Edited by J.C.D'Arc, 08 December 2004 - 02:58 AM.

The Beretta .25
#1
Posted 08 December 2004 - 02:56 AM
#2
Posted 08 December 2004 - 03:17 AM
Here is an interesting article about it, also with some Bond connections.
A very big welcome to the CBn Forums!

#3
Posted 08 December 2004 - 04:42 AM

Welcome to CBn, Mr D
#4
Posted 09 December 2004 - 03:08 AM
Thanks for your replies.
#5
Posted 11 December 2004 - 01:04 AM
Horrible little gun from Italys WW2 campaign. Surprisingly popular with allied troops as a trophy though. Probably due to the size it could easily be carried back home in a bag...
Replaced of course with the 'classic' Walther PPK in 7.65mm/.32ACP in DrNo. An equally small and unimpressive firearm, but Bond was only an assasin...
#6
Posted 12 December 2004 - 02:42 AM
http://www.littlegun... ... 950 gb.htm
That's why I think it was the M950 "Jetfire." The M1934 and M1935 were in .380 and .32, respectively--not .25ACP. There is another candidate, the M1919 ( http://www.littlegun.....201919 gb.htm ) but it's just too clunky-looking for me to imagine Bond carrying it.
Of course, the hole in the case for the M950 "Jetfire" is Bond saying that he'd carried it for 15 years and never missed with it. That would be before manufacturing began on the M950. I choose (for now, anyway) to believe that it's just a mistake on Fleming's part; he assumed that the "Jetfire" had been in production longer than it actually had.
Edited by J.C.D'Arc, 12 December 2004 - 08:57 PM.
#7
Posted 13 December 2004 - 01:47 AM
Edited by J.C.D'Arc, 13 December 2004 - 03:41 PM.
#8
Posted 14 December 2004 - 09:40 AM
Also, Bond's Beretta had a skeleton grip. This means the grips on the sides were removed to minimize a bulge in the jacket.
#9
Posted 14 December 2004 - 08:30 PM
Edited by J.C.D'Arc, 14 December 2004 - 08:32 PM.
#10
Posted 14 December 2004 - 08:38 PM
Of course, the hole in the case for the M950 "Jetfire" is Bond saying that he'd carried it for 15 years and never missed with it. That would be before manufacturing began on the M950. I choose (for now, anyway) to believe that it's just a mistake on Fleming's part; he assumed that the "Jetfire" had been in production longer than it actually had.
I have to compliment you on your knowledge of firearms, J.C.D'Arc. It's far better than mine, and I am duly impressed.
As for the inconsistancy between the time of the Jetfire's production and how long Fleming has Bond carry the gun, you are almost certainly right, and Fleming just made a mistake. Fleming had many virtues as an author, but scrupulous research and consistency with his timeline were not among them. After all, he had Bond buy a Bently when he would have been 13 or so! So if your lengthy and thorough research conflicts with Fleming, your research is probably right.
#11
Posted 16 December 2004 - 02:37 AM
JCDArc presents a good case, but I wouldn't be surprised if Fleming just made it up. He knew the name Beretta and associated .25 with being a compact,light caliber and combined them. I've found that some thriller writers do it all the time. It doesn't really detract anything from the story in this case. Since he says Beretta, most everyone has a vague idea of what to picture, I think. Had he just said 'a small automatic' it may have been disappointing.
Regardless, the Beretta's got a special place for me as the classic Bond gun, even a little bit more than the PPK.
#12
Posted 22 November 2007 - 01:19 AM
After reading the Fleming books, I'd actually wanted to purchase a Beretta .25 but could not find a Beretta 1919 (Bantam, I think I read them being called) in usable condition at a price I found palatable and even finding a Jetfire in decent shape at an acceptable price eluded me. Consequently, when a Model 20 (I believe this is the correct nomenclature) fell into my lap, I was thrilled even though the poor thing had been grossly maligned and abused before I got it and it was well past the time frame Fleming would have been referring to.
#13
Posted 22 November 2007 - 06:50 AM
http://images.google.....26rlz=1I7DADE
Edited by Trident, 22 November 2007 - 06:53 AM.
#14
Posted 22 November 2007 - 01:21 PM

DETIKUTIBU (also DITEKUTIBU)- Detective (in reference to the Colt Detective Special)
GURIPPUPANERU - Grip panel
GURIPPUSEFUTI - Grip safety
DISUKONEKUTA - Disconnect
BERETTAPISUTORU - Beretta pistol
GURIPPUTEPU - Grip tape
MANYUARUSEFUTI - Manual safety
BURAUNINGU M1910 - Browning M1910
Here is the translated version. It looks like it only translated half of the page, but we got most of the Beretta discussion. They really did a lot of research to figure out what model Bond carried. If you can figure out what it says, it's pretty interesting.
#15
Posted 22 November 2007 - 04:40 PM
Here is the translated version. It looks like it only translated half of the page, but we got most of the Beretta discussion. They really did a lot of research to figure out what model Bond carried. If you can figure out what it says, it's pretty interesting.
Splendid! Thanks very much for this translation, it's really fun.
#16
Posted 22 November 2007 - 06:41 PM