The Beretta Model 70, a.22 LR pistol that is otherwise quite unassuming, saw heavy usage with Israeli anti-terror units for many years. This little gun is more than a simple plinker.
1969 was a common year for hijackings of planes. There were 159 hijackings in the U.S. between May 1961 and the end 1972. More than 130 were between 1968 to 1972, which is known as the “golden era of hijacking”. Sometimes, more than one hijacker was happening at once. The hijackers were quickly called “skyjackers” and demanded to fly to communist Cuba. This was so common that the phrase “take me to Cuba!” became a joke. Some were Cubans who wanted to return to Cuba, a relatively new country under Castro. They hoped it would be a socialist paradise. Others wanted millions of dollars or gold, or to make a political statement. Airline policy was to comply with these demands in order to get passengers and planes back to safety. Although it is difficult to believe, there was virtually no airport security back then. There were some fatalities, mostly from shoot-outs between law enforcement officers, but there wasn’t deliberate flying of planes into targets, like what happened on 9/11. A similar-minded incident in 1972 caught the attention airlines, federal authorities, and the public. Three skyjackers threatened to crash a plane in an atomic reactor in Tennessee. A plane carrying passengers from Rome to Tel Aviv was hijacked and taken to Algiers in July 1968. The passengers were taken prisoner and exchanged for Arabs held in Israel. One passenger was killed in an El Al plane attack in December 1968. One passenger was killed in an attack on an El Al plane in December 1968.
Sky marshals were trained with Model 70 Beretta Model 70 pistols in.22 caliber Beretta Model 70. At the time, the only attack scenarios that were studied were those inside aircrafts. According to some reports, the Model 70 was already the “signature terminator gun of the Mossad,” Israel’s intelligence and covert operations agency. Although there are no public records, Model 70s owned by Mossad agents are believed have caused the death of many terrorists. According to reports, four terrorists jumped off a white Volkswagen parked near Zurich’s Kloten International Airport runway and opened fire with AK-47s at an El Al plane in take-off position. Sky marshal Mordechai Rashamim, who drew his Model 70 and left the plane, engaged the terrorists, and killed one. The Swiss police captured the other three. Sky marshal Mordechai Rashamim, who drew a Model 70 and took to action. Rachamim ran to the cockpit after bullets struck the plane’s body. He then viewed the cockpit through the cockpit window. Rachamim saw a man lying in snow and shot twice. This was an unusual occurrence for the Model 70 chosen for its reliability by the Mossad. Rachamim ran to the back and asked a flight attendant if the back door could be opened and the emergency slide activated. Rachamim ran to the tarmac, flanking the plane as the shots were being fired. While on the move, he reloaded his gun. He reportedly had two spare magazines. He climbed the fence and saw a shooter holding an AK-47, about 30-40 meters away from him between two snow piles. Rachamim, speaking in English, ordered him to drop his rifle as he approached. Rachamim fired three shots at the attacker from four meters away. One struck the neck and the other two hit the armpit. According to Mossad, they were carrying a full magazine and a empty barrel. Rachamim was then taken into custody by Swiss police after he was disarmed and his magazine’s pinky extension curved. He was then led away by the police, who saw the other terrorists being taken into custody at gunpoint. The pilot of El Al died later from injuries sustained in the attack. Seven passengers were also injured. Rachamim later said that he ran in a wide circle towards the barrier where the Arabs were shooting at the plane. To draw their fire towards me and stop them from hitting the aircraft, I ran in a wide circle. I was afraid that bullets might reach fuel tanks and cause an explosion. Rachamim stated, “I fired three shots at him.” Rachamim was later released on bail and returned home to a warm welcome. Later, he was acquitted on manslaughter charges. The terrorists, two men, and a woman, were sentenced to 12-years. They were released one year later to comply with hijackers’ demands. Two terrorists, a man and a woman, were sentenced to 12-year sentences. Rachamim was back at work in 1972 when he and his commandos disguised themselves as airline mechanics stormed a Sabena Airline flight in Tel Aviv. Rachamim killed one terrorist from Palestine with his Model 70. A second terrorist was also killed by commandos. Why the Beretta Model 70?
The Israelis are always striving to be the best in security matters and chose the Beretta 70 due to its compact size, accuracy, reliability, and, despite Rachamim’s jam, reliability. The Model 70’s low recoil made it easy to fire the eight-round magazine quickly and accurately with little anticipation. The Model 70’s low recoil allowed for rapid firing and quick recovery. It was designed to deliver the eight-round magazine’s worth quickly and accurately, and replace the 1935 Beretta pistol. It was available in.22,.32, and.380 calibers. It was a smooth-operating handgun that was easy to shoot. Model 71s were also known as Jaguars. In the late 1970s, a magazine safety was added and the model designation changed to 70S. These models are made of steel alloy and have a solid feel with enough weight to keep the recoil to an absolute minimum. The comfortable, throwback feel, function and appearance of the exposed hammer is comforting. The pistol grip’s slant seems to align your sights with your eyes, creating a comfortable focal point. The magazine has a curved forward extension that wraps around the pinky finger. This provides a secure, snug grip. The front and rear sights are low-profile, which is helpful when drawing from a magazine holster. Beretta claimed that the Model 70 was more accurate at short and long ranges. This was achieved by fitting the barrel into the receiver with a longer barrel guide. The original Beretta Model 70 design had a cross-bolt safety, which was replaced by a levered, sear-block safety, hold-open catch, and push-button magazine-release. It was also available with a 3.5-inch or 5.9 inch barrel. It’s difficult to argue with Israeli practice. The Model 70 was produced with a cross-bolt safety, but the Israelis used it to carry a loaded magazine and an empty chamber. This impressive target pack is from Storm Tactical. It contains 62 printable targets for rifle and handgun range usage. Target grids and bullseye sizes can be downloaded in MOA. Get Free Targets
