Beretta BM 59

The Beretta BM 59 is an Italian-made rifle based on the M1 Garand rifle, but chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO, and modified to use a detachable magazine.^[1] Later revisions incorporated other features common to more modern rifles.

Development

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 This semi-automatic rifle proved itself well during World War II, but in the late 1950s it was considered outdated and obsolete and the Italian military also wanted a new rifle chambered for the NATO-standard 7.62×51mm round.

To meet these requirements, Beretta designed the BM 59, which was essentially a rechambered M1 fitted with a removable 20-round magazine, folding bipod and a combined flash suppressor/rifle grenade launcher. The BM 59 is capable of selective fire.

The BM 59 was adopted in 1959 and served with Italian, Argentinian, Indonesian, and Moroccan armies. In the early 1980s, semi-automatic versions were imported to the United States and sold to private collectors. The earliest BM 59s were manufactured from U.S.-manufactured M1 parts, including re-chambered barrels.

In 1990, the BM 59 was replaced in Italian service by the Beretta AR70/90 assault rifles, although some may be in service in the Italian Navy.

Variants

The BM 59 has several military and civilian variants that include the following:^[2]

Military

• BM 59 Mark I: had a wooden stock with a semi-pistol grip stock.
• BM 59 Mark II: had a wooden stock with pistol grip to achieve a better control during full-auto fire;
• BM 59 Mark III: or Ital TA (also known as the Truppe Alpine), was a variant with a pistol grip and a metallic folding buttstock, that was intended for mountain troops. The BM 59 Para was similar to BM 59 Ital TA, but was intended for paratroopers. It was equipped with a shorter barrel and flash-hider.
• BM 59 Mark IV: had a heavier barrel with a plastic stock, and was used as a light squad automatic weapon.

Civilian

The rare BM62 and 69 are civilian sporting rifles with the grenade launcher and sights removed.^[3] with the following:

• BM62: Semi-auto chambered in .308 Winchester (not 7.62×51mm), came with 20-round magazines, civilian flash hider (no bayonet lug, no grenade launcher, no tri-compensator (extremely rare to have gas cylinder with bipod capability) ^[4] Does not normally have bipod capability on gas cylinder, or gas-compensator^[3]
• BM69: Semi-auto with a bipod and tri-compensator.^[3]

Gallery

• 

  The BM 59 at the Museo de Armas de la Nación

• 

  The BM 59

Users

•  Algeria^[5]
•  Argentina: Used in the Falklands War.^[3]
•  Bahrain^[5]
•  Eritrea^[5]
•  Ethiopia^[5]
•  Italy^[5]
•  Indonesia: Under license at the Bandung Weapons Factory as the SP-1.^[3]
•  Libya^[5]
•  Morocco^[5]
•  Nigeria: Under license by Defense Industries Corporation.^[6]
•  San Marino^[7]
•  Somalia^[8]

See also

• M14 rifle
• Franchi LF-59
• MAS-49
• Itajuba Model 954 Mosquetao
• List of battle rifles

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beretta BM 59.

• Beretta BM 59 at Modern Firearms

Beretta Firearms
Handguns	M1915/M1919 M1923 M1934 M1935 M1951 92 and derivatives (93R M9 90two) 70 Series Cheetah/80 Series Cougar 9000 Px4 Storm 418 Bobcat Tomcat Jetfire/Minx Nano Pico U22 Neos Stampede Laramie
Submachine guns	M1918 M38 M3 M12 Mx4 Storm
Rifles & Carbines	BM 59 Cx4 Storm Rx4 Storm 501 AR70/90 ARX160/ARX100
Machine guns	AS70/90
Shotguns	Silver Pigeon 682 DT-10 1201FP AL391 Xtrema 2
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