New to me Beretta 81!

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They match up well. I shoot the Beretta a little bit better.
Both of mine are police trade ins from across the pond.
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You beat me to it...the CZ83 is a GEM of a find in 7.65Browning I'd imagine like the Beretta you could convert CZ82 magazines. Always liked the 15+1 in the CZ83 in 7.65Browning.

I have read a few places that yes Beretta 84 magazines convert well, as do Browning BDA magazines. Same design, almost. Also read somewhere about a person with a Beretta 84 dropping in a 81 Barrel and shooting 7.65Br with no issue. Switching between 9mmBR and 7.65BR.

Seeming how tough these guns are, I also looked into reports of comparing the frames and seeing almost no difference. I'd love to see/hear about more reports. Being able to use both lends the Beretta a favorable hand. The CZ barrels are pinned yes? I know tools exist to switch barrels, but not as easy as the Beretta IF it can be done. Cant beat a Beretta able to swap calibers and for 230 bucks. Wish I could grab an 83 in 7.65Browning..

Could be fuddlore I read on a forum somewhere...sorry folks!

P.S. just being "european" and using metric names, as Beretta puts on their guns.

Also thinking of spraying all my ammo cans in metric; 6.35×17sr, 7.65x17sr, 9x17,9x19, etc.
Least in any caliber traditionally labeled as metric or European pistol calibers.
 
I used to own a .380ACP Beretta 84F. It was a nice well made pistol. You can't go wrong with a Beretta 80 Series. I'd love to have an 86...
 
Does anyone know if Beretta USA or Beretta HQ in Italy is able to provide any information on these surplus pisols based on serial number, such as what year it was made or what law enforcement agency purchased it initially?
 
Does anyone know if Beretta USA or Beretta HQ in Italy is able to provide any information on these surplus pisols based on serial number, such as what year it was made or what law enforcement agency purchased it initially?
The year is a code on the frame. AF for example is 1980. Most of the ones I have seen have the AF code. As far as I know, all the pistols currently being imported were purchased for the Polizia Penitenziaria (the Italian Ministry of Justice's Bureau of Prisons).
 
This may be completely inaccurate, but FWIW...

A couple of different posters in another thread were of the opinion that the Model 81's were issued to correctional officers.

I recall that several posters in the past believed that the surplus Model 84's tended to be Israeli surplus from some kind of LEO's.

Again, FWIW.
 
Thanks, all, I had heard the prison guard angle but not much more. For the record (per Wikipedia), the modern civilian Polizia Penitenziaria was created in 1990 to succeed the previous military Corpo degli Agenti di Custodia. So these guns were clearly issued to the previous entity if the Italian prison guard history is correct, and they might have been made surplus by the transition to the new organization.

I did a little more digging on the codes and found a few places that reproduced the Beretta date codes. On Beretta shotguns it's underneath the barrel(s) but on my Model 81 I found "AE" in a square at the front on the right side of the frame near the other proof marks. So mine is a 1979 gun. There is a Beretta customer service post on this subject here.

beretta proof date codes.png
 
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Thanks for the chart. Mine was apparently made in 1981, back when I was in high school.
 
Yes THANK you for the chart!
It will help people greatly! Big fan of these guns. Handled one the other day and its a great balance despite the size. I can see it being a great carry gun for those adverse to recoil/just because its 80's retro.
 
The chart is nice, shows my gun was made in 1981. The year I graduated high school , and joined the army later in the Fall. Just recently got my Beretta 81 through a lgs, just after picking up a Czech M-83 in .32. Shot both the other day, so very enjoyable for a mid size handgun.
 
I had to jump on one of these. Shipped from Classic today. I’ve been wanting one since I learned of the existence of the model a couple years ago. At the time they were rare in the US and considerably more expensive on Gunbroker (and pretty much never seen IRL.) Beretta quality + great looks, and the beautiful rounded early 80s triggerguard before they introduced the serrated tactical monstrosity + my favorite chambering, .32acp, what’s not to love?
 
Thanks for the chart, and the background information.

Mine's an AF, 1980.
My thought on this- wow, this pistol is 39 yrs old, and takes a pretty thorough inspection to determine it's NOT brand new. I have a white spot on the frame inside the trigger guard, where the knob on the back of the trigger makes contact with the frame. I have a couple speckles on the left of the slide, in the bevel near the muzzle. Nothing alarming, it's just that you can see them if the light is right, and the right side is completely clean. I have a couple hairline scratches on the right side of the slide. I mean exactly that- hairlines. You really have to catch the light just right to see that, generally they look clean unless you see that. There's a little spot of wear on the front of the left side of the slide.
There's a couple areas of the grips where the shine is worn some, and maybe a small scratch, like from a fingernail, on the right grip.
The trigger itself has the very slightest plum tint.

I mentioned this on another forum when I received mine from Classic (and no, I didn't pay for hand select): these are found by SERIOUS examination of the handgun, not by a casual glance. I have to look closely, and move the gun in different angles under a bright light, to catch the slight light variances of the "marks". Other than the small fingernail mark (if that big, as it would have to be a small fingernail), I can not feel anything.

To clarify, I've seen more marks on a "new" gun at a store, just from being handled and placed on the counter a few times.
 
Once you buy a lot more ammo you will need tools to properly and safely dispose of it and there too Beretta can help you.

When you get bored of perfect functionality and elegance, you can go with another fine European maker known more for rifles, Mauser 1914. Or if you Really really want a pretty gun try a Walther PPK. If you feel a bit stealthy try the PP. We can make this thread go on forever...and as long as there are pictures there would be no complaints.

Every metallic framed beretta I have ever touched has been a dandy. Congrats. I was about to buy one of those until I ran across the deal on this 1914.... for about 2/3 of what I was going to put into the beretta. 70A51CAE-695D-4B45-AEA3-56381C8D3B71.jpeg
 
When you get bored of perfect functionality and elegance, you can go with another fine European maker known more for rifles, Mauser 1914. Or if you Really really want a pretty gun try a Walther PPK. If you feel a bit stealthy try the PP. We can make this thread go on forever...and as long as there are pictures there would be no complaints.

Every metallic framed beretta I have ever touched has been a dandy. Congrats. I was about to buy one of those until I ran across the deal on this 1914.... for about 2/3 of what I was going to put into the beretta. View attachment 869250
Did you say Mauser?

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And then there is the OTHER Italian, Bernardelli:

The hammer fired Bernardelli 60:
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and its striker fired brother:
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Just ordered a spare magazine from Classic. They are limiting 2 per order.
 
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Don't have much time for prototyping and personal projects these days, but I did find just enough to make a dedicated .32 cal. 1.125" x 6", 4.3 oz, 11 baffles. A perfect match for the 81, IMO! They do have a bit of port pop, but it's not offensive to my ears. Given the series that the 81 is really a part of, I'm calling this suppressor model the "Cheetah"

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I do enjoy my suppressed classic Berettas! (Stainless NEOS is canned as well, but a bit of a red headed step child with this group!)

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That little 70-series (Jaguar?) is very cute, what caliber is it? For all of these did you thread original barrels or purchase threaded ones? Cheers, Matthew
 
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