Beretta PM12S
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Barrel
- 200 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.20 kg
- Introduced
- 1978
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Beretta PM12S (Model 12S) is the improved variant of the Beretta M12 submachine gun, introduced in 1978. It retains the M12's compact telescoping (wrap-around) bolt, open-bolt blowback action and side-folding metal stock, while combining the original's two separate cross-bolt buttons into a single three-position selector lever (safe/semi/auto) and adding reinforced internals, improved flip-aperture sights, a two-position folding stock and an anti-corrosion phosphate-and-epoxy finish. It became the standard submachine gun of the Italian police and was widely exported and license-produced.
The PM12's signature trick is its wrap-around telescoping bolt: roughly two-thirds of the barrel sits inside the hollow bolt, shifting its mass forward so that full-automatic muzzle climb is naturally damped without any need for a muzzle brake.
The PM12S differs from the original M12 chiefly in its unified single three-position selector lever, reinforced components, improved sights and corrosion-resistant finish, plus tool-less field stripping. Made under license in Brazil by Taurus and in Indonesia by Pindad; the current production model is the PM12-S2, which adds a safety integrated into the cocking handle.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Beretta
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Country
- Italy
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1978
- Variant of
- Improved
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 200 mm
- Overall length
- 660 mm
- Height
- 180 mm
- Sight radius
- 285 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.20 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 3.77 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- 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
- 481 J
- Effective range
- 200 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 bolt
Open bolt
Folding metal stock
Front and rear grip
Combined three position selector
Flip aperture rear sight- Tool less field stripping
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 | 3.20 kg | 3.18 kg | Near the median |
| 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 PM12S
How much does the Beretta PM12S weigh?
The Beretta PM12S weighs 3.20 kg (7.05 lb) empty and 3.77 kg (8.31 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Beretta PM12S?
The Beretta PM12S is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the Beretta PM12S hold?
The Beretta PM12S holds 32 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Beretta PM12S?
The Beretta PM12S is 660 mm (26.0 in) long overall, with a 200 mm (7.87 in) barrel.
Who makes the Beretta PM12S?
The Beretta PM12S is made by Beretta (Italy). It was designed by Domenico Salza.
When was the Beretta PM12S introduced?
The Beretta PM12S was introduced in 1978.
How does the Beretta PM12S operate?
The Beretta PM12S uses a blowback action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
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 State Police
- 1978
- Italian Carabinieri
- Italy
- Indonesian Armed Forces
- Indonesia
- Saudi Arabian Armed Forces
- Saudi Arabia
Provenance
Confidence in this record
77%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
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-pm12s' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "beretta-pm12s", "name": "Beretta PM12S", "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": 1978, "barrel_length_mm": 200, "weight_empty_g": 3200, "action_type": "blowback"}