Beretta’s history goes back to 1526, so they’ve been around for a very long time. In that time, they’ve produced a wide variety of designs. This includes a wide variety of submachine guns, and their latest design is the Beretta PMX series of submachine guns. It’s rather new but also very well-made and constructed with modern intent. Most American audiences were introduced to the weapon in the latest “James Bond” film, where it was used by a one-eyed assassin.
The PMX is descended from the Beretta M12, a very popular mass-produced submachine gun from 1959. The Model 12 is a product of its time. It’s an open-bolt SMG made from steel stampings but weighed a little more than 6.5 pounds. The weapon featured a vertical foregrip and folding stock, and it went through several different variations to improve the ergonomics and controls.
While the M12 is a well-made SMG, it’s still an open-bolt design and is fitted with open-bolt problems. This includes a less reliable design, a more dangerous, less safe design, and the tendency for the gun to lurch forward when you pull the trigger. Closed bolt is vastly superior, and when Beretta designed the PMX, they didn’t throw the baby out with the bath water. The PMX is best viewed as an advancement and improvement on the older M12.
The PMX: Basics of the Blaster
The first step Beretta took to improve the M12 was to design a closed bolt system. It still uses the old standard straight blowback design but from a closed bolt. This increases reliability and improves the overall safety of the platform. Beretta then moved to cut weight.
They eliminated steel stampings and replaced them with aluminum and polymer. In 1959 polymer wasn’t the bee’s knees, but in 2018, when the PMX was designed, it was perfectly suitable. Beretta’s modern engineering reduced the weight of the weapon to 5.29 pounds overall.
Beretta trimmed the barrel to 6.9 inches, and the overall length is a short and handy 25.2 inches. The Beretta PMX comes with a folding stock made mostly from polymer that folds out of the way when not needed. Up front, the PMX wears a set of rails for attaching any accessory that pleases you.
Across the top is a nice wide optics rail, and Beretta also fits the gun with iron sights. The iron sights are interesting. They fold out of the way, but when folded, a set of nubs are present that act as pistol-like open sights. It’s a backup sight on your backup sight.
The weapon does have a higher rate of fire than the old M12. It’s amped from 550 rounds per minute to 900 rounds per minute.
Beretta went with an ambidextrous lever style safety and fire selector and ambidextrous bolt releases and magazine releases. The charging handle can be swapped for left or right-handed shooters.
Who wields the PMX?
Outside of that one bad guy from “James Bond,” the Italian Carabinieri adopted the weapon. In fact, it was basically built for this national police force. The Carabinieri are unique from an American perspective. They are a very diverse group in charge of police work, anti-terrorism activities, and even food and forestry protection duties throughout Italy, not to mention their special operations branch.
A diverse group needs diverse weaponry. In the states, we are very carbine-centric, but European police forces still favor lighter, shorter submachine guns. When used around vehicles or on foot patrols, the SMG is lighter and more maneuverable. Plus, some of those European cities are built tightly, and I imagine even a small carbine would be a hassle.
Additionally, the Saudi Royal Guard Regiment purchased 3,500 PMX SMGs. Beretta devised a subcompact variant of the PMX and submitted it to the US Army trials for the first Army’s submachine gun. It lost to the B&T APC9K, but so did every other SMG in those trials.
Will we see it soon?
Beretta is wisely planning to bring the PMX to the United States. Of course, with the NFA and Hughes Amendment, we won’t get the real submachine gun version of the gun. We are getting a pistol variant that’s semi-auto only. However, the design will likely be easily fitted with a brace or converted to an SBR.
It’s worth mentioning Beretta already produces a semi-auto-only version known as the PMXs. This gun would be an SBR in the states. Beretta chambered the Italian PMXs in 9x21mm because standard 9mm is illegal due to it being a military round. (It seems their gun control laws make as much sense as ours.)
When it’s coming to the states isn’t exactly clear. We learned of the semi-auto pistol variants being produced in May of 2022, but there was no clear date for release. We all know SHOT Show is right around the corner. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear more at SHOT about the PMX. Looking at the European price, the American version will likely be quite expensive.
The predicted price is likely around $1,700. The weapon does use proprietary magazines that will likely not be very cheap. There is no telling if we will see the subcompact variant, as I can’t even seem to find a photo of that gun online.
I’m always happy to see more new firearms come to the market. As a fan of PCCs and Subguns, I’ll also embrace this little beast wholeheartedly. Hopefully, we can check it out in-depth at SHOT and maybe even get some range time.
Going Italian
The PMX series might be arriving soon, but that doesn’t mean I’m not jealous a Bond villain got one first. With the success of weapons like the Scorpion, the MPX, and Banshee, I’m surprised Beretta wasn’t trying hard to bring it to the civilian market. However, they were likely busy filling those military and police orders first.
I do wish the PMX would use a different operating system. Straight blowback is fine, but it’s not exactly modern. Differing systems have proven to work and reduce recoil substantially. However, direct blowback does work and is a more affordable option.
As much as I nitpick, I can’t wait to get some hands-on time with the PMX and see how the latest spaghetti blaster handles.
