| Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta is a major | | | | In 1918, the Beretta Model 1918 was the |
| Italian firearm manufacturing company. Its | | | | second submachinegun to be fielded by the |
| firearms are used extensively by civilians, | | | | Italian army. |
| police and militaries around the world. | | | | |
| Beretta is among the world's oldest | | | | In 1985, Beretta was chosen during a |
| corporations, and has been owned by the same | | | | controversial selection process to produce |
| family for nearly 500 years. The Beretta | | | | the M9 9 mm Parabellum sidearm for the United |
| company was established historically in 1526, | | | | States military, winning a contract for |
| when gunsmith Mastro Bartolomeo Beretta, of | | | | 500,000 units. There have been many follow-up |
| Gardone Val Trompia (Brescia, Lombardy, | | | | orders. A condition of the original agreement |
| Italy), received 296 ducats as payment for | | | | was that U.S. military pistols be |
| 185 arquebus barrels sold to the Arsenal of | | | | manufactured domestically. The Beretta USA |
| Venice. The paperwork for that order still | | | | plant in Accokeek, Maryland, makes finished |
| exists in the company's archives.Beretta | | | | pistols from raw materials for the military, |
| manufactured rifles and pistols for the | | | | law enforcement, and civilian markets. |
| Italian military until the 1943 surrender of | | | | |
| Italy to Allied forces. With Germany firmly | | | | Models of Pistol: |
| in control of northern Italy Beretta was | | | | |
| seized by the Germans and production | | | | * Beretta M1915 |
| continued until the German surrender in Italy | | | | |
| in 1945. Exterior finish was much inferior to | | | | * Beretta M1934 / 1935 |
| pre-war and mid-war weapons but the operation | | | | |
| of the Beretta weapons remained excellent. In | | | | * Beretta M1951 |
| 1938 officers of the Japanese Navy's Special | | | | |
| Landing Forces came to Italy to obtain arms. | | | | * Beretta Mini Pistols |
| The Japanese small arms production at that | | | | |
| time was almost exclusively for the Japanese | | | | * Beretta 70 |
| Army. Beretta was one of three Italian arms | | | | |
| makers who produced 60,000 to 120,000 rifles | | | | * Beretta 80 Models |
| for the Special Landing Forces. The rifle, | | | | |
| called the "Type "I" by the Japanese, was a | | | | * Beretta 90 |
| Carcano action set in a two-piece | | | | |
| Japanese-style wood stock and chambered for | | | | * Beretta M92 Models |
| the 6.5mm X 50mm Japanese rifle cartridge. | | | | |
| According to the Beretta International web | | | | * Beretta 96 Models |
| site the last shipment of Type "I" rifles | | | | |
| left Venice for Japan in a U-Boat in 1942. | | | | * Beretta 8000 Models |
| After WW2 Beretta became actively involved in | | | | |
| the repair of US M-1 Garand rifles, given to | | | | * Beretta 9000 Models |
| Italy by the US. Beretta devised its own | | | | |
| modification of the M-1, the Beretta BM-59, | | | | * Beretta Px4 Storm |
| which is similar to the M-14. Many weapons | | | | |
| experts consider the BM-59 to be superior to | | | | * Beretta 90-TWO Models |
| the M-14, especially in accuracy. Today, the | | | | |
| company is owned by Ugo Gussalli Beretta, a | | | | * Beretta M9A1 |
| direct descendant of the original Bartolomeo, | | | | |
| and is run by him and his sons, Franco and | | | | * Beretta 93R |
| Pietro. (The traditional Beretta dynasty - | | | | |
| father to son - was broken when Ugo Gussalli | | | | * M9 Pistol |
| Beretta took over. His uncles Carlo and | | | | |
| Giuseppe Beretta had no children. Carlo | | | | Beretta Shot guns: |
| adopted Ugo, the son of sister Giuseppina | | | | |
| Gussalli, to give him the Beretta name.) | | | | * Beretta 1201FP |
| | | | |
| Beretta is known for its broad product range | | | | * Beretta DT-10 |
| that includes side-by-side shotguns, | | | | |
| over-and-under shotguns, self-loading | | | | * Beretta 682 |
| shotguns, hunting rifles, express rifles, | | | | |
| assault rifles, sub-machine guns, | | | | * Beretta 686 |
| lever-action rifles, single-action revolvers, | | | | |
| double-action revolvers and pistols. Parent | | | | * Beretta Silver Pigeon Series |
| company Beretta Holding also owns Beretta | | | | |
| USA, Benelli, Franchi, SAKO, Stoeger, Tikka, | | | | * Beretta AL391 Urika and Teknys (Semi-Auto) |
| Uberti, and 20% of Browning. Beretta products | | | | |
| have a reputation for being well made, | | | | * Beretta SO7 and SO5 |
| durable and reliable. | | | | |
| | | | * Beretta Xtrema |
| Beretta is famous for the 92FS 9 mm Para | | | | |
| pistol, which has seen much exposure in | | | | * Beretta Xtrema 2 |
| action movies, such as the Lethal Weapon and | | | | |
| Die Hard series. That gun has at various | | | | * Beretta 687 |
| times been the official sidearm of several | | | | |
| first world armies. The 92FS has been adopted | | | | * Beretta Model A series |
| as the official sidearm of the United States | | | | |
| military, designated the M9 Pistol. The 92FS | | | | Beretta machine guns |
| was featured in both the original and remake | | | | |
| of the video game Resident Evil as the | | | | * FN Minimi, under Fabrique Nationale de |
| preferred firearm of the S.T.A.R.S. police | | | | Herstal license, for the sole purpose of |
| force. | | | | Italian Armed Forces issue. |
| | | | |