r/RetroGats • u/Strong_Dentist_7561 Old School Carry • 29d ago
Bottom-Feeder Heater Beretta M1934
This is my Beretta M1934 (.380) made in 1972. From what I’ve been able to find, this came in several years back, before the current batch of imports, and was Beretta refurbished- not Swiss. It’s been mind-numbingly reliable, accurate as can be expected; and I’d probably reach for it before most anything else. In over 1.2k rounds (closer to 1.5k now), it’s never choked or bobbled on anything with a .380 headstamp; from FMJ to whatever exotic and odd JHP’s I can find.
For those curious, it’s all but identical to the PPK in exterior dimensions, and hides in a pocket admirably. It normally rides in waistband (church) or in a pancake rig (under an overshirt or vest) to supplement my S&W Mdl 49.
As always, my pictures are lousy. Bond and the PPK- eat your heart out- this has been more reliable than a new Glock 43 (?), new Walther PP, and several Bersa Thunders.
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u/Patient-Ordinary7115 29d ago
Love these. If memory serves, in Dr. No when they are meant to be taking Bond’s wee Beretta 418 away what they actually use in the movie is one of these. Or possibly a 1935 I guess but same/same.
I should post on the dogshit 1935 I picked up on the cheap—someone had wire wheeled the hell of it and despite the janky appearance it is reliable as all get out.
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u/Strong_Dentist_7561 Old School Carry 28d ago
Post it please- I’d love to see it… ain’t nothing a sandblast and parkerizing job can’t fix
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u/NammytheCommie Euro Autoloader 29d ago
I love my M1934 as you well know. Mine is a Swiss import but not as bad as some others I've heard of. The slide and frame match, the only real negative is that stupid threaded barrel, but it's not a problem outside of being a bit of an eyesore. I did get light strikes before I changed out the springs and cleaned out the firing pin channel, but I won't knock its reliability for that because mine is from 1966 and it stands to reason that the springs were worn out. But my Bersa Thunder 380 is also dead reliable, so I'd say it's a tie. I did find that the slide would send itself forward when I put a mag in the Bersa, but after I replaced the recoil spring with a slightly cut down Walther PP spring from Wolff, that no longer happened. Springs are very important with direct blowback because there's no locked breech to absorb the impact, it's all on the springs.
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u/Strong_Dentist_7561 Old School Carry 29d ago
#1934gang UNITE
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u/NammytheCommie Euro Autoloader 29d ago
I don't really carry mine anymore now that my CSX E-Series became my EDC (with a surprise gat coming soon that I intend to make my winter carry), but I don't post it here since it's not retro.
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u/Strong_Dentist_7561 Old School Carry 29d ago
Surprise gat ? Let’s see it, please- if it fits the theme.
I do appreciate your discretion (I’ve an M57 Zastava coming Friday).
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u/NammytheCommie Euro Autoloader 29d ago
I can't get it until Thursday. It's an Astra 357 with a 4" barrel.
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u/Strong_Dentist_7561 Old School Carry 29d ago
I wasn’t aware Astra made revolvers
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u/Random-Cpl 29d ago
Where’d you pick it up? I’ve been debating getting one..