Tomcat frame cracks

KHipps · 07-12-2004, 05:12 PM

Hello:

I have had two Tomcats with cracked frames in the last year. Both cracks appear just in from of the cutout for the trigger link.

Berretta has replace both pistols, but after two failures, I am worried that this is a pattern. I had fired about 500 rounds through the 1st one, and perhaps 400 through the second.

Anyone else see such a problem?

Thanks, KWH

Big Dog · 07-12-2004, 06:43 PM

Haven't seen cracked frames, but I have a range buddy who had his develop a problem with the hinge pin drifting out, making the gun unable to go into battery. Both Tomcats I have shot have had horrendous trigger pulls.
I have not been impressed with them so far.

TheWall · 05-12-2007, 02:37 PM

Well, it's about 3 years since the last post on this topic. It seems that Beretta is still having same problems with Tomcat 3032. I just sent mine in for a crack in the same place. On the frame just above the trigger. I also had a chip of metal come of the slide rail on frame by tailpiece. I suggested to them to go standard with the titanium frame instead of aluminum. Will wait to see what happens.

JoeLee · 05-12-2007, 04:23 PM

The Tomcat is Berrettas problem child this is a Berreta site I frequent.

Cracked Tomcats.
Broken Tomcat - Beretta Forum

TheWall · 06-01-2007, 11:08 AM

They sent me a new one. It took about 2 weeks to decide it wasn't repairable. I really like this gun and hope this one will last. I'm going to limit the number of rounds I put through it. I got it for concealed carry anyway. I don't think they were designed for target shooting in the first place.

Big Dog · 06-01-2007, 02:39 PM

I would NOT trust CCW to a gun with a proven track record of catastophic failure. When you NEED it, it may not be up to protecting you. Then again, the BG might laugh himself silly when the slide falls off . . .

Zen900 · 06-13-2007, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeLee

The Tomcat is Berrettas problem child this is a Berreta site I frequent.
Cracked Tomcats.
Broken Tomcat - Beretta Forum

The thread explains that the INOX Tomcat has a heavier slide which reduces blowback speed which causes the cracks. Now even the blued Tomcats have heavier frames to stop the cracking prob. Glad I got the INOX. I always thought my Tomcat seemed heavier than the advertized 14.5 ozs.

The thread doesn't explain what INOX means. I just call mine the satin stainless cause nobody knows what INOX means.

rich_l · 06-30-2009, 03:31 PM

I bought a black matte model, new, at a local gun store about two months ago. I was very pleased with its features and performance until the frame cracked after less than 200 rounds. Yes, guns break but I’ve since found out that this is a very common problem that has been around at least 7 years. I wish I had done sufficient research before making the purchase.

I’m disappointed with Beretta, as they have not acknowledged this as a well known problem and instead have chosen to deal with the issue a gun at a time. Also, despite their claims about quality, they do not, like other high-end manufactures, pay for warranty shipping as other high-end manufacturers do. They do not even have a toll-free number! (I have a Springfield that needed adjustment. Within an hour of contacting Springfield by phone, they e-mailed a prepaid shipment label, and I had the gun back in a week, without incurring any expense at all). Beretta has had my gun for over two weeks, and Customer Service says they have not even looked at the gun yet, and that I should expect at least another 6 weeks before I get it back. Customer Service had a real “attitude” when I asked them to confirm that frame cracking was a common occurrence, and that they should address the issue more toughly.

Another caution: I removed the grips to investigate why the barrel would no longer close (because, when the frame cracked, a small piece of the frame broke off and jammed the gun.) While the user manual says the grips may be removed for a more thorough cleaning, it does not caution the user that the safety catch will come off with the grip, and that a tiny spring and detent plunger go flying off. I was fortunate to find the stray parts, but it takes tiny fingers, tiny tools, good eyes, and a lot of patience and dexterity to put the grip and safety catch back on. Many owners will find a visit to a gunsmith will be called for.

Beretta, I would expect “betta.”

Grognard Gunny · 08-17-2009, 08:16 PM

Just what I needed to hear. My wife and I each have one. Purchased last year. Both weapons have had probably 300 rounds down 'em.

Anyone have any stats on "probability of failure"?

GG

Rogue Tom · 08-22-2009, 12:08 AM

I just recently bought an almost new black matte 21A - not a scratch or mark on it. It is 22lr and i paid 250.00, tax included, out the door from a good pawn shop I check on regularly (tax free weekend sale in Texas).
They usually have a good assortment and came down from a 280.00 ticket price. I really like this pistol, but after reading the above string, I am wondering if i will have problems.

Does anyone know of problems with the 21A in 22lr? This is considerd a bobcat I believe and not a Tomcat. I hope I wont have to deal with cracks in the frame.

ke4sky · 09-08-2009, 03:19 PM

I have more than 2000 rounds through my INOX. No problems.

Ballbearing · 09-19-2009, 02:52 AM

What serial numbers are the problem guns? I've shot less than a hundred rounds out of mine, but so far I love it. But I admit that this thread is VERY disconcerting.

9mmfan · 09-27-2009, 11:48 PM

I used to have a 21A LR. Of all the Beretta handguns I owned, it was the only one I have had problems with. I just had trouble with it jamming from time to time. I sold it and brought a U22 Neos INOX and I love it. It is the best .22 I have ever owned. But I sure wouldn't trust any of the Bobcat models as my C.C. gun.

group17 · 10-09-2009, 12:29 PM

I just read on the Beretta form
Beretta has been offering INOX upgrades at a reasonable price to unhappy customers of cracked frame Tomcat's.

Replacement Inox Tomcat - Beretta Forum

sunwheel29 · 10-14-2009, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zen900

The thread doesn't explain what INOX means. I just call mine the satin stainless cause nobody knows what INOX means.

Inox means stainless.

Itallian and Spanish firms use the term Inox for stainless steel pistols as well as knives. Some other romance langauges (as opposed to Indo European) probably use that term too. It basically means Inoxidable. Or not prone to oxidation (rust).

I can't speak for the Tomcat, but I have been shooting the same Beretta 92-f since the early 1980s with no problems. When it comes to fit and finish and performance Beretta products are usually hard to beat. However there may be a problem with the basic design on the tomcat.
Is this the model with the hinge and tip up barrel?
Hinged guns are a bad idea for centerfire pistols in modern calibers. Look at the top break revolvers ...Except for old west Replicas, nobody makes them anymore.

Grognard Gunny · 10-18-2009, 10:09 PM

My wife's Tomcat is the standard blued model. Mine is the Inox. I did a side by side comparison the other day, the Inox slide has definately more width to it.

NOW I understand why mine would not fit in the pair of small holsters we picked up for them at a gun show. (I had thought that one of the holsters had been bagged wrongly. DOH!) Never gave it a second thought.

From what I can gather from the above, apparently the "fix" for the weak frame design is to "weight" the slide so it does not travel rearward so rapidly. Seems to make sence, whether this is THE definative "fix" remains to be seen with additional use of the weapon.

Hopefully, if my wife's goes bad, Beretta will be willing to replace it with an Inox also. Hell, I'd even "kick in" a few bucks if that were the case.

I really do like the little critters. Perfect for what I want to use them for. Home defence and back up.

GG

07-12-2004, 05:12 PM	#1
KHipps Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2	Tomcat frame cracks Hello: I have had two Tomcats with cracked frames in the last year. Both cracks appear just in from of the cutout for the trigger link. Berretta has replace both pistols, but after two failures, I am worried that this is a pattern. I had fired about 500 rounds through the 1st one, and perhaps 400 through the second. Anyone else see such a problem? Thanks, KWH

07-12-2004, 06:43 PM	#2
Big Dog Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 12,912	Haven't seen cracked frames, but I have a range buddy who had his develop a problem with the hinge pin drifting out, making the gun unable to go into battery. Both Tomcats I have shot have had horrendous trigger pulls. I have not been impressed with them so far. __________________ "A bold spirit embiggens the smallest man!" Jebediah Springfield

05-12-2007, 02:37 PM	#3
TheWall Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 409	Beretta Tomcat Cracks Well, it's about 3 years since the last post on this topic. It seems that Beretta is still having same problems with Tomcat 3032. I just sent mine in for a crack in the same place. On the frame just above the trigger. I also had a chip of metal come of the slide rail on frame by tailpiece. I suggested to them to go standard with the titanium frame instead of aluminum. Will wait to see what happens. Last edited by TheWall; 05-12-2007 at 03:11 PM.

06-01-2007, 02:39 PM	#6
Big Dog Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 12,912	I would NOT trust CCW to a gun with a proven track record of catastophic failure. When you NEED it, it may not be up to protecting you. Then again, the BG might laugh himself silly when the slide falls off . . . __________________ "A bold spirit embiggens the smallest man!" Jebediah Springfield

08-22-2009, 12:08 AM	#10
Rogue Tom Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 98	How about the 21A? I just recently bought an almost new black matte 21A - not a scratch or mark on it. It is 22lr and i paid 250.00, tax included, out the door from a good pawn shop I check on regularly (tax free weekend sale in Texas). They usually have a good assortment and came down from a 280.00 ticket price. I really like this pistol, but after reading the above string, I am wondering if i will have problems. Does anyone know of problems with the 21A in 22lr? This is considerd a bobcat I believe and not a Tomcat. I hope I wont have to deal with cracks in the frame.

05-12-2007, 04:23 PM	#4
JoeLee Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: North New York State. Posts: 1,236	The Tomcat is Berrettas problem child this is a Berreta site I frequent. Cracked Tomcats. Broken Tomcat - Beretta Forum

06-01-2007, 11:08 AM	#5
TheWall Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 409	They sent me a new one. It took about 2 weeks to decide it wasn't repairable. I really like this gun and hope this one will last. I'm going to limit the number of rounds I put through it. I got it for concealed carry anyway. I don't think they were designed for target shooting in the first place.

06-30-2009, 03:31 PM	#8
rich_l Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1	I bought a black matte model, new, at a local gun store about two months ago. I was very pleased with its features and performance until the frame cracked after less than 200 rounds. Yes, guns break but I’ve since found out that this is a very common problem that has been around at least 7 years. I wish I had done sufficient research before making the purchase. I’m disappointed with Beretta, as they have not acknowledged this as a well known problem and instead have chosen to deal with the issue a gun at a time. Also, despite their claims about quality, they do not, like other high-end manufactures, pay for warranty shipping as other high-end manufacturers do. They do not even have a toll-free number! (I have a Springfield that needed adjustment. Within an hour of contacting Springfield by phone, they e-mailed a prepaid shipment label, and I had the gun back in a week, without incurring any expense at all). Beretta has had my gun for over two weeks, and Customer Service says they have not even looked at the gun yet, and that I should expect at least another 6 weeks before I get it back. Customer Service had a real “attitude” when I asked them to confirm that frame cracking was a common occurrence, and that they should address the issue more toughly. Another caution: I removed the grips to investigate why the barrel would no longer close (because, when the frame cracked, a small piece of the frame broke off and jammed the gun.) While the user manual says the grips may be removed for a more thorough cleaning, it does not caution the user that the safety catch will come off with the grip, and that a tiny spring and detent plunger go flying off. I was fortunate to find the stray parts, but it takes tiny fingers, tiny tools, good eyes, and a lot of patience and dexterity to put the grip and safety catch back on. Many owners will find a visit to a gunsmith will be called for. Beretta, I would expect “betta.”

08-17-2009, 08:16 PM	#9
Grognard Gunny Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 11	Just what I needed to hear. My wife and I each have one. Purchased last year. Both weapons have had probably 300 rounds down 'em. Anyone have any stats on "probability of failure"? GG

09-08-2009, 03:19 PM	#11
ke4sky Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 104	I have more than 2000 rounds through my INOX. No problems.

09-19-2009, 02:52 AM	#12
Ballbearing Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: The Boondocks Posts: 519	What serial numbers are the problem guns? I've shot less than a hundred rounds out of mine, but so far I love it. But I admit that this thread is VERY disconcerting.

09-27-2009, 11:48 PM	#13
9mmfan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Anywhere The Department of Homeland Defense sends me. Tennessee, is my home. Posts: 487	I used to have a 21A Bobcat .22 LR I used to have a 21A LR. Of all the Beretta handguns I owned, it was the only one I have had problems with. I just had trouble with it jamming from time to time. I sold it and brought a U22 Neos INOX and I love it. It is the best .22 I have ever owned. But I sure wouldn't trust any of the Bobcat models as my C.C. gun. __________________ Peace Through Superior Firepower !

10-09-2009, 12:29 PM	#14
group17 Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 74	I just read on the Beretta form Beretta has been offering INOX upgrades at a reasonable price to unhappy customers of cracked frame Tomcat's. Replacement Inox Tomcat - Beretta Forum

10-18-2009, 10:09 PM	#16
Grognard Gunny Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 11	My wife's Tomcat is the standard blued model. Mine is the Inox. I did a side by side comparison the other day, the Inox slide has definately more width to it. NOW I understand why mine would not fit in the pair of small holsters we picked up for them at a gun show. (I had thought that one of the holsters had been bagged wrongly. DOH!) Never gave it a second thought. From what I can gather from the above, apparently the "fix" for the weak frame design is to "weight" the slide so it does not travel rearward so rapidly. Seems to make sence, whether this is THE definative "fix" remains to be seen with additional use of the weapon. Hopefully, if my wife's goes bad, Beretta will be willing to replace it with an Inox also. Hell, I'd even "kick in" a few bucks if that were the case. I really do like the little critters. Perfect for what I want to use them for. Home defence and back up. GG