Beretta Nano

The Beretta BU9 Nano is a semi-automatic, striker fired, micro compact pistol line manufactured by Beretta in the USA at its Accokeek, Maryland facility. The initial design was created for a .40 S&W round but the initial release is chambered in 9mm. It has been available since October 2011.

Design
The Nano is designed as a compact gun for concealed carry. It has a technopolymer frame and a Pronox finished slide. Pronox is a nitriding finish similar to Tenifer (as used on, among others, Glock pistols) and Melonite (as used on, among others, Springfield Armory XD and Smith & Wesson M&P pistols). The sights on the Nano are low-profile 3-dot sights. It is currently not available in California.

The 9mm version of the Nano holds 6 rounds of 9mm in a single-column box magazine, for a total capacity of 7 if the pistol is chambered and the magazine is fully loaded. The .40 S&W version of the pistol is designed to have an identical 6+1 capacity.

The Nano was designed with a serial-numbered chassis separate from the frame, an unusual feature notably also found in the Sig Sauer P250-series pistols. This will allow Beretta to provide additional frames in the future, allowing for a variety of grips and colors. The chassis is removable and can be placed in the alternate frames.

Designed to be used as a concealed carry weapon, the Nano has no external slide lock or release. Additionally, the Nano has no external safety. The absence of these protruding controls reduces the likelihood of the weapon snagging on clothing during an occasion where a quick and clean draw is required. The slide locks in a rear position after the magazine has been emptied. A loaded magazine must then be installed, or the empty magazine withdrawn, and the slide must be pulled rearward, in order to cycle the slide completely.

Early owners of the Nano voiced concern about an intermittent failure to eject (FTE) while using lower quality ammunition with 115 grain bullets. Many pragmatic users of the Nano counter that 115 grain ammunition would seldom, if ever, see service in the Nano as it is employed to its intended purpose of a concealed carry defensive weapon. Many add that the Nano is rated for 9mm+P ammunition, and as such, requires ammunition heavier than 115 grains to function as designed. Most owners agree that the Nano functions best on ammunition with bullets of 124 grains, or more.