NAME – Beretta Model 1918

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Italy

DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1918

CALIBER – 9x19mm Glisenti M910

OVERALL LENGTH – 85.1 cm (33.5 in)

BARREL LENGTH – 31.8 cm (12.5 in)

RIFLING (TYPE & TWIST) – 6 groove, Right hand twist

BULLET DIAMETER – 9.02 mm (0.355 in)

BULLET WEIGHT – 8 g (123 gr)

MUZZLE VELOCITY – 326 m/s (1070 fps)

MUZZLE ENERGY – 424 j (313 ft/lbs)

WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 3.26 kg (7 lb 3 oz)

WEIGHT (LOADED) – 3.68 kg (8 lb 1.8 oz)

SIGHTS – Front sight – blade, Rear sight, Notch on post, offset to right to avoid magazine

EFFECTIVE RANGE – 250 m (273 yds)

OPERATION – Delayed blowback, fires from open bolt

TYPE OF FIRE – Full automatic only

RATE OF FIRE – 100 rpm

CYCLIC ROF – 900 rpm

FEED DEVICE 25 round box magazine, double column, double feed

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (EMPTY) – 0.14 kg (5 oz)

FEED DEVICE WEIGHT (LOADED) – 0.42 kg (14.8 oz)

BASIC AMMUNITION LOAD – 6 magazines (150 rds)

LOAD WEIGHT – 2.52 kg (5 lbs 9 oz)

MANUFACTURER – Pietro Beretta SpA, Brescia, Italy

STATUS – Obsolete

SERVICE – Italian military from late WWI into WWII

     This was the first conversion of the Villar Perosa into a shoulder-fired submachinegun at the request of the Italian Government. The design work was conducted by Tullio Marengoni of Beretta who continued to work for the company from 1918 to 1960. The design problem was to convert the Villar Perosa weapons into a quicker to handle shoulder weapon that would retain the lightness of the original. A new firing mechanism was devised that moved the trigger from the back of the receiver to underneath the weapon. The vertical magazine and bottom ejection were both retained from the original design.  For very close-in fighting, the folding bayonet from the bolt-action Carcano carbine was secured underneath the barrel of the submachinegun. Most of the existing Villar Perosa weapons were converted to the Beretta design during WWI.

 

This is the right side of the Beretta conversion of the Villar Perosa into a much more useful individual weapon. A single Villar Perosa firing mechanism was installed into a standard-style Italian carbine stock with other changes to make the weapon a more versatile design. The vertical magazine is the same 25 round version used with the Villar Perosa. The magazine catch is still in front of the magazine, but has been enlarged and is a folding version for easier use. This single-trigger version of the weapon is capable of full automatic fire only. There were double-trigger versions produced that allows for both semiautomatic and full automatic fire. At the muzzle of the weapon is a folding bayonet. PHOTO CREDIT: US ARMY
This is the right side of the Beretta conversion of the Villar Perosa into a much more useful individual weapon. A single Villar Perosa firing mechanism was installed into a standard-style Italian carbine stock with other changes to make the weapon a more versatile design. The vertical magazine is the same 25 round version used with the Villar Perosa. The magazine catch is still in front of the magazine, but has been enlarged and is a folding version for easier use. This single-trigger version of the weapon is capable of full automatic fire only. There were double-trigger versions produced that allows for both semiautomatic and full automatic fire. At the muzzle of the weapon is a folding bayonet. PHOTO CREDIT: US ARMY
This is a disassembled view of the Beretta Model 1918. The simplicity of the weapon is shown by the relatively few parts required to produce it. PHOTO CREDIT: US Army
This is a disassembled view of the Beretta Model 1918. The simplicity of the weapon is shown by the relatively few parts required to produce it. PHOTO CREDIT: US Army