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Does Length Matter?


The Wizard
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According to the technical brochure put out by Beretta on the BM 59 for the Ital and Ital-Alpini models the barrel length is 490,73 mm (19.32 inches) and for the Ital-Paracadutisti model 467,73 mm (18.41 inches) I have a Springfield Armory, Inc. Bm 59 Ital (standard) model rifle and a Springfield Armory, Inc. Ital-Paracadutisti (paratroop) model rifle. I thought I would measure the barrels. I had a 3/16-inch diameter by 36 inch wood dowel that I slipped down the barrel until it met the face of the locked bolt. I realize that this method does not result in a true measurement of the barrel length but it is close enough for government work. I then marked the end of the barrel on the dowel, removed the dowel and using a tape measure measured the marked length. Imagine my surprise when the length for the Ital (standard) barrel measured 17-5/8 inches and for the Ital-Paracadutisti (paratroop) measured 19-1/8 inches. 1) Did I read the tape measure wrong? (I checked it three times.) 2) Do I need to have my tape measure recalibrated? 3) Did Beretta lie or just did not know what they were talking about?

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Hi Wizard,

 

My references say barrel lengths are as follows:

 

Mark I - III

17.7 (or 17.4) inches

 

Mark IV

21 (or 20.9) inches

 

Ital & TA

19.3 inches

 

Para

18.4 (or 18.5)

 

It sounds like you have a standard Ital/TA barrel on your Para & a 'export' Mark I-III barrel on your Standard Rifle.

 

Springfield Inc purchased Beretta's remaining parts about 1980 & took everything - Italian Issue & export. Springfield Inc used what they had to build their BM59 rifles. They where never worried about parts being 100 percent correct - just functional & safe so they could sell Rifles. The Rubber Butt assy with folding bar was never Italian Issue - only for export IV Rifles. But most Springfield Inc BM59's have that Butt Assy because they got them from Beretta.

 

You can't use a 17.7 (or 17.4) inch bbl with a para tricomp - the short bbl muzzle blast will blow the spring off the para tricomp - so they used the 19.3 inch Ital/TA bbl & the short export bbl they used on some of their Standard Rifles - until they ran out. Reese, who had the Springfield Inc left over parts still had some Ital bbl when they sold off their remaining stock.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Did you find a long range gernade sight?

 

 

 

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