Beretta M1934

The Beretta Model 1934 is a compact, semi-automatic pistol which was issued as a standard service firearm to the Italian armed forces beginning in 1934. It is chambered for the 9 mm Corto, more commonly known as the .380 ACP. The pistol was infamously used in the assassination of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the world famous peace activist and the leader of Indian Independence Movement.

History[edit]

Armi Beretta SpA of Gardone Val Trompia has a history in firearms manufacturing reaching back to 1526, when they were established as a maker of barrels. But it was not until 1915 that, responding to the needs of the military during World War I, they produced their first pistol, the model 1915. Beretta has become one of the world's largest pistol makers and the model 1934 (M1934) was their most numerous product in the pre-World War II era.

In the early 1930s, the Italian army was impressed by the Walther PP pistol. Beretta did not want to lose a big military contract to their German competitor and designed the M1934 for theItalian Army which accepted it in 1937. This model was followed by the M1935, which was similar to the M1934 in most respects, except that it fired a .32 ACP (7.65 mm Browning) cartridge.

Pistols made during the Fascist Era are marked with their year of manufacture in two forms: the conventional Julian date in Arabic numerals and the date in the Fascist Era in Roman numerals. The Fascist calendar commenced on 28 October 1922, so a pistol from 1937 may carry either "XV" or "XVI" as its Fascist year

Intended market[edit]

It was designed and purpose-built for the Italian armed forces, but was also sold on the black market. Pistols taken by the armed forces usually exhibit acceptance marks stamped into the frame on the left just above the grip: "RE" (Regio Esercito) for the army, "RM" (Regia Marina) for the navy, or "RA" (Regia Aeronautica) for the Air Force, always in the form of an Eagle wearing a Royal Crown for the Royal air force. Police pistols may be marked "PS" (Pubblica Sicurezza).

The Romanian military, at the time an Axis power, also purchased model 1934 (and 1935) pistols. The calibre marking appears as 9 mm Scurt (short in Romanian) rather than 9 mm Corto.^[1]Romanian Army M1934's differ from Italian M1934's in that the Romanian pistols use the Russian sight picture, where the Italian pistols use the standard sight picture used by Western armies

Type	Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin	Kingdom of Italy
Service history
In service	1935-1991
Used by	Royal Italian Army
Wars	World War II
Production history
Manufacturer	Beretta
Produced	1934–1991
Number built	1,080,000
Specifications
Weight	660 g (23.28 oz) (Unloaded)
Length	152 mm (6 in)
Barrel length	94 mm (3.7 in)
Cartridge	.380 ACP (9×17mm Corto)
Action	blowback
Muzzle velocity	750 ft/s (229 m/s)
Feed system	1 + 7-round detachable boxmagazine
Sights	Fixed front blade and rear notch