Beretta’s U22 Neos .22 LR pistol is an inexpensive but solid semi-auto pistol with a steel and polymer frame. While I don’t care for the looks, the Neos is accurate, reliable, and extremely easy to field strip. The grip is a little small for me, but perfect for my wife. Other pluses are the ambidextrous safety, fully adjustable sights, and built in Weaver rail. For around $250, it’s a bargain.
This year Beretta finally released the carbine kit for the Neos to U.S. consumers. The kit contains a 16.25” barrel to replace the pistol barrel (4.5″, 6″, and 7.5″ lengths), and a reinforced polymer skeletonized stock and grip to replace the pistol grip.
Like the pistol, the carbine barrel has a Weaver rail on top for mounting optics, but also has an orange TruGlo fiber optic front sight and fully adjustable aperture rear sight (peep). According to Beretta, the Neos carbine kit is also approved for sale in California.
I recently obtained and tried out the Neos carbine kit. Overall this is a very good carbine kit with a few drawbacks:
- Pros: Lightweight (3.8 lbs configured as a carbine), compact, accurate, ergonomic, Weaver rail, fully adjustable sights, potential storage space in stock, FFL not needed to purchase
- Cons: Expensive, no high-capacity magazines (10 rounds only), no sling attachment on fore grip, not suitable for single-point sling
Besides being fun to shoot, the carbine is light and perfect for backpacking or a Bug out Bag (BoB). For survivalists/preppers, this allows the kit to be carried in the BoB while the pistol is carried in a holster. Photos below will show the space in the stock could be used to strap in a small pouch containing extra ammunition, magazine, cleaning supplies, etc. I put a few hundred rounds through it on the first trip to the range and found it to be very accurate using an inexpensive optic.
The biggest drawback is the price. I paid $240 for the kit but have seen it for $219. For that much you could add a Marlin Papoose, which breaks down and is only about 3.5 lbs (see the Nutnfancy review). We’ll have to wait to see if higher capacity magazine will be offered, but the sling swivel attachment problem is easily fixed.
There has been discussion about the legality of the carbine kit. The carbine stock contains a warning about configuring the rifle stock with any pistol barrel – doing so would make it a short-barreled rifle, which must be registered or may be illegal where you live. Putting the 16.25” barrel in a pistol configuration should be fine, but check your local laws.
More photos below – click on images for full-size.
Pistol barrel and grip above/below carbine.
Pistol and carbine kit disassembled.
Sights and rail.
Handguard detached to install front sling swivel.
The steel barrel is encased in polymer, otherwise it would be much heavier. This photo was taken after the range trip and before cleaning.
So if I understand the law; if you were to assemble this rifle and put the stock on before removing the pistol barrel you would be in violation of the law and could get 10-20 in a federal prison.
That looks really slick. I’ve always wondered why there weren’t more kits like this around.
GWTW,
The barrel needs to come off the get the grip off, so you couldn’t put the stock on with the pistol barrel on – it would need to be a deliberate action. Once the rifle stock is on, you *could* put the pistol barrel on, which is the illegal configuration to avoid. But you don’t have to worry about doing the stock or barrel first. Here’s the pistol-to-rifle sequence: 1) pistol barrel comes off; 2) pistol grip comes off; 3) rifle stock goes onto receiver; 4) rifle barrel goes on. And the rifle-to-pistol sequence: a) rifle barrel comes off; b) rifle stock comes off; c) pistol grip goes on; d) pistol barrel goes on.
Michael,
It is slick, and fun to shoot. I wouldn’t have gone this route if I didn’t already have the pistol, and still wonder if I shouldn’t have just purchased a Papoose instead. But I do like the long weaver rail, pistol grip, and ergonomics. This will be part of my new BoB load.
Another solid, lower priced, somewhat overlooked, .22 pistol is the S&W 22A. I’ve used a couple of them and they were accurate, functioned well, and had good ergonomics.
That’s a relief!! I know the ATF only has our best interests in mind http://www.firearmscoalition.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=192&Itemid=37
So I’m sure they wouldn’t punish someone who didn’t intentionally break the law.
Sounds like the BATF paid off a witness;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Olofson
At any rate, to make this carbine illegal you have to put the pistol barrel on while the stock is on. Don’t do that, and it’s all good. After TEOTWAWKI, probably wouldn’t matter.
What a great piece of kit!
Love how cool it looks combined with how simple it is to take apart.
This looks really awesome.
I love .22LR’s – and need more!!
Thanks for the review and happy shooting.
Rourke
So what makes this .22 such a good choice over all other .22 pistols?
Is it just the ability to convert to a rifle style?
Rourke,
I also really like .22LR… but have you seen the Kel-Tec PMR-30? A .22 mag pistol that has *30* rounds! I’ll wait to see if they come out with a LR version.
MasterPo,
I’m not claiming the Neos is better than other .22 pistols. It is none-the-less a good choice as it is reliable, accurate, inexpensive, and easy to field strip/clean. The weaver rail is also a nice feature. I’m sure there are better .22 pistols that cost more or have other drawbacks. The carbine kit is another plus, but just buying a Marlin Papoose would also be a good idea.
Just happened to stumble on your site, have to say it is loaded with some good info! I am a former “life” rank boy scout and am in school to obtain a police science degree. I have been “preaching” the need for folks to “hope for the best, prepare for the worst” for years. In my evaluation of my own emergency preparedness plan and in reading of other folks plans I have come across some interesting concepts for firearms (did I mention I am a member of the NRA, AVID hunter and firearms collector?).
1. PERSONALLY- I like the idea of having a larger caliber firearm (I am a big guy, if a threat comes around that I feel I need a firearm to resolve, I want it to end with minimal discharge!), FOR ME- that means .45, its what I a most comfortable with
2. If you already have a firearm/firearms its a good idea to focus your emergency kit around a specific caliber, to reduce the needed storage space, cost, ect.
3. There are “pistol caliber” carbines that can be purchased for close to the same cost as the carbine you reviewed.
4. The kinetic energy from a .22 into an object is very low compared to larger slower moving projectiles, if FOR EXAMPLE- you were to shoot a deer with a .22 in the body, most of the damage would come from the projectile “bouncing” around inside of the cavity and would more than likely inflict little to no stopping effect (stopping power/kinetic dump/ energy dump)
Just a few ideas, no criticism intended, just further “talking points”. Again, I just happened to stumble on the site, but it is being added to my favorites list.
P.S. I am saving up for a .45 AR-15 carbine, so that I can use the same ammo in a “long gun” as I do in my RIA M1911.
I know I’m coming late to this discussion but…if the 22 is such a bad little caliber why is the entire military rifle line centered around a .223 caliber? Not that much bigger. The reason it is such a good size is exactly what you said was a bad reason…it bounces around and inflicts damage inside. I might shoot you in the toe and take out your heart!!
(other) Tim, bullet size (40-50 grains) isn’t the issue. It’s the power behind the bullet that makes the .223 so formidable. It’ll penetrate soft body armor. .22lr is a great round for plinking and varmint hunting, but if you shoot an atacker with it, you’re likely to just really, really piss him off.
Personally, I prefer a bigger bullet (150-180 grain) to begin with, as I don’t like to prolong conflict.
I use to be a snob and would laugh at ppl on the range shooting .22lr. Then due to ammo prices forcing me to go to the range less, I decided to buy one to plink around with and i got a 10/22. It’s completely satisfying but in a completely different way. 30-06, 7mm, 8mm, 270win and 7.62×39 give me the boom and punch I have come to enjoy but the .22 gives me a tack driving fun fest! I tricked the 10/22 out with a Adams & Bennett bull Barrel and add a couple cheap goodies (like a 10x fixed scope and a PWS T3 Magazine Release Lever <—-best release in history, trust me!) and u got yourself an awesome tactical rifle. no recoil, Sub MOA groups and enough "punch" to take a deer out (heart shot) at 50 to 100yrds. there are videos that show a .22lr round going through a fat roast wrapped in 3 layers of clothing and duck tape at 300 yrds. heard of one guy testing this on a turkey at 300 yrds and it went into bird 7-8 inches with the bird partially frozen. Add all that with a low noise factor, the ability to carry 1000 rounds of ammo with ease and u can dot I's and cross T's all day long! Try carrying 1000 rounds of .45 or even 9mm in a BoB!!!! That just ain't gonna happen. OK that's my take on .22lr now back to topic of Neos, i got one. The gun is awesome, I polished the feed ramp using Flitz polish and a dremel before i ever shot it (due to high angle of the thing i was nervous). To date it hates winchester white box (there 22 ammo is full of dings and spurs) but it loves Federal bulk packs/Stingers and ALL high velocity rounds!. High velocity rounds makes the gun sound like a 9mm or .45! barring the winchester white box fiasco, I have shot 4K rds through the gun without 1 ftf (failure to fire). I put a pistol scope on it and I can hit a man size target at 154 yrds with the thing. no bad for a 6" barrel .22! I don't have the carbine kit but I bet it can only add to the abilities of the gun and would be a fun thing to have around that is most likely very functional if u needed to ummmm Bug out! LOL just my 2 cents, or rather 50 cents since i am talkative
hope I helped someone, peace out and keep surviving u guys. E.
I bought a u22 over a year ago and am very pleased with it. Tookit to the range last week & put over 200 rounds through it in 1 hour. Ammo cost about $8. I also have a berreta 92Fs 9 mm. 200 9 mm cost me over$100. QUESTION -with a 10 shot magazine, what is more effective; 7 well placed 22 hits or 2 or 3 random 9 mm? I’ m much more accurate with the neos (because it’s cheaper to practice) than the 92. The neos magazines are much smaller, lighter and easy to carry than the 15 round 9 mm.
Well, lets see……I agree with Chefbear 58 about the larger caliber for stopping power but, if I’m not mistaken, we are talking about “survival” gun meaning hunting to survive.
I have a very nice old Mosin Nagant for big animals but if all you have to hunt for are squirrels, for example, a 7.62x54R or even a 40 will leave basically nothing to eat…..therefore GO .22LR!
Btw I own a U22 Neos too and love it.