Beretta BM 59

Description

Italian giant Beretta have been producing weaponry since the mid 1500’s, a feat which can only serve as testament to the quality of their craftmanship.

1959 saw the first production of their new BM 59 Self Loading Rifle (SLR) prototype, a weapon based on the WW2 US M1 Garand rifle, of which Beretta had be manufacturing and supplying to the post-war Italian armed forces under license.

The M1 was a highly effective rifle, however NATO was now using a universal 7.62×51mm round and the Italian military was looking for a new weapon in this caliber.

The 7.62mm M59 was essentially an M1 fitted with a removable 20 round box magazine, a bipod for added support and a muzzle break which also doubled up as a rifle grenade launcher. There was also a flip down sight directly behind the foresight, which could be raised when using rifle grenades.

At first glance the M59 is nigh on identical to the US M14, although in many ways much more impressive. For example it took the American designers almost 12 years to the develop the M14 (a magazine fed M1), Beretta did it in 2 (57-59).

As well as being adopted by the Italian armed forces in 1962 (passing trials in 1960), it would also be adopted by Argentinian, Indonesian and Moroccan forces. In fact a number of M59’s were used by Argentinian forces in the 1982 Falklands conflict.