Beretta Model 950 Minx M4 Long Barrel .22 Short Semi-Automatic Pistol — 1953 Italian Production, 3.75-Inch Tip-Up Barrel
This 1953 Beretta 950 Minx M4 Long Barrel is an early Italian-made, micro-size semi-automatic chambered in .22 Short. Its 3.75-inch tip-up barrel, matching frame and barrel serial numbers, and pre-1968 configuration without a manual safety set it apart from later imports. Weighing only 9.2 ounces and measuring 5.75 inches overall, it offers classic Beretta engineering in a compact, collectible package.
Condition
Overall Condition: Fair condition, showing extensive signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Good – Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good – Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: The firearm is structurally solid, but surface scratches and blemishes are visible, and the original black plastic grips are broken.
What’s Included
- Factory Beretta Model 950 .22 Short steel magazine (6-round)
Produced in Gardone, Italy, this pistol carries the Gardone proof mark and boxed Roman numeral IX, confirming its 1953 manufacture. Importation of the Minx ceased after 1968, making original Italian examples increasingly scarce in the U.S. market.
The M4 variant’s longer 3.75-inch carbon-steel barrel extends the sight radius over the standard Minx, yet the pistol retains its feather-light profile thanks to an anodized aluminum-alloy frame.
An open-top blued slide with rear serrations works with the single-action-only blowback system and external spur hammer. Instead of a manual safety, this early model uses a half-cock notch, reflecting Beretta’s pre-1968 design.
A heel-style magazine release, fixed sights (integral front blade and rear notch milled into the slide), and checkered plastic grips round out the original configuration. Matching serial numbers on the frame and barrel emphasize its originality.
Discontinued in 2003, the 950 Minx line represents a significant chapter in Beretta pocket-pistol history. This long-barrel 1953 example offers collectors a lightweight, authentic slice of mid-century Italian craftsmanship.