Beretta Model 12
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Barrel
- 200 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.00 kg
- Introduced
- 1958
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Beretta Model 12 (officially Pistola Mitragliatrice Modello 12, or PM-12) is an Italian 9x19mm Parabellum submachine gun designed by Domenico Salza and the Beretta engineering team, introduced in 1958 as the intended replacement for the WWII-era Beretta MAB 38 family. A radical departure from the classical Italian SMG lineage, the Model 12 adopted a telescoping, overhung bolt design - in which a hollow bolt wraps around the rear portion of the barrel - that dramatically shortened overall length while keeping the barrel long enough for good ballistic performance. This overhung-bolt architecture, pioneered by the Israeli Uzi, was refined by Beretta into one of the most controllable, well-balanced, and handsome submachine guns ever fielded. Constructed from welded sheet-steel halves with a forward pistol grip, folding metal stock, and a low 550-round-per-minute cyclic rate, the Model 12 was purpose-built for accuracy and controllability, particularly in full-auto bursts. Three variants were produced: the original Model 12 (1958), the simplified Model 12S (1978) with a combined safety/selector lever and corrosion-resistant epoxy finish, and the Model 12S2 (1983) with Picatinny mounting provisions. Fed by 20, 32, or 40-round detachable box magazines, the PM-12 served as the primary submachine gun of the Italian Carabinieri until 2015, saw extensive Italian peacekeeping service in Somalia, Lebanon, and Bosnia, and was exported to dozens of countries across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and South America.
British SAS operators deployed during the Aden Emergency (1964-1967) famously preferred the Beretta Model 12 over their issued L2A3 Sterling, citing the Beretta's superior controllability and Italian-grade machining quality - a preference that reportedly began under David Stirling's units and became an open secret within 22 SAS. The Model 12's overhung telescoping bolt, in which the bolt wraps around the rear of the barrel, was inspired by the Israeli Uzi but refined by Beretta into a design so influential that it shaped everything from the IMI Micro Uzi to the HK MP5K. The Carabinieri retained the PM-12S as their primary submachine gun until 2015 - a 54-year service life that is among the longest of any Cold War SMG.
Total production is estimated at approximately 70,000 units across all variants. The Model 12S introduced in 1978 was the most widely exported version, featuring a single combined safety/selector lever (rather than the original's separate grip safety and selector), an epoxy-based corrosion-resistant finish replacing the original phosphate coating, and minor internal simplifications for easier manufacture. The 12S2 of 1983 added forward Picatinny rail sections for lights, lasers, and optics. The weapon's overhung-bolt layout directly influenced subsequent compact SMG designs including the IMI Micro Uzi and the HK MP5K. Italian Carabinieri retained the PM-12S as primary SMG until 2015, when it was replaced by the Beretta PMX.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Beretta
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Country
- Italy
- Status
- Out of production
- Produced
- 1958 to 1990
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 200 mm
- Overall length
- 660 mm
- Height
- 290 mm
- Width
- 60 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.00 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 3.48 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Open bolt
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 32
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Steel
- Finish
- Phosphate
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 380 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 538 J
- Effective range
- 200 m
- Maximum range
- 300 m
- Rate of fire
- 550 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Telescoping overhung bolt
Open bolt firing
Two position folding metal stock
Forward pistol grip
Grip safety
Stamped sheet steel construction- Welded receiver halves
Flip up rear sight
Hooded front sight
Progressive trigger select fire- Low cyclic rate for controllability
Compatible with 20 32 40 round magazines
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 201 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 3.00 kg | 3.18 kg | Lighter than about 60% |
| Overall lengthAmong 200 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 660 mm | 723 mm | Shorter than about 70% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 202 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 200 mm | 213 mm | Shorter than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 204 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 32 | 32 | Holds more rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the Beretta Model 12
How much does the Beretta Model 12 weigh?
The Beretta Model 12 weighs 3.00 kg (6.61 lb) empty and 3.48 kg (7.67 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Beretta Model 12?
The Beretta Model 12 is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the Beretta Model 12 hold?
The Beretta Model 12 holds 32 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Beretta Model 12?
The Beretta Model 12 is 660 mm (26.0 in) long overall, with a 200 mm (7.87 in) barrel.
Who makes the Beretta Model 12?
The Beretta Model 12 is made by Beretta (Italy). It was designed by Domenico Salza.
When was the Beretta Model 12 introduced?
The Beretta Model 12 was introduced in 1958 and discontinued in 1990.
How does the Beretta Model 12 operate?
The Beretta Model 12 uses a blowback action, and its firing mechanism is open bolt.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Italian Army
- 1961
- Carabinieri
- 1961
- Guardia di Finanza
- 1961
- Special Air Service
- 1964
- Saudi Arabian Armed Forces
- 1965
- Venezuelan Armed Forces
- 1970
- Nigerian Armed Forces
- 1970
- Indonesian Armed Forces
- 1975
- Libyan Armed Forces
- 1970
- Argentine Armed Forces
- 1975
Provenance
Confidence in this record
85%
Stockists
Where to buy
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No shop has listed this firearm yet
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Works with
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API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/beretta-model-12' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "beretta-model-12", "name": "Beretta Model 12", "manufacturer": { "id": "beretta", "name": "Beretta", "countryCode": "IT", "foundedYear": 1526, "website": "https://www.beretta.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:40", "version": "8b9fe1893419c995aa99c862828f03dd5729ecd351a2fed53e95d04b9a47918f" }, "category": { "id": "submachine-gun", "name": "Submachine Gun", "description": "Automatic firearms chambered in pistol calibers" }, "country_of_origin": "IT", "year_introduced": 1958, "barrel_length_mm": 200, "weight_empty_g": 3000, "action_type": "blowback"}