It all started with a desire for a pocket pistol. I wanted something easier to carry for specific scenarios where a larger gun simply wasn’t viable.
After trying a few different pocket pistols, I found that I was still enamored with the .32 ACP round and desired a Beretta Tomcat. All it took was a $75 mail-in rebate to push me over the edge.
That $75 discount ended up costing me a ton of money. The Tomcat led to the Bobcat, which has now led to seven different models of Beretta tip-up handguns, and I have my eyes opened for at least two more to complete my collection.
I’m the Ash Ketchum of Beretta tip-up guns, and you might be asking, but why? So keep reading as I walk you through the various models and what makes them unique.
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The Charm of Tip Ups
It is tough to verbalize why I love these guns. They just have this charm that I find challenging to resist.
In a lot of ways, they are out of date. They are all metal, with blowback designs that are heavier and thicker than their competition — making them the biggest pocket pistols on the market.
Yet, that’s why I like them. I’m a DA/SA fan, so it makes sense that the 3032, the 21A, and 30X would appeal to me. As far as I can tell, these are the most miniature DA/SA guns on the market. These guns retain that classic Beretta exposed barrel look (it’s as if the 92FS had a litter of puppies).
But the main draw is the tip-up barrel design. I think it’s neat and novel. A few other companies have done tip-up barrels, namely Girsan and Taurus, but each has used the Beretta system.
Ultimately, I also enjoy shooting them. They are fun little guns in pint-sized calibers. Beretta’s tip-up guns are the definition of mouse guns, even if Beretta names most of them after cats.
Breaking Down The Mini Tip-Ups
Tip-up guns have a fairly standard design. They are open-slide guns that use a straight blowback principle. All of them are hammer-fired, and most feature some form of manual safety.
A small lever sits below the barrel of most, and with a quick press, the barrel pops up. With the 30X, this was changed to a button release.
950 Series
Beretta’s first tip-up guns were the 950 series. These micro-sized guns were designed for concealed carry and as backup guns.
Beretta had previously produced a ton of little guns, namely .25 ACP pistols. However, the tip-ups would be the smallest so far, and the 950 series remains the smallest of all the tip-ups.
These guns were single-action-only and available in two calibers: .25 ACP and .22 Short. The original 950 series lacked manual safeties, and the user carried the gun with the hammer down and cocked the hammer before using it.
The Gun Control Act of 1968 banned the import of these models. Beretta moved production to the United States and added a thumb safety, becoming the 950BS model.
Beretta produced the 950 series until 2003.
Model 20
In 1967, Beretta added a double-action trigger to the 950 design and called it the Model 20.
The Model 20 is one of the tip-ups that currently escapes my collection. These guns still used the 950 magazines but had a slightly thicker frame to accommodate the DA/SA design.
The Model 20s were in production until 1985.
21A Bobcat
While 1985 marked the end of the Model 20, Beretta began production of their 21A model in 1984.
The 21A was an evolution of the Model 20. It retained the DA/SA trigger system and the wider grip. It is about five mm longer and weighs about two ounces more. The 21, or Bobcat, was produced in both .25 ACP and .22LR, with .22LR being the more popular caliber.
These guns came in many different finishes and colors, and various models were available, including the fantastic suppressor-ready covert models. Beretta announced the discontinuation of the 21A Bobcat in 2023.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Be sure to check out our full review of the Beretta 21A Bobcat!
3032 Tomcat
The 3032 Tomcat started production in 1996. Chambered for the more powerful .32 ACP cartridge, this was the biggest tip-up yet. It’s tiny compared to most other guns, but it feels like a Desert Eagle compared to the other tip-ups.
Beretta essentially scaled up the 21A to make the 3032. It’s a DA/SA gun with identical controls to the 21A — just bigger, heavier, and meaner. Like the 21A, numerous finishes were available for the 3032, as well as Covert suppressor-ready models.
Beretta killed these guns in December 2023, along with the Bobcat. However, it wasn’t really the end of the road for Tomcat quite yet.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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30X
A new modernized version of the 3032 was announced at SHOT Show 2024 — the 30X.
It features a stronger frame, wider grips, and a redesigned tip-up barrel and magazine release. The barrel release is a push button instead of a lever, and the magazine release has been moved from the grip to a more conventional behind-the-trigger placement.
These are still DA/SA guns, but the trigger has been improved quite a bit. Beretta increased the magazine capacity by one round and will be producing a dovetail sight replacement to allow you to mount a micro red dot.
Beretta introduced two variants of the 30X. The Get Home Bag model has a threaded barrel and suppressor-height sights, while their Just in Case model features a regular barrel and standard sights.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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The Origin of the Tip-Up Barrel
The general idea behind the tip-up barrel is to provide an easy way to load the guns. Hit a lever, or now a button, and the barrel pops up and out. With the chamber exposed, the user can just drop a round in the gun. There is never a need to rack the slide.
It’s often a feature sold for shooters with poor hand strength. It’s tough to rack a slide, so you don’t have to with these guns.
Besides making the gun easier to load, they also make it really easy to clear the gun. Pop the barrel up, remove the round, and you’re golden. Visually, it’s easy to ensure the gun is clear and safe.
Since these are hammer-fired guns without decockers, the easiest way to decock them is to raise the barrel and lower the hammer via your thumb. It doesn’t get much safer than that.
Downsides to the Tip-Up Guns
There is no such thing as a free lunch. I love the mini tip-ups, but you won’t see me suggesting them to most other shooters. They are best described as finicky, to be honest. And as I mentioned before, they aren’t the smallest or lightest guns on the market.
If you wanted a serious defensive gun in .22LR, I’d suggest the LCR 2. If you wanted a .32 ACP gun, I’d recommend the KelTec P32 in most cases. The LCP and P32 are smaller, lighter, thinner, and even hold more ammo.
Our tiny tip-ups are blowback-operated and lack an extractor. This means they rely on the cartridge’s force to eject the round. If the round doesn’t eject, you can’t just rack the slide.
You have to tip up the barrel and possibly remove the magazine to fix the problem. This takes time, and you might not always have time.
Every one of these guns hates a high grip. You will get some bite and draw blood if you grip too high. A high grip may also induce malfunctions due to your hand slowing the slide down.
The rimfire 21A is very ammo-picky. You need the hottest .22LR on the market to get this thing to run. With the .25 ACP variant, you don’t have those reliability issues; they tend to run well unless you grip too high.
The 3032 doesn’t have those reliability issues. I’ve even been bitten by it quite a bit, and it hasn’t malfunctioned. One of the problems 3032 has is a fragile frame. When you purchase one, it comes with a big flyer that essentially says, “Don’t use ammo that generates more than 129 foot-pounds of energy, or the frame will crack, and it’s your problem.”
That seems easy to avoid, except the best defensive 32 ACP cartridges generate more than 129-foot pounds of energy.
Luckily, Beretta addressed this with the new 30X and stated the frame is 100% stronger than the 3032’s.
If You Could Only Pick One?
If you lived in a terrible world where you could only pick one of these tip-up guns, I’d suggest the 30X, at least for defensive use.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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It’s sleek and modern. Believe it or not, it’s more robust, accurate, and even easier to shoot accurately. I occasionally carry my 30X in my pocket and honestly enjoy shooting it.
While the 30X makes the most sense, it’s not my favorite. I really shouldn’t have a favorite, but alas, I do — the 950BS Minx in .22 Short. I just love shooting this gun. It recoils like a BB gun and is surprisingly reliable. Maybe it’s because .22 Short is somewhat obscure, and only hotter loads exist.
The wee little .22 Short isn’t suitable for defensive use, but man, if a mean mouse ever came at me, I’m ready! And it’s just so darn cute!
Final Thoughts
The Beretta Tip-Up series has gained a little popularity as of late. More and more people are discovering their charm, and I hope I’ve given you some perspective on these little guns.
They aren’t for everyone, but they are fun little guns and certainly unique in their approach.
Are there any other tip-up fans in the audience? If so, let us know in the comments below! Interested in pocket pistols but don’t dig the Beretta? Check out our article on the 7 Best Pocket Pistols for Concealed Carry!
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Interestingly enough I was doing an ammo test on my 21A yesterday. I love this gun and have had several of the tip ups go in and out of my possession. Kick myself that I ever let one of the 22 Short versions go. In the test Federal Punch and Winchester Silvertip Segmented failed miserably, especially with the Winchester with every round having to be pried out. CCI 40 grain Mini Mags ran flawlessly for the 100 rounds I sent downrange AFTER I had dirtied up the barrel with the ammo that was advertised as being for short barrel guns. Those offerings are better kept for revolvers. I finished up the session with a couple of magazines of CCI Stingers which also worked flawlessly but not recommended by Beretta as they exceed the 120 foot pounds energy the 22 Bobcat is rated at. The 40 grain RN CCI's work best in mine but your mileage may vary.
Really excellent guns and just too bad Beretta is discontinued so much of that line. The older I get that tip up barrel is more valuable as hand strength goes south.
Great. Very informative. Thanks for the review of these guns & history.
I love the Tomcat. I have several and just updated my pocket holsters with two from Galco.
The Tomcat is easy to load and extremely easy to shoot with almost no recoil. Never had a jam or a failure of any kind so far.
Even if you didn’t carry it for self defence - the gun is such a lot of fun to shoot.
Travis, thx for the overview of the little Berettas, as well as discussing the uncommon tip-up feature. A relatively new product (Beretta-based design) is the EAA Girsan MC-14T.
It's a tip-up .380acp, BTW.
Few reviews mention that it uses the 13-rd magazines that fit the Beretta-84F and Browning BDA.
Everyone seems to promote these as good for the "weak"... not a good sales pitch, IMHO. These tip-ups ARE good for quickly loading & unloading... "safety" comes as a bonus, since you can see the status of the chamber with a tip-up!
Thanks for the review of these guns with their history. Very informative. My dad use to carry the .25 when he was a judge in NYC in the 50's after there was a threat on his life. To me they always looked slick: compact yet attractive and efficient. I carried a tom cat for a couple of years. Loved how it felt in the hand, the beretta engineering, shot well, compact!
No comparison to the cheap toy looking Kel Tech with a crappy feeling grip snappy recoil. Now when I go toa gun shop and see one every once in a while, I stop and stare, remember how it felt to hold, my heart starts to beat a little faster, and I have fantasies of owning another. Then I think of my Ruger LCP max .380 and what a dream that gun is. It's so easy to conceal and effective for its size! Then I move on realizing some memories can indeed be wonderful, and it's ok to just have them and let them be.
Great article Travis! We have found 3032 Is great Auto CCW for Ladies or anyone who has difficulty racking the slide. Also, nice job highlighting de-cocking with the tip-up barrel. feature. Companion 21A is fun, cheap practice gun and with CCI rat shot good camp gun for snakes.
Can’t go wrong with the 3032.