Infantry Weapons

Beretta BM59 rifle

Also known as
  • Beretta BM 59
  • BM59
  • BM-59
  • FAL BM 59
  • BM59 ITAL
  • BM59 Ital TA
  • BM59 Para
  • BM59 Mk. IV
  • NR-2 rifle
  • Pindad SP.3

The Beretta BM59 is an Italian selective-fire battle rifle that converted the M1 Garand architecture into a 7.62x51mm NATO, detachable-magazine service rifle. Beretta built the core Italian family, while licensed or locally produced patterns appeared in Indonesia and Nigeria. Direct conflict-use sourcing ties BM59-family rifles to Argentine small arms in the 1982 Falklands War and to criminal-gang firearms in Haiti's current gang conflict.

Beretta BM59 rifle, Battle rifle, Infantry Weapons
Image source: Bm59.jpg

Role in Conflicts

1982 Falklands War
Role in conflict
Argentine infantry small arm

During the 1982 Falklands War, Argentine units in the Falklands/Malvinas included Italian-made Beretta BM-59E rifles among small arms held by the occupying force.

2022 Haitian Gang Conflict
Role in conflict
Individual small arm

In the 2022 Haitian Gang Conflict, the BM59 Beretta rifle was reported among weapons used by criminal gangs in Haiti, but the source does not identify a narrower tactical role.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Italy
Built in
ItalyIndonesiaNigeria
Type
Battle rifle
Service note
Cold War-era rifle still seen in later illicit and residual use
Designer
Domenico Salza and Vittorio Valle at Beretta
Designed
1957-1959 development, with Italian adoption in 1962
Produced
Initial BM59 production followed 1959 prototypes; Nigerian BM59 production capacity documented in 1964
Developed from
M1 Garand

Specifications

Cartridge
7.62x51mm NATO
Action
Select-fire, gas-operated, rotating bolt
Feed
20-round detachable box magazine
Rate of fire
Approximately 750 rounds per minute
Sight system
Fixed front sight and adjustable rear sight
Barrel length
19.32 in. on BM59 ITAL and ITAL-TA; 18.41 in. on ITAL-Para; 20.85 in. on Mk. 2 and Mk. 4
Overall length
43.11 in. on BM59 ITAL; folding-stock variants shorter when folded
Weight
9.70 lb empty for BM59 ITAL; 12.08 lb empty for Mk. 2 support pattern
Muzzle and grenade fit
Tri-compensator muzzle device on military models, with gas cut-off and grenade-launching sight
Garand Conversion Features

The BM59 kept the M1 Garand action and fire-control lineage but changed the service-rifle package around NATO ammunition, detachable magazines, and selective fire. Its most recognizable military configuration added a 20-round box magazine, stripper-clip guide, folding bipod, grenade-launching sight with gas cut-off, and a tri-compensator muzzle device.

Design driver

Reuse and modernize Garand tooling and receivers instead of starting with an entirely new rifle.

Feed change

The en-bloc clip system gave way to a 20-round detachable box magazine, while clip-guide loading remained possible.

Support-fire fit

A bipod, muzzle device, and full-power 7.62x51mm NATO chambering made the rifle usable for limited automatic fire, though squad-automatic variants remained constrained by the magazine size.

Source labels used here: BM59: The Italian M14; The History of the Italian FAL - Beretta's Long-Serving BM59.

Variants

The BM59 family mixed Italian service models, export conversion packages, squad-automatic patterns, and licensed-production derivatives built around the same Garand-based 7.62x51mm NATO action.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
BM59 ITALBaseline Italian service rifle

Standard fixed-stock Italian service model with the tri-compensator, bipod, and 20-round detachable magazine layout.

Sources: The History of the Italian FAL - Beretta's Long-Serving BM59

BM59 Mk. ISimplified export conversion

Export package described without the distinctive tri-compensator muzzle device.

Sources: The History of the Italian FAL - Beretta's Long-Serving BM59

BM59 ITAL-TA / AlpiniMountain-troop folding-stock model

Variant with a pistol grip and side-folding metal stock, developed for Italian mountain troops.

Sources: The History of the Italian FAL - Beretta's Long-Serving BM59

BM59 ITAL-Para / Mk. 3Paratrooper model

Paratrooper adaptation of the folding-stock model with a removable tri-compensator for a shorter jump package.

Sources: The History of the Italian FAL - Beretta's Long-Serving BM59

BM59 Mk. 2 / Mk. 4Squad-automatic proposals

Heavier-barrel support-weapon patterns; Small Arms Review says the Italian military did not adopt them, while Indonesia and Nigeria produced related licensed patterns.

Sources: The History of the Italian FAL - Beretta's Long-Serving BM59

NR-2 rifleNigerian licensed-production derivative

DICON's Kaduna plant was built with BM59 rifle production capacity, and Small Arms Review identifies the Nigerian NR-2 as a licensed Mk. 4-pattern derivative.

Sources: The History of the Italian FAL - Beretta's Long-Serving BM59, DICON - Ministry of Defence

Pindad SP.3Indonesian licensed-production derivative

Small Arms Review identifies the SP.3 as an Indonesian licensed-production derivative of the Mk. 4 pattern from the Bandung Weapons Factory, now PT Pindad.

Sources: The History of the Italian FAL - Beretta's Long-Serving BM59

Ammunition Fired

BM59 sources identify the rifle as chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO after Beretta adapted the Garand-pattern action to the NATO rifle cartridge.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, NATO-standard rifle and machine-gun cartridge, Munitions7.62x51mm NATO cartridgeRifle cartridge

Forgotten Weapons and Small Arms Review both describe the BM59 as a Garand-derived rifle converted to fire 7.62 mm NATO / 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition.

Sources: BM59: The Italian M14, The History of the Italian FAL - Beretta's Long-Serving BM59

Garand Lineage And M14 Context

The BM59 is best read as Beretta's Italian modernization of the M1 Garand rather than as a direct M14 variant. Sources describe Beretta engineers adapting the Garand action and fire-control layout for a NATO-caliber, magazine-fed, selective-fire service rifle while the United States pursued the separate M14 program from the same broad Garand lineage.

Linked weaponRelationshipSource-backed context
M1 Garand, Semi-automatic battle rifle, Infantry WeaponsM1 GarandDeveloped fromForgotten Weapons and Small Arms Review describe the BM59 as built around the Garand action, with 7.62 mm NATO chambering, a detachable 20-round box magazine, and selective-fire changes.
M14, 7.62 mm battle rifle, Infantry WeaponsM14Parallel lineageSmall Arms Review frames the M14 as the U.S. attempt to retain Garand-derived features in a new 7.62 mm service rifle, while Beretta produced the BM59 by modernizing existing Garand technology.

Source labels used here: BM59: The Italian M14; The History of the Italian FAL - Beretta's Long-Serving BM59.

Timeline

Beretta BM59 rifle Key Events

  1. Beretta starts Garand modernization work

    Forgotten Weapons identifies 1957 as the start of Beretta engineering work by Vittorio Valle and Domenico Salza on the rifle that became the BM59.

    Sources: BM59: The Italian M14

  2. BM59 prototypes ready

    Forgotten Weapons says BM59 prototypes were ready in 1959 before trials and Italian service adoption.

    Sources: BM59: The Italian M14

  3. Italian military adoption

    Forgotten Weapons and American Rifleman describe the BM59 entering Italian military hands in 1962 after trials.

    Sources: BM59: The Italian M14, Evolution Of The BM-59

  4. Nigerian ordnance-factory capacity

    Nigeria's Ministry of Defence says the Kaduna Ordnance Factories were built with annual capacity for 5,000 BM59 rifles and 7.62x51mm ammunition.

    Sources: DICON - Ministry of Defence

  5. Italian front-line service ends

    Small Arms Review says the BM59 officially served with the Italian military until 1990, with gradual replacement by the AR-70/90 and residual rear-line or reserve retention afterward.

    Sources: The History of the Italian FAL - Beretta's Long-Serving BM59

Media

Beretta BM59 rifle Videos

Beretta BM59 rifle Images

Beretta BM59 rifle, Battle rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 1
Source: Bm59.jpg
Beretta BM59 rifle, Battle rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 2
Source: Bm59.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
Galil assault rifle, Selective-fire assault rifle family, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsGalil assault rifleSelective-fire assault rifle familyThe Galil is an Israeli Kalashnikov-derived assault rifle family originally produced by Israel Military Industries and later modernized by Israel Weapon Industries as the Galil ACE line. Recent conflict reporting places Galil or Galil ACE rifles in irregular small-arms stocks from the Lake Chad Basin to FARC dissident operations in Colombia and trafficked gang arsenals in Haiti, where they appear as portable infantry weapons rather than heavy support systems.
AK-47/AKM rifle family, Selective-fire assault rifle family, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsAK-47/AKM rifle familySelective-fire assault rifle familyAK-47/AKM-family rifles are Kalashnikov-pattern small arms derived from the Soviet AK-47 and 1959 AKM modernization, usually chambered in 7.62 x 39 mm. In the post-2015 catalog they appear with FARC dissidents in Colombia, gangs in Haiti, PKK fighters, GNA scouts in Libya, insurgents in Mali, Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria, militants in Sinai, RSF units in Sudan, Hamas fighters in Gaza, Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, Boko Haram-linked militants in the Lake Chad basin, and Houthi-linked supply chains in Yemen.
FN MAG general-purpose machine gun, 7.62x51mm NATO general-purpose machine gun, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsFN MAG general-purpose machine gun7.62x51mm NATO general-purpose machine gunThe FN MAG is FN Herstal's Belgian 7.62x51mm NATO belt-fed general-purpose machine gun family, fielded from infantry bipods, tripods, vehicles, aircraft, ships, and boats. The catalog record connects the MAG and its M240/L7A2/MAG 58 designations to directly sourced conflict evidence: surrendered Boko Haram-held stocks in Nigeria, coalition base-defense training during Operation Inherent Resolve, and Afghan special-operations weapons training during the War in Afghanistan.

Sources

BM59: The Italian M14Publisher: Forgotten Weapons | Note: Supports the BM59's 7.62x51mm NATO chambering and direct compatibility with the cartridge family. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Beretta Sustainability Report 2021Publisher: Beretta | Note: Supports Beretta background and the BM59's place in the company's product history. | Accessed: 2026-07-04The History of the Italian FAL - Beretta's Long-Serving BM59Publisher: Small Arms Review | Note: Supports the BM59 design background, M1 Garand lineage, 7.62x51mm NATO chambering, detachable magazine, selective-fire operation, variant distinctions, licensed-production context, and broad service history. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Evolution Of The BM-59Publisher: American Rifleman | Note: Supports the BM59's Beretta development team, Italian adoption timing, Garand conversion logic, and Italian service-model distinctions. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Guns of the Falklands WarPublisher: American Rifleman | Note: Supports direct 1982 Falklands War use context: Italian-made Beretta BM-59E rifles were among arms held by Argentine occupying forces in the Falklands/Malvinas. | Accessed: 2026-07-04DICON - Ministry of DefencePublisher: Federal Ministry of Defence, Nigeria | Note: Supports Nigerian BM59 production capacity at the Kaduna Ordnance Factories and DICON manufacturing context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Bm59.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the weapon image and licensing context for the BM59 photograph. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Beretta BM59 noBG.pngPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the weapon image and licensing context for the BM59 silhouette illustration. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Beretta BM59 noBG cropped.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the weapon image and licensing context for the alternate BM59 illustration. | Accessed: 2026-07-04A/HRC/58/76Publisher: United Nations Human Rights Council | Note: In the 2022 Haitian Gang Conflict, BM59 Beretta rifles were reported among weapons used by criminal gangs in Haiti. | Accessed: 2026-07-04