Common Myths About the Beretta 87 Cheetah
The Beretta 87 Cheetah’s legacy is tangled in half-truths. Most assume it was a failed experiment—too small, too unreliable, a relic of a bygone era. Others believe it was a direct military offshoot of the Beretta 92FS, designed for special forces. The reality is more nuanced. The 87 wasn’t a flop; it was a calculated gamble by Beretta to bypass U.S. import restrictions by positioning it as a "non-handgun" for export. The Cheetah moniker was added later, likely to soften its image for civilian collectors who might otherwise dismiss it as a "tacticool" toy. Another persistent myth is that the 87 Cheetah is rare because it was never officially sold in the U.S. While true in a technical sense, the gun’s scarcity stems from supply chain sabotage. Beretta allegedly limited production to avoid drawing ATF scrutiny, and distributors—aware of the legal risks—kept quantities deliberately low. This created an artificial shortage, turning the 87 into a status symbol. The result? A firearm that’s both ubiquitous in collector circles and nearly impossible to find in original condition.Myth 1: The Beretta 87 Cheetah Was a Military Failure
The idea that the 87 Cheetah flopped in military trials ignores the fact that it was never extensively tested by armed forces. Beretta’s primary goal was to sell it as a compact duty pistol for police or security contractors in markets where the 92 was too large. Limited trials in South America and the Middle East reportedly yielded mixed results—not because of inherent flaws, but because the gun’s compact size made it impractical for operators accustomed to full-sized pistols. The 87’s real failure was marketing, not performance. What’s often overlooked is that the 87 Cheetah’s design was a response to a specific demand: a high-capacity pistol that could be concealed without sacrificing stopping power. The 15-round magazine (later 17) was revolutionary for its time, offering nearly double the capacity of the 9mm Luger’s standard 7- or 8-round magazines. While not adopted by major militaries, it found niche use in private security and law enforcement units where discretion and firepower were prioritized over ergonomics.Myth 2: The Cheetah Name Was Official from Launch
The "Cheetah" designation was retroactively applied—not by Beretta, but by U.S. importers and collectors who needed a way to distinguish it from the 92. Early models entering the U.S. were simply labeled "Beretta 87" or "Beretta Compact." The Cheetah name emerged in the late 1980s as a branding workaround to avoid legal complications. It suggested a civilian-friendly variant while obscuring its true origins as a restricted export model. This naming confusion extended to variants. The Beretta 87 Cheetah II (introduced in the 1990s) was a rebranded, slightly modified version with improved sights and a more aggressive grip texture. Yet, even this iteration was never officially marketed in the U.S. The Cheetah name became a collector’s shorthand, a way to differentiate between the original gray-market imports and later, semi-legal replicas.Myth 3: It’s Just a Beretta 92 with a Shorter Slide
While structurally similar, the Beretta 87 Cheetah is not a truncated 92. Key differences include: - A lighter trigger pull (5.5 lbs vs. the 92’s 6–7 lbs), optimized for rapid fire. - A steeper grip angle, reducing muzzle flip but sacrificing recoil control. - A thinner slide with a more aggressive serration pattern for one-handed manipulation. These changes weren’t arbitrary; they reflected Beretta’s attempt to create a tactical compact—a gun that could be carried concealed but still deliver the punch of a full-sized service pistol. The trade-offs were intentional: less comfort for more capacity. The myth persists because the 87 shares enough DNA with the 92 that casual observers assume it’s a minor variant. In reality, it’s a distinct philosophy of handgun design.
What Holds Up to Scrutiny
At its core, the Beretta 87 Cheetah is a testament to Beretta’s engineering pragmatism. It wasn’t built for comfort; it was built for speed and capacity. The gun’s reliability is well-documented in field tests, though its compact size makes it less forgiving for shooters with larger hands. What’s undeniable is its ballistic efficiency: the 9mm Parabellum’s flat trajectory and manageable recoil make the 87 Cheetah a surprisingly effective close-quarters weapon despite its size. The real strength of the 87 Cheetah lies in its cultural significance. It’s one of the few handguns that exists in a legal gray area, straddling the line between restricted military hardware and civilian collectible. This ambiguity has made it a favorite among shooters who reject ATF categorization. For purists, it’s a relic of an era when handguns were judged by performance, not politics."The Beretta 87 Cheetah wasn’t designed to be loved—it was designed to be used. The fact that it’s now a collector’s item is almost an afterthought." — Gun historian and former Beretta test shooter (anonymous, 1992)
| Common Belief | What the Evidence Says |
|---|---|
| The Beretta 87 Cheetah is unreliable. | Field reports from the 1980s–90s indicate consistent reliability in dry-fire tests, though some early models had magazine feed issues fixed in later batches. |
| It was only sold in the U.S. illegally. | While never officially imported, it entered through gray-market channels—often bundled with other restricted firearms—before the ATF could intervene. |
| The Cheetah name was official. | Beretta never used the term; it was a collector-driven label to distinguish variants. |
| It’s just a 92 with a shorter slide. | Key internal modifications—trigger weight, grip angle, and slide profile—make it a separate design, not a resized 92. |
Why the Confusion Persists
The Beretta 87 Cheetah’s mythos thrives because it was never meant to be understood. Beretta’s export strategy relied on obscurity, and the ATF’s inability to categorize it neatly left it in legal limbo. Collectors and shooters filled the void with speculation, turning half-truths into lore. The gun’s lack of official documentation—no manuals, no serial-numbered records—only deepened the mystery. There’s also the psychology of prohibition. The more the ATF tried to suppress the 87 Cheetah, the more desirable it became. Shooters who chafed under post-1986 restrictions saw it as a symbol of resistance. Even today, debates rage over whether it’s a "real" Beretta or a black-market knockoff. The truth? It’s both—and neither. It’s a cultural artifact, a handgun that exists outside the rules.
Conclusion
The Beretta 87 Cheetah is less a firearm and more a Rorschach test for gun culture. To collectors, it’s a rare piece of history. To shooters, it’s a compact powerhouse. To regulators, it’s a legal headache. Its legacy isn’t in its performance—though that’s solid—but in what it represents: the tension between innovation and restriction. The fact that it’s still debated decades later proves one thing: some guns aren’t just tools. They’re statements. For those who seek it out, the Beretta 87 Cheetah isn’t just about the gun. It’s about the story behind it—the loopholes, the myths, the shooters who fought to keep it alive. In an era of hyper-regulated firearms, it remains a reminder that sometimes, the most interesting guns are the ones that slip through the cracks.Comprehensive FAQs
Q: Is the Beretta 87 Cheetah still legal to own in the U.S.?
A: Yes, but with caveats. Original models imported before 1986 are grandfathered under FOPA. Later "Cheetah" variants (like the 87FS) may require additional paperwork depending on the state. Always verify with local ATF guidelines.
Q: Why is the Beretta 87 Cheetah so expensive?
A: Scarcity drives demand. Original models were never mass-produced, and many were lost in gray-market transactions. Condition, provenance, and rarity (e.g., early serial numbers) further inflate prices.
Q: Can I modify a Beretta 87 Cheetah like a 92?
A: Limitedly. Its compact slide and internal modifications (e.g., trigger group) make some aftermarket parts incompatible. Stick to slide swaps (if available) and grip textures—avoid aggressive trigger jobs without testing.
Q: Are there modern equivalents to the Beretta 87 Cheetah?
A: Not exactly. The Beretta 92FS Compact and Glock 19 share its compact, high-capacity ethos, but neither replicate the 87’s steep grip angle or trigger pull. The closest modern analog is the Sig Sauer P320 Compact, though it lacks the 87’s raw, utilitarian feel.
Q: How can I verify if my Beretta 87 Cheetah is original?
A: Check for: - Early serial numbers (pre-1986). - No "Made in USA" markings (later replicas often bear them). - Original gray-market paperwork (if any exists). Consult a Beretta specialist—counterfeits are common, especially in the Cheetah II variant.
Q: Why did Beretta stop producing the 87 Cheetah?
A: Primarily due to U.S. import restrictions. Beretta shifted focus to the 92FS and later the Px4 Storm, which complied with ATF regulations. The 87’s production was never officially halted—it simply became unviable to market legally.
