Italy Puts More Than 16,000 Historic Beretta MAB Submachine Guns Up for Sale

Italy has launched the sale of more than 16,000 decommissioned Beretta Moschetto Automatico Beretta (MAB) submachine guns that remained in military storage for decades. The surplus includes primarily variants of the iconic Model 1938, a firearm that earned a strong reputation during World War II and later served with Italian security forces for many years. A Historic Firearm With Decades of Military Service Legendary Beretta chief engineer Tullio Marengoni designed the MAB series, which entered military service in 1938. The weapon gained recognition during World War II for its reliability, accuracy and controllability, making it a preferred choice among elite Italian paratroopers and security units. One of its distinctive features was a dual-trigger system that allowed operators to select either semi-automatic or fully automatic fire. After the war, several versions remained in service with Italy's police, military police and armed forces until more modern firearms gradually replaced them toward the end of the 20th century.