Beretta Model 12
Beretta · Submachine Gun · Out Of Production · 1958
Also known as: PM-12, PM-12S, PM-12S2, Pistola Mitragliatrice Modello 12, Beretta M12, Beretta Model 12S
Overview
The Beretta Model 12 (officially Pistola Mitragliatrice Modello 12, or PM-12) is an Italian 9x19mm Parabellum submachine gun designed by Domenico Salza and the Beretta engineering team, introduced in 1958 as the intended replacement for the WWII-era Beretta MAB 38 family. A radical departure from the classical Italian SMG lineage, the Model 12 adopted a telescoping, overhung bolt design - in which a hollow bolt wraps around the rear portion of the barrel - that dramatically shortened overall length while keeping the barrel long enough for good ballistic performance. This overhung-bolt architecture, pioneered by the Israeli Uzi, was refined by Beretta into one of the most controllable, well-balanced, and handsome submachine guns ever fielded. Constructed from welded sheet-steel halves with a forward pistol grip, folding metal stock, and a low 550-round-per-minute cyclic rate, the Model 12 was purpose-built for accuracy and controllability, particularly in full-auto bursts. Three variants were produced: the original Model 12 (1958), the simplified Model 12S (1978) with a combined safety/selector lever and corrosion-resistant epoxy finish, and the Model 12S2 (1983) with Picatinny mounting provisions. Fed by 20, 32, or 40-round detachable box magazines, the PM-12 served as the primary submachine gun of the Italian Carabinieri until 2015, saw extensive Italian peacekeeping service in Somalia, Lebanon, and Bosnia, and was exported to dozens of countries across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and South America.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3000 g (105.8 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 3480 g (122.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 660 mm (25.98") |
| Folded Length | 418 mm (16.46") |
| Barrel Length | 200 mm (7.87") |
| Height | 290 mm (11.42") |
| Width | 60 mm (2.36") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 32 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 380 m/s (1247 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 538 J (397 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 200 m (219 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 300 m (328 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 550 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 250 mm (9.84") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Steel |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Parabellum · primary · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Grip Safety, Manual Safety, Cross Bolt Safety, Bolt Safety Catch
- Features: Telescoping Overhung Bolt, Open Bolt Firing, Two Position Folding Metal Stock, Forward Pistol Grip, Grip Safety, Stamped Sheet Steel Construction, Welded Receiver Halves, Flip Up Rear Sight, Hooded Front Sight, Progressive Trigger Select Fire, Low Cyclic Rate For Controllability, Compatible With 20 32 40 Round Magazines
Variants
- Model 12 (PM-12) — Original Production
- Model 12S — Simplified Upgrade
- Model 12S2 — Modernized
Service history
Operators
- Italian Army · adopted 1961 · as PM-12
- Carabinieri · adopted 1961 · as PM-12S
- Guardia di Finanza · adopted 1961 · as PM-12
- Special Air Service · adopted 1964
- Saudi Arabian Armed Forces · adopted 1965 · as PM-12
- Venezuelan Armed Forces · adopted 1970 · as PM-12
- Nigerian Armed Forces · adopted 1970 · as PM-12
- Indonesian Armed Forces · adopted 1975 · as PM-12S
- Libyan Armed Forces · adopted 1970 · as PM-12
- Argentine Armed Forces · adopted 1975 · as PM-12
- Brazilian BOPE · adopted 1980 · as PM-12S
- Tunisian Armed Forces · adopted 1975 · as PM-12
- Congolese Armed Forces · adopted 1975 · as PM-12
- Italian State Police · adopted 1961 · as PM-12S
Conflicts
- Aden Emergency (1963-1967)
- Operation Leader (1982)
- Falklands War (1982)
- Lebanese Civil War / Multinational Force in Lebanon (1982-1984)
- Unified Task Force (Somalia) (1992-1995)
- Bosnian War / IFOR-SFOR (1992-2004)
- Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970)
- Libyan-Egyptian War (1977)
- Italian Years of Lead (1968-1988)
Production
Estimated total produced: 70,000 · Production years: 1958-1990
Approximately 70,000 units produced across Model 12, Model 12S, and Model 12S2 variants. The 12S (1978) was the most exported, widely adopted across the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Manufacture was phased out in the early 1990s as Beretta transitioned to newer designs; stocks remained in Carabinieri frontline service until 2015.
Origin
Country of origin: Italy
Designer: Domenico Salza
Discontinued: 1990
Notes
Total production is estimated at approximately 70,000 units across all variants. The Model 12S introduced in 1978 was the most widely exported version, featuring a single combined safety/selector lever (rather than the original's separate grip safety and selector), an epoxy-based corrosion-resistant finish replacing the original phosphate coating, and minor internal simplifications for easier manufacture. The 12S2 of 1983 added forward Picatinny rail sections for lights, lasers, and optics. The weapon's overhung-bolt layout directly influenced subsequent compact SMG designs including the IMI Micro Uzi and the HK MP5K. Italian Carabinieri retained the PM-12S as primary SMG until 2015, when it was replaced by the Beretta PMX.
Background
British SAS operators deployed during the Aden Emergency (1964-1967) famously preferred the Beretta Model 12 over their issued L2A3 Sterling, citing the Beretta's superior controllability and Italian-grade machining quality - a preference that reportedly began under David Stirling's units and became an open secret within 22 SAS. The Model 12's overhung telescoping bolt, in which the bolt wraps around the rear of the barrel, was inspired by the Israeli Uzi but refined by Beretta into a design so influential that it shaped everything from the IMI Micro Uzi to the HK MP5K. The Carabinieri retained the PM-12S as their primary submachine gun until 2015 - a 54-year service life that is among the longest of any Cold War SMG.