Italian Garand question

[Orlando]

Have a garand that all parts are marked PB with the exception of the aperture which is BMR. Would this be correct or should it also be PB?
Thanks

Information

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[Bob Womack]

The PB is Beretta and the BMR is Breda. I''d say you've got a Beretta with one out-of-place Breda part. To be "correct" you'll need a Beretta aperture.

Bob

[Orlando]

The PB is Beretta and the BMR is Breda. I''d say you've got a Beretta with one out-of-place Breda part. To be "correct" you'll need a Beretta aperture.

Bob

But were BMR parts ever found on Beretta rifles? There is so little known about these Garand variants .

[Joe W]

There have been a few good articles on the Italian Garands in the GCA Journal. One, " Italian-made Garands for the Danish Army" by Corso P. Boccia can be found in the Spring 1997 edition. Mr. Boccia also wrote another article in the GCA Journal "The M1 Garand in Italy". Bob Seijas also wrote an article "The New Breed" in the Winter 1996 issue of the GCA Journal. In this article Bob indicates that three types of Garands, U.S. built, and both versions of the Italian made rifles were in Danish service and this would account for the mixture of US, Beretta and Breda parts found on these rifles. Bob also states " From this information, I assume that the Beretta guns were delivered to Denmark with all PB parts, and the Bredas originally had all BMR/BMB parts.

Mr. Boccia also notes that both Beretta and Breda windage knobs produced for Denmark are marked with a V, and those for Italy with a S, standing for vanstre and sinistra (left) in the two languages.

Granted these articles are dated and newer information may now be available.

[Orlando]

PB Garand Slideshow by Garandlover | Photobucket

[Bob Womack]

Thanks for that detailed expose'! It would look great in the Photo Gallery.

Bob

[Bob Seijas]

Probably not somebody's build, more likely just switched among Danish military users. They bought about 10,000 of each maker. Furniture was not birch, it was some kind of European wood, I forget what the experts called it.

[purple]

Interestingly I have a safety which is marked PB/BMB. The original Breda and Beretta stocks were made of European walnut and tend to fit up very tightly. Danish replacement sticks were made of Beechwood. Beretta receivers start showing B.M.R. in the drawing number in the 5000 s/n series which indicates that Breda produced a number of these on sub-contract for Beretta.