Beretta has introduced its first striker-fired pistol, the APX. From the press release (emphasis mine):

The introduction of the APX model completes the company’s full size pistol portfolio and positions Beretta as the world’s premier small arms manufacturer. Beretta has manufactured semi-automatic pistols since 1915 and is now one of the very few manufacturers to offer full size polymer and metallic framed handguns in both hammer and striker fired operating systems.

Beretta elected to debut its new APX striker fired pistol at the upcoming IDEX Show (International Defence Exhibition & Conference) in Abu Dhabi because it is one of the most important shows for the international defense sector. “With the show opening February 22, IDEX is one of the first venues where defense contractors present their wares to worldwide military customers and Beretta felt this was the ideal environment to present the international offering of its APX pistol,” stated Carlo Ferlito, General Manager of Beretta and Beretta Defense Technologies (BDT) Vice President.

Designed specifically for military and law enforcement operators, the APX has been put through extensive testing and evaluation at the professional end user level.

Carlo Ferlito explained that Beretta places paramount importance on performance and wanted to ensure they built a product to meet the operator’s specific needs. “Beretta waited to enter the striker fired market until we had a pistol we knew would meet the needs of the operator. The APX has been more than three years in development. We tested it extensively with professional end users and incorporated that feedback at every opportunity. The result is a pistol platform that delivers superior performance in durability, reliability, accuracy and ergonomics.”

Beretta intends to submit a variant of the APX shown at IDEX to the upcoming US Army Modular Handgun System. “Of course we will continue to develop the APX to take into consideration the final specifications of the MHS as they become known,” stated Gabriele De Plano, Vice President of Beretta Defense Technologies (BDT) USA Marketing and Operations.

The APX striker fired pistol has been developed to match military and law enforcement needs but is not just for these customers, Beretta intends to market a variant for the commercial market later this year. This addition to Beretta’s pistol line will further cement the company’s position as one of the world’s leading small arms manufacturers.

It’s no surprise at all that Beretta has created a new design for the MHS program. Having the 92 series, the rotary-barrel hammer-fired PX4, and the striker-fired APX, Beretta is ensured at least a chance at winning MHS and securing the standard US pistol design for the second time in a row.

The APX is a highly conventional Glock-like striker-fired pistol.

Pierangelo Tendas has written more on the APX:

This is what the company disclosed so far about its new semi-automatic pistol: following the market trends and demand for a certain type of features in a semi-automatic pistol, the new Beretta APX comes built around an ergonomically-molded reinforced polymer frame fitted with a built-in MIL-STD-1913 “Picatinny” rail for tactical accessories. As standard nowadays, the Beretta APX is issued with interchangable backstraps, which also include grip panels, in order to better fit several hand sizes and thus remain viable to shooters of all genders, ages, sizes, and build.

Unlike the Beretta 92 series − which, like the predecessor Beretta 951, was based on a Walther-type tilting barrel − and unlike the more recent Beretta Px4Storm series − which was built around a rotating barrel − the new Beretta APX comes with a much simpler modified Browning locking system; it can only be disassembled when it is disarmed, and that’s why a slot on the frame allows the use of a tool to decock it before it can be field-stripped by operating a lever found on the left side of the frame itself, right over the trigger guard.

The trigger can be considered a light double action, with a 2,8kg/6.17lbs break, a 6mm/0.2″ travel and a 3mm/0.12″ reset; the Beretta APX is a striker-fired design, and the rear portion of the striker itself will slightly protrude from a round slot on the back of the slide providing a visual and tactile confirmation of its status.

The slide of the Beretta APX semi-automatic pistol is machined out of stainless steel, and is nitride-coated upon construction to make it glare-proof, scratch-proof and corrosion-resistant; wide front and rear slide serrations allow easier manual cocking and chamber checks.

The three-dot front and rear sights are dovetailed on the slide, and sport a unique and patented adjustment system.

The baseline Beretta APX semi-automatic pistol will come with no manual safety whatsoever, featuring a “Glock-style” trigger safety and a redundant drop/striker safety system instead. Optionally a manual safety system will be available upon request, consisting in a frame-mounted two-positions switch.

The Beretta APX semi-automatic pistol has been conceived to be just as much left-hand-friendly as it can be; as such, it comes with a reversible magazine release catch and a factory ambidextrous slide stop/hold open release lever.

The Beretta APX will feed through black double-stack metal magazines with a polymer bottom pad, offering a 17-rounds capacity in 9x19mm caliber (a.k.a. 9mm “Luger”, 9mm “Parabellum”. 9mm NATO), and a 15-rounds capacity in 9x19mm IMI (a.k.a. “9 Italian”) and .40 Smith & Wesson.

The overall lenght of the Beretta APX is in the standard bracket for this kind of pistol: 192mm/7.56″ long overall, 108mm/4.¼” barrel. The handgun has however been designed to be as streamlined as it could possibly be, in order to constitute a viable and comfortable alternative for 24/7 concealed and open carry.

I highly recommend our readers head on over to All4Shooters and read Tendas’ whole article.