Italian 9 mm

[Quartus]

Anyone have any info on a 9mm SA auto that was, IIRC, Italian made? Imported in the late 70s or early 80s, I think. Clean lines, and accurate, but SA only doomed it to slow sales.

Grip angle was very much like a 1911, though it was a little smaller. Hard chromed bore, I think.

I really liked the feel of that piece, and would like to find one.

 

[Archie]

Captain, could you be thinking....

of the Llama, Star or Astra pistols out of Spain? Several of those were 1911 clones, more or less.

Other than the Beretta, the only 9x19 Italian pistol in the '70s was the Benelli, and it was not SA; it was DA/SA, but could be carried cocked and locked.

 

[James K]

Could have been the Bernadelli or maybe the Beretta Model 51, the Brigadier, which was used as a military pistol by Israel and Egypt, and also made in the latter country. It was single action.

There was also the Spanish Astra 800, the Condor, in 9x19. It was an updated Model 600, with an exposed hammer. They are pretty uncommon and bring nice prices.

Jim

 

[Quartus]

Bernadelli!!!!! That was it!

Nuthin wrong with my brain's engine, it just needs a jump start oncet in a while.


Jim, you go to the head of the class! Thank you sir!


Now if I can just find one...


The Beretta Brigadier is a nice piece, too.

 

[C.R.Sam]

....(swan)
.......V B
........G

Three Bernardelli, Pietro, Vincenzo and Santini Bernardelli. The good stuff was made by Vincenzo. Vincenzo Bernardelli logo is a drawing of a swan on top of a triangle containing the company initials...VBG.

Appearantly Pietro Bernardelli dumped a lot of junk guns on the American market in the late 1980s.

Sam

 

[James K]

Well, actually to the bottom of the class. I am glad I jogged your memory, but in fact, I wrote Bernadelli and was thinking of Benelli, which is a fine pistol, but DA, not single.

I don't know which Bernadelli made them, but most of the pistols with that name were mediocre at best. Maybe there were better ones, but if so I was not aware of the difference in maker.

Jim

 

[Quartus]

Well, you can't trust handling a gun a few times in a store to tell you if it's high quality, but these seemed to be. What I do know for sure is that it fit like it was made just for me.

If I get a chance to pick one up cheaply, I guess I'll find out about the quality. Of course, forewarned as I now am, I'll look very closely before I buy.


Thanks for the great info, gentlemen! Sam, I've saved your comments in a text file for future reference.


Salud!

 

[C.R.Sam]

It was Jim who took the wrong turn and got us on the right track.

Sam....follow me, I know a shortcut.