Beretta M1951
Beretta M1951 | |
---|---|
Syrian Civil War | |
Production history | |
Designer | Tullio Marengoni |
Manufacturer | Beretta |
Produced | 1949–1980 (Beretta) 1949-present (other) |
Variants | Helwan, M951 "Brigadier", M951R, M952, M952 "Special", M952 "Target" |
Specifications | |
Mass | 870 iron sights , front–blade, rear–notch |
The Beretta M1951 is a
History
The Beretta M1951 was Beretta's first locked-breech design on the market. (Previous Beretta semi-automatic pistols were all blowback-operated.) It was in limited production circa 1953 and in full-scale production from 1956 to 1980.
The initial production batch featured a lightweight alloy frame, which proved to be unable to withstand the shock of the relatively high-powered 9×19mm Parabellum round in the long run.
This version of the Beretta M1951 was replaced around 1955 by the steel-framed "second series" model. (Although in 1975 and 1976, a small number of alloy-framed Beretta M1951s were made using the new alloy developed for the soon-to-be-released Beretta 92 pistol.) The "second series" Beretta M1951 was nearly 250 grams heavier than the alloy version, but the balance was improved. A special version of this "second series," the Egyptian Contract Model 951, was modified according to the wishes of the military of the Egyptian Arab Republic, who placed Beretta in competition with the Hungary's Tokarev to become its primary supplier of sidearms. The Egyptian Contract Model 951's particular modifications included larger sights, a simplified, narrower grip and an external thumb-spring magazine release, a departure from the push-button release in the lower-right grip of the M1951s. The Egyptians appreciated the Egyptian Contract Beretta Model 951's accuracy, power and uncanny reliability in desert conditions, and approximately 50,000 were produced. Despite intense pressure and incentives from the Soviet bloc, Tokarev's challenger, dubbed the "Tokagypt," was produced in comparatively small quantities.
The "third series" model was the definitive version. Its lengthened slide further improved the pistol's balance. The relatively large sights of the Egyptian Contract Model 951 were replaced by the original, smaller, unobtrusive sights, which were less likely to snag on a holster. Serial production of this definitive version initiated in Italy in 1955, and in Egypt in the early 1960s. The M1951 is no longer produced in Italy and was never adopted by the
Design details
The M1951 is a short recoil–operated, locked breech pistol with a vertically falling locking piece and an open top slide (the locking mechanism design was influenced by the Walther P38 pistol).[1] The locking piece, located under the barrel, is unlocked by a sliding pin and locked back into battery by a beveled surface on the pistol's frame. The locking piece features two locking lugs that engage appropriate recesses cut into the slide's internal side surfaces. When the pistol is fired, the locking piece, integral with the slide, goes back together with the barrel which is locked to the slide. After a brief period of unrestricted travel of approx. 13 mm (0.5 in) the unlocking pin on the rear barrel lug strikes the receiver and stops. As the barrel and slide continue back, the locking piece strikes the stationary plunger and is forced down into recesses in the slide. The barrel comes to rest but the slide continues rearward for a further 50 mm (2.0 in). Upon forward return, the slide picks up the barrel and the locking piece on the barrel lug is lifted up by the receiver cam to lock the barrel to the slide. The spring-loaded extractor is integrated into the slide, and the fixed-type ejector is integral to the pistol's frame. The pistol has a hammer striking mechanism (with an exposed hammer) and a single-action trigger with a disconnector, which enables semi-automatic fire only. A cross-bolt safety mounted on the weapon's frame (beneath the hammer) provides safe operation with a cartridge introduced into the chamber. In the “weapon safe” position (the safety's button pushed in to the left) the slide catch is disabled.
The M1951 is fed from an 8-round detachable box
The pistol's barrel has a rifled bore with 6 right-hand grooves and a 1 in 254 mm (1:10 in) twist rate.
The M1951 pistol is chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge.
Variants
The Modello 952 is a commercial version of the M1951 chambered in 7.65×21mm Parabellum. Produced for sales to sport shooters in Italy in order to comply with restrictions forbidding ownership of military caliber pistols. This model was available in two variants: the “Target” and “Special” models. The "Target" version of the 952 incorporated modifications to the grips, sights and barrel that had originally been introduced on the "Berhama" target-shooting model of the 9mm 951 made specially for the Egyptians.
The M951R is a
Users
- Egypt:[2] Special Egyptian Contract guns marked with National crest. Later licensed by Maadi and produced as the Helwan.
- Haiti[2]
- Iraqi Armed Forces and the Republican Guard; pistols issued to Saddam Hussein's Private Police have a special marking on the frame. Iraq produces them locally[3]
- Iran: Used captured Iraqi "Tariq" pistols known only as "Beretta" in duty service.
- Israel[2]
- Italy[2]
- Libya[2]
- Mali: People's Movement for the Liberation of Azawad[4]
- Nigeria[2]
- Thailand[2]
- Tunisia[2]
- United Kingdom: In 1954 the Beretta M1951 was selected as the standard sidearm of the Metropolitan Police's Special Branch and Royalty Protective Officers[5]
- Yemen[2]
Non-state actors
Notes
- ^ ISBN 83-11-09311-3.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
- ^ richard, jones. Jones, Richard (2010). Jane's Infantry Weapons. Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group.
- ISBN 978-0-19-928085-8. Archived from the original(PDF) on November 9, 2010.
- ^ "Founding of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) of London, Commonly Known as Scotland Yard". worldhistoryproject.org. Archived from the original on 2020-06-15. Retrieved 2018-10-20.
- ^ a b "Keeping it Quiet: Suppressor Use by Jihadis, Militants & More". www.calibreobscura.com. July 19, 2018.