Beretta Model 38/42/43/44)

History

The Italian army in WW2 used the very modern Beretta Model 1938A (detailed elsewhere on this page), a modernization of the original Beretta Model 1918 from WW1 (1914-1918). While these guns were excellent in early service, they were not a cost-effective solution to wartime supply and demand. Therefore, in 1941, the Beretta series underwent some modifications to produce the simpler "Type 38/42".

Although modified, none of the original weapon's sound capabilities have been disturbed.

Compared to the pre-war Model 38A, the improved Model 38/42 lost the perforated barrel sheath and relied more on steel plate for its construction rather than the more expensive machined steel seen before. The barrel was shortened slightly to give it a more compact profile, resulting in the rifle-style wooden stock being cut off some length at the handguard. Internally, trigger groups have been simplified to be better. A dust cover has been added, as well as a new bolt handle assembly. These changes resulted in a reduction in the gun's rate of fire to about 550 rounds per minute, compared to the original rate of fire of 600 rpm.

The weapon retains the 9x19mm Parabellum pistol chamber, but lacks the inherent support of the more powerful "9mm Cartuccia Pallottola Modello 38A" cartridge that was later introduced for the 38A series.

In practice, the weapon continued the mass trend established with the Type 38A. Like its earlier incarnations, it was also heavily adopted by the Germans and Romanians for Axis marches in North Africa, Western Europe and the East.

The 38/42 model just became popular and new variants are in the works. The Model 38/43 was an intermediate version from 1943 that tried to simplify the expensive submachine gun even further. A stamped receiver is now in use and attached to a 38/42 type bolt system.

This version then ushered in the next final version of the series - the Model 38/44 in early 1944. This variant is a further streamlining of the previous 38/43 model and retains its cheaper stamped receiver approach.

Beretta's engineers also took the opportunity to overhaul some of the internal mechanisms. The Model 38/44 joins the existing Beretta submachine guns that have been in service during the war and have been in circulation for decades during the Cold War.

For the Italian army, the pre-war Beretta line of submachine guns was eventually abandoned by the introduction of the Beretta M12 line in 1959. The Beretta 38 series continued to serve with other foreign powers for some time.

The post-war development became the 1949 Type 38/49, which attempted to incorporate more modern features into the wartime design, with a foldable stock version.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes