Dating back from 1925, the Italian Army had engaged in experiments to find a new model of combat helmet that could replace the aging and not completely satisfactory Adrian helmet adopted in 1915 upon the country's entry into World War I; coupled to this was that the Adrian was originally a French design, and it was probably felt (under the fascist regime) that an Italian-designed model was more appropriate.

However this model (recognizable by the small crest on its top) was not completely satisfactory, because its cupolar blowhole design was not seen as being efficient, and was rather perceived as a structural weakness.

Upon the war's conclusion in 1939, departing Italian volunteers left approximately 50,000-60,000 M33 helmets behind, which saw use with the Spanish Army until the late 1970s when they were sold off following Franco's death.

In 1944–1945 following the Armistice of Cassibile, the British attempted to replace the M33 with the Brodie helmet, however only two divisions had switched by the time the war ended.

After the war, it was decided to retain the M33 in use with the newly formed Italian Army, remaining in use to the end of the 1980s, with production restarting in the 1950s.