POTD: Beretta’s First Locked Breach Pistol – The Beretta M1951
Sam.S 01.11.24
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Beretta’s first locked-breech pistol design arrived in 1951. The robust Beretta M1951 emerged from the Beretta tradition with a trademark open slide, external hammer, and grip magazine extension. Internally more modern, designer Tullio Marengoni adapted the proven P38 cam locking system for 9mm Parabellum pressures. Despite early lightweight alloy failures, steel-framed production began in earnest by 1957. Adopted by Italian military and security forces, the Brigadier, as the commercial Beretta M1951 was known, also appeared internationally through licenses and exports. Egypt’s contract Maadi Helwan model even returned manufacturing to Marengoni’s homeland for a time. Though push-button controls hampered ergonomics, the M1951 garnered acclaim for accuracy and reliability even under adverse conditions. Phased out by the 1990s, over 170,000 examples served for decades worldwide. Flawed yet faithful, the milestone M1951 bridged Beretta’s craftsman past with the 92 series and 21st-century success.
“Manufacturer: Beretta PietroModel: 1951Type: PistolGauge: 9 mmBarrel: 4 1/2 inch roundFinish: blueGrip: plastic”
Lot 799: Three Beretta Semi-Automatic Pistols – A) Beretta Model 1951 Pistol with Case. (n.d.-b). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved January 10, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/2052/799/three-beretta-semiautomatic-pistols.
