BM-59 battle rifle

The Beretta BM-59 was the first Italian automatic rifle to achieve operational service. It was developed directly from the ubiquitous Springfield Armory M1 Garand semi-automatic rifle, and primarily served the international arms market as an alternative to the M14; another Springfield Armory product, which had also evolved from the M1 Garand.
The origins of the BM-59 are rooted in Beretta's acquisition of a license to manufacture the Springfield Armory M1 Garand battle rifle during the 1950s, which at the time was the most widely-used service rifle in NATO. Most of the examples used in Europe were "hand-me-downs" from the US, many of which were well-worn from use in World War 2. As US production of the M1 was winding-down, local production in Europe had proven a godsend for NATO. Many of Beretta's M1 Garands were also exported to other NATO nations, and even states as far away as Argentina and Indonesia, and the quality of these weapons effectively re-established Beretta's reputation as a first-rate firearms manufacturer.

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