Beretta Model 38/42 submachinegun
Official wording
Italian, Beretta, Model 38/42, cal. 9mm Parabellum, mfd. by Pietro Beretta SpA, Gardone-val Trompia, Italy prior to 1946.
What this entry requires
- ATF REQUIRESMade or imported as stated: “mfd. by Pietro Beretta SpA”
- ATF REQUIRESMade 1945 or earlier (ATF’s dates)ATF: “prior to 1946”
- INFOStill an NFA firearm; only registered examples transfer, with ATF approval (26 U.S.C. 5812, 5861).
Editorial facts · Our research
Source
- Official wording
- ATF P 5300.11, April 2025 edition · Section IV · PDF p. 85 ↗ · ATF original ↗
- Entries
- 1 line
- Verbatim check
- Checked against the PDF text before every release
- Editorial facts
- Confidence: High · Last revised 18 October 2026 (Evidence pass) · How we rate confidence
- References
- 1. Wikipedia, “Beretta Model 38” ↗, maker: developed by Beretta; the Model 38/42 is the simplified variant (adopted by the Wehrmacht after Germany took over the Beretta factory)
- 2. Wikipedia, “Beretta Model 38” ↗, type: an Italian submachine gun; variants list includes 1938/42
- 3. Wikipedia, “Beretta Model 38” ↗, action: blowback submachine gun, cyclic rate 550 rpm (MAS 38/42): automatic fire
- 4. Wikipedia, “Beretta Model 38” ↗, years: Romania's 5,000 ordered in 1941 'were received during 1942' and 'included both the Model 38A and the Model 38/42'; end limit is ATF's 'prior to 1946'
- Fact tags
- ATF the ATF wording states it.
- REF ¹ an outside reference supports it; the number points to the list of references.
- ESTIMATE an approximate or indirect reading, for example the production range of the base model.
- NO CITATION we haven’t attached a reference for this fact; it’s our editorial reading, not ATF’s.
- Source checked
- 20 October 2026: ATF’s page still lists the April 2025 edition
- Corrections
- None
Historical context
Image: Wikimedia Commons, “Beretta M38 42 CWM 2013 1.jpg” by JustSomePics, CC BY-SA 3.0. Retrieved October 2026.
Summary: Wikipedia, “Beretta Model 38”. Text CC BY-SA 4.0.
FROM WIKIPEDIA
The Beretta Model 38 is an Italian submachine gun introduced in 1938 and used by the Royal Italian Army during World War II. It was first issued to Italian police units stationed in Italy's African colonies. The Italian army was impressed by the gun's performance and decided to adopt a version to be used by the army's elite formations and military police, but requested a modified variant which had no bayonet and a different muzzle brake. This variant was widely used by the Royal Italian Army on all theatres of World War II Italy was involved in. The guns were also used by the German, Romanian and Argentine militaries of the era.