The Beretta 87 Cheetah is a compact blowback operated semi-automatic pistol with the open top slide that is common on many Beretta pistols. It features a single stack 8 round magazine capacity with a double/single action and ambidextrous safety.
Beretta’s medium frame 8X series (models 81 through 87) feature an open-top slide similar to the larger 9mm 92 models, but utilize a fixed barrel blowback action due to the lower power calibers employed. The various models are chambered for either .22LR, .32 or .380 Auto. These alloy frame double-action pistols feature an exposed hammer and a frame mounted ambi safety with no decocking capability. Early variants employ a curved trigger guard while later variants employ a squared and serrated trigger guard. There are both walnut and plastic grip variants, and various capacities depending on caliber, and whether a variant employs a single-stack or double-stack magazine. Models produced starting in the early 1990’s were presented as the “Cheetah” series, still using the 8x model designation such as the “Model 84 Cheetah”.
