There’s one simple rule in pocket pistol carry: You can hide length, but you can’t hide width. Even the best pocket holster can’t make a gun thinner. When you start with the new Beretta Pico, half the battle is already won. Not only is the Pico one of the most compact .380 autos on the market, it is also, by far, the narrowest handgun ever made. And that is going to make this innovative, micro-compact semi-automatic the most desirable CCW pistol in years.
Beretta has had a long time to “invent” the Pico, watching as others developed their guns based on existing principals of design. Beretta has been manufacturing firearms for 500 years (that takes it back to the 16th century) and has had the luxury of becoming innovative over time. Italian armsmakers have also learned patience, something we Americans can only comprehend by spending time in Italy and working with Italian gun makers, as I have.
In Italy, there is no imperative to be first, just the best. And when I use the word “invent” in referring to the Pico, that’s because there is no other .380 in the world built like it. The Pico uses modular construction, allowing for the interchangeability of frames, calibers and integrated accessories. If this sounds a little familiar, you have only to think back about a year, when Beretta introduced its groundbreaking, ultra-compact Nano 9mm…
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