Beretta have unveiled the new successor to their iconic Modello 12 submachine gun. The new 9x19mm PMX was unveiled at the 2017 Paris Milipol expo.

The PMX uses a blowback action and fires from closed bolt. It feeds from a 30 round magazine and has a right-side folding stock. The new Beretta has ambidextrous controls and from the available photographs of the PMX it appears that the charging handle can be switched from left to right. It has a polymer coated steel upper receiver and a polymer lower. Hrachya reported back in May, when photos of the PMX’s receiver leaked, that the upper appears to slide and hook into the lower receiver.

Beretta PMX, note also the different position of the stock retention lug (Paolo Valpolini)

The Italian shooting magazine Armi e Tiro report that the PMX is lighter than both the Cx4 Storm and the Modelo 12 at 5.3lb (2.4kg). Milmag reported back in May that Beretta developed the PMX for the Carabinieri, Italy’s national gendarmerie.

The PMX appears to be heavily influenced by the semi-automatic B&T P26 (whether a licensing deal has been agreed has not yet been publicly confirmed), however, there are a number of differences. Principally, the Beretta is a full-auto capable, select fire submachine gun, not a semi-automatic carbine. Other external differences include a more substantial folding stock than the P26, a different pistol grip profile and an additional charging handle channel on the right side stretching back from the ejection port – as a result the PMX also lacks the P26’s case deflector.

Right-side view of the B&T P26 (Modern Firearms)

Right-side view of the Beretta PMX (Modern Firearms)

The weapon has a full length Picatinny top rail and 3 additional shorter rails at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. This allows the attachment of a vertical grip and various accessories. The PMX appears to have quick detach lugs on its barrel for a suppressor and Jane’s reports that a suppressor is being “developed by Beretta in collaboration with an unspecified partner” – probably by B&T.