Beretta

Beretta, formally Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta, is an Italian firearms manufacturer based in Gardone Val Trompia in the province of Brescia, Lombardy. The company is associated with a manufacturing tradition documented to 3 October 1526, when Bartolomeo Beretta received payment from the Republic of Venice for 185 arquebus barrels. The Beretta name is therefore linked to the ironworking and weapons-making economy of Val Trompia, a northern Italian valley whose metalworking capabilities developed over many centuries. The company is widely described as the oldest active firearms manufacturer and one of the oldest continuously operating companies in the world. Beretta began with gun barrels and gradually expanded into complete firearms. Its historical development followed the evolution of military and sporting weapons, from early arquebuses and smoothbore arms to rifles, pistols, submachine guns, military rifles and modern semi-automatic firearms. Beretta-made barrels were associated with Venetian naval arms during the sixteenth century, and the company later supplied weapons to European states through successive periods of conflict. Family transmission of technical knowledge continued across generations, although the original father-to-son succession was later modified when Ugo Gussalli Beretta assumed control after marrying into the Beretta family. The twentieth century brought a major expansion in military and commercial significance. Beretta's Model 1918 was adopted by the Italian army and became one of the early military submachine guns. During the Second World War, the company produced arms for Italy and, after German control of northern Italy, continued production under German authority until the end of the war. In the postwar period, Beretta repaired American-supplied M1 Garand rifles for Italy and developed the BM59, while also continuing to supply Italian military and police organizations and civilian customers. The company's international profile grew particularly strongly in the United States. Beretta established manufacturing operations in Brazil during the 1970s and entered a high-profile phase of American expansion after its Model 92 pistol was selected in 1985 as the U.S. military's M9 service pistol. The contract helped turn Beretta into a widely recognized consumer and institutional brand in North America, alongside its established position in hunting and competitive shooting. The 92 family became one of the company's signature product platforms, although the M9 was eventually selected for replacement by the SIG Sauer P320 in 2017. Beretta's commercial portfolio spans sporting shotguns, hunting rifles, pistols, revolvers, military rifles, carbines, submachine guns, accessories, shooting clothing and related equipment. Sporting arms account for a substantial majority of its business according to the referenced company overview. Its best-known families include the 92 and APX pistols, Px4 Storm, 1301 and A400 shotguns, Silver Pigeon over-and-under shotguns, ARX military rifles, PMX submachine gun and BRX1 straight-pull rifle. Through Beretta Holding, the wider group also owns or controls firearms, optics and related brands including Benelli, Franchi, SAKO, Stoeger, Tikka, Uberti, Burris Optics and SwissP Defence. Beretta remains privately held and family controlled, with Franco Gussalli Beretta serving as president and chief executive of Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta since 2015.

Beretta's documented history begins in the industrial setting of Val Trompia, a Lombardy valley known for iron mining, smelting and weapons production. A contract dated 3 October 1526 records the Republic of Venice ordering 185 arquebus barrels from Bartolomeo Beretta. The document is preserved in the State Archives of Venice and provides the principal historical basis for the company's founding date. The Beretta forge itself is described as having operated from around 1500, before the surviving written transaction. Technical knowledge passed through the Beretta family and its associated workshop system. Bartolomeo's knowledge was inherited by Jacopo, then by Giovannino and Giovan Antonio, continuing through the guild era until the guilds were abolished after Napoleon's conquest of the Venetian Republic in 1797. By the end of the seventeenth century, Beretta was reportedly the second-largest barrel maker in Gardone. The family's continuity made the company a notable example of long-lived industrial ownership, later associated with Les Hénokiens, an organization of exceptionally old family businesses. The company expanded from barrels into finished arms as firearms technology changed. Beretta supplied military customers for centuries and is described as having provided weapons for major European wars from the seventeenth century onward. In the early twentieth century, it developed military pistols, rifles and automatic weapons. The Model 1918 entered Italian service in 1918, while later Model 38 submachine guns became important products during the interwar and wartime periods. During the Second World War, Beretta produced rifles and pistols for the Italian military until the 1943 armistice. After German forces took control of northern Italy, the factory continued producing weapons under German authority until the German surrender in 1945. Wartime conditions affected external finishing on some late-production arms, but the weapons remained operational. A final shipment of Type I rifles reportedly left Venice for Japan aboard a submarine in 1942. After the war, Beretta repaired American M1 Garands supplied to Italy and used its experience to develop the BM59 rifle, a modified Italian design with similarities to the U.S. M14. The company continued serving Italian armed forces and police while expanding its civilian sporting and hunting business. Its growth was increasingly international: a Brazilian plant established during the 1970s produced Beretta 92 pistols for the Brazilian army under an agreement with the government. The plant was later sold to Taurus, which used the equipment and workforce to produce the PT92 after the relevant design patents expired. Beretta's most important modern commercial turning point was the selection of the Beretta 92 as the U.S. military's M9 pistol in 1985. The contract required domestic manufacture and gave the company a platform for broader American recognition. Beretta USA later described the military contract as part of a strategy to build household awareness and expand into law-enforcement and commercial markets. The company also broadened its group through acquisitions, including Benelli and Franchi and interests connected with Finnish firearms production. In the twenty-first century, Beretta has remained a privately controlled international manufacturer. Its portfolio combines competition and hunting shotguns, sporting and defensive pistols, rifles, military arms, accessories and shooting apparel. The wider Beretta Holding group owns a collection of firearms, optics and defense businesses. The M9 remained in U.S. service for decades, but the 2017 selection of SIG Sauer's P320 marked the beginning of its replacement throughout the U.S. armed forces. Franco Gussalli Beretta has served as president and CEO of Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta since 2015.

• 2017

  M9 replacement selected

  [1]Berettaen.wikipedia.org

  The U.S. military selected the SIG Sauer P320 to replace the Beretta M9.

• 2015

  Franco Gussalli Beretta becomes president and CEO

  [1]Berettaen.wikipedia.org

  Franco Gussalli Beretta assumed the presidency and chief executive role at Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta.

• 1985

  Beretta 92 chosen as U.S. M9 pistol

  [1]Berettaen.wikipedia.org

  The U.S. armed forces selected the Beretta 92 for service as the M9 pistol under a contract requiring domestic manufacture.

• 1970

  Brazilian manufacturing expansion

  [1]Berettaen.wikipedia.org

  Beretta established a production plant in São Paulo and manufactured Beretta 92 pistols for the Brazilian army.

• 1945

  Postwar reconstruction and BM59 development

  [1]Berettaen.wikipedia.org

  After the Second World War, Beretta repaired M1 Garands for Italy and developed the BM59 rifle.

• 1918

  Model 1918 enters service

  [1]Berettaen.wikipedia.org

  The Italian army fielded Beretta's Model 1918, an early submachine gun.

• 1571

  Barrels associated with the Venetian fleet

  [1]Berettaen.wikipedia.org

  Beretta-made barrels were reported to have equipped Venetian naval forces at the Battle of Lepanto.

• 1526

  First documented Beretta firearms contract

  [1]Berettaen.wikipedia.org

  Bartolomeo Beretta received a Venetian order for 185 arquebus barrels, the earliest surviving documentary evidence associated with the company.

A heritage-led Italian firearms brand positioned around long-term family ownership, manufacturing expertise, sporting performance, hunting equipment and institutional military and law-enforcement supply.

• Semi-automatic pistols · 1975

  Beretta 92 family and M9

  The 92 family is Beretta's most internationally recognizable pistol platform. It includes multiple full-size, compact and specialized variants, including the 92FS, 92X and related military configurations. The U.S. military adopted a version as the M9 in 1985, giving the platform major institutional visibility. The family has also been marketed to law-enforcement, civilian and security users.

• Semi-automatic pistols

  APX

  The APX is a modern semi-automatic pistol family developed for contemporary military, law-enforcement and civilian markets. It represents Beretta's move toward a modular, striker-fired service-pistol format alongside its traditional hammer-fired designs.

• Semi-automatic pistols

  Px4 Storm

  The Px4 Storm family is a polymer-framed pistol platform offered in full-size, compact and subcompact forms. It is designed for service, defensive and commercial applications and forms part of Beretta's modern handgun range.

• Semi-automatic shotguns

  1301

  The 1301 line is a semi-automatic shotgun family offered in competition, tactical and general-purpose configurations. It extends Beretta's shotgun expertise into contemporary sporting and institutional applications.

• Semi-automatic shotguns

  A400

  The A400 is a broad semi-automatic shotgun platform with configurations for clay shooting, hunting and specialized outdoor use. Variants include Xcel, Xtreme and Xplor models.

• Over-and-under shotguns

  Silver Pigeon

  Silver Pigeon shotguns represent Beretta's sporting and hunting over-and-under offering. The line is associated with the company's traditional craftsmanship, interchangeable configurations and broad use among field and clay-shooting customers.

• Assault rifles

  ARX160

  The ARX160 is a modular military rifle platform developed for armed-forces and security applications. It belongs to Beretta's modern defense portfolio and has been offered in multiple configurations and calibers.

• Hunting rifles

  BRX1

  The BRX1 is a straight-pull bolt-action rifle aimed primarily at hunting and sporting users. It broadens Beretta's rifle portfolio beyond military and semi-automatic platforms.

• 1980M9 awareness and U.S. market expansion strategy

  United States

  Beretta used its pursuit of U.S. military adoption as a route to wider consumer and law-enforcement recognition. A Beretta USA executive later described the strategy as using the military contract to establish household familiarity and then expand commercial distribution.

  Outcome. The 1985 M9 award substantially increased Beretta's visibility in the United States.

  Source

• 2017

  Transition away from the M9Generation change

  Background

  After decades of U.S. service, the M9 was evaluated for replacement across the armed forces.

  Action taken

  The U.S. military selected the 9mm SIG Sauer P320 as the successor to the Beretta M9.

  Aftermath

  The decision ended Beretta's role as the U.S. armed forces' standard service-pistol supplier, although the 92 family continued in other markets.

  Source

• 1985

  Accept the U.S. M9 service-pistol contractProduct launch

  Background

  The U.S. military conducted a competition to replace its earlier standard service pistol.

  Action taken

  Beretta won the competition to supply the 9mm M9, with the agreement requiring domestic production.

  Aftermath

  The contract became a major source of international visibility and supported expansion into U.S. law-enforcement and commercial markets.

  • SIG Sauer — SIG Sauer later won the competition to replace the M9 with the P320.

  Source

• 1970

  Establish Brazilian productionStrategy

  Background

  Beretta sought to expand manufacturing and institutional sales outside Italy.

  Action taken

  The company established a São Paulo plant and entered an agreement to produce Beretta 92 pistols for the Brazilian army.

  Aftermath

  The facility was later sold to Taurus, which continued producing a related PT92 design after the relevant patents expired.

  Source

1. 1Berettaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Beretta official websiteberetta.com