Beretta Model 12

History of the Beretta Type 12

An integral part of the Italian military stockpile became the Beretta Type 1938 series of submachine guns, the first of the two world wars of the Type 1918 during the First World War. form between. The Model 1938 itself was progressively developed during World War II, and a final version was not available until 1949, when the Army introduced a new, modern submachine gun in the Model 12 in 1959, with an all-metal frame with a more advanced overall look that matched the Model 1938 rifle.

The butt and its descendants compared.

The new submachine guns are still armed with 9x19mm Parabellum pistol cartridges and are fired from a recoil operating system. Popular with domestic and international powers, having served in the Vietnam War (1955-1975), the "trouble" around Northern Ireland (1968-1998) (via Libya), the US-led invasion of Afghanistan (2001-present) and - most recently - in Libyan civil war in 2011.

The Type 12 is still in service in Italy today (2014) and has been used by the governments of Bahrain, Brazil (locally produced by Taurus), Gabon, Guatemala, Guyana, Indonesia (locally produced by Pindad), Libya and Malta, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

With a new gun designer (Domenico Salva, Tullio Marengoni's successor), Beretta hopes to offer a more modern product that can compete with other emerging shapes in the lucrative military/police submachine gun market. The result was the compact Model 12, which used a short-barreled receiver with a bottom-mounted trigger group, pistol grip and magazine. The barrel protrudes only slightly out of the frame, and a foregrip is added in front of the magazine for a firm two-handed grip. The main version was a foldable model with a metal stock, followed by a (heavier) variant with a fixed wooden stock.

In both cases, the barrel is 7.9 inches long (embedded into the bolt head as a space-saving measure) and the gun (overall) is a little over 7 inches talleasy to hide and carry by security forces. The rate of fire reaches 550 rounds per minute and the effective range is up to 500 feet. The muzzle velocity is 1,245 feet per second.

Aiming is carried out with an iron assembly that includes a two-position rear opening and a sheathed front post. The structure consists of steel stampings and metal stampings, welded where necessary to control production costs.

The weapon is loaded with an off-the-shelf 9mm pistol cartridge and is fed from a 20 or 40 round detachable magazine, giving the operator some tactical flexibility. The original version offers single-shot or burst firing modes with pin operation.

In 1978, the Model 12S appeared as an upgrade with a new three-position (safety, single-shot, and burst) fire selector switch and manual safety (except for the grip safety). The attraction has been redesigned and the interior work has been enhanced.

Changes have also been made to the standard 9x19mm NATO cartridge, introducing a 32-round box magazine. The exterior is coated with an anti-corrosion coating and a tool-less method simplifies field stripping. All other features remain the same as the original Model 12.

The subsequent Model PM12-S2 introduced a third safety feature and replaced the original Model 12 and Model 12S versions.

Beretta Model 12 Specs

Base

Years of Service

1959

Origins

Italy

Categories

Submachine Gun (SMG)/Submachine Gun

Manufacturers

Pietro Beretta SpA; Armi Beretta SpA - Italy / Taurus - Brazil / Pindad - Indonesia

Operators

Bahrain; Brazil; Gabon; Guatemala; Guyana; Indonesia; Iran; Iraq; Italy; Libya; Malta; Nigeria; Saudi Arabia; Venezuela

Dimensions and Weight

Overall Length

418mm

16.46 inches

Barrel length

200 mm

7.87 inches

Cured weight

6.61 lbs

3.00 kg

Attractions

Before and after ironing.

Action

Recoil; select fire

Backflush operation

The air pressure created by the rearward movement of the fired case provides the necessary bolt movement, case ejection and stripping of the new case from the magazine.

Cartridges and Paper Feeds

Caliber*

9 x 19mm parabellum; 9x19mm NATO

Circle/Feed

20, 32 or 40 rounds detachable magazine.

POWER

Maximum efficiency. Arrived

655 feet

(200m | 218m)

Rate of fire

550

Number of revolutions

Mile speed

1,245 ft/s

(379m/s)

VARIANTS

Model 12 name of the base series; original production form in 1959. Type 12S - Modified; Modified Fire Selector; Modified Sights; Holds 9x19mm NATO Cartridge; 32-round Box Magazine; Enhanced Safety Features; Improved Field Stripping. Model PM12-S2 - Enhanced Safety Features