jar
Contributing Member
Now that I've had the Beretta Pico for awhile I thought it might be fun to compare it to the very similar Ruger LCP. In this case, both pistols were bought within 6 months of each other, from the same LGS and at exactly the same price.
Both are the most recent iteration of the model.
Both were bought new.
Both were on sale at $199.99.
Both are 380acp.
Both hold 6 + 1 rounds.
They are almost identical in size with the Pico slightly skinnier.
The Pico with the mag inserted but no ammo weighs just over 11 ounces while the LCP under the same conditions weighs just under 10 ounces.
The Ruger LCP comes with a nice little pocket holster but only one magazine while the Beretta Pico comes with a zipper folder and a second magazine.
The Pico locks open on an empty magazine while the LCP does not. Also the magazine release on the Pico is ambidextrous while the one on the LCP is left side only. Both mags drop free on release but the LCP hits a stop on insert while the Beretta does not. The Beretta magazine is much easier to seat than the one on the LCP.
Fortunately the LCP is much easier to rack the slide than on the Pico.
Not even a hole to allow mag release on this side:
While we are still on the subject of magazines, they both do have witness holes on both left and right sides to check rounds remaining. The Ruger mag also has round numbers stamped while the Pico assumes you can count empty holes.
Nether the LCP or the Pico have the dread magazine safety so it's possible to do a hot swap and fire the one in the chamber even if the magazine is removed.
Shooting at the designed distances the two are also pretty similar but the sights on the LCP can only be called such things charitably. I'm not sure it's possible to make less useful sights than what are on the LCP. The Beretta Pico though comes with real, adjustable sights designed for simple owner maintenance, adjustment and replacement. Once you start shooting out beyond 7 yards or so the better sights on the Pico really make a difference. Since that's not what the guns were designed for it's not quite as big an issue, but it is significant.
So how do the two differ?
The big elephant in the room has to be the fact that the Beretta Pico is a true double action pistol with second strike capability. Also the slide locking back on an empty mag definitely makes a difference.
The length of the LCP grip makes it possible for me to get two full fingers on the handle while with the flat base mag of the Pico it's a finger and a half. A smaller padded extension as found on the LCP magazine would really help the Pico.
The field strip procedure on the Pico is light years ahead of that on the LCP. Needing a screw driver to pry out a pin is simply not as easy as just turning the post. Once you get past that point though everything is pretty much the same.
I fit and finish the Pico definitely is way beyond the LCP. The mold lines on the LCP trigger and trigger guard needed major work before they stopped hurting my fingers. Some 400 grit Wet or Dry sand paper and few minutes or so work took care of the problem. That's not a unique problem to Ruger, I have had to do that on polymer framed guns from Taurus and Charter Arms as well. While there is a noticeable mold line on the Beretta frame it is so minor I have not bothered trying to address it. Maybe now that we are in Bowl season I'll give it a touch up job too.
Here are some images of the two sets of sights. The ones on the Beretta are milled and slotted and held in place by a .050 Allen screw while on the Ruger they are fixed and part of the slide itself.
Both are the most recent iteration of the model.
Both were bought new.
Both were on sale at $199.99.
Both are 380acp.
Both hold 6 + 1 rounds.
They are almost identical in size with the Pico slightly skinnier.
The Pico with the mag inserted but no ammo weighs just over 11 ounces while the LCP under the same conditions weighs just under 10 ounces.
The Ruger LCP comes with a nice little pocket holster but only one magazine while the Beretta Pico comes with a zipper folder and a second magazine.
The Pico locks open on an empty magazine while the LCP does not. Also the magazine release on the Pico is ambidextrous while the one on the LCP is left side only. Both mags drop free on release but the LCP hits a stop on insert while the Beretta does not. The Beretta magazine is much easier to seat than the one on the LCP.
Fortunately the LCP is much easier to rack the slide than on the Pico.
Not even a hole to allow mag release on this side:
While we are still on the subject of magazines, they both do have witness holes on both left and right sides to check rounds remaining. The Ruger mag also has round numbers stamped while the Pico assumes you can count empty holes.
Nether the LCP or the Pico have the dread magazine safety so it's possible to do a hot swap and fire the one in the chamber even if the magazine is removed.
Shooting at the designed distances the two are also pretty similar but the sights on the LCP can only be called such things charitably. I'm not sure it's possible to make less useful sights than what are on the LCP. The Beretta Pico though comes with real, adjustable sights designed for simple owner maintenance, adjustment and replacement. Once you start shooting out beyond 7 yards or so the better sights on the Pico really make a difference. Since that's not what the guns were designed for it's not quite as big an issue, but it is significant.
So how do the two differ?
The big elephant in the room has to be the fact that the Beretta Pico is a true double action pistol with second strike capability. Also the slide locking back on an empty mag definitely makes a difference.
The length of the LCP grip makes it possible for me to get two full fingers on the handle while with the flat base mag of the Pico it's a finger and a half. A smaller padded extension as found on the LCP magazine would really help the Pico.
The field strip procedure on the Pico is light years ahead of that on the LCP. Needing a screw driver to pry out a pin is simply not as easy as just turning the post. Once you get past that point though everything is pretty much the same.
I fit and finish the Pico definitely is way beyond the LCP. The mold lines on the LCP trigger and trigger guard needed major work before they stopped hurting my fingers. Some 400 grit Wet or Dry sand paper and few minutes or so work took care of the problem. That's not a unique problem to Ruger, I have had to do that on polymer framed guns from Taurus and Charter Arms as well. While there is a noticeable mold line on the Beretta frame it is so minor I have not bothered trying to address it. Maybe now that we are in Bowl season I'll give it a touch up job too.
Here are some images of the two sets of sights. The ones on the Beretta are milled and slotted and held in place by a .050 Allen screw while on the Ruger they are fixed and part of the slide itself.
