Birdshead

The Beretta 98 is a variant of the Beretta 92 family chambered in 7.65mm Parabellum (.30 Luger) rather than the 9mm Parabellum standard of most family members, a chambering that gives the pistol a somewhat different character and a more specific market appeal than its more widely distributed 9mm siblings. The 7.65mm Parabellum cartridge, developed by Georg Luger in 1900 as the original chambering for the Luger pistol, produces notably lower recoil than 9mm while still delivering adequate terminal performance for its intended applications, making the Model 98 a natural choice for target shooters and users who prioritize reduced recoil over maximum terminal performance.

The Model 98 shares the fundamental mechanical architecture of the 92 family—the tilting-block locking system, open-top slide, double-action/single-action trigger mechanism with slide-mounted safety/decocker, and alloy frame. In the 7.65mm chambering, the pistol’s characteristics are somewhat refined: the reduced cartridge dimensions allow for slightly different internal geometry, and the lower pressure of the 7.65mm round produces a distinctly softer operating cycle that many shooters find conducive to precision accuracy work.

The Beretta 98 has found particular favor in European markets where 7.65mm Parabellum maintains some distribution and where certain regulatory environments create preferences for cartridges of specific dimensions. In Italy, the Model 98 has been used by certain law enforcement and security services alongside the standard 9mm variants of the family.

For collectors and enthusiasts, the Model 98 represents an interesting variant within the 92 family—mechanically identical in its essential architecture but offering a different shooting experience and a connection to the earlier history of the 7.65mm Parabellum cartridge that links it to the development of the modern semi-automatic pistol at the turn of the 20th century.