Beretta BM59

Beretta BM59 Modello I ITAL - 7.62x51mm

BM59 Modello II "Nigerian Type" - 7.62x51mm NATO. These were mainly used by the Nigerian Army instead of Italian Army. Note the carry handle and pistol grip.

Beretta BM59 Modello III ITAL-TA (Truppe Alpine) - 7.62x51mm NATO

Beretta BM59 Modello III ITAL-Para (Paracadutisti) with stock folded - 7.62x51mm NATO. This rifle is identical to the "Truppe Alpine", but features a removeable compensator (which is removed in this image but is the same as the TA's).

BM59 Modello IV ITAL-Pesante - 7.62x51mm NATO. These were light support weapons with heavy barrels and sturdier bipods which were mainly used by the Nigerian Army instead of the Italian Army. Note the lack of leaf sight for the grenade launcher.

Beretta BM62, also called BM59 SL (Semiautomatico) in marketing - 7.62x51mm NATO. The Grenade Launcher, Gas Cut off, tri-compensator and bipod were removed for civilian sales outside of the U.S. Within the U.S. the military characteristics (sans the select fire option) remained on the rifle for private sales. A variation of this rifle with original compensator and 20-round magazine is known as the BM69.

The Beretta BM59 is an Italian made rifle based on the M1 Garand. Designed in the 1950s, the BM59 utilizes the Garand's action, but adds such features as a detachable box magazine-feed system, select fire, a bipod and a combination flash hider / rifle grenade launcher. The BM59 was the service rifle of the Italian Army from 1959-1990 and was also used by the Algerian, Argentine, Bahrain, Ethiopian, Indonesian, Libyan, Moroccan and Nigerian armed forces. Both the Modello II and Modello IV were imported and also produced by Nigeria.

Specifications

(1959 - 1990)

• Type: Rifle

• Caliber(s): 7.62x51 mm NATO

• Weight: 9.70 lbs (4.4 kg)

• Length: 43.1 in (109.5 cm)

• Barrel length: 19.3 in (49.1 cm)

• Capacity: 20-round box

• Fire Modes: Semi-Auto/Full-Auto

The Beretta BM59 has been used in the following productions:

Film

Television

Anime

Video Games