Heritage & History

Beretta USA is the American subsidiary of Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta — the oldest active firearms manufacturer in the world, founded in 1526 in Gardone Val Trompia, Italy. Headquartered in Accokeek, Maryland, Beretta USA produces pistols, shotguns, and rifles for military, law enforcement, hunting, and sporting applications.

:::callout
Beretta predates most nations. Maestro Bartolomeo Beretta received his first contract to supply arquebus barrels to the Arsenal of Venice in 1526. Fifteen generations later, the family-owned company still manufactures firearms — a nearly 500-year unbroken lineage.
:::

Key milestones:

• 1526 — First Beretta firearms contract (Venice Arsenal)
• 1832 — Pietro Beretta formalizes the company; establishes quality-over-quantity philosophy
• 1985 — U.S. military adopts Beretta 92F as M9 service pistol, replacing the M1911A1
• 1985-2017 — Millions of American service members train on Beretta M9 platform
• 2017 — Sig Sauer P320 replaces M9; Beretta pivots to civilian and LE markets
• Present — SAAMI member; manufacturing in Maryland and Tennessee

The loss of the military contract in 2017 was a significant blow, but Beretta has adapted by doubling down on premium sporting shotguns and new civilian pistol platforms like the APX and 92X.

Product Lines

Pistols:

Model	Caliber	Type	Role
92X	9mm	DA/SA, metal frame	Updated M9 platform for duty/competition
APX A1	9mm, .40 S&W	Striker-fired, polymer	Concealed carry and duty; Beretta's modern platform
M9A4	9mm	DA/SA, alloy frame	Military heritage, optics-ready
PX4 Storm	9mm, .40, .45	DA/SA, rotating barrel	Unique recoil system, duty/carry
Bobcat / Tomcat	.22 LR / .32 ACP	Tip-up barrel	Pocket carry, disabled shooters
80X Cheetah	.380 ACP	DA/SA, alloy frame	Compact carry, reintroduced classic

Shotguns — Beretta's strongest category and historic core:

Model	Action	Gauge	Best For
A400 Xtreme Plus	Semi-auto, gas	12ga	Waterfowl, 3.5" chamber
A300 Ultima	Semi-auto, gas	12/20ga	All-around hunting, value
686/687 Silver Pigeon	Over/Under	12/20/28/.410	Clay sports, upland hunting
694	Over/Under	12ga	Competition trap/skeet
1301 Tactical	Semi-auto, gas	12ga	Home defense, LE
A400 Upland	Semi-auto, gas	12/20ga	Upland bird hunting

:::callout
Beretta's Silver Pigeon series is one of the best-selling over/under shotguns in the world. The 686 offers a premium Italian O/U experience at a more accessible price point than competitors like Browning Citori or Caesar Guerini.
:::

Rifles: Limited lineup — primarily the BRX1 straight-pull bolt action (newer platform for the European market) and the ARX series for military/LE.

Innovation & Technology

Beretta's technical contributions span almost five centuries. The modern highlights:

Pistol technology:

• Rotating barrel (PX4) — Reduces felt recoil by converting rotational energy; smoother shooting than fixed-barrel designs
• Locking block (92 series) — Reliable lockup design proven across billions of rounds in military service
• APX modular chassis — Serialized chassis allows frame swaps; anticipates future modularity trends

Shotgun technology:

• Kick-Off recoil reduction — Hydraulic recoil dampener in the stock; measurably reduces felt recoil on A400 models
• Steelium barrel technology — Cold hammer-forged, elongated forcing cone for improved patterning
• B-Link gas system — Self-regulating gas system cycles everything from light target loads to 3.5" magnums

Manufacturing:

• Cold hammer-forged barrels across all product lines
• Italian design + American manufacturing (Maryland and Tennessee facilities)
• Olympic-level quality control on sporting shotguns
• Military specification testing on tactical models

Community & Reputation

Segment	Reputation	Details
Military/veterans	Strong nostalgia	M9 is the pistol a generation of service members trained on
Shotgun sports	Excellent	Silver Pigeon, A400 dominate at clay courses
Waterfowl hunters	Very strong	A400 Xtreme is a top-tier duck gun
Concealed carry	Growing	APX A1 Carry competitive but playing catch-up to Sig/Glock
Competition pistol	Niche	92X Performance has a loyal following
LE/duty	Declining	Lost ground to Glock, Sig after military contract ended

Common praise:

• Shotgun quality is world-class — Italian craftsmanship with real heritage
• 92 series reliability is legendary (proven across decades of military use)
• Resale value holds well, especially on sporting shotguns

Common criticism:

• APX platform arrived late to the striker-fired market (Glock/Sig had decades of head start)
• Pistol prices can be high relative to competitors
• Customer service/warranty turnaround has drawn complaints
• Parts availability for some models can be inconsistent

Buyer's Guide

Which Beretta is right for you?

If You Want...	Get This	Why
Best waterfowl semi-auto	A400 Xtreme Plus	3.5" chamber, Kick-Off recoil, proven reliability
Clay sports O/U	686 Silver Pigeon	Best value in Italian over/unders
Competition O/U	694 Sporting	Purpose-built for high-volume clay shooting
Modern carry pistol	APX A1 Carry	Striker-fired, optics-ready, compact
Classic 9mm with heritage	92X or M9A4	The M9 platform, modernized
Home defense shotgun	1301 Tactical	Fast-cycling semi-auto, LE-proven
Budget semi-auto shotgun	A300 Ultima	Gas-operated reliability at ~$700

Price tiers:

• Pistols: $400 (APX A1) to $1,400+ (92X Performance)
• Shotguns: $700 (A300) to $3,000+ (694, DT11)
• Over/Unders: $1,800 (686 Silver Pigeon) to $8,000+ (DT11)

:::callout
If you're choosing between Beretta and Benelli shotguns: Beretta uses gas-operated actions (softer recoil, more ammo-tolerant); Benelli uses inertia-driven (lighter weight, simpler mechanism, but pickier about light loads). Both are owned by the same parent company — Beretta Holding Group.
:::

References

• Beretta USA official site: beretta.com
• American Rifleman: Beretta 92 series history
• Shooting Sportsman: Silver Pigeon and A400 reviews
• Military.com: M9 to M17 transition coverage

---

Read the original article in The Handbook | By Boise Gun Club Editorial Team

---

Join the Discussion

If you've shot both Beretta and other major shotgun brands, what keeps you coming back to Beretta—or what would it take to switch?