Originally equipped with large quantities of American-supplied M1 Garand Rifles, in the 1950s the Italian Government sought a local source for both new rifles and spare parts. Equipped with machinery left over from Winchester's U.S. contract run, Beretta took on this task with aplomb, with an output every bit as good as you'd expect from one of Europe's oldest arms makers. While chiefly occupied with keeping Italy armed, and later shifting to the upgraded "BM-59" pattern battle rifle, Beretta is known to have filled two M1 Garand export contracts, one for Yemen and one for Indonesia. The exact quantities for both are unknown; it has been speculated that the first 2 digits of observed Indonesian Garands are either an arbitrary start number or a manufacture date, with actual production in the 50,000-70,000 range. Of that number, relatively few have made it to the American market; most were likely used to destruction in harsh conditions, or stripped for interchangable parts to maintain later-acquired BM-59 rifles. The most prominent distinguishing feature is the receiver heel marking, the "eagle and star" insignia of the Indonesian Army, stamped above the serial number, with "BERETTA-ARMI/ROMA-ITALIA" on the left side of the barrel and "B.Sid 1956 KH" on the barrel. Marked components are all Beretta production, with the following major component markings; bolt: "D-28287/PB", operating rod: "D35382 PB", trigger housing: "D 28290 PB", trigger guard: stamped unmarked, hammer: "PB C-46005", safety: "PB", trigger: "PB", follower assembly: unmarked, front sight: "GR PB", windage knob: "KI KA", rear sight wings: "PB". The gas cylinder is the post war wide base version with a high hump gas cylinder lock. The stock and handguards are all walnut and they are correctly without any proofs.