Beretta USA

Beretta USA is the American arm of Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta -- the oldest firearms manufacturer still in business, dating back to 1526 in northern Italy. They set up shop in Accokeek, Maryland and crank out pistols, shotguns, and rifles for military contracts, cops, hunters, and competition shooters.

When you buy a Beretta, you're getting nearly 500 years of gunmaking experience -- that's not marketing fluff, it's documented history.

The timeline tells the story. Maestro Bartolomeo Beretta got his first contract supplying arquebus barrels to Venice in 1526. Fifteen generations later, the same family still owns the company. Pietro Beretta formalized things in 1832 and established their quality-first approach that still drives their manufacturing today.

Key milestones in Beretta's 500-year history

The big break came in 1985 when the U.S. military adopted the M9 service pistol as the standard sidearm, replacing the venerable 1911. For over 30 years, millions of American service members learned to shoot on the Beretta platform. That ended in 2017 when Sig Sauer's P320 won the contract, but it left Beretta with serious name recognition among veterans and a proven track record of reliability.

Losing that military contract hurt, but Beretta adapted by focusing harder on civilian markets and their traditional strength -- premium shotguns.

The 92X series updates the classic M9 platform with modern features like optics cuts and better triggers. If you grew up shooting the military version, the 92X feels familiar but refined.

The APX A1 is Beretta's answer to Glock -- striker-fired, polymer frame, designed for concealed carry and duty use. It arrived late to that party, but it's a solid performer with better ergonomics than the brick-like competitors.

For something different, the PX4 Storm uses a rotating barrel system that actually reduces felt recoil by converting some of that energy into rotation instead of straight-back punch.

The oddball models include the Bobcat and Tomcat with tip-up barrels -- useful for people with limited hand strength who struggle racking slides.

The Silver Pigeon series deserves special mention -- it's one of the highest-volume over/under shotguns worldwide. You get Italian craftsmanship at a price that won't require a second mortgage.

Their rifle lineup is thin. The BRX1 straight-pull bolt action targets European hunters, and the ARX series serves military contracts, but neither gets much attention in the American market.

Beretta's been around long enough to develop some genuinely useful technology instead of just marketing gimmicks.

On pistols, that rotating barrel system in the PX4 actually works -- you can feel the difference in recoil compared to fixed-barrel designs. The locking block system in the 92 series proved itself through billions of military rounds without major failures.

For shotguns, they've got the Kick-Off recoil reduction system that uses hydraulics in the stock to dampen felt recoil. It's not just perception -- it measurably reduces the punch, especially helpful on their 3.5" magnum loads.

The Steelium barrels use cold hammer forging with elongated forcing cones. Translation: better patterns and longer barrel life than conventional drilling methods.

• •Kick-Off recoil reduction system using hydraulics
• •Steelium barrels with cold hammer forging
• •Elongated forcing cones for better patterns
• •Extended barrel life compared to conventional drilling

Manufacturing happens in Maryland and Tennessee facilities, but the designs still come from Italy. They maintain military-spec quality control on tactical models while their sporting shotguns get Olympic-level attention to detail.

Veterans and active military remember the M9 fondly, mostly. It worked when it needed to work, and that builds loyalty that lasts decades.

Shotgun sports shooters respect Beretta across the board. Walk any trap or skeet range and you'll see plenty of Silver Pigeons and A400s. Waterfowl hunters swear by the A400 Xtreme Plus for its ability to cycle everything from light target loads to heavy steel shot without hiccups.

The concealed carry market is tougher ground. The APX A1 is competitive, but Glock and Sig had a 20-year head start building market share and aftermarket support.

Beretta's reputation varies by product category. Their shotguns compete with anyone -- their pistols are solid but swimming upstream against established brands that got there first.

Common complaints include higher prices than some competitors, especially on pistols where a Glock or M&P might do the same job for less money. Customer service gets mixed reviews, and parts availability can be spotty on older or less popular models.

Decision tree for selecting the right Beretta model

If you want a waterfowl semi-auto, the A400 Xtreme Plus handles anything you can stuff in the chamber. For clay sports, the 686 Silver Pigeon gives you Italian over/under quality without Italian over/under pricing.

Modern carry pistol needs point toward the APX A1, while the 92X scratches the nostalgic itch for the M9 platform done right.

One useful fact: Beretta owns Benelli, so if you're choosing between their gas-operated shotguns and Benelli's inertia-driven models, you're just picking different approaches from the same parent company. Beretta's gas system is softer-shooting and more tolerant of light loads; Benelli's inertia system is lighter and mechanically simpler but pickier about ammunition.

Beretta earned their reputation the hard way -- nearly five centuries of continuous operation and 30+ years as America's military sidearm. That's not marketing; that's documented performance.

Beretta earned their reputation the hard way -- nearly five centuries of continuous operation and 30+ years as America's military sidearm. That's not marketing; that's documented performance.

Their shotguns compete with anything made anywhere. The A400 series cycles reliably, the Silver Pigeon over/unders offer genuine Italian craftsmanship, and the 1301 Tactical is a serious home defense tool. No complaints there.

The pistol situation is more complicated. The 92 series works -- we know this from decades of military use -- but it's big, heavy, and uses a DA/SA trigger system that many shooters find less intuitive than striker-fired alternatives. The APX series addresses those concerns but arrived late to a crowded market.

Beretta's pricing reflects their positioning as a premium brand, and usually you get what you pay for. Their shotguns hold value well and perform for decades. Pistols are harder to justify against comparable Glocks or Sigs unless you specifically want the features Beretta offers.

The company survived losing their biggest contract and adapted by focusing on what they do well. That's worth something in an industry where manufacturers come and go every few years.