In this article, Matin K.A.
Morgan takes a look at the interesting BM 59E variants development and its use by the Argentine military.
World War II had ravaged Italy, and rebuilding was progressing slowly during the immediate post-war years.
The BM 59E was one of several M1 Garand conversions made after World War II. This one was made for the Argentine military. Photograph by Jeff Hallinan
So, developing and manufacturing an expensive new automatic rifle was something the country just could not afford.
An even more ambitious service life extension of the Garand would soon follow.
Of the Garands original 57 parts, 34 required no modification.
A semi-auto BM 59 assembled by Springfield Armory in the Mark II configuration with a 19″ barrel, a bipod, and “Tri-Compensator” muzzle device. Photograph by Jeff Hallinan
Beretta hoped to capitalize on the situation by offering a conversion to suit every budget.
Eventually, the company added the model BM 59E to the menu of conversion options.
Beretta also replaced each M1s buttplate with a rubber buttpad that further softened the guns recoil.
Left side view of a BM 59E assembled using an Argentine parts kit and a Beretta receiver. Photograph by Jeff Hallinan
With the adoption of those two weapons, Argentina was now irrevocably committed to 7.6251mm.
30 M1 with a decorative motif so that there would be no confusion about the new caliber.
Their receivers had been converted to machine guns in Italy and they were therefore ineligible for importation.
The BM 59E selector switch shown was permanently locked in the semi-automatic position. Note also the bolt stop that replaced the Garand clip latch. Photograph by Jeff Hallinan
The stock modification to accommodate the sear trip lever is visible on the right side of the BM 59E. Photograph by Jeff Hallinan
Shown above are the heel markings on a BM 59E rifle built from an imported kit on a Beretta receiver. Photograph by Jeff Hallinan
Compared to the original metal buttplate of the M1 Garand, the rubber buttpad of the BM 59E was downright luxurious. Photograph by Jeff Hallinan
Argentine Navy personnel moving across bomb craters in the Falkland Islands in May 1982. Arrows point to men armed with BM 59E rifles.
Argentina personnel near the airfield at Stanley in the Falkland Islands in May 1982. The closest man is armed with an FN FAL while the man to his right is armed with a BM 59E.
Argentine Marine Corps students in the Special Marksmanship Course armed with an M16A2 and a pair of BM 59E rifles equipped with Nightforce scopes.
This BM 59E rifle is seen here on display in the Paseo de la Libertad gallery of Museo de Armas de la Naciôn in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Note the decorative motif overstrike marks to conceal the original “CAL. 30 M1” receiver markings.
