Bushmaster Bull Pup vs. Beretta CX4 - Results

[TMan]

Price wise these two guns are about the same. The Bull Pup is .223, but you get a choice with the CX4. I was thinking of 9mm. Which one should Santa get me?

Can any of you elves help Santa out?

[somery]

tell santa the 9mm!! isn't that the plastic carbine, or as MLB says "tactical tupperware" ?

[TMan]

The elves delivered a supply of CX-4's to my dealer. While I was still suffering from the sinus infection, I went to the dealership needing some form of mental antibiotics. Definition of Temptation: something that I always give into. Besides, the city can wait until next month to get my school taxes without a penalty. (Side note: my houses in NY, when you get the tax bill in October, it is due in a couple of weeks. Here in Texas you have until Feb 1st to pay without a penalty. Therefore, you can determine which year you want to take the tax deduction in. Some people take itemized deductions in one year and standard on alternate years. Easy if you live in Texas).

In the box were 4 magazines - cool, a little tool for adjusting the front sight, and a thick manual written in every language known to man. There was also a little rail that could go on either the left or right side. I mounted it on the right, and moved the charging lever to the right side also. This gun is truly set up for a left-handed person. You can change it to eject on the left side.

It is a very easy carbine to disassemble, and appears to be very well made by Mattel. Most of you realize that Beretta has two English language web sites: international and American. Usually I find that the international has more information. However, the American one depicted the CX4 properly i.e. no rail on the top. In the manual they state that it is available on request. By request they mean that they request $40 plus shipping to send it to you. I wasn't too happy about that because I had a spare red-dot sight I was going to slap on it.

The rail came rather quickly and was complete with 3 screws and two nuts. Okay, there was one screw hole at the front. Time to read the instructions. They tell you to mount with the front screw and then using a 3/32" drill bit to drill through the top of the stock without drilling into the barrel. The drilling was easy, but getting the front nut in there was a little tricky. You use the front sight adjusting tool to position the nut inside the stock and thread the screw down into it.

Success, and the cool thing was I could see the front sight by viewing through the rear sight and the red-dot scope.

I went to the range without bore-sighting the red-dot scope. That was a mistake. I took it off and used the regular sight. There was no problem with adjusting the supplied sights. The rear has a selection of two sights one for short distances and one for longer distances (it has a smaller hole).

They used a different material where you rest your cheek. It feels like some kind of rubber, which was a nice touch (no pun intended). What surprised me was the recoil. I was expecting it to be like shooting a 22, but it felt more like I was shooting the SKS. Part of this may be because of its 5.6lb weight.

All in all, I can't say that the CX4 Storm knocked my socks off. Driving home from the range I did not have the euphoria that I did when I first shot the SKS. Of course nothing has had us babbling on the way home like the S&W 460 XVR, which has totally knocked the Beretta Stampede off its throne.

[MLB]

Thanks for the review TMan. Sounds like a neat little gun.

Regarding the taxes, Mine were due a couple of weeks ago. Many are insulated from the due date since they pay monthy into their escrow account with thier mortgage. I have that pleasant reminder twice per year, property and school taxes.

[TMan]

One of my houses in NY is within the Watertown city limits so I get hit 3 times/year on that one.

I don't know how that works with an escrow account. I guess it would be the same - you are paying the taxes out of that account so whenever the bank pays it is the year you deduct it in.

I saw on TV that they are talking about changing the tax code and will eliminate a lot of deductions. I feel it coming again. Where is the Prep-H?

[MLB]

Deductions, taxable income, non-taxable income, deferred income... gives me a soft spot for a flat tax.

[TMan]

mlb said:

Deductions, taxable income, non-taxable income, deferred income... gives me a soft spot for a flat tax.

Oh God, I just cant resist this: MLB the "soft spot" is in your head. ;D ;D ;D ;D

Of course I do agree with you and Forbes, but when you give me a target like that, I just can't resist taking the shot.

[MLB]

The fact that I can't seem to come up with a clever response lends some credence to that too... ;D Touche TMan.

[MLB]

A pal of mine is interested in the CX4 Storm. I remembered talking about the Beretta a while back. I've found that if you do a search here with the manufacturer name and "TMan", you can find info on just about any firearm ;D

I finally got my hands on one of these, and was pleasantly surprised. I expected it to feel hollow and, well, plasticy. Instead it had a little bit of heft, was solid and the tolerences were well maintained. (I hate those little plastic forming ridges.)

So what say you TMan? Now that you've had yours for a year or so, do you still like the gadget or would you look elsewhere?

[TMan]

Ahhhh, forgot that I had one. I think mentally I get it confused with the Walther G22. For some reason rifle + 9mm doesn't seem to gel well in my mind. But 9mm and 1911 do?

The range officer shot my Springfield 9mm 1911 today. He said: "So how many 9mm 1911's do you need?" I responded: "How may Ruger 22's do you need? He then confessed to buying a new 22/45, which gives him an even dozen.

You are right that the CX4 is a solid gun, like everything else with the Beretta name. I read a lot of bad press on the Neos, but I really like the one that I finally bought this year. The only Beretta that I don't like is the 92/96 series, and that is because of the ones I've seen where you can more the barrel around.

I probably should put a scope on the CX4 to see how well it groups. I'll put it on my list of things to do. I'm thinking that at some point I may get the PX4 to keep the CX4 company; just like the M&P keeps the M&P-15 company.

If your friend is just planning on a plinker, then the CX4 is an excellent gun, however, it is not a target rifle.

[MLB]

Hmm. I think I will advise him that it can shoot the knees out of gnats at 75 yards, and then then shoot his targets out from under him with a simple 22 bolt action.

Now that wouldn't be nice. Ah well. Actually it should serve him well for his usual assult on tin cans. Thanks once again for the info TMan.