Italy - Forgotten Weapons

Beretta 38/42: Simplified But Still Excellent

October 28, 2022 Ian McCollum 5

The Beretta Model 38A was an outstanding SMG at the beginning of World War Two, loaded with features and very easy to shoot. However, it was expensive and complex to produce, and pressures of war […]

FNAB 43: From WW2 Italy to Algerian Independence

September 5, 2022 Ian McCollum 16

Designed and manufactured by Fabbrica Nazionale d’Armi di Brescia (National Arms Factory of Brescia) in northern Italy, for use by the RSI and German military forces (as well as some partisan units). They were produced […]

Ask Ian: Did the Finns Hate the Carcano?

July 14, 2022 Ian McCollum 31

Asked by Prmetime on Utreon: In WW2, Finland was given approximately 100,000 Carcano M38 rifles in 7.35 Carcano. I have heard it stated that the Finns didn’t like the rifles. Can you comment on the […]

Beretta SCS-70 for Italian Special Forces

April 20, 2022 Ian McCollum 13

The SCS-70 (Special Carbine, Short) is a version of the standard Beretta AR-70 rifle made for Italian special forces use. It has a 12.7” barrel, no gas cutoff or rifle grenade capability, pistol grip storage […]

Krieghoff 8mm Mauser Carcano for the Volkssturm

January 10, 2022 Ian McCollum 24

When Italy surrendered in late 1943, German troops disarmed the Italian forces in areas under German control, and came away with nearly 400,000 Carcano rifles. These would form the core armaments of the Volkssturm forces […]

Cosmi: A Boutique 8-Round Selfloader Hiding in a Single-Shot Body

December 30, 2021 Ian McCollum 23

The Cosmi is a very high-end boutique Italian sporting shotgun. It has all the looks and lines of a single shot break-action gun, but hiding inside is a long recoil self-loading action and 8-round magazine […]

Best SMG of World War Two: The Beretta M38A

November 15, 2021 Ian McCollum 28

The Beretta Model 38A was one of the very best submachine guns of World War Two. Designed by veteran Beretta engineer Tullio Marengoni (who designed most of Beretta’s pistols as well as the Beretta M1918 […]

Algimech AGM-1: A Short-Lived Italian 9mm Bullpup

September 29, 2021 Ian McCollum 44

In the mid 1980s, an Italian designer named Alphonso Giambelli developed a bullpup pistol-caliber carbine with hopes of selling it to Italian law enforcement. That never happened, but the gun was offered on the commercial […]

Milanese 7mm Pinfire Saber-Revolver

September 23, 2021 Ian McCollum 21

Tacticool is not a modern creation – people have been making arms that are impractical but cool looking for centuries. As a case in point, I present this Model 1864 Milanese style saber-revolver. Several different […]

Throwback Thursday: Cei Rigotti Rifle Disassembly

August 19, 2021 Ian McCollum 15

The Cei Rigotti is a fascinating early Italian self-loading rifle design that was tested in several countries, but never adopted or put into production. I had a chance to disassemble one at the British REME […]