My Beretta CX4 Storm

"Man that thing looks weird... I'd never want something like that!" That was my reaction upon seeing Beretta's pistol caliber carbine named the CX4 Storm. Geez, the name was even corny! After seeing the Beretta Neos a while back, a ray gun looking .22 cal pistol, I thought "here we go again." Actually the Storm looked less like a sci-fi space gun and more like something that should be on a rifle rack in Tim Burton's version of the Bat mobile. All black plastic and swoopy lines. You can thank the designers over at Giugiaro Design in Italy for the look of both the CX4 and the Neos. Yup... definitely too silly looking for me to take seriously enough to consider buying. The Beretta 92FS I own is great, but this Storm is a little too weird... right?

So one day I am at my local range and I see a guy come in with a soft case that obviously had some type of pistol caliber carbine in it... no high power rifles allowed at this indoor range. Maybe it's a Kel-Tec Sub 2000 or a Hi-Point carbine? Then the thought of that weird Beretta carbine popped into my head, but I pretended not to be interested. After all, that gun just looks weird. Well pretty soon I noticed some Beretta 92 magazines getting unpacked out of the guy's range bag and he had no pistols for them to go in. That could only mean one thing - he definately had a Storm in that case.

I went back to shooting my 1911 and could hear that Storm firing two stalls away. I started to get curious and found myself standing behind the guy while he was shooting. I noticed ne had a red dot sight on it and was working on getting it zeroed. I tried to be subtle though and ran back to my stall whenever he picked up the screwdriver to adjust the red dot. Didn't want to get caught looking at something I was telling myself I would never want.

I packed up my stuff and as I was getting ready to leave he saw me looking over. He gave me a big grin, cocked his head to the side and said, "Wanna try it." I said nah, I was just checking it out. He then said, "Yeah... everyone always looks at this... c'mon." He quickly showed me the controls, loaded 5 rounds in a mag and handed the carbine over. I then proceeded to send all 5 rounds fired into the center of the target a the end of the range. I thanked him very much and offered him the use of my Kimber Custom TLE II (a 1911 style pistol in .45 caliber), but he said he has a 45 already. I left the range with a grin thinking, "how could I have looked down on that Beretta carbine without trying it?" I was hooked now, I had to have one. It was comfortable, accurate and easy to use.

I started researching the Storm online, reading the positive reviews and nodding "yes" in agreement. I decided I would buy one with my 2004 tax refund from Uncle Sam. I started having second thoughts about it though. I could get a pistol caliber carbine for much less. The Storm cost about the same as a handgun... and I'd be getting a whole rifle. Plus it was a Beretta and I already had plenty of compatible 92FS magazines and 9mm ammo around. Sure it would cost some bucks, but I already knew I would like it. I decided to go through with it, but didn't make it to tax time. I bought one for myself in March of 2005 and I am happy I did. There was a little hassle with the gun store under charging me by $100 and then asking me to come back and pay the difference. I am also still having some static with them related to an incorrect magazine included with the Storm when I bought it. Hopefully it will work out though. The CX4 Storm also came in a hard case with a cleaning kit, sight adjustment tool and a single side rail (in addition to the integral slide-out front rail).

Anyway, the carbine is great. My first target with a brand new rifle yielded a single ragged hole (OK... there were a few fliers, but not many). I duplicated this performance at the range's distance limit of 50 feet. I was very satisfied. Not much kick at all out of this thing, follow up shots are quick and it is ACCURATE. No need for a red dot. The iron (plastic) sights work great and are a long and short range peep sight setup that is fully adjustable.

Ammo went quick that day. I started loading up my pre-ban mags with 10 rounds at a time instead of 15 just to pace myself. I was having too much fun! Not one malfunction and I couldn't miss with the thing. My Father and Brother have tried the Stom and they both like it... the three of us have slightly different tastes in firearms, but all agree that the Storm is "a good one."

Disassembly for maintaining the Storm is super-easy... no tools required. Pull the mag out, cock the hammer back (be sure it's unloaded and leave it cocked back), push out the center retaining pin, pull the two halves apart, pull the bolt all the way to the rear, remove the cocking handle, and slide out the bolt assembly. That took about 4 times longer to type than it does to actually disassemble. Looking at it in pieces, you'll notice that the Storm is mostly plastic... I say polymer... makes me feel better about it. The bolt slide rails, the trigger, the HAMMER and the outer shell are all polymer. On each part of the rifle, there is some metal with the serial number engraved (lower half, upper half, rail attachement area, barrel, and bolt assembly).

The cheesy plastic cleaning rod included with the Storm works okay, but it is almost the exact diameter of the chamber. I've found I can't use a lot of patch when cleaning with it. Hoppes No. 9, a brush and patches for the barrel, CLP to clean the bolt assembly, a little grease on the rails, STP's Son of a Gun or Armorall for keeping the plastic outer shell looking nice.

So the gun I said I'd never own is now part of my collection and I do not regret it at all!