By Pierangelo Tendas

Unlike former fellow Axis powers Germany and Japan, Italy was never forced to disarm and disband its forces in the aftermath of World War II. The events of the late stages of the war and the location at the center of the Mediterranean Sea made the country, now a republic, a key ally in a new world whose climate was rapidly turning chilly as the Cold War mounted.

The post-WWII Italian military was largely equipped with U.S. handovers, specifically M1 Garand .30-06 caliber rifles, for which Winchester also donated manufacturing machinery to Beretta and Breda. When NATO adopted the new 7.62×51mm as its standard unified service rifle caliber in 1954, the Italian Army arsenal in Terni took up the job of converting existing Garand rifles to the new cartridge, while Beretta and Breda started the manufacture of 7.62mm caliber M1s for foreign sales, most notably for Denmark.

The lessons learned of WWII, however, ushered in a new era where bolt-action, semi-automatic rifles, and light automatic rifles would be replaced – at least tentatively – by select-fire individual weapons that would cover most if not all roles in modern infantry. If the Belgian FN FAL and the Spanish CETME – improved to become the Heckler & Koch G3 – would become by far the most successful in the category of individual weapons we today know as “battle rifles”, the U.S. would spend years and millions of dollars in an attempt to develop a totally new, totally domestic new service rifle that would still retain as many features of the beloved M1 Garand as possible; the result, the M14, is still controversial among historians and gun enthusiasts alike, and its tenure before replacement was very short if compared to its international counterparts.

Cash-strapped post-war Italy had to standardize doing what it could with what it had. A team of Beretta engineers headed by Domenico Salza and Vittorio Valle – both of whom had learned their trade from Tullio Marengoni, Beretta’s head engineer before and during WWII and the inventor of the MAB series of sub-machine guns – was tasked to create a new service rifle for the Italian military that could be produced with existing technologies.

The solution was simple: at first, existing M1 Garand rifles were modified to feed through detachable 20-round, double-stack, single-feed box magazines; the solution, known as the “Garand Type E”, would later be further modified into a select-fire rifle with a shorter handguard and a peculiar muzzle device. The Beretta Modello 1959, or BM59 for short, was born. It’s deployment in the Italian military started in 1962.

IF IT WORKS, DON’T CHANGE IT

The BM59 was designed to be built around an essentially unmodified Garand action and a slightly modified Garand gas system and sear. Taking cues from another firearm that the Italian government had received in droves by the U.S. after WWII – the M1 carbine, and more specifically its select-fire counterpart, the M2 – the Beretta engineering team installed a fire selector on the left side of the receiver which, when switched from “S” (“Semiautomatico”) to “A” (“Automatico”), would activate a U.S. M2 Carbine style disconnector lever assembly, allowing the BM59 to fire in full-automatic, at a cyclic rate of approximately 750 rounds per minute.

As anybody who has ever shoulder-fired 7.62×51mm NATO battle rifle in full-automatic, recoil was harsh… to say the least. In order to mitigate such a punishing factor, Beretta would issue every BM59 with a folding metal bipod, which allowed more accurate semi-automatic fire and provided a stable platform for full-automatic, sustained covering fire; note that back in the day, the standard support weapon for the Italian Armed Forces was the locally-built 7.62×51mm Beretta Mg.42/59 universal machine-gun, which required at least two men to carry and operate at squad level.

Additionally, all BM59 rifles would be equipped from the factory with a muzzle device called “Tri-Compensatore” (“tri-compensator”), which dubbed as a flash hider, muzzle brake, and rifle grenade launcher. Much like many other NATO armies at that time, the Italian military made extensive use of rifle grenades, particularly the 75mm Energa manufactured in Belgium by MECAR and known in the U.S. service as the M28 rifle grenade; the BM59 would, thus, also come equipped with a flip-up grenade leaf sight (“Alidada” in Italian) which, when raised, would also act as a cut-off valve, preventing any gas from reaching the piston.

The grenade sight was pre-set for target at 50, 75, and 100 meters, and marked specifically “Energa” at the bottom. The grenade sight and bipod were all in one assembly with the gas valve and front sight tower; when the Energa grenade was phased out in favor of the improved-capability Super Energa, the leaf sights were replaced with new ones, which were pre-sighted to 75-, 100-, and 120-meter increments.

Being based on the Garand action, the BM59 featured a charging handle on the right side of the receiver, a hold-open button to the left, and the same type of front and adjustable rear sight used on the U.S. M1 rifle. The front-in, rock-back magazine was held in place by a paddle catch to the rear of the magwell; the safety was located in front of the trigger guard, and consisted of a flat plate that could be pushed in and out with the shooter’s index finger. The safety plate was perforated, so that BM59 rifles could be secured with a chain or a metal rod when held on a rack – once again just like the Garand.

Additionally, the BM59 also featured a winter trigger in form of an up-folding lever that would normally lay flat against the bottom of the action, to the right of the trigger guard. When necessary, it could be folded down to allow the BM59 to be fired with mittens or heavy gloves.

THREE SUITS FOR THE SAME RIFLE

The Beretta BM59 rifle would be manufactured in three main variants, the most commonly available being the BM59 ITAL, known by the Italian military simply as the FAL, standing for “Fucile automatico leggero” (“Light automatic rifle”). The BM59 ITAL was the baseline model with a standard fixed stock, which hosted a cleaning and maintenance tool behind a trapdoor in the buttplate. An export version, known as the BM59 Mk.1, came without the distinctive “tri-compensator” device on the muzzle.

The second variant – less common in Italian arsenals, but by far the most popular among troops due to its lower weight and easier maneuverability – was the ITAL-TA, with TA standing for “Truppe Alpine” (“Alpine troops”), initially conceived for the Italian Army’s mountain regiments. The ITAL-TA variant came from factory with a vertical brown plastic pistol grip and a side-folding two-strut metal stock; a variant of the ITAL-TA, known in Italy as the ITAL-Para (from “Paracadutisti”) and marketed internationally as the Mk.3, came with a removable tri-compensator device, turning it into an even more compact package to be secured to a paratrooper’s harness before launch.

Finally, two squad automatic weapon variants were proposed, dubbed the Mk.2 and Mk.4 respectively, with the Mk.2 featuring a full wooden stock and the Mk.4 coming with a brown polymer pistol grip. Both were essentially a baseline BM59 ITAL rifle with a fixed stock and vertical pistol grip, not unlike what the U.S. had experimented with in the M14E2/M14A1 – and not unlike it, the Mk.2 and Mk.4 were lackluster in their intended function due to the limitations of the 20-round magazine. The Italian military never adopted the BM59 Mk.2 and Mk.4; export sales were however made to Indonesia and Nigeria, which later proceeded to manufacture them under license respectively as the SP.3 rifle at the Bandung Weapons Factory (now known as PT Pindad), and as the NR-2 rifle at the Kaduna plant (now known as the Defense Industries Corporation of Nigeria, or DICON), which is why this last pattern is known chiefly as the “Nigerian type.”

Perhaps not surprisingly, the BM59 was never adapted or modified for sniper or designated marksman purposes. Being based on an unmodified M1 Garand action, the BM59 ejected spent cases from the top, which meant that it could be reloaded by topping off the magazine with 10-round stripper clips (and, indeed, all BM59 rifles came with a dedicated clip guide), but also that it could only be equipped with a side-mounted scope, much like the M1D Garand. By the 1960s, when the BM59 rifle was introduced in Italian service, this was already an outdated solution; while some pictures do exist of Italian Army paratroopers using side-mounted optics on their BM59 rifles, this was by no means a widely adopted solution, but rather a limited-scale concoction by the most elite frontline units of the Italian military to overcome the limitations of their service rifles.

For the same reason, and unlike the M14, no attempt to turn existing BM59s into DMRs was made after the Italian military switched to 5.56×45mm NATO. Other weapon systems had been adopted to fulfill that niche by that point, and now that the AR-70/90 has been phased out in favor of the ARX-160 and ARX-200, the problem can be officially considered as solved.

THE LAST OF ITS KIND

The Beretta BM59 rifle would go on to serve with the Italian military officially until 1990, being retained as a rear-line and reserve rifle for a few more years afterward, as its replacement with the new AR-70/90 5.56mm weapon system was gradual. This makes the BM59 arguably the longest-serving battle rifle having been based on a classic, pre-WWII stock and action design.

As of today, with the Beretta ARX-160 and ARX-200 being universally in service with the Italian military, and with tens of thousands of AR-70/90 rifles in reserve – so many, indeed, that upon their replacement, the Italian government donated many of them to Albania to facilitate the latter’s transition to NATO standards – the BM59 doesn’t fulfill any operational role in its motherland any longer, and like the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, MAB sub-machine guns, and Carcano rifles, it is confined to ceremonial duties.

The BM59 also saw distribution on the civilian markets, both in Italy and abroad. In the 1960s, Beretta manufactured very small quantities – approximately 1,700 samples overall – of the BM62 semi-automatic rifle; chambered in 308 Winchester, it came from factory with a five-round magazine and lacked the “tri-compensator” and flip-up grenade sight/gas cutout.

As laws concerning modern sporting rifles relaxed in Italy, and with the country having nothing similar to the “once a machine-gun, always a machine-gun” rule that is in place in the U.S., the Nuova Jäger S.r.l. company would first launch a rifle called the M99 – essentially a Beretta BM62 assembled using old BM59 components – only to flood the Italian civilian market with a huge quantity of proper BM59 rifles from dismissed Italian military stocks, properly refurbished and converted to semi-automatic only. In the following years, other companies, such as Redolfi Armi, did the same. After so many years, the BM59 is no longer an impossible dream for European shooters.

At the same time, Nuova Jäger introduced a line of dedicated accessories for the BM59, including a specific Picatinny scope mount. A similar product is offered by Sadlak Industries in the U.S., providing plenty of clearance for the top-ejecting action while no longer requiring a scope to be side-mounted. Too late to allow the Italian military to convert their BM59s to designated marksman rifles, but welcome news for shooters in Italy and elsewhere that wants to get the best out of their rifle.

As far as American shooters are concerned, BM62 rifles are way more rare and collectable in the U.S. than they are in Europe. BERBEN (the first ever U.S.-based Beretta subsidiary) imported but a few in the 1980s; around the same time, Springfield Armory sold their own BM59-based semi-automatic rifles, assembling them in the U.S. with a mix of locally made and imported parts. Today, for American collectors, the best way to get their hands on a BM59 are the James River Armory build, and parts kits.

From the mid-2000s to the mid-2010s, an Italian company experimented on a large-size tactical pistol for home and property defense and for private security that never entered mass production: let’s take a look at it and see if there’s a future ahead for the design!

Albeit not successful as its creators (Roberto Teppa and Claudio Gritti from the Turin-based SITES S.p.A. company) would have wanted it to be, the SITES M4 Spectre sub-machine gun was by all accounts one of the most technically innovative and interesting firearms of the 1980s.

The Spectre design also saw civilian sales on both sides of the Atlantic: a stockless, single-grip variant dubbed the “Spectre HC” would be marketed on the U.S. civilian market, while European shooters had the choice of the “Falcon” pistol (essentially a semi-automatic M4 Spectre with a removable vertical foregrip and upfolding stock) and the “Ranger” carbine, same as above but with a longer barrel.

SITES shut down in 1997, but Gritti – now operating a company called Greco Sport S.A. in Switzerland – would continue to assemble and sell Spectre sub-machine guns, pistols and carbines until 2001.

For years, however, its creators would attempt to revise and improve the concept into an aesthetically new, more compact and ergonomically-friendly package that would be marketed chiefly as a semi-automatic pistol in two barrel lengths (5.3-inch (13.5cm) and or 8.6-inch (22 cm)), with a fast clip-on butt-stock available as an optional as Europe lacks the short barrel rifle restrictions of the U.S., that could become a desirable alternative for individuals looking for a high-capacity, highly controllable home and property defense pistol, as well as for local law enforcement and private security personnel, particularly those working cash-in-transit duties.

The first prototype of what was meant to be the Spectre’s heir apparent would be showcased at the 2000 EXA gun expo in Brescia, Italy by Claudio Gritti’s new company, THOR Projects, headquartered in the Swiss city of Mendrisio. In 2003, once again at the EXA expo, the design was on display again, this time known as the PPM-1 “Storm”, and announcements were made that it would be manufactured in Italy by a company called Modulo Masterpiece S.a.s. – back then a newcomer whose product line included both a vast line of bolt-action long-range precision shooting rifles and a series of high-grade competition-oriented 1911 pistols, a throwback to the post-SITES days of Gritti, who had worked on 1911 handguns with the Bologna-based TECNEMA company from 1990 to 1996.

Differences between the Modulo Masterpiece and THOR Projects teams sadly led to the project being dropped not much later, with not a single PPM-1 being produced commercially. The Italian company, however, retained the rights for the design and, in 2008, it underwent a corporate restructuring, becoming known as BCM Europearms. The development of the Storm pistol – now called the PM4 Storm – continued all through the early 2010s, with the final version being revealed in 2015.

Technically speaking, the BCM Europearms PM4 Storm is a semi-automatic, locked breech pistol designed to be manufactured in three calibers – 9mm Luger, 40 Smith & Wesson, and 9×21 IMI – but ultimately produced in an extremely limited number (approximately fifteen) only in the latter.

As the heir apparent of the SITES Spectre sub-machine gun, the PM4 Storm was conceived to be ready for use at a moment’s notice, while still remaining perfectly safe to carry or transport given the relatively compact size – a true plus for bodyguards and other private security professionals working close protection details – and boasting an aggressive look and feel that would alone act as a deterrent against the less well-prepared and determined attackers. Gun grabbers in the United States would call this an “assault pistol”, but well, the makers of the Storm don’t shy away from it.

As many of you may remember, the SITES Spectre featured a SA/DA striker-fired (or better, linear-hammer fired) trigger group, quite unusual for a sub-machine gun: an ambidextrous decocking lever located over the grip, at thumb reach, replaced the standard manual safety and allowed the user to drop the striker safely on a loaded chamber with the selector set on semi-automatic or full-automatic fire.

The Spectre could thus be carried ready to fire, much like a revolver or a double-action pistol. All the operator would need to do, if the need arose, was to bring the gun to bear and pull the trigger; the first shot would be fired in double-action, the following rounds would be fired in single-action. The SA/DA trigger design also allowed shooters to restrike a chambered round in the event of a malfunction.

The PM4 “Storm” improves and elaborates on the original SA/DA trigger group of the Spectre, albeit ever so slightly, by replacing the old linear hammer with a standard hammer for easier manufacturing and offering a better trigger pull in double action.

At the heart of the PM4 Storm is a massive cylindrical bolt, with a large hook-type extractor. The bolt is hollow and houses a free-floating striker and the return spring; the entire bolt assembly runs within a (likewise cylindrical) steel receiver to which the trigger group is hinged at the bottom, housed in its own metal chassis with two side bars for easy inspection and maintenance.

The charging handle of the PM4 Storm is screwed on to its seat within the bolt, is reciprocating, and runs into a slot cut on the left side of the receiver. It is also the only non-ambidextrous control of the gun, which in and by itself has very little controls, most notably no manual safety: a push-button located within the trigger guard, behind the trigger itself, acts as a decocker and engages the double-action.

The flat magazine catch is located right behind the mag well: it is meant to be operated by thumb, either by left- or right-handed shooters. The magazines don’t drop free and must be pulled away, although the PM4 Storm does lock open on an empty magazine.

Ditching the heavy, cumbersome and complex 50-rounds quad-stack “coffin” magazines of the original SITES Spectre, the Storm pistol has been conceived ever since its first iteration in the year 2000 to use tried and true, double-stack Uzi magazines. 15- and 20-round magazines were planned to be made available, but the pistol will feed through any iteration of the popular 9mm Uzi mag.

The mentioned steel receiver of the PM4 Storm is contained within a black high-strength polymer chassis; unscrewing the charging handle from its seat in the bolt and removing the rear endcap of the polymer chassis is required to field-strip the gun.

The chassis is composed of two parts: a lower, which includes the grip assembly and the magazine well; and the upper, featuring a full-length top MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny rail for optics or emergency flip-up iron sights.

Originally the PM4 Storm had to feature a shorter top rail and a set of integral sights, consisting of a fixed front post and an adjustable rear sight assembly; the idea was ditched in the final iteration in favor of a full-length top rail, as were many features of the previous prototypes such as a detachable pistol grip and a different, overall more smooth and sci-fi-ish design of the polymer chassis.

A second, removable screw-on piece of Picatinny rail is located in front of the magazine well, providing an interface point for tactical accessories or for a foregrip – once again, there’s no such thing as SBR or AOW regulations in Italy.

The barrel of the PM4 Storm pistol is 14.5 centimeters long (5.7 inches for those using freedom units), and ends in a thread-on, multi-port proprietary muzzle device that doubles as a flash hider and compensator. Like the SITES Spectre, the PM4 Storm opts for a sinusoidal rifling pattern, with six right-handed grooves and a very long twist rate (1 turn in approximately 1 meter, which would be 1:39.3-inch). The sinusoidal pattern is extremely effective in tightening groups, not as much as you’d need to come out on top in a shooting competition, but definitely enough to bring the hostiles down when the prize on the line is your own life.

As mentioned above, time and time again, there’s no such thing as SBR restrictions in Italy and in most of Europe. While in the US the difference between a long gun and a handgun is the intended mode of use – with long guns being “originally conceived to be fired from the shoulder” – the European Firearms Directive, ever since its first iteration in 1991, designates a long gun as a firearm that is both longer than 60 cm (23.6 inches) and has a barrel longer than 30 cm (11.8 inches), with anything shorter being classified as a handgun, regardless of any buttstocks or foregrips.

The Italian law, which like many other gun laws in European countries implemented the directive, goes so far as to state that the overall length of a firearm equipped with a collapsible or folding buttstock must be measured with the stock in its fully collapsed or closed position, thus focusing on concealability rather than the possibility of firing the gun from the shoulder.

It is, thus, no wonder that the Storm pistol was always planned to be equipped with a buttstock. As previously mentioned, the original prototype from THOR Projects in Switzerland came with a clip-on fixed stock, and as the various iterations of the design came to be, the companies involved in the development experimented with fixed, folding, removable, and collapsing wire metal stocks.

In the current iteration, the PM4 Storm’s factory chassis end cap can optionally be replaced with another that is threaded at the end for a MIL-SPEC or commercial buffer tube, allowing the use of M4-type collapsible buttstocks. The mount is hinged to fold to one side, making the PM4 Storm compact enough for concealed carry under a jacket even when the stock is installed.

Now, the PM4 Storm is by no means a diminutive firearm, standing in at 39.5 centimeters (15.5 inches) in overall length without a stock, or with the stock folded, while topping the scale at 2.5 kilograms approximately (5.51 pounds) when empty. But considering it is meant for rapid fire in close quarters, the extra mass helps keeping recoil and muzzle climb under control.

THOR Projects and Modulo Masterpiece briefly experimented with a carbine version, to be called the CM4, that would tentatively be 77cm (30.31 inches) long overall and feature a long barrel and a fixed buttstock.

The carbine project has however since being shelved; the reason for its demise are unknown, but once again, with SBR restrictions not really being a thing in Italy and most of Europe, the manufacturing company wouldn’t have to worry about overall length. The reader must also remember that the Storm pistol was conceived initially in the early 2000s, over a decade before the PCC craze ever saw the light of the day.

And to be more accurate, “shelved” is a description that applies to the entirety of the PM4 Storm pistol project. After a limited run of merely fifteen commercial samples, BCM Europearms put the production of the Storm pistol on an indefinite hiatus to focus on their core business of top-tier bolt-action competition rifles for the European commercial markets and high-precision sniping platforms for the Italian military and other professional customers worldwide.

“Indefinite hiatus”, however, doesn’t mean – in the words of the owner and CEO of BCM Europearms, Gianmattia Molina – that the PM4 Storm is dead. It’s on the back burner, for sure, but still in his mind; and the company still has the technology and owns the rights to the design.

A return – or to be more precise, a true full-scale commercial launch – of the PM4 Storm pistol sometime in the future can thus not be ruled out.

The design would require some tinkering, to adapt it to the sensibility of the modern markets: Molina explicitly mentioned lengthening the overall action and chassis to accommodate Glock magazines, abandoning the .40 Smith & Wesson option which has long fallen out of favor with civilian shooters and professional operators worldwide, and replacing the original end cap and M4 buffer adapter with a vertical Picatinny rail that would allow more versatility and flexibility in the installation of sling rings, SIG Sauer MCX/MPX type stocks, arm braces, and the like.

But in today’s civilian firearms market, even in Europe, a firearm like the PM4 Storm does have its space, and for someone like the writer – who has been following the development of the design ever since the 2003 edition of EXA – it would really be a pleasure to see it finally come to fruition.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

BERETTA IS BRINGING BACK THE CLASSIC 380 WITH EXCEPTIONAL COMFORT & STYLE.

The 80x Cheetah reimagines the legendary platform, with a new sleek design and enhanced features. Ergonomically redesigned for modern day carry, the 80X Cheetah includes a smaller Vertec style grip profile, the X-treme S Double/Single trigger, skeletonized hammer, a13+1 round capacity, and comes optics-ready out of the box.

Beretta knows the importance of training when concealed carrying and has made a carry gun that is actually comfortable to carry and enjoyable to shoot. With an easier-to-rack slide, lightened recoil from tuning of the slide weight, spring rates, and chambering in 380, the 80x Cheetah is designed with an enhanced fit and style for elevated speed and control.

For those looking for something different, the 80x Cheetah comes in a premium assortment of color options with limited edition multi-tone variants and market-leading finishes. 

Before we made it the most comfortable and controllable pistol available, we made it a Beretta. The Beretta 80x Cheetah– Style in EVERY detail.

Beretta 92XI Pistol, Cal. 9mm

Introducing the new frontier for the 90 Series – the 92XI. The 92XI brings the long-awaited frame mounted safety to the standard 92 family of products, as well as a single action only variant and various ergonomic enhancements. The frame mounted safety offers an ambidextrous solution, bringing the safety lever more in reach with natural ergonomics. 

The 92XI features the X-treme-S single action only and flat faced trigger, performance DLC coated trigger components and a lightweight skeletonized hammer, allowing for a crisp trigger pull with the option to go cocked and locked.

The 92XI carries forward the Vertec style frame, both high and low-capacity magazine options, a fiber optic front sight for faster sight acquisition, and the option for MRDS optics mounting making this a high performing, reliable choice for personal defense and competition.

Available in a new line of colorways with standard and limited edition variants, the long-awaited 92XI brings classic design with modern innovation. 

Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol Shotgun, 12 Ga.

ULTIMATE RELIABILITY AND CONTROL.
Elevate your tactical set-up with the new Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol – engineered to be ultra-reliable and easy to manipulate. Featuring the classic mechanisms of the venerable A300 platform, this new tactical shotgun includes enlarged controls, an enhanced loading port, a thinner forend design with multiple M-Lok and QD sling mounting points, and a 7+1-shot extended magazine tube secured by a custom barrel clamp with integral M-Lok capability.

In 1918, it was clear that the Italian Royal Army needed an automatic rifle. Though the various proposed projects seemed peter out, except for the Revelli OVP carbine issued by the Italian Army Air Corp. But things would change by the end of that year.

Under the direction of engineer Tullio Marengoni at the Pietro Beretta firearms factory, a prototype submachine gun was built. It was stamped “RE”, Regio Esercito (Italian Royal Army), serial number S1787, and was based on the Villar Perosa model 1915 submachine gun. It featured a fire rate delayer and a little button, which, when held with the thumb during operation, allowed the weapon to fire in fully automatic mode at about 300 rounds per minute.

Later, a new, more successful product was made starting in September 1918 at the Pietro Beretta firearms factory. The project was under the direction of engineer Marengoni, under the direct observation of Pietro Beretta, president of the firearms factory and with the cooperation of Lieutenant Colonel Abiel Revelli himself. This self-loading carbine, as it would be called today, was mass-produced for the Italian Army and built using different parts from other distinct firearms, probably to save material during the ongoing war.

This new automatic rifle, produced by Beretta and called the model 1918 semiautomatic carbine was made using designs and parts of some Italian weapons that were in service with the Italian army at the time, such as the trigger guard of the Vetterli rifle, like the first prototype made with the fire mode delayer, and the Villar Perosa Mod. 1915 twin submachine gun, separated and mounted on the wooden stock of the Italian Carcano M91 carbine, including its cavalry bayonet. The original M91 cavalry bayonet was triangular shaped, foldable, and exchangeable. But, on this new self-loading carbine, its blade was reduced to 25cm to adapt to the dimensions of the new barrel.

This self-loading carbine was 85cm long. Like the Villar Perosa, it fired 9mm Glisenti rounds, fed from 25-round mags, but in semi-automatic only, or short bursts, because of the addition of a trigger mechanism disconnector and that won’t allow fully automatic fire of the machine gun. Its sights were on the right side; the rear sight screwed into the bolt operating lever.

Documento N. 99 of the Comando Supremo dell’Esercito, Ufficio Ordinamento e Mobilitazione, dated 12 September 1918, with subject: “New Type of Infantry Regiment”, drafted by general Pietro Badoglio, stated that the submachine gun section is abolished in the new type of experimental battalion of the 9th Italian Army. Replacing it, says the document, would be three musketeer squads, each with two automatic muskets. Every platoon of the battalion would be made up of 37 men divided into a rifle squad, a light machine gun squad, and a squad of musketeers. The automatic firearm that came out the transformation of the Villar Perosa into an “automatic musket” never saw fighting, though, because the unit that got them was a reserve unit and operated far from the WWI front.

Some classes were instituted to train troops to use the automatic musket. Production ended on 28 November 1918. According to documents attributed to Pietro Beretta, the company made a few thousand of these automatic muskets.

Right after the conflict, this weapon, known as “moschetto automatico” (automatic musket), was given the name “moschetto automatico Revelli-Beretta” (MAR-B), according to Italian military manuals of the time. For example, in the manual: “Nozioni sulle armi portatili, sulle artiglierie e sul tiro” published by the Stabilimento Poligrafico per l’Amministrazione della Guerra di Roma, dated 1921, written by Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Mella, are the descriptions and technical specifications of every firearm adopted by the Italian Army. The MAR-B is included among the automatic firearms, along with the Glisenti Mod. 1910 and Beretta Mod. 1915 automatic pistols.

Inside the “Nozioni” (Notions) is described the history of the automatic musket in the Italian Army. This manual gives credit to the action of machine guns in battle and criticized the repeating rifles of the time, reporting them as “too much heavy”, and with “a range superior to what is needed”, and providing “the firing velocity” that is not comparable to the rate of fire of machine guns. Romeo Mella also criticized the transformation of repeating rifles into automatic firearms, affirming that it would lead to a considerable growth of their weight. He proposed as a solution the adoption of the MAR-B as the new “individual firearm of the soldier.”

The MAR-B was appreciated by Romeo Mella for its mechanical qualities but criticized for its lower performing ballistic qualities. It was reported as capable of only “intermittent firing,” which means semi-automatic; so, contrary to what some secondary sources state, it doesn’t fire in full-automatic and it is not a submachine gun. It’s probable that the MAR-B was limited to semi-automatic operation to limit the possible waste of rounds – a problem that was brought to light by the automatic Villar Perosa – because of its short, 25-rounds magazines and the way it was used in combat with short bursts provided by small pulls on the two triggers.

Unlike the Villar Perosa, the MAR-B has no safety switch. The magazine catch is an original piece different than the one present on the Villar Perosa and the sights are non-adjustable. The top of the receiver is stamped, like other Beretta’s products from World War 1, “Pietro Beretta–Brescia”. Today, the MAR-B is known as Beretta M1918, but this name seems to belong to another automatic musket chambered in 9mm Glisenti and dated 23 September 1918, that, later on, would become the Beretta M1918/30.

The forgotten weapon of the Italian Army, the MAR-B, has a quite short operational life of about nine years. This is much longer than the fielding life of the Villar Perosa, which was just about three years during WWI. The last official record of the MAR-B as an operational firearm in the Italian Army is dated 1928, almost ten years after its official adoption. On page number XXV of the “Tavole di Armi” by Romeo Mella, there’s a telegram dated 4 January 1928. It was drafted by Benito Mussolini, Chief of the Government and Minister of Foreign Affairs, to Luigi Federzoni, Minister of the Colonies e Giuliano Cora, Minister at Addis Ababa. In this telegram, Mussolini anticipates a peace treaty between Italy and Ethiopia, and brings up the possibility of selling Ras Tafari, the future emperor of Ethiopia, some thousand firearms. Among those sold were 48 MAR-Bs at the price of 100 Lire (90 USD) each, with ammunition at 0.12 Lire (0.11 USD) each. These firearms, including the MAR-B, were used during the War of Ethiopia against the Italians. A few photos of the Kebur Zabagna, the Ethiopian Imperial Guard, show the MAR-B in use by the Ethiopians.

Two photos by Istituto Luce named “Ascaro sull’attent,” (“Ascaro at attention”), dated 1936 and probably after the entry of the Italian troops into Addis Ababa, show an Ascaro troop holding a MAR-B. The photos are seen here and here. In February 1938, during the Italian military mission to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the operation chief, Captain Alfredo D’Aria of the Ufficio addestramento dello Stato Maggiore, writes to the Servizio informazioni militare to supply firearms to the Saudi Arabians. This included a 75mm Obice da 75/13 field gun with 5,000 shells and MAR-Bs (in the text mentioned as “moschetti mitragliatori M.915 Beretta Revelli”.)

The MAR-B was fielded for a short time during WWII. One example, modified by the VNS, “National Salvation Government”, the German occupation state in Serbia, was captured by Ivan Škrlj, a Slovenian, on 14 December 1944. This modified example is today conserved at the Upper Sava Museum in Jesenice, Slovenia.

The history of the MAR-B has been hidden in the shadows of small arms history and sometimes mystified as the first submachine gun design that anticipated the German MP 18/I. The MAR-B, if analyzed in depth, turns out to be very relevant in the history of small arms. In fact, it’s one of the first individual firearms to be used in an assault role, mass-produced, and adopted by an army.

This self-loading carbine was a weapon of the Italian Army, a fact which history has almost forgotten, favoring more spectacular stories, but those were all fantasies, in the end. The primary sources of the Italian Army and official manuals tell a much different reality, one that is truer and more reliable.

Manufacturers Show Off Their Latest & Greatest in Las Vegas

FOREWARD

A good number of manufacturers offered a brace-equipped pistol version of their rifles at this year’s SHOT Show held January 23–26 in Las Vegas. Having the Hearing Protection Act waiting in the wings, there were a number of suppressors and related products, with the LMT suppressor being an interesting new design. Also prominent were the number of 1-x variable magnification scopes from various manufacturers.

NIGHTFORCE

Nightforce introduced two 1-8x scopes with daylight-bright illumination and true 1x: ATACR and NX8 1-8 x 24 F1. The NX8 has a wider field of view (FOV) than ATACR (35.3m vs. 32.0m) at 100m, while both have the same 4.4m FOV at 8x. In reciprocal, the ATACR has a larger 11.3mm exit pupil at 1x in contrast to the 7.9mm of the NX8. Indeed, the author found the ATACR easier to mount during brief handling at the show.

The ATACR has a 34mm tube and weighs more at 21 ounces in comparison to the NX8 with 30mm tube and 17 ounces. ATACR features capped turrets while the NX8 utilizes exposed turrets. Optically, the ATACR utilizes ED glass while the NX8 shares the same elements as the NXS line. The illumination utilizes diffractive grid technology and is powered by a CR2032 battery that lasts about 130 hours. As of writing, the ATACR is on schedule to ship early spring.

DOUBLESTAR

In addition to their staple line-up of AR-15 parts, upper receivers and complete firearms, DoubleStar introduced the Strongarm pistol brace that fits an AR-15 buffer tube and retails under $100. The arm loop is ambidextrous, and the provided sling stud can be mounted on either side.

LEWIS MACHINE & TOOL

LMT is releasing a short, 7-inch barrel, 40mm grenade launcher with an option for a pistol-grip-only for breeching. This allows users to keep their rifles as light as possible. Its breech is long enough to accommodate the largest of 40mm ammunition.

In addition, the partnership with Laurence Livermore Laboratory bore fruit in the form of an innovative flow-through suppressor. Screwed into standard threads, the muzzle design compresses gases exiting the bore to form a “virtual baffle.” This redirects most of the gases around a longer alternate path to prevent them from “chasing” the projectile. This continuous flow of gases reduces back pressure so that cyclic rate remains constant. Company representatives quoted that this design rapidly vents back to ambient pressure, greatly reducing heat transfer from gas to suppressor body. As such, this design is machine-gun rated and is expected to last the lifetime of a barrel. As part of the testing, LMT subjected the suppressor to a continuous 1,000-round belt from a MK48 with no problems. Lastly, LMT representatives indicated the large exit diameter is designed to mitigate muzzle flash. LMT’s suppressors range from a mere 8 ounces (titanium Confined Space Weapon integral suppressor) to 34 ounces (for 7.62 belt-fed machine guns). Dimensions range from 1.5 to 2.1 inches in diameter and 6.5 to 8.6 inches in length. Most of the suppressors are an over-the-barrel design which minimizes the added length when mounted.

SAMSON

Samson is bringing pistol products to market for the first time in 2018, offering the Pocket Comp, Compact Magwell and Carry Contour +1 Magazine Extension for the Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield. Pocket Comp, machined from 7075 aluminium, blends with the slide profile to reduce felt recoil. It threads onto a ½ x 28-inch threaded barrel, and the set screws are tightened against a muzzle adaptor to prevent damaging the threads. It functions with the factory recoil spring. While 124gr or heavier projectiles are recommended, 115gr ammunition may work depending on environmental condition and load specification. The patent-pending Compact Magwell requires no gunsmith to install and allows a full firing grip on the M&P9 Shield. It also allows the expended magazine to drop free without shifting one’s grip. Lastly, the Carry Contour Magazine Extension adds one more round to the factory 7- and 8-round magazines while utilizing factory magazine springs. The leading edge forms a finger grove to give additional purchase during one-handed reloads or malfunction clearance.

GEMTECH

Gemtech is bringing back the wipe-based pistol caliber Aurora with a new design. Measuring only 3.4 inches long, 1.125 inches wide and weighing 3.5 ounces, the suppressor features 13.5mm x 1 left-hand threads on one end, with ½ x 28 inch threads on the other end to accommodate many different pistols. The light weight obviates the need for a Nielson device. The polyurethane wipes are optimized for a service life of 30 to 40 rounds of FMJ only, after which the package must be sent back to the manufacturer to “repack” the wipes. The small, light-weight and cost-effective suppressor allows one to protect hearing on a nightstand or duty firearm.

The company is also releasing a rifle caliber Trek II with the same baffles designed to reduce backpressure. This suppressor features an improved mounting surface to reduce weight by roughly 1 ounce while including a pre-drilled hole for permanent attachment to barrel. This relieves the need for an SBR tax stamp if the combination measures over 16 inches long. The Trek II also utilizes a new weldless design that is serviceable at the factory while retaining the iconic Gemtech front cap with 3/8-inch drive socket.

HECKLER & KOCH

In addition to offering new colors for VP9 frames and Crimson Trace modules for both VP9 and VP9SK, HK continues to expand their US manufacturing spaces and staff in Georgia. The company is expected to begin US manufacture of MR556 rifles and HK45 pistols. Continuing the long-standing relationship between HK and B&T, the two companies partnered to launch an HK line of suppressors for the American market. Lastly, HK joined Hogue in releasing a family of knives: 3.25-inch partially serrated Exemplar Folder, 3.375-inch Hadron Automatic and 3.75-inch Karma Response Tool with glass breaker and strap cutter in addition to the partially serrated edge.

FIGHTLITE

For 2018, FightLite offers compact models of their SCR rifle and MCR belt-fed machine gun in both 5.56 NATO and 300 Blackout. The new Raider pistol is a compact pistol version of the SCR, while the MCR Micro has a shortened barrel. Aside from the shortened gas system and handguard, the Micro shares parts with the full-sized MCR. The company has also indicated that an MCR belt hold pawl is in prototype stages.

SCHMIDT & BENDER

Following up on the 1-8 x 24 CC scope, the 1-8 x 24 CC Dual model features an illuminated first focal plane reticle and a daylight-bright dot in the second focal plane. The version for use with Bundeswehr G28 Patrol rifles has a BDC elevation turret and extra 0.2 mil adjustments at either ends of the travel for CQB use. Customers can also opt for turrets with no over-travel and marked in mils only. The scope also features “more tactile clicks” where the “click” takes more effort every 1 mil and at zero windage for low light use.

The aforementioned diffractive grid technology replaces the split-beam prism for FlashDot illumination. The illumination passes through a grid and forms constructive and destructive interference patterns in order to achieve peak amplitude at the eye. This technology is currently featured in the 1-8 x 24 CC Dual, Polar Second Focal Plane reticles and LR reticles.
In the veins of incremental improvement, S&B now offers a magnification throw lever that is compatible with some current scopes and all new models. Future PM models and current 3-20 x 50 Ultra Short plus 5-25 x 56 High Power scopes feature a locking windage turret with a protruding nub to indicate dialing left. The nub is retracted when dialing right. Also on display is a 3-21 x 50 prototype for hunting and competition use with both First and Second Focal Plane options as well as locking turrets.

AIMPOINT

The recently released CompM5 continues to be in the spotlight. The sight has the same 2MOA dot and overall size of the Micro T-2 but utilizes an AAA battery mounted in the same fashion as the CompM4, as well as changing body material to 7075 aluminium. The original Micro T-1 was made of 6061 Aluminium with a 6-in-lb torque spec; the steel screw could strip the threads if misused. The Micro T-2 incorporated a steel Heli-Coil thread insert in the 6061 body to give roughly three repair attempts if the 12-in-lb torque specification were exceeded. The CompM5 changed materials to 7075 Aluminium to maintain the 12-in-lb specification without the need for a Heli-Coil. In addition to the new product, Aimpoint is releasing a limited-run of Micro T-2 sights in Flat Dark Earth.

VORTEX OPTICS

1-6 x 24 Razor Gen II-E reduced weight by about ¼ pound while maintaining the same durability and optical performance of its successful older brother. Different material and lightening cuts in the turret assembly gave the weight savings. Vortex is adding 4-24 x 50 and 3-18 x 44 variants to the Strike Eagle entry-level scope line-up. The new Crossfire Red Dot sight is very reasonably priced and includes a skeletonized mount with two height options. Lastly, Vortex is expanding their target observation portfolio with the Viper HD spotting scopes and Kaibab HD binoculars.

TRIJICON

Released earlier, company representatives indicated that the RMR Type 2 continues to be a strong seller. Optimizing for pistol use, Trijicon strengthened the electronics and battery contact in the Type 2 to sate the fast-growing demand of optics-equipped pistols. In addition, the new 4-16 x 50mm Accupoint bolstered the portfolio of tube scopes with dual fibre optic / tritium illumination.

SIG SAUER

The trend of releasing rifles in pistol form continues with the SIG MCX Rattler, which has a 16-inch overall length when folded and is available in both 5.56 NATO and 300 Blackout. The low profile design features a shaved shell deflector and the more vertically angled pistol grip. The two-position gas regulator can handle suppressor back pressure while the upper can be installed on a standard AR-15 lower with the assistance of a conversion kit.

SIG also debuted the P365 micro-compact pistol featuring a 10+1 capacity and standard night sights. The pistol ships with one flush and one extended magazine, along with modular grips. In addition, a commercial version of the M17 is anticipated for release in the second quarter of 2018.

PATRIOT ORDNANCE FACTORY

Following up the success of their Revolution rifles, POF is releasing the G series Gentlemen’s Slide for Glock 17, 19 and 34 with cutouts to fit the Trijicon RMR. A Glock 43 slide without RMR cutout is soon to be released. Made of 17-4 billet stainless steel and H900 heat treated, it is finished in nitride for protection and durability.

SPYDERCO

Spyderco debuted several new edged tools for 2018. The Warrior Hawk features a faceted front, a spike and a pry tip. It is made of D2 tool steel with a G10 handle. The US-made Shaman folder utilizes a thick CPM S30V blade with a plain or serrated edge option and secures with Spyderco’s patented Compression Lock. The 2.5-inch blade Lil’ Native, employing either a back or Compression Lock, was developed with urban-friendly carry in mind. Lastly, the Sliverax flipper folder has an S30V blade and a carbon fiber / G10 laminate handle.

COMBINED SYSTEMS

The less-lethal-focused company offers grenade launchers and four munitions: aerosol, chemical, impact and flashbang. While the company is best known for its flashbang, it also has the highest injury potential from overpressure and heat in close proximity. The company takes safety seriously and requires customer agencies to have staffs that were trained within the past four years before selling flashbangs. In 2018, Combined System is looking to expand their breeching portfolio, to potentially include 40mm in addition to current 12ga munitions.

KNS PRECISION

Adapting to the increasingly common use of suppressors and red dot sights on pistols, KNS partnered with Dead Air Armaments to develop the Switch Sight. When flipped down to standard height, it remains compatible with standard holsters while completely clearing red dot sight (e.g., Trijicon RMR) view windows. When rotated 90 degrees to increase height, it clears the top of most suppressors while acting as a backup-sight for red dots. This product is currently in prototype phase.

The adjustable AK piston system on display is already in production. Two versions (one or two vent holes) allow users to fine tune for 5.45 x 39mm or 7.62 x 39mm rifles with a rotating sleeve to control gas venting. It is noteworthy that the KNS piston does not require the difficult process of changing gas block. Company representatives indicated that the adjustable piston slows down the rate of fire to achieve better control and reduces “piston pop” to decrease noise by 5 to 8dB when used in conjunction with a suppressor.

TEAM WENDY

Team Wendy is debuting a lower profile EXFIL Ballistic SL helmet that is rated to NIJ Level IIIA. The helmet is lighter by 15% and sports a new rail mount with 1913 rails forward for light, camera, etc. The new EXFIL Ballistic Visor (featuring lens made by ESS, part of Oakley) and Ear Covers (compatible with in-ear communication and hearing protection) guard against fragments and are ready for sale along with the helmet in March.

OHIO ORDNANCE

New from Ohio Ordnance in 2018 is the M249 drop-in Select-Fire trigger group. It follows the same vane as their patented M240 Select-Fire trigger group while boasting multiple patents itself. Also new is the OOW240 Patrol that reduces weight from 28 pounds to under 21 pounds with lightened parts, dimpled short barrel and M4 collapsible buttstock. The bipod was moved from the gas block to an underside rail that can accommodate a foregrip and other equipment. Lastly, the HCAR is being made available as a pistol as well.

AERO PRECISION

Launched at the show is the new R1 Rail. The company representative also mentioned that a serviceable, 30-caliber suppressor to be fully made of titanium is in the prototype stage. While the direct thread version is anticipated first, the end goal is to develop a QD mount compatible with the VG6 line of muzzle brakes.

DANIEL DEFENSE

Adding upon the previously released MK18 pistol, the 10.3-inch barrelled DDM4V7 is now available in pistol form chambered in either 5.56 NATO or 300 Blackout. Equipped with the SB Tactical SOB brace, users can also choose to add a Law Tactical adaptor for a 20.75-inch folded length.

Building upon its Aimpoint Micro mount, Daniel Defense is introducing a 30mm single-ring mount for the likes of Aimpoint Comp M3 and PRO as well as a cantilever mount made from 6061 Aluminium for 30mm and 1-inch scopes. The bottom half of the ring is integral to the mount with torque specifications engraved to remind users.

LEUPOLD

Two Mark 5 HD scopes are new for 2018: 3.6-18 x 44mm and 5-25 x 56mm using 35mm tubes. The series feature a three-revolution elevation turret with 10 mils per revolution, along with physical indicators to prevent users from “being lost in the dial.” In the first revolution, the zero lock protrudes while the pin is flush. The second revolution retracts the zero lock while the pin is still flush. The third revolution keeps the zero lock retracted while protruding the pin. When running the elevation dial across the zero stop, the lock automatically secures the turret at “0.” An extra 1 mil adjustment is included below the zero stop to accommodate point-of-impact shift from suppressor or clip-on night vision. The throw lever gives quick and smooth zoom adjustments and is placed to avoid blocking the rifle bolt handle at maximum magnification.

The new VX Freedom series provide entry level 1-inch scopes, with the 2-7x and 3-9x models being rimfire-specific. Also of note is the new rubber armoured RX2800. The 2800-yard-capable range finder continuously ranges as long as the button is held down.

KINETICS RESEARCH GROUP

Against the backdrop of $1000USD precision rifle chassis, KRG is offering the $350, 2.9-pound Bravo Chassis for short- and long-action Remington 700 as well as Tikka T3. Although the price and specifications differ slightly amongst versions, all feature tool-less adjustable check piece and ship with three spacers for length of pull fitment. The bottom of the stock can be smooth or hooked (for rear bag) by undoing a screw to remove a cover. For bedding, the chassis utilizes an aluminium backbone that runs to the tip of the forend. For feeding, it utilizes the ubiquitous Accuracy International magazines. For now, the chassis is only available for right-handed rifles.

FN AMERICA

Newly available to US law enforcement and military, the SCAR SC is a select-fire 5.56 x 45mm subcompact carbine with non-reciprocating charging handle and telescoping buttstock. Sporting a 7.5-inch barrel, the overall length can be collapsed to 21.1 inches. In addition to the PDW type stock, other options available through FN Herstal for international customers include a helmet version meant to accommodate face shields as well as a standard SCAR stock. FN representative indicated there are no current plans for a commercial semi-auto version or additional stock options for the US market at this time.

On the commercial side, FN is offering an AR pistol version of their popular FN15 chambered in 5.56 x 45mm and 300 Blackout, with a brace available as an accessory for a one-stop-shop. The company is also offering California- and Maryland-compliant versions of the FN15. Lastly, there is a limited run of dual tone FDE & Black for pistols, FN15 Tactical II and M249S.

QUANTICO TACTICAL

The newly available Hunter Data Board builds on the Sniper Data Board (already in operational use) with the addition of a bubble level in the mounting arm. Attaching to the top Picatinny rail of a rifle, it reduces rifle cant and folds out to provide quick Data on Previous Engagement (DOPE) reference while maintaining cheek weld. The company representative described this product as “by snipers, for snipers;” inspiration stemmed from a target escaping while the sniper changed body position to reference his sleeve mounted DOPE card. With the Hunter/Sniper Data Board, the card is inserted into a water resistant holder which velcros to a 6061 Aluminium assembly. This US-made product provides a ready reference while increasing awareness. The Sniper Data Board can be retrofitted with the Hunter arm. The Hunter/Sniper Data Board will be available soon through Quantico Tactical’s extensive GSA Schedule.

GORILLA AMMO

The company offers ammunition with a polymer body and metallic case head to achieve 30% weight reduction in 5.56 x 45mm, 7.62 x 51mm and other popular calibers. The company representative related the enhanced accuracy and reduced chamber temperature. As the polymer case does not transfer as much heat to the chamber walls, the heat is expelled with the gases instead.

BERETTA

Beretta acquired Victrix Armaments and is now offering the 50BMG Corvus as a new addition to their precision rifle line. The rifles are made in-house in Italy with barrels sourced from Benchmark in the US and coated with PVD so as to not require oil. Although the rifles are fixed caliber (e.g., no swap kits to go from 7.62 x 51mm to 6.5 Creedmore), the Victrix line-up covers a variety of calibers such as short-action 7.62 x 51mm, long-action 338 Lapua Magnum, 408 Cheytac and the venerable 50BMG.

MEOPTA

The storied Czech optics manufacturer debuted a new line of tactical red dot and magnified sights. MeoRED T Mini has a more square shaped lens while the T2 Mini has a tube body similar to the Aimpoint T2. The T2 offers three reticles: single dot, two dots for hold-over and a circle-dot reticle. Scheduled for release in May, the MeoRED T is a tube type, full-size, red dot sight utilizing a AA battery for a minimum 2000hr run time at medium brightness. All red dot sights can be paired with the new MeoMag 3x Magnifier for versatility.

The MeoACE 3 x 20mm scope features an etched Ballistic Drop Compensating reticle culminating in a AA-illuminated chevron. The right half of the stadia is calibrated for 5.56 x 45mm and 180gr 7.62 x 51mm, while the left half is calibrated for 7.62 x 39mm.

KNIGHT’S ARMAMENT COMPANY

Two new QDC suppressors are offered: CS and PRS with the former designed for carbines and the latter for precision rifles. Both are designed to reduce back pressure and are expected to ship in the second quarter. A company representative remarked upon their effects in reducing group sizes.

Of interest to “clone” builders, KAC will offer “The Vault” line this year where a rotating selection of legacy accessories is reissued. Four free float RAS AR-15 handguards are slated for 2018: Carbine, Too Long, Mid-Length and MRE. One run is scheduled for the end of first quarter with another in the third quarter. Additionally, KAC is also reissuing the XM9 snap-on wipe based suppressor.

Beretta is well known for their legendary 92 series of semiautomatic pistols. The 92FS has had worldwide acceptance as a military and law enforcement pistol since the early 1980s. Much of its success is due to its adoption as the M9 service pistol in 1985 as the official sidearm of the United States forces. Although challenged many times, the M9 has proven itself to be reliable. The poor stopping power of the 9x19mm M882 Ball round and poor quality government low bid magazines have hurt the legendary weapon’s reputation. With the adoption by U.S. forces, it sprung its popularity to record levels almost overnight with American law enforcement. The 92 series design has been produced steady and continuous to this day with additional M9 pistols being procured for the Global War On Terrorism.

There was a technology change in the firearm industry in the early 1980s with the advent of polymer frame pistols introduced by Glock with their Model 17. Although too new for many to accept at the time, polymer frame pistols have arrived and are here to stay.

Beretta research and development continued on a new family of pistols that was not based on the 92 series. It would adapt some of the trigger mechanism but the locking system would be entirely different. The locking system would be taken from a Stoner/Knight design, which would then be introduced to the commercial and military markets by Colt. In 1992, Colt introduced their All American 2000 pistol. This was the first production pistol to use the Stoner/Knight rotating barrel locking mechanism. It worked similar to the rotating bolt on an M16. The barrel rotated on a cam and locked up in the cam slot, front and rear of the side locking areas. This made the recoil more inline creating less muzzle-flip on the unlocking stage. Due to the extent of the locking surfaces, it made the pistol more accurate. During the end of the finalization of the AA2000 design, Colt entered a Special Operations competition for the OHWS (Offensive Handgun Weapon System). Colt decided to incorporate the new rotating barrel mechanism into their candidate to be submitted for testing. The final OHWS competition was down to two guns, one by Colt and the other by Heckler & Koch. The winner was to be dubbed the Mk 23 Mod 0. The Colt entry was a blend of characteristics from three pistols. It had the rotating barrel of the AA2000, utilized the grip design and safety lever of the M1911 and the trigger and decocker were taken from their Desert Eagle design. In the end, the polymer frame Heckler & Koch pistol would win the contract and the AA2000 would be taken out of production. The failure of the All American was in the end not due to the rotating barrel but the trigger. The design that Stoner/Knight provided Colt had an excellent trigger for this striker fired pistol, but Colt’s final design had a very poor heavy trigger. Due to legal considerations, Colt made a heavy trigger with much creep.

Beretta introduced a new family of pistols reviving the rotating barrel design: the Cougar family of pistols. These pistols were introduced in 9mm NATO, .40 S&W, .357 SIG and .45 ACP. The frame would use a traditional double action trigger. The design is very similar to that of the 92 series. The pistol has an aluminum frame and would disassemble similar to the 92 series. The slide incorporated a firing pin block safety and a thumb lever that worked as a safety and decocker. Like the 92 series, the Cougar series would be introduced in decock-only and double action only. The Cougar design did find its way into the market and into the hands of Police Departments. However, the introduction of the .45 caliber Cougar put Beretta into a place in the market that few had been. At the time of the release, several agencies decided they wanted to steer clear of the 9mm caliber pistols due to poor terminal performance. They wanted to bring back the .45 Auto for duty use. At this time (1994), there were few double action .45 Auto pistols on the market. The Smith & Wesson 4506, Glock 21, SIG Sauer P220, Heckler & Koch USP and now the Beretta 8045 Cougar. The 8045 Cougar was Beretta’s first .45 Auto caliber pistol since their establishment in 1526. The S&W 4506 was a large pistol and that family of weapons was not known for durability. The Glock 21 was the most successful but many agencies hung their hat on pistols with manual safeties, which kept Glock out of the running for some of these agencies. So the top three would be the SIG, H&K and Beretta pistols. Although comparable in many ways, the price tags were not. Beretta priced their pistols very reasonably compared to H&K and SIG and, for a large agency, this made a difference. The Beretta Cougar found its niche.

The Rochester Police Department was the first large agency to buy the new 8045 Cougar .45 Auto pistols. However, the success of the Cougar series was to dwindle in the early 2000s. Beretta would discontinue the line in 2005 and it would be picked up by Stoeger and introduced at the 2006 SHOT Show in Orlando Florida.

In the early 2000s, Beretta initiated a new program for a new family of pistols; not to replace the 92 series, which is still going strong, but an entirely new family of weapons. This time the pistol would be built on a polymer frame and have all the benefits a polymer frame would offer. Beretta experienced much success in both reliability and accuracy with the rotating barrel locking system and would keep that. Beretta listened to the users of the Cougar and to their complaints and took them into consideration with the design of the new Px4 Storm family of weapons.

To the untrained eye, the Px4 Storm would look like a polymer frame Cougar. That is the farthest from the truth. The only real similarity is the Px4 Storm’s use of the rotating barrel. The Px4 Storm was designed as a military/law enforcement pistol with emphasis being on military use – meaning military grade/combat reliability. At the same time of the development of the Px4 Storm family of weapons, in 2005, SOCOM put out a requirement for a new .45 Auto caliber pistol. Beretta immediately went to work on a Px4 Storm-type pistol to fit the SOCOM requirements. While both pistols were designed simultaneously, the .40 caliber Px4 Storm was the first one to be introduced in 2005 and was soon followed by the 9mm NATO. The first prototype .45 Auto caliber Px4 Storm pistols were introduced at the 2006 SHOT Show. Beretta finished their Special Operation Forces pistol that met the requirements put forth by SOCOM. However, the program was dropped by SOCOM and the pistol never had the opportunity to compete. The 27.69 ounce pistol was given the model name Px4 Storm SD (Special Duty) and is easily distinguished from the Px4 Storm due to its green polymer frame, black slide and extended barrel for the installation of a silencer. The internal parts have special finishes to conform to the corrosion requirement of the SOF specifications that included a 10-day salt-spray test. Small quantities of the .45 Auto caliber Px4 Storm pistol have been produced as test & evaluation pistols for law enforcement agencies. As of this writing, some shipments are being imported to fill orders and full production is expected in the first quarter of 2008. We will examine the Px4 Storm pistol in this article with emphasis on the .45 Auto caliber pistol. Currently, all of the compact versions of the Px4 Storm are made at the Beretta U.S.A. plant in Accokeek, Maryland. All of the full size Px4 Storm pistols are manufactured in Italy.

The frame of the Px4 Storm is black reinforced fiberglass polymer. The frame is injection molded in two pieces. Unlike the Cougar, the Px4 Storm is designed to be +P rated. This design was per the SOCOM requirement for their SOF pistol. Unlike many current production pistols, the original Px4 Storm was designed as a .40 S&W caliber pistol and then scaled down to a 9mm NATO caliber. The .45 Auto pistol has a different frame that is specifically designed for the .45 Auto caliber cartridge. When compared to the Cougar, several changes are noted. First, the Px4 Storm has a Mil-Std-1913 accessory rail on the front of the pistol. The scaled pattern back strap is removable and comes with three different back strap replacements. Each gets a little larger to thus accommodate small, medium and large size hands. The user merely pulls out the back strap retaining spring and slides the backstrap out of the bottom of the pistol. Also available are two different hammer spring caps: one which accepts a lanyard and one that is flush. The slide is removed by pulling downward on a slide lock on the frame, similar to a Glock. However, the pistol does not have to be decocked. The trigger has the natural curve similar to the 92 and Cougar series. The trigger weight specifications are 8.8 to 12.1 pounds for double action and 3.5 to 6.2 pounds for single action. The hammer mechanism is removable and interchangeable. It is housed as one unit and can be easily removed and the entire unit replaced if need be permitting easy maintenance and cleaning. This will also permit the user to switch to the G (decock only), D (double action only) or the C (constant double action only with shorter and lighter trigger pull) variation. The magazine release is reversible as well and done by an armorer. Additionally, extended size buttons can be used for those who prefer it. The trigger guard is large enough to accept most types of gloves. The front strap has checkering on it as well as the backstraps. Pebbling finish is on the rear area of the grips to assist with gripping in harsh environments (mud, water, sweat, etc.). The slide release in on the left side and can be actuated by most shooters without having to change their grip on the pistol. The ergonomics of the grip angle is also a major improvement over the Cougar.

The 1.42 inch thick slide is manufactured from a solid piece of carbon steel and finished by sandblasting, phosphated and then finished off with Beretta’s own Brunition anti corrosion finish. The slide is quite different from the Cougar as well with all the sharp edges having been removed. The Px4 Storm has a slender and smoother profile. Gripping serrations are added to the front of the pistol as well. The slide has an ambidextrous safety/decocking lever. This mechanism is a significant improvement over the Cougar/92 series eliminating most of the springs and small parts making assembly and disassembly easier. The slide contains a visible firing pin block mechanism that was redesigned. The firing pin is in two pieces like the 92 and Cougar series. There is a plunger located in the thumb safety as well as a firing pin. When the safety lever is rotated down to decock, the plunger is out of alignment with the firing pin eliminating the possibility of discharge. Also at this point, the firing pin block is engaged. The Px4 Storm pistols all come with proprietary sights that Beretta calls Superluminova. These are sights which are an epoxy resin mixed with a fluorescent powder. This is then placed in the sights. How they work is when the officer goes into a tactical situation, he can take a flashlight, blast the front and rear sight for a couple seconds and the sights are illuminated to a bright green for a minimum of 30 minutes. This is a very inexpensive enhancement that will give anyone the capability of night sights. However, Trijicon tritium sights will also be available.

The rotating barrel is manufactured from a solid piece of carbon steel. The barrel is cold-hammer forged and as per military specification, internally chrome plated and externally finished with black oxide. The cam track is located on the bottom of the rear of the barrel. There are locking surfaces on the wings of the barrel. The feed ramp is part of the barrel chamber. When the slide and barrel are installed on the pistol and a loaded magazine inserted, it is visibly seen the direct magazine to chamber feed increasing reliability. The barrel has been significantly improved over the Cougar to military grade. The central block has a larger and stronger cam pin to lock and unlock the barrel. The recoil spring is designed not to fall out of the gun when disassembled like the Cougar. The central block on the Cougar has a hollow channel for the spring guide. The central block on the Px4 Storm has an enclosed rear making reassembly easier. The rotating barrel locks on the cam, rear portion of the breach face as well as the front of the slide in front of the ejection port. Additionally, the enlarged outer barrel muzzle diameter insures precise and constant barrel-to-slide coupling, which is an accuracy enhancement.

The magazines for the .45 Auto Px4 Storm is different from the Cougar as well. The Cougar only holds 8 rounds of .45 Auto ammunition. The Px4 Storm has two magazines. One holds 9 and the other holds 10. The floor plate on the 10 round magazines is larger.

During the development of the .45 Px4 Storm, most all of the available high performance ammunition was tested and functioned flawlessly in the pistol. During test firing of this pistol for this article, both American Eagle 230gr FMJ and Federal 230gr Hydra-Shok ammunition was used with no malfunctions. The sample pistol was fired more than 1,000 rounds. One thing noticeable was the recoil. Also out that day the Px4 Storm was fired was a new Smith & Wesson M&P .45 pistol, which uses the standard browning-type recoil operating system. The Px4 Storm felt much more as a push due to the inline cycling of the slide that enhanced the controllability on rapid fire. The M&P had much more of a snap, which is more consistent with that form of locking mechanism. This similar feeling is noted when firing a Beretta 92/96 Series pistol as compared to a Glock or a SIG Sauer pistol which are recoil operated as well.

The market is now flooded with new .45 Auto caliber pistols and many are aimed at the SOCOM market as well as the U.S. military. The U.S. Army has hinted they will be looking for a new non-9mm caliber service pistol. You can bet the Px4 Storm will be in line to compete for the next service pistol.

I would like to thank Len Lucas and C.R. (Van) VanDerscoff III from Beretta U.S.A. for their time and effort researching this new Beretta pistol and Sgt. Robert Duff of the Rochester Police Department Firearms Training Unit.

In a Department of the Army memorandum dated 14 January 1985 it was officially announced that the U.S. military would begin replacing its tried and true .45 1911A1 semi automatic service pistol. Its successor would be the 9mm Beretta Model 92F or, as it would be officially known, the M9 Personal Defense Weapon (PDW).

It was an announcement that many die-hard Government model fans knew was coming. The 1911 and 1911A1 pistols and the .45 ACP cartridge have enjoyed an enormous following among military and civilian shooters. It remains one of the most popular handguns of all time.

The single action, 7 round capacity, 1911 and 1911A1 pistols were issued to troops for almost 75 years. The Ithaca Gun Company manufactured the last 1911A1 military pistol in 1945. The military had on several occasions considered stopping the issue of handguns altogether. They felt that handguns were a defensive weapon only, and inaccurate in most soldiers’ hands at distances beyond 10 feet. The U.S. M1 carbine was developed and adopted specifically to replace the military .45 pistol during World War Two. It never quite accomplished that goal.

The military “powers that be” did not share the admiration and sentiments for the old war-horse 1911 pistols. In 1978 the House Appropriations Committee Surveys and Investigations Staff revealed that there was an extreme proliferation of various handguns and caliber’s among the different branches of the military services. The variation of 25 different types of sidearms had created a logistical nightmare. It was decided that a new more modern weapon was needed, and that it should be in the NATO standard 9mm caliber. This proposed new weapon would be the standard issue sidearm of the U.S. Army, Airforce, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. The chosen sidearm would be issued to officers, aircrews, military police, and combat vehicle crews. After years of tests, evaluations, opinions, needs, and competing with a host of weapons, the 92F Beretta was adopted.

Candidate weapons involved in the military test program were subjected to; extreme 140F heat and -40F cold temperatures, a salt-water submersion test, a loaded weapon drop test, and burial in sand, mud and snow. A total parts interchangeability requirement also had to be met. In addition a mean round before operational failure (MRBF) test was also conducted. The military requirement was set at 1 malfunction per 1,250 rounds. The Beretta far exceeded this requirement. Average stoppages in the 92F pistol were 1 in 17,500 rounds.

Some of the pistol manufacturers that competed with the Beretta in the Army XM9 pistol trails were: Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson, Browning, Heckler & Koch, Ruger, Star, Colt, Steyr

The 9mm double action Beretta 92 series evolved from the earlier single action Beretta Brigadier model 1951. The action is a delayed blow back system designed by Tullio Maregoni in 1950. Tullio Maregoni was also responsible for the legendary Italian Beretta 38A and subsequent model 38 series submachine guns. The pistol action he designed and used in the 92 series pistols is very similar to the WWII German Walther P-38 pistol’s short recoil, delayed locking block system. Located on the bottom of the Beretta M9/92’s barrel is a pivoting-locking block. As the slide moves forward the locking block is cammed into the locked position on the slide. The conventional double action along with the firing pin safety block allows the Beretta 92 to be safely carried with a round in the chamber, ready to fire. The open slide configuration of the Beretta design provides easy access to jammed cartridges, and aids in successful ejection of spent cases.

The 92 series production began in 1975 with the model 92. This became the model 92 S when the decocking/safety lever was relocated from the frame to the slide in 1977. The hammer drop style safety blocks the firing pin and disconnects the trigger bar. In the SB model the European style heel magazine release was changed to a push button and was relocated to the side of the frame. A loaded chamber indicator is also featured.

The Beretta evolved further into the 92F version in 1983. This time the changes were those suggested by the Joint Services Small Arms Project Committee (JSSAP) The changes included: A combat style trigger guard, a chrome lined bore, ambidextrous decocking/safety lever, lanyard ring, a modified magazine base plate and a reversible magazine release button. A new epoxy type finish called Bruniton was to be applied to the new pistols. The 92F’s frame is manufactured from 7075T-6 aircraft grade aluminum. The slide and barrel are made from high quality nickel chrome-moly steel

After intense firing with very hot loads it was reported that the some of the slides were developing cracks on the 92F. This defect made it possible for a failed slide to depart the frame in a rearward direction into the shooter’s face. This is generally looked on as a negative occurrence. To prevent such accidents a new reengineered model 92FS was introduced. This model featured a flange on the hammer pivot pin that fit into a groove machined in the slide. In the event of a slide failure, the end of the groove in the slide would catch on the flange and retain the slide onto the frame. The new added letter S in the suffix indicated; Slide over travel system.

There is also a machine pistol version of the Beretta, the 93R. This weapon features a foregrip and optional folding shoulder stock. The 93R’s have a special ported barrel to aid in controlling muzzle rise. It is able to fire semi automatically or with a 3 round burst. The 93R uses a special 20 round magazine. The U.S military has adopted no 93R models as standard issue.

The NATO standard 9mm-pistol cartridge is a 115-grain full metal jacket design. The velocity is 1200 feet per second developing 383 foot pounds of energy. The Germans during WWI developed and first issued the 9mm Parabellum round. The common 9mm cartridge is also known as the 9mm Luger and the 9×19 mm round. The U.S. military 9mm service ammunition is officially named the; 9mm Ball NATO M-882

The Beretta Company is one of the oldest industrial organizations in the world. The main headquarters is located in Gardone Val Trompia, Italy. In 1978 Beretta began manufacturing firearms at its new U.S. plant located in Accokeek, Maryland as Beretta USA. After being awarded the military contract in 1985, the facility was expanded to handle the increased production.

The 92 series pistols have been increasingly popular with various police departments in the U.S. Many departments prefer the D series weapons that are double action only.

Most of the police departments are adopting the Beretta in the very popular .40 caliber Smith and Wesson cartridge over the military 9mm. Over 800 Law Enforcement agencies have adopted the Beretta thus far, and include the State police of ; Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, North Carolina, Connecticut, Maine, Indiana, Washington, Rhode Island and South Dakota.

In addition to the M9 the Army also issues an M11 pistol. The M11 is the compact Sig Sauer 9mm 228 model. The U.S. Army Military Police School at Fort McClellan Alabama initially requested the addition of a compact pistol to the authorized weapons list. The reason for the request was a need for a more concealable weapon. The M11 is also issued to authorized personnel who prefer it to the full size M9.

In addition to military contracts, commercial sales increased substantially by those civilian shooters and collectors desiring to own the same pistol issued by the military.

The models available to civilians are the 92F and the 92FS. These pistols differed from their military counter parts only by the markings on their slides and frames.

This satisfied many enthusiasts, but still there were those purists who desired something a little closer to the real thing. Beretta has responded by introducing a new model. It is called the M9 Special Edition. As you can see from the photos the markings are very much like those of its military sibling. There is a special serial number range assigned to the pistols as well. The serial numbers all begin with the prefix M9-

The M9 Special Edition comes complete with an issue M12 holster by Bianchi, a M1025 magazine pouch one 15 round magazine and a M1015 pistol belt. Also included are military manuals for the pistol and holster, and a special shoulder patch and a letter of authenticity. The M9 comes in a special, large olive drab colored box. The M9 Special Edition run has been limited to 10,000 pistols.

So far the Beretta M9 has seen service in Panama, Grenada, Somalia, and most recently in the Gulf War. Over 400,000 M9 pistols have been issued to date. Only time will tell if the new M9 will ever reach the legendary status of its predecessor, the famous and admired 1911/1911A1 Government Model.