Beretta: 500 Years of Family Tradition

Beretta Estates

One of the historical firearm manufacturers that I am enthusiastic about along with US manufactures like Smith & Wesson, Colt, Remington, Springfield Armory, Winchester, and Browning is Beretta. I also like the foreign manufacturer, now in the US – Taurus.

Beretta is a 500-year-old firearm manufacturer, which in itself is something. It has remained in business and kept its world-renowned reliability because of the company's traditional excellent quality and moving along with new innovations and designs that keeps it competitive with modern firearm manufacturers. 

The official name is Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta established in Brescia, Lombardy, Italy. Located in the Val Trompia valley district in Italy, it is in the Columbine Mountains, a scenic place known for its source of high-grade iron ore.

Beretta has lasted for 15 generations of the Beretta family. Today the company manufactures, on the average, 1,500 firearms per day. Ninety percent of the production consists of sporting firearms like its world-famous shotguns, with more than 75% of its arms being exported to about one hundred countries. Beretta is now located in the USA, where parts are made like barrels. In addition to firearms, Beretta offers quality clothing and accessories that match its firearms in excellence.

Obviously if you have the opportunity to visit Italy, the Beretta museum and the beautiful valley it is located in should be on your itinerary.

Beretta Early Firearm

Some Beretta models are definitely pricey, which may hinder some in purchasing the higher end models – but it also has dependable quality models for a reasonable and competitive price.

Beretta was established in 1526 when Bartolomeo Beretta was paid by the Arsenal of Venice to make 185 Arquebus barrels, and the result is that it is the oldest firearm manufacturer in the world.

Bartolomeo Beretta's son, Jacomo and his grandson, Giovannino, became master gun barrel makers – passing on the trade over 500 years. 

Since that period of history, Beretta has been known for its elegantly engraved, custom firearms.

Golden Centurion .40-caliber Special Edition

Since that time the manufacturer grew to become a familiar name in quality firearms across Europe, it's shotguns becoming popular with competition shooters in the United States.

Beretta's hand crafted stocks and engraving work remains among the world's best.

In 1918, the Beretta Model 1918 was the second submachine gun to be used by the Italian army. Beretta manufactured rifles and pistols for the Italian military until the 1943 Armistice between Italy and the Allied Forces of World War II. The Nazi Wehrmacht controlled northern Italy, seizing Beretta and produced arms for Germans until 1945. During that period, weapon quality diminished, inferior to previously manufactured firearms and those made after the war. The last shipment of rifles left Venice for Japan aboard a U-boat in 1942. Beretta Model 38A submachine gun was used by Italians, Germans, Romanians, and Argentine armies during the second world war.

After World War II, Beretta became involved in repairing American M1 Garand rifles given to Italy by the United States. It was modified into the Beretta BM-59 rifle, similar to the M14 battle rifle used by the United States. Armorers considered the BM-59 rifle to be superior to the M14 rifle, mostly because it was more accurate under certain conditions. After the war, Beretta continued to develop firearms for the Italian Army and police force, as well as civilian sport and hunting shooters.

In the 1980s, Beretta regained its popularity in North America after producing the Beretta 92, which became the US Army service handgun designated M9. During that time, Beretta built a manufacturing plant in Säo Paulo, Brazil – producing Beretta 92s for the Brazilian army. Later the plant was sold to Taurus, which continues to manufacture Beretta 92 handguns under the name of PT92. The PT92 has provided a quality and dependable firearm since the days I carried a concealed one when driving a limousine in Chicago, Illinois in the 1970s.

Beretta has acquired several domestic competitors in Italy like the famous Benelli and Franchi firearm manufacturers. It also acquired companies in other countries, like Finland, in the late 1980s.

Jessica Rossi

The traditional father-to-son Beretta dynasty was interrupted when Ugo Gussalli Beretta assumed the firm's control and uncles Carlo and Giuseppe Beretta were childless. Ugo married into the Beretta family and adopted the last name Beretta. His sons are now direct descendents through their mother's side of the family.

Beretta USA was founded in 1977 and based in Accokeek, Maryland, manufacturing military, police, and civilian pistols. The facility employs 400 Americans. Draconian restrictions by the Maryland legislature has caused the operations to move. If New England continues its path of ignoring the Second Amendment of the US Constitution, more companies, dating as far back as the American Revolution (manufactures that bought them out in later years) will be moving as well. Georgia. Tennessee, and Texas has been prospective states where businesses, especially firearm manufacturers, are not harassed by draconian restrictions and inflated taxation.

Other divisions purchased by Beretta includes: A. Uberti; Benelli Arms; Luigi Franchi; SAKO; Stoeger Industries.

The following video shows how Beretta balances its premium shotguns …

Introduced by Beretta, the Benelli 'Ethos' shotgun with innovations for a remarkable hunting shotgun …

The Benelli (Beretta) inertial system is explained in the following video …

Proper lubrication a Benelli-Beretta shotgun …

The following is a list of Beretta product lines:

Semi-automatic pistols

• Beretta M1915, M1919 and M1923
• Beretta 418
• Beretta M951
• Beretta M 1934 / Beretta M 1935
• Beretta M 1951
• Beretta M-100
• Beretta 70 series (Jaguar)
  • Beretta 76
• Beretta Cheetah
  • Beretta 81
  • Beretta 84
  • Beretta 85
  • Beretta 86
  • Beretta 87
  • Beretta 89
• Beretta 8000
  • Beretta 8000 Cougar
  • Beretta 8045 Cougar
  • Beretta Cougar Inox
  • Beretta Mini Cougar
• Beretta 90
• Beretta 9000
  • Beretta 9000S
• Beretta 92
  • Beretta 90two
  • Beretta 92F
  • Beretta 92F/FS
  • Beretta 92FS Inox
    • Beretta 92FS Compact
    • Beretta 92FS Centurion
    • Beretta 92FS Brigadier
    • Beretta 92FS Brigadier Inox
  • Beretta 92G Elite 1A
    • Beretta 92G Elite II
  • Beretta 92S
    • Beretta 92SB
      • Beretta 92SB-C
  • Beretta 92A1
  • M9 pistol
• Beretta 96
  • Beretta 96A1
• Beretta Px4 Storm
  • Beretta Px4 Storm Compact
    • Beretta Px4 Storm Subcompact
• Beretta U22 Neos
• Beretta 418
• Beretta 21 Bobcat
  • Beretta 21A Bobcat
• Beretta 3032 Tomcat
• Beretta 950 Jetfire
• Beretta Nano
• Beretta Pico
  

Revolvers

• Beretta Stampede
• Beretta Laramie
  

Shotguns

• Beretta 1201FP
• Beretta DT-10
• Beretta Silver Pigeon
• Beretta AL391 Urika and Teknys
• Beretta SO4, SO5 and SO6
• Beretta Xtrema
• Beretta Xtrema 2
• Beretta Model A series
• Beretta UGB25 Xcel
• Beretta Folder
• Beretta Urika
• Beretta Urika 2
• Beretta RS 202-M2
• Beretta LTLX7000
• Beretta Extrema2
• Beretta Tx4
  • Beretta Tx4 Storm
• Beretta A400
  • Beretta A400 Xcel
  • Beretta A400 Xtreme Unico
  • Beretta A400 Xplor Action
• Beretta A 300
• Beretta LTLX7000
• Beretta 470 Silver Hawk
• Beretta 682
  

Rifles and carbines

• Beretta BM-59
• Beretta Cx4 Storm
• Beretta 501 (sporting rifle)
• Beretta Rx4 Storm
  

Assault rifles

• Beretta AR70/90
• Beretta AS70/90
• Beretta ARX 160
• Beretta AR-70/223
  

Submachine guns

• Beretta Model 1918
• Beretta Model 38
  • Beretta Model 38A
  • Beretta Model 38/42
  • Beretta Model 38/44
• Beretta Model 3 – a postwar modification of the 38/42
• Beretta M12 series
• Beretta Mx4 Storm
  

Machine Pistols

• Beretta 93R
  • Beretta 93R "Auto 9"
    

Launchers

• Beretta GLX-160
  

Visit the YouTube Beretta channel for many informative videos that include home defense training and training segments for law enforcement personnel.

The PX4Storm pistol, also now available in compact version, is in competition with the Glock. Available in .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and 9mm (Para) calibers.

See also: Four people who changed history and favored Beretta firearms.