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