Italian M1 Garand Question??????

[mparsons]

I looked at the Italian garands as an extention of one of every manufacture. The fit and finish is top of the line, if you can find one in good shape. Took me two years to find both a Breda and Beretta. Good luck.

[Eli]

Why couldn't Danish receivers be imported from Canada?

Eli

[Engine49guy]

Found a BREDA M1D recently.
Fit and finish right up there with any Winchester or Springfield.
This particular rifle was a complete custom build with M84 scope and mount.
All finished in a grey parkerizing, someone put alot of love in this rifle.
Have to do some more research ....

[LavaTech]

Beretta and Breda (BMR Breda Meccanica Romana and BMB Breda Meccanica Brescia, subcontractor of PB) produced 30-06 M1 Garands exclusively for Denmark Gov'nt in 50's, using Winchester tools.

Well, Breda may well have used Winchester's old tooling but after Beretta's production staff inspected Winchester's equipment they determined that they would build their own tooling (though they never had before) to produce their NATO and other contract M1 rifles.

I recall this tidbit from an old Jouster post -

Professional Firearms
519 W. Lodi Ave
Lodi, CA 95240
209-369-0211

they may have one/some...?
(found in a text file called "Breda_Receivers-buy_here.txt")

[andy_ita]

hey guys
nice rifles..
but what about barrels?
im corious to know who made the barrels mounted in this rifle...
on mine, i have a B.Sid. marked barrel.. B.Sid mean Breda Siderurgica, another plant of Breda here in m city, Brescia, italy

[shooterm1]

yes, "Breda Siderurgica" is just another Breda shop/factory.

Its the maker of the early Beretta barrels that seems to be the major mystery.

They seems to have several markings applied which indicate different makers/manufacturers, with the ones with the STAR mark being especially intriguing ...

then of course - later on - Beretta began to use generic BSid marked M1 barrels too.

[andy_ita]

well the star mark with the FAT and year of production mean Fabbrica Armi Terni
it is another gov. plant that made and repair guns since the WWI , sited in Terni, south of italy

[Toscano]

BTW, FYI, the Italians never inserted a steel sleeve to convert to 7.62 NATO...the U.S.Navy did! Beretta took the 30-06 barrels, cut the threads off, remachined the threads and breech and rechambered for NATO. Shortened up the op-rod and rear hand guard...Viola', That's why the Italian NATO Garands are 1/2" shorter than the standard M1.

[Ltdave]

The Lithgow guys did legally get an import permit to bring in a small lot of Italian receivers for standards use in their Lithgow Garand project. They could not sell Lithgow Garands as CMP was selling the real gun at less money. With the project's demise the standards parts were sold. off. I got my receiver from that sale. This was 4 (?) years ago. Receivers are hard to come by.

Lithgow is where i got my beretta receiver but i think it was back in 2002...

there was a couple from Ohio who was selling parts kits and i think thats where i got my complete PB kit from. ive got a lot of time putting these rifles together (except for barreling them) and i built it myself...

this is my first post HERE but i was quite a regular to the old CSP back around the turn of the century...how funny does THAT sound!?

im looking for a Breda myself. thats what prompted me to seach for this forum again...

[Calif-Steve]

I ended up with excess BMB and PB parts from my project. Email me if you want to swap parts.