Beretta 418

About the Beretta 418

The Beretta 418 is a compact .25 ACP blowback-operated semi-automatic pocket pistol produced by Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta from 1919 to 1958. The culmination of Beretta's early small-caliber vest-pocket pistol line, it features a striker-fired action, an 8-round detachable box magazine, a dual safety system combining a grip safety with a frame-mounted manual thumb safety, and a steel slide over an alloy frame in later production. It was widely carried as a concealed backup and self-defense sidearm, and was marketed in the United States as the 'Bantam' and later the 'Panther'.

The Beretta 418 is best known as the original sidearm of Ian Fleming's literary James Bond, carried through the first five novels. In 'From Russia, with Love' Bond's Beretta suppressor snags on his waistband at a critical moment, prompting M to order him to switch to the Walther PPK in 'Dr. No'.

Beretta 418 specifications

Around 140,000 examples were produced over its production life. Late-1940s production introduced lighter alloy frames. The 418 is famous as the original pistol of Ian Fleming's literary James Bond across the first five novels, described as 'a very flat .25 Beretta automatic with a skeleton grip', before being replaced by the Walther PPK.