Importation of the original “Minx” (22-caliber) and “Jetfire” (25 ACP) pistols (Model 950B) was stopped by the GCA ’68, but in 1978 U.S. production was begun, and a manual safety was added to the design, adding an “S” to the model designation. The later production, made in Maryland, is equal to the quality of the original Italian-made guns. Except for the added safety, the mechanical details of the guns are identical.
Field Strip:
1. Move the barrel release forward, allowing the barrel to spring upward. Cock the hammer and remove the magazine.
2. Tip the barrel all the way over forward, beyond its normal opened position.
3. Lift the front of the slide, move it forward, and take it off the frame. Gun is now field-stripped.
Beretta 950BS field-stripped
Detail Strip:
4. After the grips are removed, all internal parts are held by cross-pins. To remove the safety, lower the hammer and pry the safety gently out to the left, being careful not to lose the small safety plunger and spring which will be released. The hammer spring and strut are removed by prying the spring base out of its recess in the frame, and by moving the spring forward into the magazine well. The hammer pin must be pushed out from right to left, its left end being the post for the safety spring. Before removing pins, note the relationship of all parts to aid in reassembly.
5. Removal of the large pin at the lower rear of the trigger (arrow) will release the recoil spring which is taken out downward and toward the rear. This will also release the barrel latch lever to be removed from the left side. When taking out the trigger and trigger bar toward the rear, spring the bar slightly outward to clear the frame on the left side. The front arm of the sear spring is easily lifted from the right ear of the sear when the hammer is on the safety step. The spring can then be lifted from its recess in the frame.
6. Driving out the cross-pin at the front of the frame will release the barrel and the trigger guard, which also serves as the barrel spring. The rear of the guard fits into a recess in the frame, and is held in place by spring tension. The firing pin is retained by a single vertical roll pin in the slide, and this should be driven out with a special roll pin drift punch.
7. The magazine release button simply unscrews from the magazine catch on the opposite side of the frame, but removal may be difficult. A wide screwdriver with a very thin blade is necessary, and one may have to be ground to fit. Also, the threaded tip of the button will usually be hollowed and spread on the outside of the catch piece, and turning it out may require more than ordinary force.
Reassembly Tips:
1. When replacing the slide on the frame, set it on top of the frame in the position shown, being sure that the exposed ends of the recoil spring are in their notches on the underside of the slide, and the rear sidewings of the slide are positioned to enter the slide tracks on the frame. Then push the slide down and toward the rear, snapping it into place, and flip the barrel back over to the normal firing position.
When replacing the safety-lever on the frame, remember that the hammer must be down and the safety in the off-safe position for reinsertion. Use a small screwdriver to depress the safety plunger, and take care that it doesn’t slip off, as the plunger is tiny and easily lost if it flies out.
When replacing the recoil spring, note that its internal loop must be positioned in front of the cross-shaft of the barrel release.
Remember that the hammer should be set on the safety step for easy reinsertion of the sear spring.
Beretta Model 951
Similar/Identical Pattern Guns
The same basic assembly/disassembly steps for the Beretta Model 951 also apply to the following gun:
Helwan 9mm
| Data: | Beretta Model 951 |
| Origin: | Italy |
| Manufacturer: | Armi Beretta S.p.A., |
| Gardone (Brescia) | |
| Cartridge: | 9mm Luger (Parabellum) |
| Magazine capacity: | 8 rounds |
| Overall length: |
7 |
| Height: |
5 |
| Barrel length: |
4 |
| Weight: | 31 ounces |
The last effort of Beretta’s master designer, the late Tullio Marengoni, the Model 951 was marketed in the U.S. as the “Brigadier.” Although it has been replaced in the Beretta line by later models, the Model 951 is still very much in use with the military services of Italy, Israel, and Egypt. The Egyptian military version has some mechanical differences from the others, but as these guns are rarely seen in the U.S. these factors are not noted here.
Field Strip:
1. With the hammer cocked and the magazine removed, pull the slide back until the semcircular cut in its right lower edge aligns with the front of the takedown-lever, located just forward of the trigger on the right side.