The Bobcat 21A and Tomcat 3032 are some of the original “mouse guns” popular for deep concealment or backup carry.
They’re .22 LR (Bobcat) and .32 ACP (Tomcat) tip-up barrel pistols that have been around just about forever (or since 1984). Because of their tiny size, they have a loyal following in the concealed-carry world. And because of the tip-up barrel, they’ve been a long-time recommendation for people who don’t have the strength to rack a traditional semi-automatic slide, but also don’t want to use a revolver.
One of the features that has long been asked for, but hasn’t been available from the factory, has been a threaded-barrel option. Bobcats and Tomcat barrels can be threaded in the aftermarket, but it’s a tricky and expensive operation due to the size and construction of the gun. And what fun is a “Bond gun” that can’t also be suppressed?
Beretta changed that this year with models literally hot off the presses and announced at SHOT Show. Two of the new colorways, a “Covert” series with blued hardware and classic wood grips, as well as the all-flat dark-earth-colored “FDE” series, come with factory-threaded barrels. The FDE series is very visually similar to the Beretta 92 M9A3 although it does not yet have tritium night sights—those are promised down the line.
The other new color options do not have the threaded barrel, but are all new to the platform. They include two-tone black and stainless steel versions, as well as a robin’s egg blue frame with stainless steel uppers and both wood and pearl-look G10 grips. An OD green version with black barrel is also expected for the first time ever.
The guns will ship with two magazines, with MSRP expected to be between $500 and $600. Final pricing will be announced in February.
