Beretta Model 1934: Italy's Unassuming Workhorse Service Pistol
Semiauto Pistols
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18m
The Beretta Model 34 was basically the final iteration of a design by Tullio Marengoni that began all the way back in 1915. That pistol was updated in the early 1920s, and that one was updated in 1931. The Model 1931 was converted to .380 ACP (aka 9mm Short) as the Model 1932, which became the Model 1934 with the addition of a hammer half-cock notch and steel grip panel backing. Police and military contract began in 1935, with the Italian Army formally adopting it in 1936 and purchasing nearly 400,000 of them by 1940. It would ultimately see service will basically all the armed elements of the Italian military and civil security services as well as foreign nations including Germany, Romania, and Finland. As a souvenir for British or American troops, the Model 1934 was also a prized piece.
Essentially, the Model 1934 is compact, simple, durable, and reliable. It is an excellent military pistol; easy to carry unobtrusively but dependable when called upon. After World War Two it stayed in production until 1980, despite introduction of many other more modern options by Beretta. Today a bunch of the pistols have become available on the US collector's market. Thanks to Royal Tiger Imports for sending this example for me to film!
Beretta Model 1934 serial numbers and dates (source: "1915-1985 Settant' Anni di Pistole Beretta"):
1934 - 1942 - from about 500073 to 999996
1934 - 1942 - from 1 to about 40000
1943 - 1945 - from F00001 to F99997
1943 - 1945 - from G00001 to G57486
1943 - 1945 - from 0001AA to 9997AA
1943 - 1945 - from 0001BB to 9971BB
1946 - 1949 - from C00001 to C99998
1949 - 1954 - from D00001 to D99999
1954 - 1967 - from E00001 to E95760
1967 - 1973 - from F50001 to F61693
1970 - 1975 - from G00007 to G49620
1972 - 1974 - from H00001 to H25000
1971 - 1980 - from T 1 to T 10217
Other pistols in the Beretta development series:
Model 1915: https://forgottenweapons.vhx.tv/videos/beretta-1915-the-first-of-the-beretta-pistols
Model 1923: https://forgottenweapons.vhx.tv/videos/ria-68-beretta-1923
Model 1931: https://forgottenweapons.vhx.tv/videos/ria-68-beretta-1931
Trials Model 1934: https://forgottenweapons.vhx.tv/videos/military-trials-beretta-34-can-you-make-it-more-walther
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