Another Beretta Cheetah 85F for the Rack

[lamarw]

I have owned one of these wonderful pistols for years. The deal on the second one today was just too sweet to pass on.

I will pick it up tomorrow and add pictures.

Also read where Beretta is going to start delivering the Cheetah line of pistols back to the USA again.

 

[AustinTX]

Congrats! Eager to see the pics!

I was really glad to hear they've resumed importation. I get that large .380 pistols are not the hottest commodities, but these are such wonderful guns -- the finest .380 pistols ever, in my opinion -- that it was a real shame to think they wouldn't be available over here any longer.

 

[lamarw]

Thanks AustinTX, Here is a picture of the old and the new. The old one has the wood grips. The new one will too in the near future. I detest plastic grips.

 

[LockedBreech]

Wait, is this true?! Not a rumor? We're getting the Cheetah back?!

HUGE sigh of relief if it's true. I have been anxious about the supply drying up before I'm able to get one. As we've discussed, a nickel finish with wood grips is one of my top bucket list items.

 

[lamarw]

Here is where I got the info: http://sigforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/430601935/m/2530034563

One in nickel with wood grips would further the beauty of this classic.

Do you know if it comes from the factory in nickel or inox?

 

[WVsig]

Older ones were factory nickel. I had a 84FS which was Nickel. Sold it when I stopped shooting .380 auto. Should have kept it. LOL

 

[lamarw]

I am not a huge fan of the .380 round myself. There is just something very special about a Cheetah,

I may have to take one of mine and send it here for a nickel finish:

http://www.mahovskysmetalife.com/index.htm

He has provided quality work for me in the past. Looks like I could get it done for about $200.00 including the shipping cost both ways.

Glad you two planted the seed in my mind.

 

[Cyanide971]

Would love to check out, and shoot, the beloved Cheetah!

 

[aarondhgraham]

I own and regularly shoot an 85BB Cheetah,,,

I own and regularly shoot an 85BB Cheetah,,,
In fact, it's one of my top three favorite shooters,,,
I also own an 87 Cheetah which is a wonderful shooter as well.

They are larger than most other pistols of their caliber,,,
And they are relatively low capacity pistols,,,
But they shoot so nicely and are reliable,,,
My 85BB lives in my GTM briefcase.

It's called a briefcase but I just admit it's a "murse",,,
Since my murse goes everywhere I go,,,
I'm rarely without my Cheetah.

In my not-so-humble opinion,,,
It's the perfect example of old school quality and beauty.

Many 380's are smaller and have a higher mag capacity,,,
But I challenge any of them to a reliability or accuracy contest.

Aarond

.

 

[carguychris]

Do you know if it comes from the factory in nickel or inox?

Older ones were factory nickel. I had a 84FS which was Nickel.

Lamarw, FWIW the factory nickel finish had a satin texture that appears superficially similar to INOX, but AFAIK no Series 81 pistol has been offered in the USA with actual INOX finish, which I understand is similar to a bonded stainless steel coating. (I could be wrong about what INOX is, as I'm not a diehard 92-series junkie. )

 

[lamarw]

Correct, There is no doubt about it.

I was doing some research last evening to attempt to date my old and new 85F since there is an 18,365 gap in the serial numbers between the two. To my surprise all the 85F's were manufactured in the single year of 1990.

 

[carguychris]

To my surprise all the 85F's were manufactured in the single year of 1990.

FWIW the Beretta Forum Series 81 FAQ claims the documented existence of 85F's with 1989 through 1991 and 1994 through 1996 proof marks.

http://berettaforum.net/vb/showthread.php?t=94273

Keep in mind, however, that the Beretta Forum has members outside of North America. Importation of Series 81 pistols has been notoriously sporadic; certain less-popular variants have typically been imported into the USA in batches.

 

[lamarw]

Thank you for the link. It contains some great information.

My reading of the Chart on Series Proof Dates indicates the 85F was possibly produced between 1992 & 1993. Better info than the Blue Book provides and corrects my earlier post.