that you are about to fuck something up. That is all
18 April 2011, 5:27 pmThe Razor » Blog Archive » Firing the SCAR MK16:
[...] polymer body. I have nothing against polymer, and some of my favorite guns including the Beretta CX-4 and PX-4 use them. Still there was something about the SCAR’s polymer that made it feel [...]
5 July 2012, 9:00 pm