Date of manufacture of old Beretta?

[km101]

I have a handgun that was given to me some time ago. It is a Beretta? .380 semiauto with a 3.25" barrel. The magazine holds 7 rounds, single stack, and has a pronounced extension at the bottom.

There are no markings on the pistol except for the serial no. G191XX on the right side of the frame and slide, and a proof mark? on the right, front, upper corner of the trigger guard. This mark is: EU inside a square.

The slide looks like it may have been re-blued as it is much shinier than the frame. There is some slight wear/rust on the rear of the frame, otherwise no marks or scratches.

The grips are black plastic/bakelite and have the letters PB near the bottom of the grip panel in a circle. There is a lanyard loop on the left side of the grip frame at the bottom. Any help in identifying this pistol is appreciated.

 

[Devonai]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta_M1934

 

[usp9]

This link to the Beretta forum may help.
http://berettaforum.net/vb/showpost.php?p=907656&postcount=3

 

[km101]

Thanks for the assistance gentlemen. I checked the sites that you listed and found pictures and references that show that it is a M1934 Beretta.

Unfortunately, all the markings have been removed from the left side of the slide, presumably when it was re-blued. So I have not been able to get a definite date of manufacture. Without the original markings on the slide, I may not be able to get this information. I know that this was a WWII "bring back", so I have a general time frame.

Thanks again!
Ken

 

[palmetto99]

I think the M1934 is pretty neat. Would love to find one in .32 or .380. If it is a war time production gun, it might not have as many markings? Just a guess.

 

[pockets]

I think the M1934 is pretty neat. Would love to find one in .32 or .380.

Only the .380acp is the M1934. The .32acp version is the M1935. My M1935 was made in 1943.

.

 

[km101]

Found out that my M1934 was a "blank slide" gun that was probably manufactured in 1944.These guns were supposedly rushed through production near the end of the war, and the slide markings were left off. The serial number chart that I found says it was produced in late 1943 or early 1944, but most experts say 1944.

This was a WWII "bring back" that my father-in-law brought home. He had the original holster and spare mag but over the years they became separated from the gun and now no one knows what happened to them. My father-in-law gave it to me shortly before he died and it just sat in a drawer for several years. I decided to shoot it and see if it was accurate, but I wanted to know something about it first. From all accounts, it appears to be a quality gun. Not just another war souvenir.