Arma dei Carabinieri

Gendarmerie · Italy · Last updated Oct 10, 2026 · Official site ↗

What gun does the Arma dei Carabinieri carry?

The Arma dei Carabinieri's current duty pistol is reportedly the Beretta 92 SB (9mm Luger), per news or manufacturer reports. No general-issue patrol rifle is sourced: the Beretta ARX160 A3 (5.56x45mm NATO) is listed, but its entry doesn't say it is general issue.

Type: Gendarmerie
Location: Italy
Entries: 6 current · 2 previous11 sources cited
Last updated: Oct 10, 2026newest source Oct 18, 2024

Quick answers

What caliber does the Arma dei Carabinieri use?

The Arma dei Carabinieri's current duty pistol is reportedly the Beretta 92 SB, chambered in 9mm Luger, per news or manufacturer reports.

What rifle does the Arma dei Carabinieri use?

No general-issue patrol rifle is sourced for the Arma dei Carabinieri: the Beretta ARX160 A3 (5.56x45mm NATO) is listed, but its entry doesn't say it is general issue. Each rifle entry on this page gives its role and source.

What pistol did the Arma dei Carabinieri carry before the Beretta 92 SB?

Before the Beretta 92 SB, the Arma dei Carabinieri issued the Beretta Cougar 8000L (9mm Luger), per the sourced history on this page.

Duty Arms Index1,255 agencies3,129 sourced entriesUpdated Oct 10, 2026How we source

Patrol5 Plainclothes1 History2

Patrol / duty issue

At a glance

Category	Current primary issue	Confidence	Entries
Pistols	Beretta 92 SB Who else issues it →	Reliable secondary	2
Rifles / Carbines	Beretta ARX160 A3Not stated as general issueWho else issues it →	Official source	1
Shotguns	Not yet sourced		—
Precision / Sniper Rifles	Accuracy International Model not specified Who else issues it →	Official source	1
SMGs / Pistol-Caliber Carbines	Beretta PMX Who else issues it →	Official source	1
Duty Ammunition	Not yet sourced		—

Loadout

How the current duty weapons are configured, per the sourced entries below. Optic and light models are shown only when a source names them.

Duty pistol

Beretta 92 SB

Reliable secondary

Generic illustration

Issued configuration

Pistol: Beretta 92 SB
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Pistol optic: Not yet sourced
Light: Not yet sourced

Rifle / carbine (not general issue)

Beretta ARX160 A3

Official source

Generic illustration

Issued configuration

Rifle: Beretta ARX160 A3
Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
Rifle optic: Not yet sourced
Light: Not yet sourced

Pistols

2 current

Generic illustration

Beretta 92 SB

Reliable secondary2 sources

9mm LugerPrimary duty

Dates	Current (start date unknown)
As of	Oct 10, 2026

Inferred from holster procurement: Carabinieri holster contracts (2020 and the 2025-29 framework) are for the "Beretta Mod. 92 SB" in large numbers, which indicates it is the main uniform pistol. No pistol purchase record found.

Generic illustration

Model videosame model, not this agency's own gear

Watch this video on YouTube ↗

Embedded from YouTube, video by @thetexasgunvault · original videorepresentative: not this agency's own gear

Shows: Range report on a standard Beretta Px4 Storm Compact 9mm (rotating barrel), shot at the range

How we matched it: 'Range Report: Beretta Px4 Storm Compact - A rotating barrel carry gun' by Texas Gun Vault (independent reviewer, not the agency), 4 Mar 2024. Description names the 9mm Px4 Storm Compact (not the Langdon 'Compact Carry' variant). Representative only: a commercial pistol, not the Carabinieri's.

Beretta PX4 Storm Compact

Official source2 sources

9mm LugerOther

Dates	Sep 9, 2019 – present
As of	Oct 10, 2026

Award notices 2019-2021.

Bought in several lots (2019-2021) to progressively replace the Beretta Cougar 8000L. Which personnel carry it is not stated.

Rifles / Carbines

1 current

Generic illustration

Beretta ARX160 A3

Official source1 source

5.56x45mm NATOOther

Dates	Current (start date unknown)
As of	Oct 10, 2026

Beretta ARX160/A3 with 11-inch barrel bought for selected units, including personnel on missions abroad (2019 and 2021 awards). Not general issue.

Precision / Sniper Rifles

1 current

Representative photo: Accuracy International AXMC. Photo: Dutch Ministry of Defence, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Model photo, not the agency's own firearm.

Accuracy International Model not specified

Official source1 source

.308 Winchester / 7.62x51mmPrecision

Dates	Oct 18, 2024 – present
As of	Oct 10, 2026

Determina 18 Oct 2024.

Unit-level purchase: Accuracy International precision rifles in .308 Win and .338 with accessories for the 13th Carabinieri Regiment "Friuli Venezia Giulia" (Oct 2024). The determina says only model "Accuracy" (exact AI model not stated).

SMGs / Pistol-Caliber Carbines

1 current

Generic illustration

Model videosame model, not this agency's own gear

Watch this video on YouTube ↗

Embedded from YouTube, video by @tfbtv · original videorepresentative: not this agency's own gear

Shows: TFB TV review of the Beretta PMX 9mm submachine gun (successor to the PM12), handled and fired

How we matched it: 'Beretta PMX Review: The M12s is Reborn' by TFB TV (firearms media, not the agency), 7 Jun 2022. Title and description name the Beretta PMX, the 9mm SMG the Carabinieri chose as the successor to the PM12. Representative only: a review gun, not the Carabinieri's; the description notes it was about to be imported to the US as the semi-auto PMXs.

Beretta PMX

Official source2 sources

9mm LugerPatrol long gun

Dates	Dec 27, 2018 – present
As of	Oct 10, 2026

Contract 27 Dec 2018.

Beretta PMX 9x19 submachine gun, chosen as "the natural evolution of the PM12" (Dec 2018 contract); a further purchase was approved in 2021. Reported for rapid-response (pronto intervento) patrols.

Not yet sourced for this agency

Shotguns Duty Ammunition

Know of a public source (policy manual, contract, press release, news)? Submit it.

Plainclothes / investigative

Weapons a public source lists for detectives, investigators or other plainclothes assignments. Shown separately from uniformed patrol issue.

Pistols

1 current

Generic illustration

Model videosame model, not this agency's own gear

Watch this video on YouTube ↗

Embedded from YouTube, video by @thetexasgunvault · original videorepresentative: not this agency's own gear

Shows: Range report on a standard Beretta Px4 Storm Compact 9mm (rotating barrel), shot at the range

Beretta PX4 Storm Compact

Official source3 sources

9mm LugerPlainclothes / investigative

Dates	Current (start date unknown)
As of	Oct 10, 2026

Evaluated 19 Jul 2024; awarded 2024; deliveries from 2025.

Model named in an official record: the technical-evaluation minutes (Verbale n. 1, 19 Jul 2024, CIG B1708BA39E) record each sample in Beretta's offer as « pistola Beretta PX4 Storm Compact » (PX4-prefix serials). Precisely: that is the model Beretta offered and submitted for evaluation. The award decree (n. 2378 R.U.A.) awards the concealable 9 Para pistols for plain-clothes personnel to Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta S.p.A. but names no model, and Beretta's homologation was family-level only (issued for the full-size PX4 Storm; scored « omologazione della famiglia di pistole, ma non dello specifico modello »). Beretta was excluded in Jul 2024, reinstated on appeal (TAR Lazio, Oct 2024) and was the only remaining bidder (award Nov-Dec 2024, deliveries from 2025).

Previously issued

Beretta PM12SMGs / Pistol-Caliber Carbines · Patrol long gunOfficial source1 source
Succeeded by the PMX from 2018. · Predecessor of the PMX (2018 determina). Retirement date not stated; may remain in some units.
Comando Generale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri
Beretta Cougar 8000LPistols · OtherOfficial source1 source
Replacement under way since 2019. · Being progressively replaced by the PX4 Storm Compact (2019 award notice: "programma di progressiva sostituzione della pistola Beretta Cougar 8000L"). Some may still be in service.
Comando Generale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri

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Corrections & change log

Oct 10, 2026 · Representative model video embedded from YouTube (@thetexasgunvault): Range report on a standard Beretta Px4 Storm Compact 9mm (rotating barrel), shot at the range
Oct 10, 2026 · Representative model video embedded from YouTube (@tfbtv): TFB TV review of the Beretta PMX 9mm submachine gun (successor to the PM12), handled and fired
Oct 10, 2026 · Weapon model merged: the Carabinieri plain-clothes pistol is named "Beretta PX4 Storm Compact" in the official technical-evaluation minutes (Verbale n. 1, 19 Jul 2024, CIG B1708BA39E); the placeholder model had no other entries.
Oct 10, 2026 · Updated from public source(s): Comando Generale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri
Oct 10, 2026 · Imported from public source(s): 13° Reggimento Carabinieri "Friuli Venezia Giulia"
Oct 10, 2026 · Imported from public source(s): Comando Generale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri
Oct 10, 2026 · Imported from public source(s): Comando Generale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri
Oct 10, 2026 · Imported from public source(s): Comando Generale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri
Oct 10, 2026 · Imported from public source(s): Comando Generale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri
Oct 10, 2026 · Imported from public source(s): Comando Generale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri
Oct 10, 2026 · Imported from public source(s): Comando Generale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri
Oct 10, 2026 · Imported from public source(s): Comando Generale dell'Arma dei Carabinieri

Agency-level equipment only, from public sources. No individual officers, no unit specifics beyond what the agency has published. Not affiliated with Arma dei Carabinieri. Agency listing source: link.