BERETTA PM12-S

BERETTA PM12-S

The BERETTA PM12-S is the current service submachinegun for all italian military and Law Enforcement Agencies. In Italy, the Law Enforcement Agencies don't widely use the shotgun, as in the USA. In the USA there's a shotgun in every police patrol car, in Italy there is a SUBMACHINEGUN in every police patrol car.

FOLLOWING TEXT CUT-AND-PASTED FROM: http://www.berettadefence.com/

The Beretta PM12-S submachinegun is a 9x19-Parabellum blowback firearm which has both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire capabilities, firing from the open bolt position. It has a S-1-R trigger group, where S is for Safe, 1 is for Semi-auto and R is for Full-Autofire.

The telescopic bolt, which encloses the barrel (200 mm long) for three quarters of its length, makes the firearm very compact and reduces to a minimum the upward movement of the muzzle during firing. The front grip, the magazine housing, the trigger guard with firing device and manual and automatic safety devices are all in a one-piece assembly and are integral part of the receiver. This gives solidity to the firearm and ensures good perfomance over the
years. Longitudinal grooves along the whole length of the receiver allow excellent sliding of the bolt even in the extremely adverse conditions (fall of the gun in mud and exposure to dust and sand).

The PM12-S?s sturdiness and its total reliability in different latitudes can easily be seen in the general structure of the gun and in the dimensions of its component parts, as also in the extreme simplicity of design and assembly. The Beretta PM12-S is a NATO qualified submachinegun for ammunition interchangeability test. The selector device allows for an easy selection of three positions, namely: "manual safety" (S), "single shot" (1), "full automatic fire" (R), without any need for removing the hand from the grip. The automatic safety, which locks the trigger and the bolt in its closed position, safeguards from accidental firing if the gun is dropped and precludes firing if the grip is not firmly held.

The safety on the cocking handle blocks the bolt in case this is not fully retracted, thus preventing an accidental discharge. The fixed firing pin can strike the primer only when the cartridge is fully chambered, avoiding accidental firing, since the gun fires from the "open bolt" position. The front sight, adjustable in elevation and windage, and rear sight with 100m or 200m flip aperture allow accurate aimed fire and are well protected from impacts. The sturdy folding butt can be safety locked in the "open" position. When folded, the butt runs along the side of the receiver in the most practical position.

The exterior surfaces of the firearm, finished (after phosphate treatment)with epoxy resin  coating, guarantee the best possible protection against corrosion and maximum resistance to wear and abrasions.

Picture and information courtesy of: PIERANGELO TENDAS

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