▁the ▁Italian ▁armed ▁forces ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 . ▁It ▁is ▁chamber ed ▁for ▁the ▁ 9   mm ▁Cort o , ▁more ▁commonly ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁. 3 8 0 ▁A CP . ▁ ▁History ▁and ▁usage ▁Ar mi ▁Ber etta ▁Sp A ▁of ▁Gard one ▁Val ▁T rom p ia ▁has ▁a ▁history ▁in ▁fire ar ms ▁manufact uring ▁reaching ▁back ▁to ▁ 1 5 2 6 , ▁when ▁they ▁were ▁established ▁as ▁a ▁mak er ▁of ▁bar rel s . ▁But ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁until ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁that , ▁respond ing ▁to ▁the ▁needs ▁of ▁the ▁military ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁they ▁produced ▁their ▁first ▁p istol , ▁the ▁model ▁ 1 9 1 5 . ▁Ber etta ▁has ▁become ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁largest ▁p istol ▁mak ers ▁and ▁the ▁model ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁( M 1 9 3 4 ) ▁was ▁their ▁most ▁numerous ▁product ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁era . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁designed ▁and ▁purpose - built ▁for ▁the ▁Italian ▁armed ▁forces . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁the ▁Italian ▁army ▁was ▁im pressed ▁by ▁the ▁Wal ther ▁P P ▁p istol . ▁Ber etta ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁lose ▁a ▁big ▁military ▁contract ▁to ▁their ▁German ▁compet itor ▁and ▁designed ▁the ▁M 1 9 3 4 ▁for ▁the ▁Italian ▁Army ▁which ▁accepted ▁it ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁This ▁model ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁M 1