New to the BM59...Need Help on What I have

[TRL]

New to the forum.

 

I recently acquired this BM59. I am having trouble finding information on it. It looks to be a Springfield BM59 with a Nigerian stock. The receiver is stamped 7.62 mm BM59 Springfield Armory. The stock has the plastic pistol grip. The barrel is stamped Geneseo, IL .308. It has PB BM59 parts mixed in with the firearm.

 

My question is, did Springfield Armory make these with Nigerian stocks? I've only seen the folding stocks with the plastic grips. Any insight and info on this firearm will be greatly appreciated. Also, do you think this was an original gun that Springfield assembled or this was a gun parted together. No matter what, I saw the gun and had to have it.

[bm59collector]

TRL - I'll try and answer some of your questions, Springfield Armory did make BM59's with Nigerian stocks back in the early 80's, as I transferred a couple for customers. There was a question about them being marked 'Springfield Armory', and I contacted Collen at SA, the answer I received was that Bob Reese imported all the remaining BM59 parts, which included unmarked receivers. Once they were in the US (receivers) they were marked Springfield Armory and given a serial number. The Nigerians that I received had barrels ~2 inches longer than the normal BM59 barrel along with the tri-comp at the end of the barrel. Your barrel and gas system look to be from a Garand, which I have never seen before on a Nigerian, not to say it couldn't happen. SA did have Boyd (sp) make some stocks, so not every stock is 100% original to Beretta. Hope this info helps

[TRL]

TRL - I'll try and answer some of your questions, Springfield Armory did make BM59's with Nigerian stocks back in the early 80's, as I transferred a couple for customers. There was a question about them being marked 'Springfield Armory', and I contacted Collen at SA, the answer I received was that Bob Reese imported all the remaining BM59 parts, which included unmarked receivers. Once they were in the US (receivers) they were marked Springfield Armory and given a serial number. The Nigerians that I received had barrels ~2 inches longer than the normal BM59 barrel along with the tri-comp at the end of the barrel. Your barrel and gas system look to be from a Garand, which I have never seen before on a Nigerian, not to say it couldn't happen. SA did have Boyd (sp) make some stocks, so not every stock is 100% original to Beretta. Hope this info helps

 

Thank you bm59 for the insight. Yeah I was just wondering what I had. The research I found was that the plastic hand grips are hard to come by on these Nigerian stocks and you see a lot of them made of wood. Is there any way of telling if this is a Boyd stock or a Beretta stock? Any markings or particular differences I can check?

 

The one thing that also confuses me is that this appears to have a national match hooded rear sight. Have you ever seen them with this sight? Like the one pictured below.

 

 

Thanks again.

[mills41]

Hello

You have a BM59 assembled by Springfield Armory.Several models were available at the time any your particular model was known as either a model BM59E or BM59SL.I don't have the literature from that time handy but it was basically a BM59 that was assembled as a modification of an M1 rifle converted to 308 caliber with a detachable 20 round magazine.This particular model also retains the gas system from the M1 rifle and the forward front handguard of the M1 rifle.The "E" or "SL" model was not as popular as the standard BM59,Nigerian or the Para models offered and fewer of that model were manufactured.On your rifle someone added the Nigerian stock.Your Nigerian stock is an original and not one of the US made copies which were reproduced later on.Your stock also has an original brown plastic pistol grip common to the paratroop stocks.I have also seen pictures of black pistol grips on Nigerian stocks although I have never seen one in person.Also your rear sight has been replaced with a hooded NM style.Hope the information helps you out,Mills41.

[TRL]

Hello

You have a BM59 assembled by Springfield Armory.Several models were available at the time any your particular model was known as either a model BM59E or BM59SL.I don't have the literature from that time handy but it was basically a BM59 that was assembled as a modification of an M1 rifle converted to 308 caliber with a detachable 20 round magazine.This particular model also retains the gas system from the M1 rifle and the forward front handguard of the M1 rifle.The "E" or "SL" model was not as popular as the standard BM59,Nigerian or the Para models offered and fewer of that model were manufactured.On your rifle someone added the Nigerian stock.Your Nigerian stock is an original and not one of the US made copies which were reproduced later on.Your stock also has an original brown plastic pistol grip common to the paratroop stocks.I have also seen pictures of black pistol grips on Nigerian stocks although I have never seen one in person.Also your rear sight has been replaced with a hooded NM style.Hope the information helps you out,Mills41.

 

Yes thank you for the information. I had never seen one of these Springfield BM59s before. Didn't even know they existed especially the original Beretta manufactured BM59. Saw it and bought it because I had to have it. Thank you again.

[JetskiMobile1]

TRL, I am about to try and sort out some info on my BM59 also.

Could you possibly give me some measurements on your rifle?

How long is the upper rear handguard?

Also how long is your barrel? (its hard to measure the actual barrel with the compensator on it but for comparison how long is it from the front of the receiver where the wood touches the receiver to the front of the front sight