Beretta M 1951

Infobox Weapon
name=Beretta M 1951


caption=
origin=flag|Italy
type=Semi-automatic pistol
is_ranged=yes
service=
used_by=See "Users"
wars=
designer=Tullio Marengoni
design_date=
manufacturer=Beretta
production_date=1953–1980
number=
variants=Helwan, M951 "Brigadier", M951R, M952, M952 "Special", M952 "Target"
weight=convert|870|g|oz|lk=on (M 1951) convert|1350|g|abbr=on (M951R)
length=convert|203|mm|in|lk=on (M 1951) Approx. convert|215|mm|abbr=on|1 (M951R)
part_length=convert|114.2|mm|abbr=on|1 (M 1951) convert|125|mm|abbr=on|1 (M951R)
crew=
cartridge=9x19mm Parabellum (M 1951, M951 "Brigadier", M951R) 7.65x22mm Parabellum (M952, M952 "Sport", M952 "Target")
caliber=
action=Short recoil, locked breech
rate=
velocity=convert|360|m/s|0|lk=on|sp=us|abbr=on (M 1951) convert|375|m/s|abbr=on|1 (M951R)
range=Sights fixed for 50 m
max_range=
feed=8-round detachable box magazine 10-round magazine (M951R)
sights=Fixed iron sights, front–blade, rear–notch

The M 1951 is a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, developed during the late 1940s and early 1950s by Pietro Beretta S.p.A. of Italy. The pistol was produced strictly for military use and was introduced into service with the Italian Army and security forces as the Modello 1951 (M 1951), replacing the 9 mm Modello 1934 pistol, chambered for the 9x17mm Short (.380 ACP) cartridge.Woźniak, Ryszard. Encyklopedia najnowszej broni palnej - tom 3 M-P. Bellona. 2002. pp106-107.] The pistol was Beretta's first locked breech design on the market, (previous semi-automatic pistols were all blowback-operated) and was in limited production circa 1953 and in full-scale production in 1956 until 1980. Several changes were incorporated into the pistol’s design after an initial production batch, these included: replacing the lightweight alloy frame with a steel frame, lengthening the slide and moving the magazine release lever from the heel of the pistol grip to the right side of the grip. Serial production was then initiated in 1955. Despite the fact that the M 1951 is no longer produced in Italy, it remains in service with the Italian Army and security forces alongside the 9 mm Beretta 92.Woźniak, Ryszard. Encyklopedia najnowszej broni palnej - tom 3 M-P. Bellona. 2002. pp106-107.] It is also in use with the armed forces of Egypt (where it is produced by the local firm Maadi as the “Helwan”), Israel, Iraq (license-built as the "Tariq"), Nigeria and Tunisia. The pistol is known as the M951 “Brigadier” on the civilian market. After 1968, in the United States, it was briefly referred to as the 104 in promotional literature.

Design details

The M 1951 is a short recoil-operated, locked breech pistol with a vertically falling locking piece and an open top slide (the locking mechanism was borrowed from the 9 mm Walther P38 pistol).Woźniak, Ryszard. Encyklopedia najnowszej broni palnej - tom 3 M-P. Bellona. 2002. pp106-107.] 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. convert|13|mm|abbr=on|1 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 convert|50|mm|abbr=on|1. 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 M 1951 is fed from an 8-round detachable box magazine. A hold open device will keep the slide locked open after discharging the last cartridge from the magazine.Woźniak, Ryszard. Encyklopedia najnowszej broni palnej - tom 3 M-P. Bellona. 2002. pp106-107.] The slide can then be released by depressing the slide release lever located on the left side of the frame. The pistol uses fixed iron sights set for engaging targets at 50 m. These consist of a forward blade and rear notch.

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 M 1951 pistol is chambered for the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge.

Variants

A commercial version of the M 1951 chambered in 7.65x22mm Parabellum was also produced for sales to sport shooters in Italy in order to comply with restrictions forbidding ownership of military caliber pistols; this model was designated the Modello 952 (also available in two sporting variants: the “Target” and “Special” models).

An evolutionary development of the M 1951 is the 9 mm selective fire M951R ("R" is short for "Raffica" or "burst" in Italian), which was designed during the late 1960s and early 1970s, in response to a request made by the Italian special forces. The primary difference between the M951R and the original M 1951 lies in the fire selector lever mounted on the right side of the weapon’s frame, enabling either semi-automatic or continuous fire - labelled "SEM" and "AUT", repectively. Additionally, the weapon has a heavier slide, a folding wooden forward grip, the barrel was extended, and so was the magazine, increasing capacity to 10 rounds. The M951R has a rate of fire of approximately 1000 rounds/min.

Users

*: Produced by Maadi as the Helwan.
*: Manufactured under license as the Tariq.
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Notes

References

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External links

* [http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg94-e.htm Modern Firearms]