The Beretta 93R is an Italian selective-fire machine pistol, designed and manufactured by Beretta in the late 1970s for police and military use, that is derived from their semi-automatic Beretta 92. The "R" stands for Raffica, which is Italian for "volley", "flurry", or "burst" (sometimes spoken "R" as "Rapid" in English).

Beretta 93R
TypeMachine pistol
Place of originItaly
Service history
Used bySee Users
Production history
Designed1977-1979
ManufacturerBeretta
Produced1979-1993
Specifications
Mass1.17 kg (2.6 lb) empty
Length240 mm (9.4 in)
Barrel length125 mm (4.9 in)
(156 mm (6.1 in) with compensator

Cartridge9×19mm Parabellum
Caliber9 mm (0.35 in)
Rate of fire700 round/min (3-round burst)[1]
Muzzle velocity380 m/s (1,200 ft/s)
Effective firing range50 m (160 ft)
Feed systemDetachable box magazine; capacities:
  • 10 rounds (restricted)
  • 15 rounds (flush standard)[2]
  • 17 rounds (flush high-capacity)[3]
  • 18 rounds (flush high-capacity)[4]
  • 20 rounds (standard extended)[5]
  • 30 rounds (extended)[6]
  • 32 rounds (extended)[7]
  • 35 rounds (extended)[8]
SightsIron sights

History edit

The Beretta 93R was designed to be used by the Italian counter-terrorism forces of the national police Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza and Carabineri Gruppo di Intervento Speciale (both formed in the late 1970s in response to terrorism) but was also adopted by other police and military forces who required a concealable weapon with rapid fire capabilities.[9][10] The pistol is a development of the Beretta 92 design.

Mechanics edit

The Beretta 93R is mechanically similar to the Beretta 92. It can be selected to fire either a three round burst or single fire. A selector switch enables the operator to alternate between the two firing modes. The pistol is fitted with a collapsible angled foregrip at the front end of the trigger guard to provide better stability when firing.[10] A folding steel buttstock can be attached at the heel of the grip.[11] The Beretta 93R is much more controllable compared to other machine pistols because it was designed with only a three-round burst mode as well as a ported barrel.[1]

Users edit

 
A map with users of the Beretta 93R in blue

In film edit

The gun was used as the basis of the Robocop Auto 9 gun prop.[14]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Thompson (2012)
  2. ^ "Beretta 92FS Magazine 9mm 15rds". Beretta USA.
  3. ^ "Beretta M9A3 Sand Resistant Magazine 9mm 17rd". Beretta USA.
  4. ^ "Beretta 92FS 9mm 18-Round Magazine".
  5. ^ "Beretta 92FS Magazine 9mm 20rds". Beretta USA.
  6. ^ "Beretta 92FS CX4 Magazine 9mm 30rds". Beretta USA.
  7. ^ "ProMag Beretta 32 Round Magazine 9mm for Sale - ClassicFirearms".
  8. ^ "Red White & Blue Beretta 92 Magazine 9mm 35 Rounds Steel Black BER35RD". Cheaper Than Dirt.
  9. ^ a b Thompson (2012) p.12–13
  10. ^ a b Fowler, Anthony (2007). Pistols, Revolvers, and Submachine Guns, p. 136.
  11. ^ McNab, Chris (2004). The Great Book of Guns, p. 145.
  12. ^ "World Infantry Weapons: Algeria". 2015. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  13. ^ Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35th edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
  14. ^ Jonathan Ferguson (6 December 2023). Beretta M93R: Exploring the 'Robocop Auto 9', with firearms expert Jonathan Ferguson. Retrieved 9 December 2023.

External links edit