21 Jan 2024 Garand Picture of the Day - Cuban Army

[Mark in Rochester]

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[browningautorifle]

Looks like a well travelled M1, dark wood... Wonder what maker?

[FlightRN]

In the mid-late 1950's, Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista's government awarded a contract to Beretta. the author, Ruggero Pettinelli started in his book on Italian M1's, "Il Garand in Italia, 1951-1996," production was just over 5,000 rifles, but he clarified the serial number sequence began with 1000 and ended somewhere shy of 6000. This was a departure from other contracts that typically started at serial number "1." He could not determine in his research the reason behind this deviation.

[browningautorifle]

a contract to Beretta.

That would be a neat one to find standing in a corner.

[CINDERS]

Pretty casual affair by the look of it relaxed plus his ammo belt does not appear to be holding any loaded enblocs.

[Mark in Rochester]

[RCS]

always stated that lend lease M1 rifles went to Cuba too, may still be there along with some Johnson rifles

[FlightRN]

Good Day,
Thanks to "Mark in Rochester" for posting his pictures. Other contracted rifles made by Beretta and Breda include Demark, Indonesia, Libya and Italy. It's been posit that only Cuban rifles had an "E" above the serial number which likely stood for "esportazione", or "export" in Italian. Although, those purchased by Yemen have a "E" preceding their serial numbers, those numbers are on the left side of the receiver. With the influx of rifles from Ethiopia, some M1s came in that have the same Beretta /E bannerstamp. Since Pettinelli, or other authors, can't describe with certainty what the banner area on the Libiyan contract rifles were like, they might have been similar. Further archival research and verified (i.e. country of origin) examples will hopefully help peel back the history of Beretta and Breda rifles.
Regards,
Michael


https://imgur.com/a/vbdrsct