The .32 Automatic Colt Pistol cartridge, or .32 ACP, usually gets short shrift in U.S. shooting circles these days. Despite its 125-year history as a personal-protection pistol round, along with service in military and law enforcement sidearms, it does not get much respect. Developed in 1899 by John Moses Browning, its straight walled, semi-rimmed cartridge case configuration made it one of the world's first successful semi-automatic pistol rounds.
But just a few years later, in 1908, Browning would fulfill Colt's request for a larger caliber to use in their subcompact pistols. The result of his efforts would be the .380 ACP. Although both rounds are still in production today, primarily for the smaller civilian concealed-carry handguns, the .380 ACP is significantly more popular than its .32-cal. compatriot.
This version of the LTT 80X is the three-color version that ships with a stainless-steel Beretta Inox barrel.
At this point you may be wondering why the .32 ACP would garner any attention. Why consider it since there are so many pocket-sized and sub-compact pistols to choose from chambered in either .380 ACP or the now ubiquitous 9 mm? Simply stated, the .32 ACP's most laudable feature in today's market place is its recoil management paired with center-fire cartridge reliability.
Although the .380 ACP generates less recoil than the 9 mm when fired from comparable pistols, it can still generate enough of a kick to be uncomfortable to work with for some shooting sports enthusiasts. Some folks choose to shift recoil gears all the way down to pistols chambered for .22-cal. rimfire rounds including the .22 LR and .22 WMR. Yes, they are among the softest shooting pistols available but with notable performance limitations.
The checkered, straight-profile grip is an ideal fit for smaller hands.
The .32 ACP offers a useful middle ground in between the .22s and the .380 ACPs. When fired from compact pistols, like members of the Beretta Cheetah series, it can generate noticeably lower levels of felt recoil compared to the same gun chambered in .380 ACP. The .32 ACP is large enough that it uses a much more reliable center-fire primer, like the .380 ACP, and it can be topped with modern jacketed hollow point bullets. Although the .32 ACP does not hit as hard as the .380 ACP, it still represents a significant step up in performance potential when compared to .22 LR pistols.
Customers can stick with the factory optic slot or have LTT mill the slide for mounting an EPS optic directly to it.
With these cartridge features in mind, it was great news to hear earlier this year that Langdon Tactical Technologies (LTT), famous for its trigger jobs and proprietary red-dot optic mounting solutions, would include a .32 ACP model as part of their in-house Beretta 80X custom pistol series. Yes, they do offer a .380 ACP as well. But it was the uncommon .32 ACP option that caught my attention.
The Beretta 80X
Beretta launched the compact Cheetah, or Series 80, pistols in 1976. These blowback-operated pistols are essentially the open-top slide, aluminum-framed 9 mm Beretta 92 design scaled down for use primarily with .380 ACP and .32 ACP. By 2017, many of the Series 80 guns had been phased out of production.
A total of 23 components, including the controls and trigger, are treated with a durable NP3 coating.
However, in 2023, Beretta revived the Cheetah line up with the launch of the new 80X model. Originally available in .380 ACP only, it sports up-to-date features including a modified grip shape, an improved trigger, an integrated dust cover accessory rail and an optics-ready slide. As of this writing, Beretta and LTT are working in an exclusive collaboration to offer the slicked-up and customized version of the 80X .32 ACP that is the subject of this evaluation.
Langdon Tactical Services & Upgrades
LTT's founder, Ernest Langdon, is a U.S. Marine veteran, trainer and a world champion practical shooting competitor. He and his team bring decades of experience to their custom shop which is put to work tuning up a variety of pistol makes and models for personal protection and target shooting. One of this company's specialties is lightening and smoothing out the double-action/single-action (DA/SA) trigger assemblies found in classic pistol designs, including Beretta's 92, PX4 and 80X models.
The NP3 coated magazines hold up to 12 rounds of .32 ACP ammunition.
All of the LTT 80X pistols receive an in-house custom trigger job for an optimized over-travel and trigger pull weight of approximately 6 lbs. when fired double-action, and around 4 lbs. when shooting single-action. For the gun I worked with, the double-action trigger pull was exceptionally smooth with an arc of travel comparable to a J-Frame revolver. But of course it felt much lighter with a pull weight of 5 lbs. 14 oz. according to a Lyman digital trigger gauge. With the hammer cocked, the single-action trigger's arc was cut in half. It exhibited a light take up before a crisp break at 3 lbs. 11 oz. of pressure.
The pistols in this LTT series are available in three finishes including all-black or a two-tone, black and bronze finish, both of which ship with a threaded barrel. The third option, sent for this evaluation, is a three color finish that includes a flush-fit, 3.9" premium stainless steel alloy Beretta Inox barrel. The steel slide is treated with a durable matte black nitride finish and the aluminum frame with bronze color Cerakote. The third color, a matte silver finish on the appointments, controls and magazines, is an NP3 coating. This is a proprietary, electroless nickel-based finish which is infused with particles of Teflon. In fact, NP3 is applied to a total of 23 components because it is a slick, self lubricating and corrosion resistant finish that is ideal for moving gun parts.
Disassembling the 80X for routine cleaning follows the same steps as Beretta’s 92 series pistols.
The open top slide features front and rear cocking serrations. It leaves the factory with an optics cutout and a set of optics mounting plates. However, customers can choose to have LTT re-mill the slide so that a Holosun EPS red-dot optic can be mounted directly. This pistol's slide and frame also received a Carry Bevel, or dehorning, to round off sharp points and edges for more comfortable handling and easier reholstering.
The external controls include a right-side takedown lever with the slide stop lever and the round-button magazine release found on the left side of the frame. The ambidextrous thumb safety doubles as a decocker for the skeletonized hammer. This model does not have a magazine safety which means it can be fired with the magazine removed from the grip.
The LTT 80X provides an impressively comfortable and enjoyable shooting experience.
I found the 80X grip to be an excellent fit for my somewhat smaller hands. The trigger guard is undercut and beveled where it meets the grip frame's front strap. The front and back of the frame feature fine line checkering for added purchase. The beavertail extension and straight profile of the grip fit into the shooting hand comfortably and intuitively. The slim, black polymer grip panels are lightly textured and the pistol arrives with a pair of 12-round double stack magazines.
At The Range
One of the best ways to describe the positive shooting experience the LTT 80X provides is to say that it got out of its own way and just let me shoot. Because the gun fit my hands, the controls were clean, the trigger pull smooth and light and the recoil so manageable, I didn't have to focus as much of my attention to running the gun. The caliber, the pistol and the custom work came together so nicely that I could focus on the shooting experience itself. The pistol operating with utter reliability using the various loads of ammunition tested was the cherry on top of the gun test sundae.
Testing included 7.62 Browning and .32 ACP loads.
It should be noted here that the barrel of this pistol is stamped “7.62 Browning,” which is the European designation, above the caliber marking of “.32 ACP.” Externally they are the same cartridge. However, the 7.62 Browning loads can be loaded to slightly higher pressure levels. This is why the rounds used for the formal performance testing included one 7.62 Browning option from Sellier & Belot along with two .32 ACP loads from DoubleTap Ammunition and Hornady.
Benchrested accuracy testing consisted of firing five 5-shot groups into paper targets posted at a distance of 10 yards using the factory installed red-dot optic to aim. A Garmin Xero C1 Pro Chronograph was on hand to measure the average bullet muzzle velocities for 10-shot strings. Here are the shooting results:
Parting Shots
The Beretta 80x is a premium-grade defensive pistol made even better with the top-tier custom work of the Langdon Tactical Technologies team. This is not what some folks would consider an inexpensive gun. As configured, the pistol shown here has a suggested retail price of $1,375 plus the cost of the Holosun optic, which is listed at $329.99.
This all-shots-touching group of 0.42” was fired using the DoubleTap Ammunition load.
However, there is something important to keep in mind. Although several companies do offer sub-caliber defensive pistols, they don't generally tune the trigger pull weight to match the reduced recoil. Those who need less of a kick in order to enjoy shooting are also more likely to require a trigger which is easier to cycle. The LTT custom trigger made this pistol's trigger just as easy to press as this particular gun and ammunition combination is to manage in regards to recoil.
For those who prefer .380 ACP or 9 mm pistols, LTT has you covered. The company offers the same services seen here for larger caliber pistols. But for those who are looking for a low-recoil defensive pistol, or who wish to make the most of shooting .32 ACP ammunition, this version of the Beretta 80x is a rare find worthy of consideration. For more information, visit langdontactical.com.
