Gun or phaser from Star Trek? Or another sci-fi series to be named later. By someone else. Please excuse my lack of knowledge of sci fi geekdom—and I mean that in a good way fanboys. But this stuff suggests itself. Beretta took the venerable .22 caliber training pistol—default option Ruger Mark III or Colt Woodsman—and made it look like something for taking out Adhar Ru’afo. According to the Beretta bumph, Neos means “new” in Greek. To get that ancient civilization look, Beretta designed a nice rimfire pistol and dropped it off by the Guigiaro studio for the weekend. OK, I know: Neo. Matrix. Got it. And you should too, if you’re looking for something to lure your sc fi lovin’ child off the couch and down to someplace far healthier. I mean the gun range, of course.
Cliché time: usually form does follow function. Although beauty is in the eye of the beholder, all of the components in this Beretta feel top notch for the price point. The 10-round magazine (great for us New Yorkers and those living in the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia) features a small indentation slot so .22 can drop in easy. The rest of the pistol comes apart into five modular components; the only one that I did not dig is the screw-release that allows the frame to separate from the side. It makes you wonder why a ‘dial indicator’ is on the side of your pistol.
The unit works by a cycling a portion of the rear mechanism, and not the entire ‘slide’ a la 1911. When you play with one in the store, you’ll get what I mean. The only thing I did not like about the gun is its tenancy to bite you when releasing this modified slide. It can be overcome by training, but my index finger was pinched from the get-go trying to figure it out.
The grips are made of a rugged fiberglass, and most everything else on the gun feels solid. Say what you want about the M9 pistol, but it had to go though a lot of hurdles to become the official sidearm of the US Army. Beretta, after nearly 500 years in business, knows what it is doing.
Except when it comes to the magazine release. It is actuated by your trigger finger. Not your thumb as God and John Moses Browning intended.
Other than that, the trigger pull is good. Just good. it’s not quite as crisp and clean as the gold standard Ruger Mk III, but it’s not what you’d call a show stopper.Frankly, the gun has more than enough accuracy to outshoot me.
I didn’t send a lot of rounds downrange, but all reports on the internet grapevine indicate a gun that will shoot hundreds of rounds of anything without complaint. The only odd thing I noticed: some more muzzle flash than a typical .22. That could have been the supplied 32 grain ammo being a little hotter than usual.
Beretta suggests a retail price for the U22 Neos Inox of $375. There are new ones about just under the $300 mark.
If you really want to take this gun to the next level of rimfire crazy, Beretta offers a carbine conversion kit that makes the thing look goofy and badass at the same time. If I bought a U22, I would buy it just for the novelty of using it a few times but the gun would primarily remain a pistol. It is a .22 terrific for plinking and accuracy with styling to keep the younger generation interested.
SPECS:
Model: Beretta U22 Neos Inox
Caliber: 22LR
Magazine Capacity: 10
Action: Single
Total Length (mm/inch): 260/10.2
Barrel Length (mm/inch): 152/6
Total Thickness (mm/inch): 38/1.5
Total Height (mm/inch): 132.5.2
Sight Radius (mm/inch): 226/8.9
Weight Unloaded (gr/oz): 100/35.3
RATINGS (out of five)
Style * * * * *
Probably the most sci-fi .22 pistol out there. If you like it, you’ll love it. If you don’t, subtract four stars.
Ergonomics * *
They take a little getting used to and in the beginning it’ll bite ya.
Reliability * * * *
I did not have the opportunity to use it with the cheapest .22 ammo that would be good for extended plinking, but it ate the good stuff.
Customize This * * * *
Carbine kit is available that makes it into something a Stormtrooper would use.
OVERALL RATING * * *1/2
just bought this gun no shots fired yet,can’t get it apart.i took it back to the dealer this morning and he had a hard time .then i tried to take it apart when i got home but still can’t get it loose.
Purchased end of March 2012: First time out – fired aprox 200 rounds dead on up to 50 feet from target. Second time same result. Third time – couldn’t hit the side of a barn. Looked at rear site and noticed it was tilted way up – brought back to bass pro shop – said they have heard of this problem before. The back side adjustment screw broke off leaving the rear site to freely move. Anyone else have this problem – may be a recall item?
Looking to purchase a new mid-grade competition .22 for bullseye league. Was considering a Walther SB22 until a dealer suggested the Berretta Neos. I like the feel and the cost, but from reading the comments above, I’m not sure if it’s a good purchase. When I say competition, I mean shooting with the league once or twice a month for fun – not super serious shooting. Thoughts?
I have a neos I like it, it has not malfunctioned yet probably 4 to 500 rounds It is a nice gun for the price but the trigger is a little crappy and the front sight is a little hard to see it needs a little green paint or something. I really like my Browning buck mark but it has malfunctioned probably 10 times with the same amount of rounds I have not cleaned either one just pulled them out of the box. The browning is the one with the wood handles and the flat sides on the barrel. The browning has a hi vis type sight on the front an a very nice trigger,although mine retailed for like $ 500 they have alot cheaper models that are competitively priced to the neos. I read an article that stated all the buckmark pistols have the same trigger group regardless of the price. I think you may want to check one out before you buy, you may like it. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the neos comes apart alot easier then the browning.
Thanks, William, I’ll have to check out the buck mark. Haven’t really considered it until now.
My S&W 22A has worked well for me. MSRP $279, about the same as the basic Neos.
I have had mine a few months but only shot it twice-the trigger is crap. you have to pull it tight and wait a second for it to fire. I want to send it back, but if it takes 6 weeks I won’t bother. I’m sure B likes to hear that-really dissapointed with this-I was wanting to use it to introduce my daughters to shooting. I bought the carbine kit and a cheap red dot to have some fun with it. Now it’s a sexing looking paper weight.
I just bought this gun from a pawn show, Its Looked New, It shot great, no hangups and dumped the amo as fast as you could pull the trigger. It was fairly acuuate from my point of view, and that was unajusted. I want to buy a red dot and see what I can do at compaticion with this gun.
Bought one yesterday. Took it apart this morning and cleaned and lubed everything. Took it to the range today and put at least 300 plus rounds through it without one FTF or FTC. Accurate with a little adjustment. Sites adjusted without incident. Fired rounds off as fast as I could squeeze the trigger. I love it. Kinda ugly, but shoots great. I never go to the range without first cleaning a new weapon. That how people tear up good equipment.
Well I can’t believe it. Had the same problem and what burns me more then anything it’s a brand new gun that I bought and they tell me it will be at least 6 weeks to get it back. Beretta should see when these guns were sold and get these back as soon as possible. I also had a problem with the site screw on the side and the tool they sent with it. I agree, you get what you pay for and since it was inexpensive now I know why.
Thank you all for the replies. I think I am going to purchase the Walther SP22. A bit more cost, but I think it’s going to be a gun I’ll have a long time.
I think that is as ugly as the neos. The browning is prettier, but something attracts me to it nonetheless.