Beretta Model 84 converted

[tejano]

Every now and then a plan comes together. A few months ago I saw Beretta .32 acp barrels for sale on the CDNN website. Since I already had a Model 84 .380 acp I decided to give it a try. The barrel dropped right in, but my first trip to the range with the .380 mags proved that I needed proper .32 acp mags for reliable functioning. So I ordered a mag from Beretta's website. Anyway to make a long story short, this convert has become my favorite .32 acp pistol (I own several). I am not a good shot. For starters I am left handed but right eye dominant. Below is a photo of the pistol and a recent target shot off hand at 7 yards. The load was Hornady's 90 gr. LSWC, 1.9-2.0 grains of W231 (Lee Microdisk .18), WW cases and primers, and an OAL of .955" After a few shots, I realized that for this load the best aimpoint was dead center.

[Combat Diver]

Nice job and shooting Tejano. Enjoy your conversion.


CD

[DoctorChops]

I *should* be getting my 84 here really soon if I ever hear back from the seller.. glad to see you can get replacement/conversion barrels. Any idea if CDNN still has 'em? I checked the website, but sometimes they have things in the catalog that aren't listed on the site itself..
What I was curious about is: do they make a 9mm conversion (or any other calibers)? I haven't actually checked, so I don't know if gun's dimensions would accept a 9x19 but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

Looks like a really nice little gun, I'm looking forward to getting it.

I saw the thread's a few months old, but hey.. why not

[I'll Make Mine]

What I was curious about is: do they make a 9mm conversion (or any other calibers)? I haven't actually checked, so I don't know if gun's dimensions would accept a 9x19 but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

Dimensionally, many/most .380 magazines will accept 9x19 rounds -- there's 2 mm difference in the case and, IIRC, 3 mm difference in OAL, but most .380 magazines have some clearance.

The bigger issue with converting from .380 to 9x19 is that you have a straight blowback action. While this works well in the High Point pistol (and in fact theirs converts by just changing barrel and recoil spring), most 9x19 pistols are locked breech designs, and the round is enough higher pressure that some delay is needed to ensure pressure has dropped to safe levels before the case begins to extract (the High Point does this with a combination of a stiff recoil spring and a heavy slide). The Beretta can be given a stiff spring, but the slide is very light for this setup; you'd wind up battering the slide pretty badly and/or you'd have trouble with bulged or split cases from too-early extraction. Likely a moot point unless you rechamber a .380 barrel, since I'd be amazed if Beretta sold a 9 mm conversion barrel for the 84 (after all, they have that nice 92, a locked breech 9x19).

[tejano]

Last time I checked the CDNN website the 32acp barrels were no longer listed. However, calling them to re check is easy. After the first conversion I bought a second barrel and converted a single stack Model 85 as well, though I have not shot it as much as the double stack 84.

Also, I can't see an attempted 9mm conversion being worthwhile. I agree with "I'll Make Mine" that the aluminum frame would get beat up real fast even if you found an extra strong recoil spring.

[Tavorc21]

Would love to do this with my 84fs ,being that I have a lot of 32acp ammo .
So these were beretta 81 barrels?
Anyone Know another source for these barrels ?

[tejano]

Try gunbroker for a barrel. Magazines are probably available from Beretta USA. That is where I got mine, although the .380 mag worked too.

[cwheel]

I went the other way. I bought the 81 from Classic Firearms and found a full parts kit from a taken down 84 and installed. It works perfectly and got the white dot sight with the 84 in the process. Thinking this parts kit I found was a one of from a property room ordered destruct parts kit. Perfect fit and function first try. What sealed the deal was that utube have a vid on how to convert .380 mags for a 81.32 acp. Midway had the Megar brand on sale for $20 each. Now when I find the missing conversion kit for 22 LR, it will end up being a 3 in one on the same frame. The gun in .32 was on sale in the $210 range, the 84 parts kit was another $100, so for around $350 I ended up with a Beretta 81 and 84 all using the same frame. In the end apply to the BATF on a form #1 and pay the $200 tax to build permission to buile a legal supressor to fit this setup in 9mm that would work on 9m and the other 2 smaller cals. Part I have not been able to work out is the supressor coupler that would work out on all three barrels.
Chris

[tejano]

I did not expect this old thread’s resurrection but am pleased to see it.

[cwheel]

Turns out the market was just flooded with pd turn ins from the other side of the pond. In the begining, I was looking for extra mags for my EDC colt 1908 .380. Quickly found out that oem mags were in the $150 range to start out and went up from there. The Beretta 81 PD trade ins were on a special that day for somewhere in the $210 range + shipping. I had a supply of 32 acp ammo anyway and I could have a almost free to me model 81 for the price of 2 colt .380 replacement mags. Later in a gun shop, I saw that the frame on the 81 and the 84 were almost identical. Later on YouTube I saw someone converted a megar mag from a 84 .380 to feed a 81 in .32 acp and fit the grip frame perfectly, the light came on that Beretta had to be using most of the same parts and tooling on the entire series. As a machinist, it was a logical choice because no extra tooling was required to produce except for the slide face and the barrel. The only thing that wouldn't work was high pressure 9x19 full size NATO round because of the blow back design of the 81 and 84 firing from a unlocked slide. A person needs to use due caution with the ammo here as the 32 acp mag will fit and feed in a .380 barrel and cause a big problem, just like loading a 20ga shell in a 12 Gage pump or auto. very bad. Both like hornady critical defense rounds and feed+fire perfectly. I do have separate mags for both.
Chris