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 USA bumph, Neos means “new” in Greek. To get that ancient civilization look, Beretta designed a nice rimfire pistol and dropped it off by Italian designer Giogetto Giugiaro’s studio for the weekend. OK, I know: Neo. Matrix. Got it. And you should too, if you’re looking for something to lure your sci-fi lovin’ child off the couch and down to someplace far healthier. And by that, 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 pistol features modular construction, (barrel with sight rail, receiver, slide and firing pin). The 6-inch barrel is available either in the classic Beretta blue finish, or in stainless steel (“Inox”). 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 handgun.

Beretta Neos work by 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 tendency 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 Neos pistol 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 U.S. Army. Beretta, after nearly 500 years in business, knows what it is doing.

Except when it comes to the magazine release. The mag release, which sits on the right side above the trigger guard, is actuated by your trigger finger. Not your thumb as God and John Moses Browning intended.

There is a ambidextrous safety.

 

 

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 Winchester, Remington, or anything else, without complaint. The only odd thing I noticed: more muzzle flash than a typical .22. That could have been the supplied 32-grain ammo being a little hotter than usual.

The futuristic semi-auto pistol features an integral rail that accepts Weaver-style scope mounts (red dot and otherwise), and a matte-black front sight, as well as a fully-adjustable target rear sight.

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 great gun, perfect for first-time or entry-level shooters and terrific for plinking, target shooting and accuracy with styling to keep the younger generation interested.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Model: Beretta U22 Neos Inox

Caliber: 22 Long Rifle

Magazine Capacity: 10

Action: Single Action semi-automatic

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

Safety: Ambidextrous manual safety

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 * * * *

There is a carbine kit available that makes it into something a Stormtrooper would use.

OVERALL RATING * * *1/2

More from The Truth About Guns:

Gun Review: Walther P22 QD

Gun Review: Browning Buckmark Camper

New From SIG SAUER: P250-22 .22LR Pistol

Guns of the OSS: The High Standard HDM

 

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Brett Solomon
Brett Solomon got his first taste of the magazine world covering car electronics for CarSound & Performance Magazine. He landed the job by being noticed for designing high-end car audio systems. Which was fine by him because there was no way he was going to pass the third level of calculus toward an electrical engineering degree at University of Delaware. Not with those DuPont scholars around campus, he’ll take Journalism over Engineering, thank you very much. He has since written for a number of publications (think in-flight journalism) that lack the chutzpah of Robert Farago, and having all of those milquetoast reviews pent up in his system now allows his pen to spit fire. We’ll, he is just not that mean but happy to tell the truth…and the truth is most firearms are fun!

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104 COMMENTS

  1. " 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."

    That was my thought when I bought the pistol. I then acquired the carbine kit converted it to the carbine and fell in love. The carbine shoots, feels and looks GREAT. I have not converted it back to a pistol at all.

    I am now saving pennies so I can have a matching pistol/carbine set.

    One shooter complained that when shooting with short sleeves some of the powder blast residue from the shell ejection impacted on his arm, no one else has complained at all.

    NukemJim

  2. I just found out about Cowboy Action shooting, so maybe you could start Sci-Fi action shooting. There probably would be a market for firearms that resembled phasers and disruptors (except for the Varon-T, of course).

    • The Whitney Wolverine looks pretty space aged. I have one and love it. Well, loved it…it's to the point now that it will not cycle reliably, so the plan is to trade it in for a U22.

  4. Picked up a Neos in stainless for my son and myself the other day ($250) after looking at the browning and some others. After a day at the range and 250+ rounds I have to say this has turned into my favorite gun. No misfeeds, comfortable, and easy to shoot. It's not that I don't like my other handguns/rifles it's just that this thing is inexpensive, the style has grown on me, and you can shoot it all day without get tired of the recoil or breaking the bank. My complaints would be: the backwards and an akwardly located safety and a magazine that when fully inserted is slightly recessed making it easy not push it it all the way.

  6. This is a great, reliable pistol. As far as shooting cheap ammo thru it, I burned thru a brick of 30 year old Remington Mohawk's with out a single fail to feed or fire! Works great with CCI Stingers and mini-mags too. I bought the Inox Deluxe w/7.5" barrel and it is a tack driver. Just picked up a extra 4.5" barrel from Brownell's, I hope it shoots as well with it!

  7. I have the long barrel version and it worked great, then suddenly it frequently jammed and would not cycle any type of ammo. Cleaning was not the issue as it is simple to take down to clean. I don't know it others have had the problem. I sent it back and we'll see how it goes after it comes back. There was a recall related to firing with the safety on, but I don't see how it is related. I liked the gun when it worked.

    • Same problem. The Beretta Neos seems to have a QC problem with the slide. Our gunsmith changed out the slide and it seemed to work fine. The firearm was less than 3 months old, so it was sent back to Beretta for service. That was over 4 months ago and we still don’t have it back. I know things can happen in manufacturing, so the fact that there was a problem doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the extremely poor service by Beretta. This should have been a one week turnaround.

      • Never owned one, but people I shot with that did had nothing but malfunctions to the point of utter disgust. My Ruger Mk III Hunter will do 1/2″ groups at 25 yds with a cheap red dot on it. I also think that the fluted long barrell Hunter models are the best looking .22 pistols ever made.

  8. I have a 6″ barrel from my Neos for sale for if anyone is interested. Less that 200 rnds through it.

  10. How much is the carbine conversion kit? Browning made (maybe still makes) a Buckmark carbine, but the price is high and they never offered a conversion kit.

  12. My nephew brought his new Neo over to my 25 yard range and we expended lots of 22 ammo. The reviewer’s comment, that the trigger is “good” is being very generous. The trigger has creep and an uneven pull that I found distracting and not condusive to accuracy.

    Frankly, a good used Hamden Ct. mfg, High Standard “Trophy” pistol is superior to this Neo in every respect.

    • I’ve found the same problem with the trigger. I’ll be sticking to my Ruger Mark III. However, the Neo is a “good” gun for it’s price.

      • Love the trigger on my Mk III Hunter; definitely one of the reasons it will do 1/2″ groups at 25 yards with a cheap red dot on it. The Ruger Mark Series wrote the book on .22 semi auto pistols.

  14. je suis a la recherche d’ une cross en couleur gris ou bleu pour beretta u22neos inox 6″ merci de me dire ou je peut l’ acheter mes salutations

  15. I had problems with FTF and FTE from day one. Never was able to get past four rounds without a problem. Ver accurate when it worked, but so very disappointing. Only 3 weeks old and sent it back on May 14th. It just went into week 7 and no word. Unable to use their online contact service. Supposed to be working as of June 2011 and here we are 2 days before July and that too is still broken. I hope it works when it returns, but also hope it isn’t 4 months like Thomas Niman! Very poor customer relations. Never buying any Berettas again. Own several Rugers and never a problem over 40 years.

  16. Nice looking gun. Nothing but trouble. Broken extractor right out of the box! Waited 4
    months for the repair (Gander Mountain can take some of that blame). I dont know if the gun is junk or if G.Mtn. sold me a used NEOS by mistake (or did they know?). 200
    rounds thru it now….misfires (dosnt fire)…..stovepipes again! (jams). Using good ammo (Winchester)….was fine for about 150 rnds…..cleaned it at 100 or so…..problems are back! I dont get it….everyone loves these guns….whats up with mine!?

  17. I am 26 years old. My father has been an awsome mentor and I have had the privledge to shoot his ruger markIII since i was very young. Then I have been able to shoot his Browning buckmark for over a year now. Both guns are awsome, reliable, and shoot true(or as good as the shooter themself) with minimal jams or misfires. So i finally got tired of being a moocher and went shopping a good 2 weeks for the pistol i would choose. I always saw the U22 Neos and laughed in the beginning cause of the look.
    Long story short this is why love my Neos i bought 2 weeks ago(6in barrel but not in order why i love it). I do shoot well, and it shoots good for me. #1- I love the slide release! It is much faster and safer to reload. #2- It functions just as good as the buckmark and markIII. #3- That funny looking looking rail at the top is just what the doctor ordered for the gamers! Flashlight, Red dot, or Scope. Its one accsesory on the pistol to interchange. Its allows fast, easy, and fun attatchments that boosted variety and fun with my purchuse.
    Beretta did it right. If you dont trust the name, then question yourself!

  18. Just purchased the U22 NEO today with the intent of self defense from all the rattle snakes here in south Texas. I purchased the bird shot and the pistol jammed like crazy. Ant substitutes?

    • If using birdshot or “shot shells” and intending to use it as self defense against snakes you should really use a revolver.

      They have smaller loads and lower gas pressures that will make auto loaders jam.

        • I haven’t had to shoot any snakes with my Judge Magnum but I shoot clays with it and I only have the 3 inch barrel. Every time I take it out to shoot it I fall in love with it more. I highly recommend the Blackhawk holster for it

  19. Ok, several years ago I bought my U22 and have put thousands of rounds through it, never had an issue with jaming and I atribute the FTFs that I have maybe 30 in all to the ammo. Only one stovepipe again I’m thinking that it was due to the remington ammo I was using at the time.
    The pistol shoots great, and the only complaint i have is the mag release is right where i put my finger when not shooting, so at first I would drop my mag just as I step up to the bench. But its better than the Ruger’s and Browning’s mag release if you are looking for quick change of mags.
    When I bought my Neos it was a matter of price rather than style, but I’m also a Sci-fi nut and think it would have looked good on the set of Battlestar or Starwars (birttish sten being used as the storm trooper’s battle weapon)

  20. I bought the Neos brand new. One box of shells were all over the target. Put the verniers on the front sight and found it not centered. It has been back to Baretta now for four weeks and dealer cannot tell me when it will be back. Also found the sight adjustment tool did not fit the screws on the sight. First and last purchase of a Beratta.

    • 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.

  21. I bought my Neos last summer and have been to the range about 5 times with it. I must say that I love this 6 inch barrel gun. I’ve fired over 2,500 rounds with it and I have yet to clean it and it only jammed twice while ejecting, only twice!!! The accuratecy is very good and as far as the button to release the magazine, I like it. just get used to where it is and you can master a quick release and reload. I highly reccomend the neos and thats coming from someone who’s never owned a Beretta. Note: I use Federal .22LR ammo with my gun and once again, only 2 ejecting jams after 2,500 rounds.

  22. I’ve put about 3000 rounds through the Neos. It shoots dead accurate with the open sights, and with a red dot sight, it puts multiple rounds through the same hole with match-grade ammo at 10 yards. It will not reliably shoot sub-sonics because the reduced recoil is barely enough to cycle the slide all the way to the rear for a clean extraction and battery of the new round. If you lightened the slide, it would probably work fine with the sub-sonics. It shoots really well, using standard 22 LRRF ammo. I de-burred the plastic castings with a small smooth file and 2000-grit paper to remove the mold marks and the VERY sharp corners at the mouth of the magazine well. It’s very hand-friendly now. And now for the bad part: two days ago at the range (after about 300 rounds), the ejector claw went flying off the slide with a spent casing. I did recover the little plunger and spring, but the claw, which is less than an inch long and black steel, was impossible to find. It was an outdoor range, so I’ll be on the horn with Brownell’s tomorrow, ordering a replacement part ($4). I’ll probably get a few in case this happens again.

  23. Took my brandnew Neos to the range yesterday, on a beautiful Colorado afternoon. Used 2 types of ammo, CCI Minimags and Remington Golden bullet. The pistol failed to fire/function numerous times. It seems the firing pin isnt making contact with the round in the chamber. I took it home and cleaned the action, with great attention. I will be in contact with Beretta today and most likely will be returning this firearm. Total rounds 50, malfunctions, 7-10. Im very disappointed with this firearm.

    • I had the exact same issue. Tried 6 different types of ammo. Sent it back to Berretta. They replaced the barrel. I got it back and had more jams but not near as many. I kept shooting it and now so far after over 500 rounds it has not jammed once. Tried cheap bulk ammo and decent CCI standard velocity. All cycled perfectly. Maybe a case of it needing to be broken in which baffles me but a lot of folks say some guns can be finicky until you fire 500 – 1000 rounds through. Very accurate gun. Just got a Bushnell TRS-25 red dot scope for it because my eyes are not what they used to be. Can’t wait to try it out. Good luck.

  24. Glenn, Sorry to hear of your problems. I’ve put over 5000 rounds in mine and only 1 FTF on some cheap target Federal ammo.

    • Nick, I took the gun to a reputable gunsmith here in Colorado Springs and he recommended I fire a few more rounds at least 1200 fps loads. I hope this “break-in will do the trick.

  25. hey i like the gun, it looks good and many of you said its a great gun, although i’m too young to own one yet what do i need to go through to own one legally?

    • First thing wait till you are 21. If your parents buy you one, only have it when they are present(or an adult to supervise you). I f you have it alone under age you will be in a world of trouble.

  26. 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.

  27. 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?

  28. 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.

  29. 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.

  30. 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.

  31. 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.

    • I’m glad some people think with their head. How would you proudly boast that you don’t clean your gun and then complain about issues with it. Some guns come from the factory with crazy amounts of grease in the action. Thanks for bringing that up and happy shooting!

  32. I bought a Neo 6 months ago from Gander Mountain. It had total failure to feed. Every third round came in jammed. Did not matter what type of ammo was used. The gun had a problem. After much arguing with Gander Mounatin and assistance from American Express; Gander Mountain exchanged the Neo for a new one. The replacement has been flawlees; it shoots every type of ammo. I have never had a ftf. I have several Beetta 9mm autos; they have been totally reliable. I do not believe the Neo is manufactured to the typical Beretta standard.. I do know that I will never purchase another handgun from Gander Mountain. They were unwilling to accept that defective out of the box means replacement as opposed to returning it to Beretta. They said that their protocol was for their in-house gun smith to look at the malfunction (perhaps in 3-to 4 weeks) then if there still was a problem they would ship it to Beretta and I would get a rplacement/repair in 3-4 months. What a joke.

  34. I picked up a Beretta NEOS with the 6″ barrel in 2009. I have had it out many times but today I decided to tune the sights. Shooting from the bench with shot groups of 3, I got the gun dialed in pretty well. Using non-premium ammo (Winchester Western plated hollow points) the last group was all in the 10X ring and you could cover the shot group with a quarter ($0.25). Now admittedly these were shot from the bench but at distance 25 yards and iron sights. This is a very accurate pistol. I was not expecting to have it group this tight. I have fired several thousand rounds with this gun with very little or no problems.

  35. I bought my 6″ neos 3 weeks ago at a gun show and grabbed a bulk box of winchester super X. took it to the range looking to break it in and shot off all 525 rounds with 2 FTFs. both were due to shoddy craftsmanship on winchesters part. literally the bullets were bent at the tip(before firing, noticed while loading mag, figured i’d give it a try lol) anyways…it shot great, good accuracy and my buddies were getting tired of shooting their 40s and started asking me if they could shoot it about 30 minutes in. overall im really happy with the purchase. its a breeze to fieldstrip and its even easier to tear up targets without tearing up your wallet. one thing i did notice was that right out of the box the slide would barely slide forward when releasing from the lock. got home that night and cleaned/oiled it and it was like butter. i’d suggest cleaning/oiling before your first trip to the range. you never know how long its been sitting on your dealers shelf :/

  36. Bought myself a Neos for Christmas to play with and teach my kids gun safety and how to shoot. Put 500 rounds of Remington Goldens (cheap ammo) through it 1st day out and not a single FTE or FTF. Took very little to get sights dialed in and gun worked like a champ. Easy to take apart and clean and with no tools. Kids had a blast … we’ll be back at the range soon. Tough deal to beat for the money. Saving pennies for carbine kit now.

  37. I’ve had my Neos pistol with 6″ barrel for 4 years now and it is a very reliable and accurate pistol. I put a cheap red dot sight on it and it is a nail driver at 50 yards, even shooting bulk Federal Champion ammo which is my favorite cheap stuff. I have shot over 10,000 rounds through it of all types of ammo from cheap bulk stuff to CCI stingers and it eats all of it without a hiccup. I do get a laugh from the name Neos=New. This pistol is a tarted up copy of the Hi-Standard Dura-Matic .22 I owned in the 60s, right down to the screw wheel attachment of the barrel. The internals of the Neos are identical to the Hi-Standard in every respect. The only difference I can see is that the magazine release on the Hi-Standard was on the left and on the Neos it is on the right. This design is over 60 years old and is a very good design. The Hi-Standard Dura-Matic was the entry level Hi-Standard .22 target pistol of its day (1950s-1960s). The original Hi-Standard Company went out of business in the 1980’s and I assume that either the patents on the pistol expired or Beretta bought the rights to them from whoever succeeded to the patents.

  38. I bought the Beretta Neos about a year and a half ago for cheap practice at the range and have put upwards of 7,000 rounds through this gun. I’ve had probably 20 failures in that time, before I polished the ramp going into the barrel after which time I had no trouble at all. The matte finish does seem to wear more quickly than the true blue I’m used to on revolvers, but as long as it shoots well I’m good to go.

  39. I have to say that I *really* don’t like this thing. The one I’ve used is extremely picky with ammo, only liking the Remington Thunderbolts (it could be worse and only like far more expensive ammo, but the sensitivity is annoying.) The barrel attachment method is awkward and downright painful to manipulate if its feeling at all recalcitrant. I also find the grip to be far too skinny, far too slick feeling, and at what feels to be a really goofy angle. I have to say that there is no way that I have found to comfortably and securely hold this pistol. And then to top it off, when it was still new (sub 1000 rds), it decided at one point to extract its own extractor. This required a trip back to Berretta and much aggravation. All of that has dramatically soured my opinion on this pistol to the point where I will always recommend against it when people ask about .22 auto pistols to acquire. It does however look cool.

    • I own two and they love whatever ammo I’m feeding them at the time. I’ve only had one issue with the pistol and that was having the extractor disappear on me, but Beretta sent me out a new one as soon as I told them about it…

    • I’m surprised your Neos is so picky, but I suggest you try two things. First, polish the little bullet feeder ramp on the barrel assembly with fine emery cloth till it is nice and smooth. Don’t over polish it, as it will polish up nicely with just a few swipes of the emery cloth. Secondly, with the barrel off, take a toothbrush or nylon gun brush anc clean the cavity where the magazine comes up to the feeder ramp. That area gets clogged easily with spent gunpowder. I use Ed’s Red, a mixture of one third each of dexron tranny fluid, mineral spirits and acetone. Use the mixture to clean the rest of the gun parts reciever and inside the barrel. It will leave a very very light film of oil on the gun that is just right and will not gum up the internals. Let me know how it shoots after that. I am willing to bet it will take most any .22 bullet after that.

  40. Beretta has had my Neos for over 5 weeks.
    After a few contacts (web site states wating for parts) I was informed that there is a shortage of steel, no spare parts can be had, and no idea when this would change.
    So in other words, cannot do anything but wait.
    Is this the Beretta quality and service “500 hundered years….”?
    Thought I would pass this along…

    • I got in contact with Beretta directly when the extractor went away, and it was only a couple of weeks before I received a replacement in the mail.

  41. Your first line, about sci fi movies in the future to be using this gun?

    Looper

    Used as two police officers come in to escort out the ‘In the future’ version of the Protagonist. You clearly see it with the blue grips. I’d all but made up my mind about the gun, but I squealed in my seat and was like, “I’m totally getting one now.”

  42. I have had the Neos for about a year and it has a bit over 5,000 rounds through it so far. It has been dead reliable and eats anything I have tried in it – CCI, Remington, Winchester, Federal and Aguilla. It is not a match in accuracy or trigger feel for my Ruger MKIII, but then it is also much less expensive. Accuracy is good, but not stunning. Trigger pull and feel are OK. I actually really like the mag release. The slide bite that the author mentions has never been a problem for me. I would certainly recommend the Neos to anyone wanting a plinker.

    • Have you ever had lead buildup on the inside of the barrel.Shot 100 round of 22 Remington Thunderbolt and it got where it couldn,t hit anything.Took it back to the gunshop and he found lead buildup inside barrel. He got it out with some trouble and it shoots find now.Got to clean barrel more often I guess or maybe will get getter with time.

      • I clean mine after each outing so I haven’t had any buildup issues. It is easy enough to take down that I can’t find a good excuse not to at least run a patch through the bore and wipe it down after shooting.

        Leading can affect accuracy though. I bought a Ruger SR22 that was a retired range gun and took it straight to the range. It threw bullets all over the place. When I got home and started cleaning it up I quickly found out why. It took a great deal of scrubbing to get the bore clean. The amount of lead and copper I removed from the bore was stunning. Once clean and happy it shot fine though.

  43. So, it gets a low ergonomic rating because the reviewer was dumb enough to get pinched by the slide? I love mine, and I would have a hard time trying to pinch my index during slide release… Although, the slide blowback cut my father-in-law because he, too, was dumb enough to improperly hold the pistol… All told, it is a nice little plinker, and if you know how to handle firearms, it won’t bite you…

    • I hear you JayMac, pinched himself on the slide, unbelievable. I fired about 3K rounds of anything through it(whatever was the the best price/value) and have only had a few FTF’s which I attribute to the ammo. Paid $230. at Academy sports, what a deal and when you register the pistol online with Beretta they up the warranty to 3 years. How many pistols have you seen where you get 2 magazines with it for that price, probably 0, maybe they will throw in a magazine where the reviewer wrote a column. Worst gun review I ever read, he needs a new line of work.

  44. I bought my Neos in January of 2013. Since then I have fired more than 12K rounds through it, using everything from CCI standard velocity to Winchester superspeed to 20 year old boxes of whatever picked up at gun shows. I have had maybe a dozen failures, usually caused by a short ejection, or a failure to fire due to a weak hit. It might be time to put some new springs in it.

  45. Just bought a Neos as a plinker and to wean my daughter off her air soft guns. we ran nearly 200 rounds through it in less than an hour with only 1 issue with a shell being reluctant to chamber the slide closed after just a gentle tap.
    I wasn’t expecting much for the less than $300 price tag, and was happily surprised by it,
    already looking for a small form factor red dot for it.
    My carry weapon is a 30 year old Beretta .380 I hope my daughter is still shooting the neos 30 years from now.

  46. It’s wonderful that you are getting thoughts from this paragraph as well as from our argument
    made here.

  47. My wife and I have both enjoyed our Neos since purchasing it last fall.
    No fail to fire or jams with any cheap ammo. Rested on a bag with target at ten yards it groups tight.
    It gets cleaned every time it comes back from the range. Cleaning is simple and the red dot stays with the barrel. I have not had issues with parts falling off, but after reading the reviews here and elsewhere I am purchasing a few spare parts.
    You guys that have gone through thousands of rounds in the past year, please tell the rest of us, “How do you find that much ammo for sale, and what are you paying?

  48. I have been trying to find the Carbine Kit for the Neos for over a year and can not find one. If anyone has one and would like to sell it or knows where to get one, please let me know! Much appreciated!

  49. This pistol is a “High Standart DuraMatic” in different wearings. DuraMatic was the best seller of High Standart at a time and in fact, can be accepted as “Forerunner of Today’s Plastic Pistols” which having a plastic handle frame screwed on a metal upper receiver with a difference that including a metal sheet bent trigger guard instead of plastic. Some decades after, Colt patented the same pistol with one piece handle frame and trigger guard as naming “Cadett” and some decades after, Beretta USA put hands on the same pistol with more attractive, aged up decoration, naming ” Neo”.

    What a fertile design.

  50. Shot Remington 22lr lead heads and left lead in the barrel.Change to cci and now its a nail driver with my red dot scope on it at 18yds with a rest. Just need s to get broke in with copper jackets. Love it

    • Bought my Neos at a Louisiana department store and went straight to my bass honey hole. Within 10 minutes there were 2 dead water moccasin each with one hole in the head. I only shot twice. I LOVE it.

  51. I have had numerous FTFs for years — cartridges not indented enough, or not at all, by the firing pin. I corrected the problem by washing and brushing the slide and other removed parts in very hot water and strong detergent, rinsing them well in hot water, drying them quickly on a hot furnace register, and not lubicating the weapon except a little oil in its solvent-cleaned barrel. I also bush-clean the battery face well with solvent, wiping it dry. I’m basically shooting a dry weapon. I’ve not had a FTF since.

  52. I just got back from the desert where I fired several types of ammo successfully without a ftf. I have owned the Neos since 1995 and have had increasingly more ftf’s over the years. Recently it was to the point of just about every round was a ftf. I have cleaned, oiled , unoiled, tried different types of cartridges and lubricants all with the same result – ftf at least every third round maybe worse. I have wanted to send the gun back to Baretta but just never got around to it.

    Yesterday I received a new magazine ordered over ebay. I loaded a few rounds and went out to test it. Hooray – a new magazine solved the problem. After I got back I looked at my original 2 magazines and they were somewhat different and spread a little wider at the top front. The new one seems to have a bit of a crimp then outward turn at the top. I am wondering if some design defect caused the magazines to spread apart like they did or if they just came that way and gradually worsened. Anyway I ordered trwo more magazines this morning.

  53. Mr. Braught:
    My original mags from 2-3 years ago are crimped at the bottom of the bullet, then curve out at half the bullet’s length, then curve in again slightly just above the bullet’s nose. One mag has been used almost exclusively; both still look identical. I have had no problem with cartridges loading or extracting; CCI Mini-Mags do work best. The Firing Pin spring is weak; I bought a new one a few months ago; no help. Please review what I wrote above about running the gun dry of lubrication. The firing pin now dents cartridges well. Burned powder&oil gunk seems to impede spring/firing-pin travel.

  54. My 22 Neos has an FTF with every magazine. It won’t load into the chamber. When I hold the gun with two hands like in a match game I get FTEs every five shots. But when I shoot one handed, strangely enough, I get zero FTEs. So, it wasn’t limp wristing, or dirty gun, or too clean, etc., just too much firmness. Seems like the gun was made for one handed shooting, not an entirely easy shooting posture, but doable.

  55. Just bought a U22 Neos from Local gun dealer. Looked brand new, but put the serial number in and says it’s a 2002 model?? 3 Questions..(1) It will Stovepipe about 1 in 15 rounds. Have cleaned it several times, A little better but still stovepipes some. (2) When cocking the slide, hard to get it to pull back after loading a new mag. Seems like it sticks just before the stop that holds the breech open after last shell. 3. Looks like the rear sight is a little off center. More towards the left. Gun wants to shoot left of target. I can’t move the adjustment screw. Could the previous owner have used Loctite on the rear adjustment screw… Have read where some people have lost that screw??? Any insight would be greatly appreciated…

    • The rear sight on my pistil were hard to more initially and were calibrated to the left quite a bit. I moved it to the center but it was a bit hard. I used the tool that came with the pistol, just be careful and patient. I do not think it is LockTite since my was difficult to more initially, may using a bit of penetrating oil (Kroil comes to mind) will do the trick. If you do not have the original toll try HUSKY precision screwdrivers or something stronger. Stoveping maybe a function of the ammo or the pistol just need to settle. Mine has not given me that problem but I shot copper plated WIN ammo rated at 1280 FPS. Good luck!

  56. I have been looking for a good .22 cal semiauto pistol for club level target shooting competitions and practice when I saw an advertisement for a Beretta U22 NEOS for $278,00 (about $300.00 with tax here in Florida) at the local Bass Pro shop. I was at the American Academy Sports store looking for a stationary bike and they had the same deal. Since I like Beretta products anyway, I decided to buy the six inch model after manipulating it a bit. I liked it a lot. I went to the range a few days later and shot high speed ammunition from Winchester and CCI to ensure recycling. The ergonomics are very good and its shape unique. The gun looks futuristic and it was styled by an Italian designer. I have yet to test subsonic ammo but the quality high speed ammunition worked very well. No failures to extract, feed nor fire. The weapon is very accurate and will work well as a target gun or to hunt varmints if you like. I only had a potential problem with the magazine release button being placed on the right side atop the trigger guard: you can accidentally press it with you index finger and partially disengage the magazine causing the pistol not to engage a cartridge in the chamber. Once you are aware of this potential problem, it is a matter of learning how to hold the pistol and correctly place the right index finger on the trigger guard. I only had the problem once and quickly develop muscle memory for that finger with this pistol. The trigger is very good, kind of mushy when dry firing but very smooth in live fire (strange). I originally measured the trigger pull at about 6.5 to 7 lbs but in live fire it feels like 3.5 lbs (just like a tuned 1911 ). The adjustable sights are very good but the front sight is difficult to see so I painted it white and problem solved. Beretta makes a set of 5 different colors front sights that you can buy from Beretta or Midway, and the sight is easily changed if you have a 1.5 mm Allen wrench. The integral top rail is very useful for pistol scope or a red sight. It is easy to disassemble, just be ware to pull the trigger and release the firing pin tension before extracting the firing pin or it will fly away. I am aware that the pistol had several issues when it first came out about seven years ago but it seems that are all corrected. I shot at a pistol target with 2 inch 10 ring and had no problems scoring on it 80% (two handed) of the time at 20 yards. I will need to practice one handed style. It is not a Hammerli, Walther or Morini of Olympic fame but is not meant to be: it is an introductory target pistol that is very accurate and pleasant to shoot at a ridiculous low price and is made in the USA at the Maryland Beretta factory. Overall, I am very satisfied with this pistol and happy I bought it.

  57. I own about four dozen firearms; however, none are made by Beretta. My favorite brand is Browning & own one of their pistols – the Buckmark plus stainless. I have never had a jam with any of my Browning shotguns or rifles.
    Since I was born shortly after WWII ended, I heard a lot of bad things about Germans and Italians from men who had fought against them in Europe, and this gave me a bitterness for those people and anything coming out of those countries. However, Browning was as American as you good get despite its A5s being made in Belgium – so I got one for Christmas 1974 from my wife. I still shy away from guns made in those countries. As a kid, I saw more than one adult break down in tears when the war was mentioned because they had lost loved ones over there. I am an USAF vet and traveled all over SEA in 1969 & ’70. All of our bombs, guns, and missiles were made in the USA back then. We need to get back to that tradition of making the best in America and buying American. We would have won that war if he had not bombed the same jungle countless times because that is what our politicians wanted. The Beretta Neos might be made in the USA, but it is still one of those foreign firms making money off of Americans. We need to turn back the pages.

  58. I have a neos carbine kit, and for the life of me cannot figure out how the heck to aim it. There is no way I can get my head down low enough to see through the rear sight, and if I could the slide would put my eye out. Anyone else feel the same way? Any help? Thanks.

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