Beretta’s Next-Gen 94X Performance Competition Pistol

If you’ve spent any time around USPSA or IPSC shooters, you’ve probably noticed a trend: everybody wants a pistol that shoots flatter, runs longer, and gets back on target faster.

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Beretta’s answer is the new 94X Performance.

The Italian gunmaker recently unveiled the latest evolution of its competition-focused handgun line, and while it still carries plenty of familiar Beretta DNA, the company says this isn’t simply a refreshed 92X Performance.

It’s a ground-up refinement built around a new Vertec Pro steel frame, redesigned ergonomics, and a host of upgrades aimed squarely at competitive shooters.

At first glance, the biggest change is the new frame geometry.

The extended Vertec Pro frame allows for a higher grip position, aided by an upswept beavertail and raised trigger undercut. The goal is simple: give shooters more control over the gun during rapid strings of fire.

Beretta also redesigned the grip panels with a palm swell and paired them with aggressive frame checkering to help lock the pistol into the shooter’s hands.

The company didn’t stop there.

The optics-ready slide now features an RDO cut positioned 3 mm lower than previous versions. That may not sound like much, but lowering the optic reduces the pistol’s center of mass, improves optic-to-barrel alignment, and can help reduce the feeling of muzzle rise during recoil.

For competition shooters chasing tenths of a second, small changes matter. A lot.

At the heart of the pistol is Beretta’s Xtreme-S trigger system, which the company says delivers an exceptionally short and intuitive reset for faster follow-up shots. Beretta describes it as one of the defining features of the new platform.

The pistol also receives a redesigned firing pin and extractor system featuring an integrated elastomer buffer intended to improve long-term durability and extraction reliability.

The barrel itself is cold hammer forged and built from an upgraded steel formulation designed to withstand high round counts, something serious competitors tend to accumulate surprisingly fast.

A weekend match here. A training class there. Before long, you’ve fired enough ammunition to make your accountant uncomfortable.

Other notable updates include wider and deeper slide serrations, redesigned low-profile safety levers, a thinner slide catch lever, a reversible magazine release, and a new graphite gray finish.

Perhaps most impressive for competitors is the magazine capacity.

The new 94X Performance ships with flush-fitting 20-round magazines, giving shooters additional capacity without the need for extended base pads.

Beretta makes no secret about who this pistol is for.

According to the company, the 94X Performance was specifically developed with competition disciplines such as USPSA and IPSC in mind. The combination of a 20-round capacity, optics-ready slide, competition trigger, and revised ergonomics is designed to help shooters transition faster between targets while maintaining control during rapid fire.

For those wondering where the new pistol fits within Beretta’s lineup, the company describes it as the next generation of the Performance series.

Compared to the 92X Performance Dark Series, the 94X introduces the new Vertec Pro frame, deeper slide serrations, lower optic mounting system, revised controls, and increased magazine capacity.

Alongside the standard Production model, Beretta is also offering a limited Launch Edition to commemorate the company’s 500th anniversary.

The anniversary model features a black DLC finish, acid-green accents, aluminum grip panels, and Beretta’s 3D-printed polymer grip inserts.

It’s certainly the flashier of the options. Still waiting on an official MSRP. In the meantime, learn more HERE.

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