Italian Made Ammo? M38

ArmedGinger

ArmedGinger

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I bought a lot of what was described as "9mm Luger" ammo.

200 rounds were 9mm Norinco, 124 gr and a single old box of "9mm Parabellum" from Portugal of all places. But there were four boxes I have no idea of.

It came in old looking cardboard boxes without any writing on them. The head stamping simply reads "M38" "9". After some reading online there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of info on this ammo just that it is most likely Italian, maybe 1940s manufacture, and maybe made for the M38 SMG? Some people have claimed it might be "hotter" than a normal 9mm round, more akin to a +P? Anyone have any more info on it?

Either way I ended up with 200 rounds of the stuff.
 
AG, if the cartridges have "black" projectiles or the whole cartridge is "black," do not shoot it from P08, P38, Glisenti, or even P35 pistols.

It's hot and intended for submachine guns.

It will rip out extractors/plungers/springs, crack slides, and in some cases, may bulge barrels.

Italian WWII submachine guns were often the M38 Beretta SMG.

It's also corrosive primed. Same goes for the Portuguese 9mm ball, depending on dates, which should be stamped on the base of the case.

Not much of that stuff shows up any more, but I've seen the all of the above listed pistols with at least one and often more types of the damage types listed, from shooting that stuff.

I also saw a lovely Glisenti with a broken frame and bulged barrel from hot SMG ammo, but it was pre WWI, and chambered for the 9mm Glisenti, that has the same dimensions as the 9mm Parabellum, but far less potent.

Germany and some other nations issued 9mm Parabellum that was specifically for SMG. It was an all black cartridge, some with steel cases.

Both Winchester, from the US Newhaven factory, and Canada, from the DI factory made SMG only ammunition, Winchester marked it on the box and the DI ammo is distinctive by having three triangular crimps on the primer.
 
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