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The Italian Garand: Beretta BM59

The Italian army adopted the Beretta BM59, basically an M1 Garand chambered for 7.62×51mm NATO capable of select fire. It was about as successful as all the other select fire battle rifles adopted around the world (not very). From Wikipedia:

After World War II, Italy adopted the US-designed M1 Garand rifle in .30-06 (7.62×63mm) and also manufactured it under license. This semi-automatic rifle proved itself well during WWII, but in the late 1950s it was considered outdated and obsolete. The Italian military wanted a new rifle chambered for the NATO-standard 7.62×51mm.

Beretta designed the BM59, which was essentially a rechambered M1 fitted with a removable 20-round magazine, folding bipod and flash suppressor/grenade launcher. The BM59 is capable of selective fire.

I came across this Class III, full auto, Beretta BM59 on Gunbroker (The auction has since close). Click to expand the photos:

2 tm The Italian Garand: Beretta BM59 photo

10 1 tm The Italian Garand: Beretta BM59 photo

5 1 tm The Italian Garand: Beretta BM59 photo

3 tm The Italian Garand: Beretta BM59 photo

Posted by Steve on Apr 11th 2009 | Filed in machine guns, military, rifles | Comments (15)

Italian police capture a pen gun

The Carabinieri (Italian gendarmerie) have seized a pen gun from a mobster in Naples.

 Public Penna Pistola Gunpen1
.22 Short rounds and one standard (subsonic) .22 Long Rifle

 Public Penna Pistola Gunpen4

 Public Penna Pistola Gunpen3

My memory is pretty bad but I think it was 6 months ago when the Italian police captured one of those cell phone guns from another mobster.

SFGate reports:

A Carabinieri paramilitary officer holds a .22-caliber pen gun that was confiscated from a man in Naples. According to reports, Carabinieri were investigating if the weapon has been used in crimes or “acts of intimidation.”

Hat Tip: Zeon @ MP.net

Posted by Steve on Jan 28th 2009 | Filed in handguns, news, rimfire, strange guns | Comments (5)

Italian gangsters did not watch Lord of War

Italian police caught gangsters trying to purchase half a million AK-47s from Norinco (the Chinese state arms exporter) on behalf of a Libyan.

Apparently they were only purchasing 10 million round of ammo. Thats 50 20 rounds per gun – less than two one magazines worth.

They obviously did not watch that educational firm “Lord of War” which made it clear to all would be rebels that guns need
ammo.

Photos From Lord Of War
Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) negotiating the
purchase (theft) of Ukrainian AKs in “Lord of War”

More at GunPundit

Posted by Steve on Apr 16th 2008 | Filed in news | Comments (5)