I’ve been a Beretta fan for decades. My first duty pistol was a Beretta. Now, I’m not even sure how many of their shotguns are currently in my closet. However, when I was told to review the Langdon Tactical Technology Beretta PX4 Compact Carry 2 pistol, my first thought was, “What is that?”
The History of the Beretta PX4
When polymer-framed, striker-fired pistols began edging out metal-framed, double-action/single-action hammer-fired pistols, Beretta was slow to change. When they finally made their move, they took their Cougar line, which they introduced in 1994, converted it to a polymer frame, and released it in 2004 as the PX4 series.
Although the PX4 series was still a DA/SA hammer-fired pistol, it had some surprising advantages. First, because this wasn’t a brand new design, many of the bugs that plague first generation guns had already been worked out. Secondly, they already knew that it needed to be built robustly enough to handle the .40 S&W.
At that time, law enforcement had switched from 9mm to .40 S&W almost across the board. Many pistol manufacturers simply converted their 9mm pistols to .40, released them onto the market, and then watched as the punishing recoil slowly tore their pistols to pieces.
Right from the start, Beretta designed the PX4 to handle .40 S&W. Although they initially released it in 9mm, they released the .40 version almost immediately after.
It’s apparent when you pick it up. It is a beefy little pistol with a slide that is about a quarter of an inch wider than the Sig P365. The frame is slightly wider than the slide. My 12-year-old would call it chonky.
Probably the most unique design feature is one that carried over from the Cougar: a rotating barrel. Instead of using the classic Browning tilt barrel locking system, the PX4 barrel comes straight back and rotates approximately ¼ turn when it unlocks. Beretta touts the system for reducing felt recoil.
While assigned to the DEA Office of Training, I personally witnessed the .40 break hundreds of DEA and FBI pistols. Most were simple, easy-to-fix pin breaks, but it was apparent that many 9mm platforms were not designed to handle the .40’s rougher recoil.
LTT PX4 Compact Carry 2
The PX4 Compact, introduced in 2011, is easier to conceal. Ernest Langdon jumped on the PX4 bandwagon when he started shooting the Compact model in 2014. He went on to adopt PX4s in both competition and EDC. The PX4 Compact Carry 2 was introduced in 2024 and was a collaborative effort between Beretta and Langdon Tactical Technology.
LTT produces two PX4 packages: one full-size and one compact. I received the compact version for my testing. Both of the PX4 packages come with the famous LTT trigger job, which includes:
- ArmorLube DLC-coated Optimized Performance Trigger Bar
- Gunsmith-tuned trigger engagement surfaces
- 11# Chrome Silicon hammer spring
My gun came with the Gray Guns flat trigger, but the curved stock trigger is an option. Another option (which I highly recommend) is NP3 coating on trigger group internals, magazines, hammer, and barrel. NP3 is Teflon embedded in electroless nickel. My test gun had the coating, which makes cleaning it a simple matter of wiping it down. Plus, everything just feels smoother.
The last feature is LTT’s low Red Dot Optic (RDO) slide cut. My test gun came with a Holosun EPS RD 6 mounted on an optic plate with the rear sight forward of the optic. This helps protect the optic’s lens from ejecting brass. It also keeps the glass cleaner during shooting.
Range Time with the PX4 Compact
I hit the range for testing without a holster for the PX4 Compact. But I did have a magazine pouch and three magazines, so I made do.
Beretta plays up how the rotating barrel reduces recoil. I bought the hype. However, I quickly found out this gun still has a decent amount of muzzle flip. While it isn’t worse than a comparable Browning actioned pistol, I expected it to feel like shooting a pistol with a compensator. For me, that was not the case. I guess my expectations were too high.
That said, everything on the gun runs like a Swiss watch—zero malfunctions of any kind with easy-to-use, well-placed magazine and slide releases. I have a high grip, and my thumb rides on top of the slide release on a lot of guns, but not on this one. The slide release sits very high, but far enough back that your thumb can easily find it.
Everything about the gun was clearly designed for concealment. It looks and feels like a gun that has had a “melt job.” Every edge is rounded and smooth with nothing to snag on clothing or the holster during the draw.
For a DA/SA trigger, this is as good as it gets. It has the traditional, long initial trigger pull, but it boasts consistent resistance and a buttery smooth take-up. Then the single action has an extremely short reset and very little over-travel. Fast follow-up shots couldn’t be easier. No striker-fired pistol has a trigger as nice as this.
Closing Thoughts
Did I like the LTT PX4 Compact Carry 2? Absolutely.
Am I going to adopt it as my next carry gun? Probably not.
I like the comfort of carrying the 9mm micros these days, but I will admit, this gun fits my hand better, is easier to manipulate, and easier to shoot. Ultra-thin guns come with the tradeoff of being harder to run the controls, and they don’t fill your hand. This 15+1 pistol is as easy to run as a full-size pistol. If you don’t mind the extra width, you will almost certainly like it better than today’s micro pistols.
For more information, see langdontactical.com or call 571-385-2979.
PISTOL SPECS
- Caliber: 9mm
- Action: hammer-fired
- Magazine Capacity: 15+1
- Barrel Length: 3.2 inches
- Overall Length: 6.8 inches
- Weight Empty: 27.3 ounces (without optic)
- Trigger Weight: DA: 5.3 to 6 pounds; SA: 3.5 to 4 pounds
- Sights: Optic with BUIS
- MSRP as configured: $1,972
| Load | Velocity Average | Accuracy Average | Accuracy Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speer Gold Dot HP 124 gr | 1082 fps | .97 | .92 |
| Lehigh Defense CF+P 115 gr | 1069 fps | 1.01 | .82 |
| Black Hills JHP EXP 115 gr | 1110 fps | 1.15 | .92 |
| Black Hills Honey Badger 125 gr | 949 fps | 1.15 | 1.00 |
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in feet per second, 15 feet from the muzzle by a Doppler radar, and accuracy in inches for three five-shot groups at 15 yards.
