Beretta U22 Neos: A Complete Review

For a long time, Rimfire handguns have been a mystery until recently when the great ammo crunch hit the market. Most gun enthusiasts have been using .22 caliber options for quite a long time. This remained a secret until people realized that they could pick a Rimfire and save hundreds of bucks. Consequently, the .22 caliber became harder to find than the 9mm. 

Now, new shooters are being introduced to the art with a perfectly sized caliber handgun from a maker who has retaliated with the introduction of conversion kits for various offerings. The Beretta’s U22 NEOS is a reliable, purposely built handgun that continues to attain popularity every day. This review will let us know why this particular pistol is worth every penny.

Overview of the Beretta U22 Neos

The Neos is a unique Rimfire handgun that represents this unique niche so well. This isn’t your ordinary toy gun; its futuristic design and ballistic performance make it worth the bucks. It retails around $300, which makes it a non-budget gun. That is for the 6 inches barrel, but the one with 4.5 inches barrel retails approximately $75.

 Hence, these two versions are ideal for everyone, but you have to choose the one that is appropriate for the budget. Besides, the longer barrel and ergonomic grip design explain why it is worth a whole lot of money. It is a high-quality pistol which prints the groups to prove it.

A quick glance at this handgun will invoke the Buck Rogers or other stunning movies that showcase futuristically-designed guns. This high tech design is not only for looks, but it keeps the gun’s performance and handling at peak. With its unique high grip handle, this gun lets your shoulders roll forward somewhat extended towards the target. The firearm becomes like a natural extension of your body for excellent target aiming and accurate shots. 

It is creatively engineered to be ready to rock the irons right out of the box. Also, this handgun is optic ready. However, I would recommend you top it up with red dot sight, enhancing speed and accuracy. Here is a review of the best handgun sights. 

Well, putting a dot on the spot beats aligning three points hence offers fantastic speed and accuracy for a flawless shooting experience.

Incredible Features of the Beretta U22 Neos

 The ergonomics of Neos makes Beretta a renowned designer taking immeasurable pride and efforts to give you the very best. When it was first introduced, many people were somehow lackluster, but not after the experience.

Ambidextrous Grip and Safety

The Beretta U22 Neos features an ergonomic grip construction that keeps the gun stable in your hand for a splendid shooting experience. As a new shooter, you might be reluctant to know the difference, but you’ll embrace this pistol’s excellent design and handling. 

Also, this handgun features ambidextrous safety which is a merit. However, you need to pay attention because the U22 NEOS  safety is down for safety and up for firing. This design is a bit unique if you’re used to other popular pistols. If you’re new to guns, you may not realize the oddness with this safety feature.

 But whether you’re a coach or a trainee, you may take quite some time to get used to it. This design isn’t a flaw by any means. It is intentional as it allows the shooter to feel the safety with the hand’s web for a smart tactical response. It is easy to get used two after the first two or three magazines, making it fully intuitive. 

Tactical Mag Release

Additionally, the mag release is another unique feature of this pistol. Unlike other handguns, the magazine release sits where your trigger finger would extend when not in the trigger guard. This may require some practice to get used to, but it is crucial as it will keep your finger away when replacing the magazines. This feature offers incredible benefits only that it won’t favor lefties.

Innovative Striker and Trigger Mechanism

Moreover, the Neos striker is exposed once the rifle is cocked, which offers a tactile and visual indication. It isn’t easy to mess things up, especially when you’re used to this gun. 

Although the safety device doesn’t function as a decoking mechanism, the Neos is a single-stage trigger gun that allows smooth trigger pull ideal for sensitive tactile performance. It boasts a trigger pull of 89.95 oz. This gun’s trigger is soft right out of the box, which makes it not only great for both tactical job and shooting competition.

Weaver-Style Rail and High-End Optics

On top of the barrel is a weaver type full-length rail, which lets you install your choice’s optics. This feature allows you to modify your gun performance for short-range, long-range, and different light conditions depending on the environment in which you are operating. This will ensure you land your shots precisely where you want them.

 Additionally, the grip and safety boast ambidextrous design, which offers significant advantages to right-handed persons and lefties. It would probably have been a great bonus to have the magazine release ambidextrous, but it is still located on a strategic point on the right hand for hassle-free tactical use. Hence, it takes a few seconds to flash out the empty and pop a fresh one.

Superior Firing System

 It is a tough-looking handgun that fires smoothly with a great ejection of brass. The superior design and firing mechanism makes this weapon safe as it eliminates the chances of stovepipe. Besides, .22 LR doesn’t boast the best quality or manufacturing standards, yet the Neos performed nearly the same as Ruger Mark II.

Is the Beretta U22 Neos Worth the Extra Bucks?

Advantages of the U22 Neos 

With its futuristic design and fantastic performance, this gun has become the best choice for me and many others. I wouldn’t want to exaggerate by saying that this is the ultimate gun for immense stopping power or tactical flash. Still, I consider it because it is versatile, inexpensive, and the long barrel design somewhat rocks.

Affordable and Futuristic Design

 Its skyrocketing fame is due to the upgraded ergonomics making it perfect for different fields. Besides, this gun’s accessories are readily available at the Beretta shop and offer a great choice to customize its design. The polymer-framed design not only makes it an affordable option for many but also improves the guns capability and easy handling. It comes with two magazines, whereby each holds six rounds.

Long Rifle Performance

The incredible part is that this pistol uses .22 long rifle ammo. Well, this is the part that has caught the hearts of many gun enthusiasts. A gun that is perfectly easy to manage yet competes with long-range rifles regarding ballistics. And no wonder, this handgun has become a firsthand option for tactical operations and shooting practices.

Lightweight, Versatile, and Functional Design

This gun is moderately light; the 6-inch barrel version adds some extra 35 ounces. Therefore, it offers a perfect feel and impressive accuracy, making it a fun plinking gun and a trail gun. It weighs 3.8 pounds when configured as a carbine. Beretta in the USA made this gun with the help of Giorgetto Giugiaro, an Italian automobile designer. The concerted effort between Beretta USA and Beretta Italy has resulted in this stylish and functional pistol.

However, don’t just get satisfied with the looks alone. It is a versatile gun where two barrel sizes can be easily swapped without any tools. The carbine kit should also serve you well and give you the best shooting experience of a lifetime. The gun fires .22 long rifle cartridges, which are probably the most common and inexpensive. Hence, you can have maximum fun plinking and shooting practices. Thanks to this gun’s innovative engineering as it offers the ease of a pistol and accuracy of a long-range rifle.

Easy Barrel Swapping

You would agree with me that with this pistol, there isn’t any need to carry two guns. Well, this handgun is available in a 4.5-inch barrel and 6-inch barrel, and both can be swapped in a matter of seconds. Of course, the long barrel brings in more accuracy while the short one makes the gun a bit compact. It’s upon you to choose between precision and compactness, depending on the mission at hand.

Convertible Carbine Style

As I earlier mentioned, swapping the barrels is a simple procedure once you get used to it. However, with the long barrel in place, you would want to feel that you are indeed handling a long gun. That said, you can easily add a shoulder stock, which is pretty simple. You need to loosen a screw in the handle using a simple wrench. 

Mine came with a short wrench, and I had to substitute with a longer one for easy addition of shoulder stock. You’ll find the supplied wrench very helpful in adjusting the sights.

Disassembly and Maintenance

Another aspect that sets the U22 Neos handgun on top of other pistols is its simple disassembly. The guns manual has a pictorial description to help you. The first thing is to hold it in your left hand and press the barrel lock button located above the trigger guard. 

The next process would be to unscrew the barrel nut using the other free hand. After familiarizing with the process, you’ll see that it is to disassemble U22 Neos than the Ruger Mark II and other popular handguns.

Demerits of the Beretta U22 Neos

Some customers aired complaints that the Grip is a bit small for large hands. But, it only takes some time to master proper grip. Also, some people have had a concern that Safety levers can flip off easily. But, everything becomes easy after several shooting sessions.

Best Handgun Accessories

Conclusion

 The high tech and futuristic design, combined with its adaptable design, make the U22 Neos an all-time handgun. It matches the performance of the long rifle and maneuverability of a handgun.

 It is easy to convert to a simple pistol design or a stylish carbine to bring the best shooting and tactical experience. Also, the polymer frame makes it easy to handle, beautiful, and extremely rugged. The superb performance also comes at an affordable price, even in terms of ballistics. Thus, I recommend it for plinking, defense, and target shooting tournaments.