Seven Berettas and four Bredas

[FluffyTheCat]

http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu138/Fluffy9lives/unnamed1%2020_zpsmx1ibr21.jpg (http://s641.photobucket.com/user/Fluffy9lives/media/unnamed1%2020_zpsmx1ibr21.jpg.html)

[cuppednlocked]

Very nice.

[FluffyTheCat]

Very nice.

Thank you.

I posted the picture to show the green hue of the Parkerizing. These receivers had been soaking in vintage Bramasole olive oil. It really gets them to turn green

[LEAD POISON]

Which is more collector valued Beretta or Breda ?

[FluffyTheCat]

Which is more collector valued Beretta or Breda ?


Bredas are actually rarer. But there's no real difference between them. Some Berettas were actually made for Beretta by Breda as a subcontractor.

Beretta rifles made for Denmark with serial numbers higher than PB 5000, were all subcontracted by Breda.

[LEAD POISON]

Thank you.

[FluffyTheCat]

You can tell a Breda subcontracted rifle because it will have the Breda inspection marks near the drawing number. It will be stamped, "BMR" and will also have a two or three digit inspectors code.

A true Beretta receiver will be marked "PB" next to the drawing number and the inspectors mark will be found on the bottom of the rear left receiver ledge.

[FluffyTheCat]

Here is a late Beretta receiver that Breda manufactured as a subcontractor. It is serial number PB9550.

http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu138/Fluffy9lives/00d8df62-b0f4-4b32-aeb1-3566715cb388_zpsorebx8nr.jpg (http://s641.photobucket.com/user/Fluffy9lives/media/00d8df62-b0f4-4b32-aeb1-3566715cb388_zpsorebx8nr.jpg.html)

At the side of receiver PB9550, you will see the drawing number and the Breda stamping, "B.M.R." The number "99" is the inspector's number. The Breda stamping shows that this receiver was built for Beretta by Breda.

http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu138/Fluffy9lives/Berettareceiverlate_zpsp2nc6y6g.jpg (http://s641.photobucket.com/user/Fluffy9lives/media/Berettareceiverlate_zpsp2nc6y6g.jpg.html)


On the left sidewall of PB9550, you will see the Beretta name and address. Mid to late receivers were so marked:

http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu138/Fluffy9lives/f5630cf5-4c06-4878-8315-2676d74c57fa_zpsiwd97p8i.jpg (http://s641.photobucket.com/user/Fluffy9lives/media/f5630cf5-4c06-4878-8315-2676d74c57fa_zpsiwd97p8i.jpg.html)


Now here we have an early Beretta, PB2246. Here is the side of the receiver. Notice the drawing number and the "P.B" marking. The "P.B." marking means that this is a Beretta made receiver. Notice also that there is no inspector's marking on the side of the receiver.

http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu138/Fluffy9lives/b8605bf5-585f-4762-8135-4778265a65b4_zpsepg2qtf6.jpg (http://s641.photobucket.com/user/Fluffy9lives/media/b8605bf5-585f-4762-8135-4778265a65b4_zpsepg2qtf6.jpg.html)

Here is the sidewall of PB2246. Notice that it is bare. The early Berettas did not bear the Beretta name and address:

http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu138/Fluffy9lives/earlyberettaside_zps87lpmf70.jpg (http://s641.photobucket.com/user/Fluffy9lives/media/earlyberettaside_zps87lpmf70.jpg.html)

On an early Beretta, the inspector's stamp is found on the bottom of the receiver as follows. Now take note of the perfect machining. There are no tool marks inside PB2246. These Italian receivers were beautifully made.

http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu138/Fluffy9lives/berettareceiverearly2_zps6drobgsh.jpg (http://s641.photobucket.com/user/Fluffy9lives/media/berettareceiverearly2_zps6drobgsh.jpg.html)

[Rick B]

Wouldn't Breda be more common then if they made so many Berettas? Both made 11,000 rifles and personally I have seen plenty of both.

[FluffyTheCat]

Beretta also sold rifles to other countries and they probably made around 100,000 Garands. I don't know how many of these were subcontracted by Breda.

Anyway, I don't see any difference between the two in terms of quality. They are both excellent.

[Rick B]

Sadly I used to buy them back in the 90's for $400.00 and sell for a bit of a profit after I cleaned them up. They were just catching on and I am sorry I didn't keep a few of them. Dog Boys Dad bought some from me back then :) Rick B

[checkmate19]

Rick, I looked at several or them and always said I would get one to fill the hole in the collection. They were 600ish when I was looking at them. I had a tunnel vision because I compared every thing to a 295.00 Greek or a 265.00 Dane woodless. The Greek and Dane always won.

[ZBeast]

List price from Canadian sources have the Italians going for less than $50. CDN. Its the rest of the parts that are expensive.

[Karlkcfi]

I love learning new information about Garands. I knew that there were Beretta Garands before the BM59 but I did not know about the Breda connection. So much to learn and absorb, and I love it!