Found a minty Italian M38 SMG

[kiwitedferny]

A good addition to the collection. Captured examples were used in large numbers by the New Zealanders in the desert and Italy, especially the Maori Battalion. Fully functional, with 10 and 30 rd mags and period ammo.

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/...ps29b2ccde.jpg

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4f3b06d9.jpg

[kanister]

This is not a Beretta 38A but a 38A/44, so can't have see any desert: 44 means 1944 and Italy left north Africa in 1943.

Magazines were for 10, 20, 40 rounds: they never were for 30 rounds (if you have read somethng so it's wrong).
If your magazines are for 30 rounds they are for the LF57, not the Beretta.

Can you post a right side picture?

[kiwitedferny]

This is not a Beretta 38A but a 38A/44, so can't have see any desert: 44 means 1944 and Italy left north Africa in 1943.

Magazines were for 10, 20, 40 rounds: they never were for 30 rounds (if you have read somethng so it's wrong).
If your magazines are for 30 rounds they are for the LF57, not the Beretta.

Can you post a right side picture?

Ahhh, well, there you go. Don't believe everything you read, eh? The mags fit the gun, so they must be 40 rounders. The NZ Div fought in Italy through 44 and 45, so they would have had access to them. Must have been the earlier variant that they used in the desert.

I'll try and get some better pics up.

[kanister]

The NZ Div fought in Italy through 44 and 45, so they would have had access to them. Must have been the earlier variant that they used in the desert.

Yes, you are right, but this is the model with the bayonet that Beretta produced post war for the Egyptian Army.

Italian model 38A/44 did not have the bayonet.

[kiwitedferny]

[QUOTE=kanister;5717814]Yes, you are right, but this is the model with the bayonet that Beretta produced post war for the Egyptian Army.

Italian model 38A/44 did not have the

You are perfectly correct. This gun has a 1949 date stamp on it.