November 09, 2025, 06:56 AM
ThunTigerBeretta 948 - Affordable classic Beretta C&R 22 plinker
I wanted a surplus 71 but the threaded barrel made it a no go in Illinois. I stumbled on the Beretta 948 and found a new favorite. Beretta released the 948, later known as the Plinker and Featherweight, in the direct after math of WWII. Beretta needed income desperately and the world was awash in surplus military weapons.
So, they basically made a 22lr version of the venerable 1934. The frame could be made from aluminum which had some benefits for Beretta: its easy to machine on their existing tooling compared to the 1934, tooling would last longer, and the design was just fine with a alloy frame. The 948 would be eventually redesigned so that the 3.5” barrel could be swapped with a 6” barrel. There is a slot in the slide to accommodate the front sight on the barrel. The non-convertible guns have the front sight on the traditional location integrally machined into the slide.
The only bad real quirk is the 1934 safety / slide lock. You don’t have last round hold open and the 948 magazines do not engage the slide with their followers to indicate a dry gun. However, the single action is nice
The magazines come in two generations that differ from their followers. The first gen has a synthetic cast follower. The second has a folded sheet metal follower. The very last production second gen magazines also have “MADE IN ITALY” on the back near the top. This engraving is often damaged due to the nature of the European magazine catch.
My two examples are from the early and later production. Both are 3.5” guns but there is one each of the fixed and interchangeable barrels. I don’t have the 6” barrel unfortunately.
The early gun was well loved but cared for. Definitely needs to get restrung. It feeds minimags and stingers great.
The later gun is more interesting. It came to me as a gunsmith special because it was missing its safety. The safety holds the action together so the gun is useless without it. I believe this gun lost its safety a long time ago before it could be shot much. The springs are day and night tighter than the early gun. The copper colored anodizing is from UV exposure. It’s still got the factory anodizing on the rails where it maters. Beretta didn’t do a good job on the anodizing of the 948s so they all show wear. There is also a half cock present on the later 948 that’s not on the early version. 1934s had it so it was noted by contemporary writers it was lacked.
Ruger SR22 magazines are near clones.
The following SR22 magazine parts drop into a 948 body:
- Magazine spring
- Magazine follower
- Baseplate retainer plate (this needs to be trimmed for OAL and slightly for width but also works. This is often missing from factory magazines.)
I’m going to get the gold gun refinished as a Samurai Edge for fun.
The fixed sight one is going to be a ghost.
The down side? Like every discontinued pistol the magazines run $100 if you get a deal. Not great but they are ~70 years old. You can see the hand craftsmanship in the finger rest.
