Guns 2012-08.pdf - Jeffersonian

The Nano fieldstrips into its major
components by the use of a ballpoint pen or
similar tool. The subchassis containing the
trigger group is also easily removed.
firm resistance. From there, it’s a fairly
consistent pull, which on my Lyman
digital gauge from Brownells averaged
7 pounds, 3.1 ounces. The faster you
run the trigger, the smoother it seems.
This pistol has a high bore axis,
and that gives it more muzzle flip
than some others in its category. That
always slows, to some degree, the
shooter’s ability to return to target
for the next accurate shot. The other
element of recoil, rearward “kick,”
was a pleasant surprise with the Nano.
Even with the screaming +P+ Buffalo
Bore, and the narrow grip-frame, it
simply didn’t hurt to shoot this little
9mm.
Pointing qualities are not this
pistol’s strong suit. When most of us
point our arm, the middle knuckle is
in line with the center of the forearm,
and the knuckle of the trigger finger
is aligned with the radius, or upper
forearm bone. The grip to barrel angle
of the Nano forced every shooter
on our test team to cock their wrist
upward, putting the middle knuckle in
line with the radius. Not an easy thing
to remember if there isn’t time to
aim. When held naturally, the Nano
“pointed low” for most. Not for all,
though. Veteran IDPA shooter Todd
Bush found it gave him a “natural
aim.”
IDPA match director Dan Fox,
a shooter for 45 years, spoke for
all when he said he appreciated the
Nano’s accuracy and was pleasantly
surprised by its light recoil. Award
The safety on the trigger is the only external
safety besides the one between your ears. The
magazine button is reversible for left-hand use.
winning shooter Anthony Wojtyla
said the gun’s simple manual of arms
sold him on the Nano. Anthony,
Dan, and Todd all said that after
shooting the Nano, they’d consider
buying one.
One beef I personally had with the
Nano was the absence of a slide lock/
slide release lever. When the pistol
locks open on the empty magazine,
you reload by simply swapping
magazines and tugging back on the
slide, to let it fly forward and chamber
a round. This is popular combat pistol
doctrine today, but there are two
problems with it. One is you need an
empty magazine to lock the gun open,
which is required at shooting classes
and some combat pistol matches, and
in some jurisdictions, CCW permit
qualification. Another is in the event
of a “double-feed” malfunction; the
shooter can’t lock the slide back to
relieve pressure for a fast clearance of
the “jam.”
This is a concealed carry gun. Slim
and flat, only 9/10" thick, it seems
made to carry in a pocket. And it is;
it just isn’t shaped to come out of the
pocket very fast. This is not a “problem
with the Beretta Nano thing,” it is a
“problem with pocket-size 9mm autos
in general thing.” The square-ish
upper rear edge of the slide tends to
catch the edge of a slash-cut trouser
pocket, palpably slowing the draw
as compared to, say, a “hammerless”
J-frame revolver. (Of course, a J-frame
does not give you seven rounds of fullup
9mm Parabellum, either.)
I wore the Nano as a backup in a
Remora size 4 holster in the left-side
pocket of a pair of cargo pants. The
sticky “rubber” of the well-named
Remora clung to the pocket lining
and yielded the gun from the holster
every time. The pistol absolutely
disappeared.
The spare 6-round magazine rode
in my right side cargo pocket, and
was comfortable enough there to
go unnoticed. I don’t think it would
be so discreet or so comfortable in a
spare magazine pouch. The floorplate
is much larger than the body of the
magazine, both side-to-side and front
to back. I’d like to see Beretta come
out with a longer, higher capacity
magazine to carry as a spare with
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