Standard Italian Weapons, WWII Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 11, November 5, 1942 (Lone Sentry)

The following list of standard Italian weapons does not include arms belonging to other Axis countries but used by the Italian arm as well. The oblique line and number written after the caliber of a gun indicates the length of the bore in calibers, e.g., 75/18-mm howitzer would indicate a howitzer with a bore 18 calibers long. Where "feet" is given after a number in the maximum range column it indicates the maximum vertical range when the weapon is used for antiaircraft. In Tactical and Technical Trends Nos. 9 and 10 the standard German and Japanese weapons have been given.

Name Caliber (inches) Muzzle Velocity (foot-seconds) Max Range (yards) Rate of Fire (RPM) Remarks

Theor-
etical Prac-
tical

6.5-mm rifle (Model 91) Mannilicher-Carcano .256 2,300 3,270 -- -- Weight 8 1/2 lbs without bayonet; 6-rd clip.
6.5-mm Carbine (Model 91) Moschetto .256 -- 1,650 -- -- Weight 7 lbs; 3 ft long with bayonet.
6.5-mm automatic rifle Revelli .256 2,300 2,180 120 40 --
6.5-mm LMG Breda (Model 30) .256 2,080 3,270 450 to 500 150 Bipod mount; 20-rd box magazine, one model has tripod mount.
6.5-mm MG Fiat (Model 14) .256 -- 3,270 500 -- Water-cooled; 50-rd box magazine; tripod mount.
7.35-mm rifle (Model 38) .289 2,490 4,400 -- -- Weight 7 1/2 lbs without bayonet; 3 ft 4 in long; folding bayonet which can be removed and used as a dagger.
7.35-mm Carbine (Model 38) Moschetto .289 -- -- -- -- Similar to Model 38 rifle.
7.35-mm LMG Breda (Model 38) .289 2,080 3,270 450 to 500 150 Similar to Model 30 except in caliber.
7.7-mm LMG Breda .303 -- -- 800 -- British .303 ammunition will work in this gun; weight, 27 lbs; often mounted on aircraft.
8-mm MG Fiat (Model 35) .315 -- 5,700 600 -- Tripod mount; air-cooled; fed by 20-rd plate charger; wt, 42 3/4 lbs without mount; some are converted Model 14's.
8-mm MG Breda (Model 37) .315 2,600 6,500 300 to 400 -- Tripod mount; air-cooled; life of barrel, 20,000 rds; ball, tracer, incendiary tracer, and AP used.
9-mm pistol Beretta (Model 34) .350 -- 50 (effective) -- -- 7-rd magazine; weight 1 lb 7 1/2 ozs; length 6 in.
9-mm pistol Gelisenti (Model 1910) -- -- 50 (effective) -- -- Weight 1 lb 12 ozs; length 8 1/2 in; 7-rd magazine. Effective range of this and other pistols is limited by the inaccuracy inherent in the use of such a weapon.
9-mm submachine gun Beretta (Model 38) .350 -- 250 (effective) 570 -- Weight without magazine 9 lbs 1 oz; magazine 10, 20, or 40 rds.
10.35-mm revolver Bodeo (Model 89) .41 -- -- -- -- Cylinder capacity, 6 rds; cylinder does not swing out, empty cases removed one by one; weight 2 lbs; standard for certain MG and gun crews.
12.7-mm MG Breda .500 -- -- 650 -- Weight 67 1/2 lbs; modified version of 7.7-mm Breda MG; extensively used in aircraft.
20-mm Hv AA-AT MG Breda (Model 35) .79 2,750 6,000 250 120 Fires HE, tracer, and AP; elevation 10° to +80°; similar AA gun manufactured by Scotti.
20-mm AT rifle Solothurn .79 2,800 -- -- 10 to 20 10-rd clip; weight 120 lbs; length 7 ft.
37/54-mm AA gun Breda 1.46 2,620 7,700
13,500 ft 125 75 6-rd loading tray; twin-barreled model also in use; mobile platform; barrel, 54 cals; fires HE with time fuze and HE tracer with percussion fuze; a very effective gun.
45-mm mortar Brixia (Model 35) 1.77 272 587 -- 30 Tripod mount; weight in action 34 lbs; 1-lb bomb; standard light mortar.
47/32-mm AT gun 1.85 2,050 7,600 -- 12 to 14 Barrel, 32 cals; 60° traverse; penetrates 1 1/4-in armor at 90° at 800 yds; also used as infantry support gun.
65/17-mm infantry gun 2.58 1,130 7,100 -- -- --
70-mm infantry gun 2.76 1,160 7,100 -- -- Weight, 850 lbs.
75-mm infantry gun (1934) 2.97 1,180 -- -- -- --
75/13-mm mountain howitzer 2.97 1,240 9,000 -- -- On wheels or 7-load pack; weight, 1,350 lbs.
75/18-mm gun-howitzer (Models 34 and 35) 2.97 1,430 10,300 -- -- Model 34: 1,760 lbs; mountain artillery. Model 35: 2,420 lbs; towed or SP.
75/27-mm gun-howitzer (Model 06) 2.97 1,730 11,200 8 4 Weight in action, 1 ton; elevation -10° to +16°; models 11 and 12 have smaller MV and range, greater elevation and traverse.
75/34-mm field gun 2.97 1,650 13,500 -- -- Weight, 2,750 lbs; towed; expected to become standard in mobile division, replacing 75/27.
75/46-mm AA gun (Model 34) 2.97 2,350 14,100
27,200 ft -- -- Mobile gun.
75/50-mm AA gun 2.97 3,200 17,000
27,500 ft -- -- Tractor-drawn.
76/40-mm AA gun 2.99 2,620 9,000
15,750 ft 125 70 Water-cooled jacket; elevation -10° to +90°.
77/28-mm field gun 3.03 1,710 7,700 -- -- Weight, 2,200 lbs.
81-mm mortar (Model 35) 3.19 836 4,429 (light bomb); 1,640 (heavy bomb) -- -- Weight, 129 lbs, bomb wt, 7 1/2 lbs; a new improved model has been introduced. A 15-lb bomb is sometimes used.
90/50-mm multipurpose gun 3.55 2,755 19,000
39,400 ft -- -- Weight, 5 3/4 tons; tractor-drawn.
100/17-mm mountain howitzer (Models 16 and 34). 3.94 1,800 10,000 6 4 Carried in 3 loads.
102/35-mm AA gun 4.02 2,477 14,425
31,100 ft -- 10 to 12 --
105/28-mm field gun 4.14 1,850 14,800 -- -- --
105/32-mm field gun 4.14 -- 17,500 -- -- --
105/40-mm field gun 4.14 -- 18,500 -- -- Weight, 9,900 lbs.
149/12-mm howitzer 5.87 985 7,200 -- -- --
149/13-mm howitzer (Model 14) 5.87 1,130 9,560 -- -- --
149/35-mm gun 5.87 2,200 19,100 -- -- Weight, 15,400 lbs.
149/40-mm gun 5.87 -- 24,000 -- -- --
152/13-mm howitzer 5.98 1,240 10,400 -- -- Weight, 7,920 lbs.
152/45-mm gun 5.98 2,730 21,200 -- -- Weight, 36,820 lbs.
210/8-mm mortar 8.27 1,130 9,200 -- -- Weight, 17,600 lbs.
210/22-mm howitzer (Model 35) 8.27 1,730 17,500 -- -- Weight, 34,320 lbs.
280/16-mm coast defense howitzer 11.03 -- 12,760 -- -- --
305/17-mm howitzer (Model 17) 22.0 1,790 19,200 -- -- --
305/50-mm coast defense gun 12.0 -- 23,650 -- -- --
381/40-mm railway gun 15.0 2,500 26,200 -- -- --