Beretta 1938A

The Automatic Mousqueton Beretta ( MAB ) 1938A is the first Pistolet-mitrailleur (PM) Italian really produced in series. It is at the origin of the models 38/42 , 38/44 and Beretta 38/49 .

History

It is the work of the engineer Tulio Marentoni. It enters in service the Army Italian and at the Carabiniers in 1938 pennies the form with the Beretta Modèle 38 .

Development of Beretta 38

The Model 38 , produced in small series in 1938 and 1939, regained the shape of a snap hook with its long wood mounting. As much of European PM of the years 1920 and 1930, its carcass was round and its cooler surrounding the gun was perforated round holes. Moreover, it had a brake of mouth and a tenon of bayonet. It functioned finally with two relaxations. Relaxation before order the blow by blow and the second the automatic shooting.

Beretta 1938A

With the entry in war of Italy in 1940, Beretta 1938 is simplified to become the Beretta 1938A . Thus this new version has a compensator with slit and either a brake of mouth. She knows fire during the Spanish Civil war. During the Second world war, this PM is used by also by the Wehrmacht, FFL and SAS. In the last both cases, they are weapons taken on the transalpine troops in North Africa. The weapons stored by the British will arm their back-up troops in the colonial wars with the years 1950 (Yemen and Malaysia).

Alternatives built during the Second world war

The massive need for light weapons for the Italian army obliged Beretta to simplify its PM 1938A. Ansi were born Beretta 38/42 and 38/44.

Beretta 38/42

The model Beretta 38/42 was adptée in 1942 per Italy and product of 1943 to 1945. It took part, like models it 1938A, with the Second world war by equipping the armies Italian Rumanian and Wehrmacht. It is a M38A simplified by the removal of the cooling sleeve replaced by a gun equipped with grooves longudintal. The brake of mouth is maintained; was shorter.

Beretta 38/43

It is a version simplified of the 38/42 on which the gun is henceforth smooth.

Beretta 38/44

It is one 38/43 on which the spring recuperator is simplified and it rise became swivelling (in L).

Beretta 38/49 or model 4

Produced of 1949 to 1970, the 38/49 was widely diffused. Renamed Model 4 after 1956. It has a button of transverse safety placed in the left face of the barrel.

Numerical data

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