Beretta Model 38/49
Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta · Submachine Gun · Out Of Production · 1949
Also known as: Beretta Model 4, Moschetto Automatico Beretta Mod. 38/49, MAB 38/49
Overview
The Beretta Model 38/49 is an Italian blowback, open-bolt submachine gun chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum. A post-war development of Tullio Marengoni's wartime Model 38 family, it retained the series' distinctive twin-trigger arrangement, front trigger for semi-automatic fire and rear trigger for full-automatic, a wooden stock and a perforated barrel jacket. Fed from detachable box magazines of up to 40 rounds, it served the Italian armed forces and was widely exported through the 1950s and 1960s.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3250 g (114.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 798 mm (31.42") |
| Barrel Length | 210 mm (8.27") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Magazine Capacity | 40 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) |
| Rate of Fire | 550 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
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
- Features: Dual Trigger Fire Selection, Wooden Stock, Perforated Barrel Jacket
Variants
- Beretta Model 38/42 - Wartime Simplified
- Beretta Model 5 - Grip Safety
Service history
Operators
- Italian Armed Forces · adopted 1949 · as Moschetto Automatico Beretta Mod. 38/49
- West German Bundesgrenzschutz
- Indonesian National Armed Forces
Conflicts
- Algerian War (1954-1962)
- Congo Crisis (1960-1965)
Production
Production years: 1949-1961
Post-war successor to the wartime Model 38A/38-42; widely exported across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America
Origin
Country of origin: Italy
Designer: Tullio Marengoni
Discontinued: 1961
Notes
The Model 38/49 was produced in several sub-models (commonly numbered 1 through 5) that differed mainly in safety arrangement, magazine housing and cocking-handle details. Widely exported, it became one of the most successful post-war Italian small arms.
Background
The Beretta Model 38 family was famous for its twin triggers, one for single shots and one for automatic fire, a simple but effective fire-selection method that let soldiers switch instantly by finger placement rather than fumbling for a selector lever.