M12 Beretta: Difference between revisions

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The Beretta M12, a 9mm submachine gun, was designed in 1959 and initially used by Italian law enforcement. Widely adopted in 1978, it replaced the older Beretta MAB. While the Italian Army briefly considered the Franchi LF-57, they never deployed it. A variant, the M12S2, was introduced in limited numbers in 1992. The Italian Air Force purchased M12S and M12S2 for airport security, but the weapon found more success in Arab countries and South America.
The Beretta M12 (often referred to as the PM-12) is an Italian 9×19mm submachine gun introduced at the end of the 1950s and best known for its compact, modern layout and controllable handling. It uses a simple blowback action and fires from an open bolt, with a telescoping-bolt arrangement that helps keep the weapon short while retaining useful barrel length. Although primarily associated with Italian police and military service and widespread export use, it also gained notoriety in the Vietnam War era due to its appearance in the defense of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon during the Tet Offensive.
==HISTORY==
Beretta developed the Model 12 as a post–World War II generation submachine gun, emphasizing compactness, reliability, and ease of handling for security and close-range roles. Early adoption was strongly tied to law-enforcement and security users, and the design’s distinctive features—such as the forward pistol grip and folding stock—helped it remain competitive as a practical SMG pattern for decades. The Model 12 family later evolved into updated variants (commonly known as PM-12/PM-12S), but the core concept remained the same: a rugged, compact 9mm SMG optimized for short-range automatic fire.


The weapon was first seen in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive in 1968 when the U.S. Marines guarding the [[U.S. embassy]] in Saigon repelled the assault by the [[Việt Cộng]] using the Beretta M12.
In the [[Vietnam War]] era, the Beretta M12 became widely recognized in U.S. accounts for its role during the Tet Offensive in 1968, when embassy security personnel and Marine guards defending the U.S. Embassy compound in Saigon employed Beretta M12 submachine guns during the attack. While it was not a standard general-issue U.S. infantry weapon in Vietnam, its presence in that high-profile action helped cement the weapon’s association with embassy and security-detachment use during the conflict.
=HISTORY=
===Sources===
In 1959, Beretta redesigned the Armaguerra Cremona OG44 submachine gun to create the Model 12, replacing the MAB 1938. Weighing 3.48 kg empty, it's compact at 660 mm length (stock extended) and fires 9mm Parabellum rounds. Its telescoping bolt design allows for a short length without sacrificing barrel length. Chromium-plated barrel and rifling resist fouling, while epoxy resin coating protects against corrosion. Selective-fire with safeties, adjustable sights, and options for folding or fixed stock. Original Model 12 had 20-, 32-, and 40-round magazines. Later version M12S introduced mechanical differences.
* [https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/guns-of-the-tet-offensive/ American Rifleman — Guns of the Tet Offensive]
<br>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta_M12 SOURCE]
* [https://www.smallarmssurvey.org/sites/default/files/resources/SmallArmsSurvey_ID_PlayingCards.pdf Small Arms Survey — Weapons Identification Playing Cards (includes Beretta Model 12)]
* [https://www.forgottenweapons.com/the-beretta-pm-12s-submachine-gun/ Forgotten Weapons — The Beretta PM-12S Submachine Gun]
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File:Tet 13-cia-smg-us-ambassador-tet.jpg|Tet Offensive, the US Embassy in Saigon
File:Tet 13-cia-smg-us-ambassador-tet.jpg|Tet Offensive, the US Embassy in Saigon
File:Vietnam-AMrines-with-Model-10-and-beretta-Model-12.jpg|Tet Offensive, the US Embassy in Saigon
File:Vietnam-AMrines-with-Model-10-and-beretta-Model-12.jpg|Tet Offensive, the US Embassy in Saigon
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Latest revision as of 05:57, 3 March 2026

Factions Weapon Icon Classes Ammo

US
M12 Beretta		 Medic
Engineer
Radioman
 32 / 96
Damage Base Headshot × Chest × Stomach × Leg × Arm × Reload Speed
Partial Empty
37 ×2.4 = 88.8 ×1.3 = 48.1 ×1.2 = 44.4 ×0.8 = 29.6 ×0.75 = 27.75 2.4 Seconds 3.133 Seconds
Designation Weapon Type Fire Modes Fire Rate Bullet Spread ° Range Modifier Muzzle Velocity Projectile weight Weight
Model 12 SMG Auto 550 RPM 7.9° & 2.35° ADS 0.83 380 m/s 7.5 g (115.74 gr) 3.2 kg (7.05 lbs)
Full name Caliber Place of Origin Date Manufacturer Barrel Length Total Length Weapon Script Name
Beretta Model 12 9x19mm Italy 1959 Beretta
under license many other		 7.9 in (200 mm) 25.4 in (645 mm) weapon_m12


The Beretta M12 (often referred to as the PM-12) is an Italian 9×19mm submachine gun introduced at the end of the 1950s and best known for its compact, modern layout and controllable handling. It uses a simple blowback action and fires from an open bolt, with a telescoping-bolt arrangement that helps keep the weapon short while retaining useful barrel length. Although primarily associated with Italian police and military service and widespread export use, it also gained notoriety in the Vietnam War era due to its appearance in the defense of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon during the Tet Offensive.

HISTORY

Beretta developed the Model 12 as a post–World War II generation submachine gun, emphasizing compactness, reliability, and ease of handling for security and close-range roles. Early adoption was strongly tied to law-enforcement and security users, and the design’s distinctive features—such as the forward pistol grip and folding stock—helped it remain competitive as a practical SMG pattern for decades. The Model 12 family later evolved into updated variants (commonly known as PM-12/PM-12S), but the core concept remained the same: a rugged, compact 9mm SMG optimized for short-range automatic fire.

In the Vietnam War era, the Beretta M12 became widely recognized in U.S. accounts for its role during the Tet Offensive in 1968, when embassy security personnel and Marine guards defending the U.S. Embassy compound in Saigon employed Beretta M12 submachine guns during the attack. While it was not a standard general-issue U.S. infantry weapon in Vietnam, its presence in that high-profile action helped cement the weapon’s association with embassy and security-detachment use during the conflict.

Sources

Real-Life Photos
  • Tet Offensive, the US Embassy in Saigon
    Tet Offensive, the US Embassy in Saigon
  • Tet Offensive, the US Embassy in Saigon
    Tet Offensive, the US Embassy in Saigon
Videos
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