Beretta 30X Tomcat Review: A New Nod To Old Nostalgia

What’s the opposite of a phobia? Would it be something you irrationally like? Whatever the word for the is describes my love for the .32 ACP cartridge and tip-up pistols.

That being the case, I’m notably only served by one company that combines both — Beretta.

Beretta discontinued the Tomcat in 2023, which broke my heart. But shortly after the official discontinuation, Beretta cured my heartache with the announcement and release of an updated version, the 30X Tomcat in 2024.

The original 3032 Tomcat was built as a self-defense pocket pistol, but I feel the 30X didn’t follow the same design philosophy.

So what’s different? Were the changes for better or worse? I got my hands on one to find out for myself, so keep reading!

Beretta 30X Tomcat Specs & Features

Specs

• Caliber: .32 ACP
• Action: DA/SA, direct-blowback
• Capacity: 8+1
• Barrel Length: 2.8″
• Overall Length: 5.3″
• Height: 4.6″
• Width: 1.3″
• Weight: 16.29 oz.

Features

• “Tip-Up” Effortless Loading System (ELS)
• Suppressor-height sights
• 1/2×28″ Threaded barrel
• Walnut grips

Beretta 30X Tomcat Backstory

The Beretta 3032 Tomcat was produced from 1996 until 2023. After a small hiatus in production, Beretta announced the new 30X Tomcat in early 2024.

“In the hands of a survivalist, a pistol becomes more than a tool; it’s the embodiment of readiness, a symbol of preparedness, and the silent guardian of self-reliance in the face of uncertainty,” Dina Sanders, Brand Marketing Manager at Beretta, said in a press release.

“The 30x Tomcat is an excellent choice as your stealthy sidekick.”

So, what was the point of replacing one .32 ACP tip-up pistol with another one? Well, the original 3032 had some problems.

Let’s talk about the feature that draws many people in — the tip-up barrel.

On the Tomcat, the barrel tips up, allowing the user to access the chamber. Here you can load or clear the gun, all without racking the slide. This is often advertised to shooters with poor hand strength as a selling point.

Beretta previously used a lever to tip the barrel up, but some users found it difficult to depress. It also had a terribly heavy trigger in double action. Both of these issues largely defeated the purpose of the gun being meant for people with diminished hand strength.

Additionally, the magazine release was located on the heel of the gun, rather than being a standard button near the grip. Lastly, the slides and frames were known to crack when relatively common defensive ammo was shot through them.

Beretta rectified just about everything with the updated 30X. They made the 30X frame 100% stronger than the 3032 frame, switched to a push-button for the tip-up barrel, added a standard magazine release, and improved the trigger.

Shooting the Beretta 30X Tomcat: Accuracy & Reliability Analysis 

The Beretta 30X uses a straight blowback system, which is often (and correctly) associated with a sharper, more intense recoil impulse.

And the larger the caliber, the worse that recoil gets. This makes the humble .32 ACP the perfect choice for a straight blowback system.

It’s not too intense when it comes to recoil, but it’s more reliable than the rimfire .22LR. The 30X won’t beat up your hands like something like a Walther PPK in .380 ACP.

Beretta’s use of a 1.3-inch wide grip on a .32 ACP also helps here. It helps displace recoil and doesn’t create one small spot where your hand is constantly impacted.

Where I run into issues is with slide bite. The gun does not like a good, high grip, and it eats your hand if you choke up too high.

If you keep it low and keep it tight, the low recoil makes the gun fast to shoot. You can drill targets very quickly and keep your rounds tight and in the A-zone even when you’re pushing the gas pedal to the floor.

Accuracy

I tested the 30X Tomcat “Get Home Bag,” which features a threaded barrel and suppressor height sights. This brings me to my main problem with this gun — accuracy.

It’s not that the gun isn’t capable of accuracy; you can make surprisingly tight groups with the gun. The problem comes from the suppressor height sights.

All of my shots hit low, way low. The tall sights and short sight radius create one hell of an offset between where the barrel is pointed and where you are aiming.

At pocket pistol ranges, I was seeing the round impact about three inches below the point of aim. As the range increased, the drop increased. I couldn’t find a sweet spot for the sights and offset.

I can make nice, tight groups that don’t exceed three inches at 15 yards, but those groups are all lower than my point of aim.

Beretta offers the “Just In Case” and “In Case of Emergency” models, which feature standard-height sights and no threaded barrels. I suspect those sights would alleviate the issue I ran into.

On the bright side, the 30X has a fantastic trigger; both the double-action and single-action deliver a smooth, sweet experience. At 25 yards, I can hit a 10-inch gong as long as I hold my sight picture a little above the gong.

I also love shooting this gun suppressed. I ran a SilencerCo Spectre 9 with a fixed barrel spacer. It is so quiet and fun, and kind of silly-looking to toss a can on such a small pistol, but man, does the .32 ACP suppress well.

Reliability

The 30X never failed. Even with the slide occasionally biting my hand, the gun never malfunctioned. The blowback action might not be fancy, but it certainly works. It went bang every time I pulled the trigger.

Reliability being 100% is huge on this gun because the 30X is not malfunction-friendly in most cases. If you get a failure to fire, you can’t “tap, rack, bang” the gun, as there is no extractor.

You have to open the tip-up barrel, remove the unfired cartridge, rechamber a round, and attempt to fire. Any kind of failure to feed or double-feed is a nightmare to deal with and takes a lot of time to fix.

Keep that in mind if you plan to carry this gun defensively.

Ergonomics: Fit & Feel

Beretta has a long history of making very finely made guns, and the 30X is no different. It looks absolutely fantastic. Look at this thing!

It has the classic Beretta open-barrel design that’s instantly recognizable. The barrel and frame are matte stainless, with a black slide and black controls, complemented by gorgeous Rosewood grips.

The 30X uses what has to be the smallest Double-Action/Single-Action system on the market. It comes with a manual safety for “locked and cocked” carry, but “hammer down” seems more advisable.

Capacity-wise, you are looking at an eight-round magazine that protrudes slightly below the pistol grip.

As mentioned before, there are several 30X variants, and the model featured in this review is the Get Home Bag version.

This version features a 1/2×28″ threaded barrel. The suppressor-height sights are dovetailed in, which means you can swap them out, unlike the previous 3032.

Beretta included an optics-ready slide that allows you to replace the rear sight with an optics plate. But it should be noted that Beretta has yet to offer these plates, even over a year after release.

The 30X Tomcat is clearly well-made. Surfaces are textured well, as are the grips. The controls are easy to reach and press, and the magazine extension gives you a longer, fuller grip.

Overall, it feels great in the hand and hardly feels like a small gun

Who Is It For?

The 30X is wider, longer, taller, and heavier than the 3032. The original Tomcat was already a big pocket pistol, but it was still a pocket pistol.

A longer magazine and wider grip push the 30X firmly out of pocketable territory. And if you opt for a model with a threaded barrel and suppressor-height sights, the problem gets worse.

Beretta calls it the Get Home Bag, and that’s certainly where it would fit. It would be fine in an OWB (outside-the-waistband) or IWB (inside-the-waistband) rig, but wouldn’t fit in the pocket.

The 30X is for guys like me who love tip-up barrel guns and want the reliability of a centerfire cartridge without the recoil of a .380 ACP. It is easy to shoot, fun to suppress, and just plain charming.

By The Numbers

Accuracy: 3/5

I am taking two stars off for the point-of-impact/point-of-aim issues. However, even with the short sight radius and problems, the gun is mechanically capable of producing nice and tight groups.

Reliability: 5/5

After a year of use and enjoyment, the 30X has never choked, even when suppressed. It runs like a champ.

Ergonmics: 4/5

Outside of the slide bite, I have no ergonomic complaints. The gun has excellent controls that are well placed, a good grip design, and a tough-to-beat tip-up barrel.

Customization: 2/5

Currently, you can swap the grips and add a muzzle device and not much else. Beretta still has yet to even announce a release date for the mount.

Value: 3/5

At $550, it’s not a bargain, but grossly not overpriced. I paid more than that for my older suppressor-ready 3032 Tomcat, and the 30X Tomcat is a much better gun.

Overall: 3.5/5

Upgrades & Accessories for the Beretta 30X Tomcat

Stock up on extra mags, because those eight rounds go fast!

The Cradle from ANR Design has an excellent open-top and front design that easily accommodates suppressor-height sights and even a suppressor.

You should always wear protection, but that doesn’t mean you have to be uncomfortable. The sweet gel cups on our ShellShock EXO Pro earmuffs will help keep your head in the game all day.

How We Tested the Beretta 30X

To assess performance and accuracy, I put the Beretta 30X through a series of hands-on tests to evaluate accuracy, ergonomics, reliability, and suppressed performance.

Accuracy & Reliability Testing

The 30X underwent testing over multiple range trips spanning a year of use. During those range sessions, I fired a mix of .32 ACP ammunition from both the standard barrel setup and with a suppressor attached.

To determine accuracy, I shot the 30X at the usual pocket-pistol distance to start. Then I backed out to collect grouping data at 15 yards on paper targets. Finally, I ended my range sessions at 25 yards on steel.

For reliability, I tested the 30X with and without a SilencerCo Spectre 9 to see if the addition of a suppressor made a difference. I watched for feeding, ejection, and cycling issues — which are especially important given the Beretta’s design.

Ergonomics Testing

I wanted to see how the ergonomics felt using a variety of two-handed grips. Here, I was looking for how easy it was to control the recoil as well as how comfortable it was to shoot.

I paid special attention to the following:

• How the blowback system handled recoil
• Grip width and how that impacted recoil
• Slide bite potential
• Accessibility and feel of controls

I noted my observations during rapid-fire testing, as well as controlled slow-fire and manipulation drills.

Suppressor Testing

This 30X model, the Get Home Bag, included a threaded barrel, so it only made sense to test the pistol suppressed. I used a SilencerCo Spectre 9, looking for the following:

• Noise reduction
• Gas blowback
• Cycling reliability
• Sight alignment with the tall suppressor-height sights
• Ergonomics and shootabilty with the suppressor attached

Meet the Experts

This review was conducted by Pew Pew Tactical Freelance Writer & Review Analyst, Travis Pike. Travis is a United States Marine Corps veteran and lifelong shooter. He is an NRA Basic Pistol Instructor and Concealed Carry Instructor out of Florida, so he has extensive experience shooting pistols. Most importantly, as an instructor, he knows what to look for in a good pistol — balancing features, performance, and value.

Travis has an affinity for Beretta Tip-Ups and has tested a variety in the past (and written about them for several publications, including Pew Pew Tactical). For this review, he used his knowledge of the platform to examine real-world carry considerations and whether this pocket pistol could stand up to the concealed carry job.

Final Verdict on the Beretta 30X

Don’t buy the tip-up as a pocket pistol; buy it because it’s fun.

It is a blast to shoot, fun to suppress, and it’s a downright cool design. While it may not be perfect, if you like tip-ups or are interested in them, you’d be hard-pressed not to like this gun.

What are your thoughts on the Beretta 30X Tomcat? Would you carry one? Let us know in the comments below! Not quite your speed? Don’t worry, we have you covered with our hands-on article on the Best Concealed Carry Guns!