Beretta Model 1938/42

Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 July 2009 17:40 Written by Administrator Friday, 03 July 2009 00:09

The Beretta Model 1938/42 was an Italian submachine gun that was widely used by the Italian Army during the Second World War. It was a carbine style submachine gun with wooden furniture and was manufactured on a large scale during the war.

The Model 1938/42 was based on the earlier 1938/A submachine gun which was designed by Tullio Marengoni in 1935. The 1938/A was itself based on the Beretta Modello 18 and the Vilar Perosa of the First World War.

The Model 38/42 was fed by a 34-round magazine that fed from below. It was chambered for Cartuccia Modello 38 or 9x19mm Parabellum ammunition and was capable of firing 600 rounds per minute. The SMG had a muzzle velocity of 429 meters per second.

During the war the Model 1938/42 was mass manufactured in large numbers. Its popularity was mainly because of its excellent performance.

During the war, some modified versions were also introduced. One such modified version was designed with a dust shroud around the bolt for use in the dusty conditions of North Africa.

The Beretta Model 38/42 is an example of good submachine gun design. It struck a balance between quality and quantity and thus was a formidable weapon in the field.

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