Selected Handgun Detail

Manufacturer
	Fabbrica D' Armi Pietro Beretta SpA More Info

About the Gun

Medium single-action locked-breech service pistol with Beretta’s open-top slide, an exposed hammer, and a single-stack magazine. Standard guns use a blued steel frame and slide with checkered plastic grips. A cross-bolt safety sits at the upper rear of the grip. Early pistols used a heel magazine release; later guns moved the release to a frame button. Fixed blade and V-notch sights and a lanyard loop complete a 9 mm duty pistol that still reads as a larger 1934-pattern Beretta.

Production

Production ran from 1951 through 1980.

Market value

MSRP at production was around $125. Current used market value for examples in good to very good condition ranges $300–$450.

Cartridge Specifications
Cartridge:	9 mm Luger
Alias:	9 mm Parabellum
More Info

Analysis

Tullio Marengoni designed the 1951 as Beretta’s first production locked-breech pistol, using a falling locking block so the open slide could handle 9 mm. Limited work began around the turn of the 1950s. Early alloy-frame guns did not last with that cartridge, and series production settled on a steel frame from the mid-1950s. The Italian Navy, Carabinieri, and national traffic police adopted it; the army kept the 1934 until the 92. Egypt bought an Italian contract run of about 50,000, then built the design at Maadi as the Helwan. Israel, Nigeria, Tunisia, and Libya also issued Italian guns. Iraq later built the Tariq under license. Those licensed pistols are separate models. Commercial guns went out as Model 1951, Model 951, and Brigadier. The 92 inherited the open slide and locking-block idea but changed to a double-stack magazine and a DA/SA trigger. Italian manufacture ended as the 92 took the catalog. Used examples are common C&R surplus; clean commercial or early contract guns bring more than mixed-mark police pistols.