WWII Beretta 38/42 SMG

buffalowinter

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  • Mar 17, 2014
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    Finally got a bolt for my Beretta 38/44 and finished it up. NFA registered short barreled rifle. It would be orders of magnitude easier to build this as the original open bolt SMG. But, after great pains, I have modified per ATF regs to fire semi-auto only and from a closed bolt...and I still had to register it as an SBR as it has the original 8.4 inch barrel. The 38/42 was the standard army variant, used throughout the war and issued to elite Italian units, paratroopers, the Alpini "Monte Cervino" assault battalion, 10th Arditi Regiment, "M" Battalions of the Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (MVSN, Blackshirts) and military police. A magazine-carrying vest was designed for elite troops (Blackshirts, paratroopers) armed with the Beretta 38; these were dubbed "Samurai" due to the similarity of the stacked magazines to the feudal Japanese warriors' body armour.



    My Beretta 38/44 with WWII Italian Paratrooper helmet, Bersaglieri helmet, Samurai vest and Beretta M1934 in 9x17 mm Corto (.380ACP) with belt and holster.
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    Italian Paratroopers with Beretta 38A and "samurai" magazine carrier.
    italian beretta 38 42.jpg
    italaian para 4.jpg






    My connection to Beretta and Italian Paratroopers
    Me in center, in Italian Dolomites working with the Italian Incursore of "Col Moschin". We carried the indigenous Beretta M-12 smg. 10th SFG(A)
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    Jumping with the Incursore in the Dolomites
    italy jump.jpg
     
    Last edited:
    The gun in the "Italian Paratrooper" photo on left is a Beretta 38A, barrel shroud is the difference, I believe it has a machined receiver.
    If memory is correct, the 38/42 had a fluted barrel, sheet metal receiver.
    The 38/44 had a non fluted barrel, sheet metal receiver.
    They got cheaper as the war progressed. All about time and $$$.
    The Beretta's were very popular with German soldiers also.
     
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    The gun in the "Italian Paratrooper" photo on left is a Beretta 38A, barrel shroud is the difference, I believe it has a machined receiver.
    If memory is correct, the 38/42 had a fluted barrel, sheet metal receiver.
    The 38/44 had a non fluted barrel, sheet metal receiver.
    They got cheaper as the war progressed. All about time and $$$.
    The Beretta's were very popular with German soldiers also.
    You are right on all accounts.