The Italian Navy has declared its stockpile of Cold War-vintage 9mm Beretta burp guns that are surplus to its needs and is actively seeking to part with them.
The Italian Defense Industries Agency (L’Agenzia Industrie Difesa) recently announced it is accepting bids for 16,165 assorted Moschetti Automatici Beretta, or MAB, submachine guns. Brig. Gen. Massimo Boschetto detailed in a tender announcement that the guns are located at three naval bases, Taranto (7,512), La Spezia (8,404), and Augusta (249), and are being sold as-is/where-is and sans magazines.
The MAB, Beretta’s Model 1938 submachine gun in 9mm Para, was a big hit for the company and can still be found in limited service around the world.
The MAB was a staple not only of the Italian military during WWII but also saw widespread use with guerrilla/resistance groups of all stripes and ultimately was in service with over 30 nations.
It was one of the more successful sub-guns of the conflict and was a favorite of Italian marine, mountain troop, and paratrooper units, seen here with “samurai” magazine holders.
A brainchild of Beretta’s storied chief engineer Tullio Marengoni – who also designed the Beretta M15, M17, M35 and M51 pistols, the latter the basis for the famed Model 92 – the MAB was first fielded in 1938 and remained in production until the early 1960s when it was replaced in the company’s catalog by the M12 SMG.
It is believed over 1 million MAB/Model 1938s were produced in a dozen variants.
This case in the Beretta Private Collection is full of assorted Model 38s with early circa 1930s Model 38As to the left and more simplified Model 38/44s and 38/49s to the right. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Several MAB variants exist in U.S. museums and in the collection of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, brought back from all over the globe. (Photos: SANHS)
Even after the Italian army and national gendarmerie (Carabinieri) hung up the MAB in the 1960s and 70s, it remained in service with the Italian air force, as seen in these images during a NATO exercise in 1985, vibing alongside U.S. Air Force Security Police at Aviano Air Base. (Photos: USAF via the National Archives).
And it endured with the Italian navy for both base and ship defense, seen here aboard the training ship Amerigo Vespucci, which recently took part in the Sail 250 events in Norfolk, Baltimore, New York, and Boston. (Photos: Italian Navy).
While current ATF import regulations don’t allow for these beautiful and historic guns to be brought in intact for commercial sale, should a U.S. importer manage the high bid (which is likely), we could soon see some very nice parts kits show up over here.
An Italian Gruppo Operativo Incursori (G.O.I.), del Comando Operativo Subacquei e Incursori (COM.SUB.IN.) operator shown in 1973 with a super sweet Beretta M12 SMG with jungle clipped mags, and some very American Chucks on his feet.
Hey, Italians like good shoes. And as for myself, I’ve always been a fan of “The Spaghetti Uzi“
