Beretta began as a family run business when recognition of the receipt of 296 ducats for 185 arquebus barrels sold to the Arsenal of Venice.
During the 1600s Beretta was acknowledged as one of the top barrel makers in Val Trompia. Then, the birth Giueseppe Antonia Beretta brought along someone who developed the company into a complete manufacturer for firearms, increasing its production to more than 7,000 pieces.
By the 1800s Pietro Beretta was at the helm and developed the company into one of the largest firearms manufacturers in the world during which time they began manufacturing handguns for the officers of the Royal Army of Italy.
When Pietro died the company was run by Pier Giuseppe, Carlo and Giuseppe Beretta who developed the PM12 submachine gun for the Italian Police. The 20th century also saw the first military adoption of beretta equipment by Italy’s Navy SEALs and the Brazilian Army.
By the end of the 1900s beretta USA corp. was founded as well as there being an early distribution of the Beretta apparel line, which focused primarily on the clay-shooting market. This was also when the M9 became the standard sidearm for the US Armed forces (Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard).
Today, under the leadership of Ugo Gussalli Beretta and his sons Pietro and Franco, Beretta embarks on the 3rd Millennium with the benefit of centuries of experience. That experience, combined with investments in technology, organization and growing product lines, has prepared Beretta for the demands of the global market of the 21st century.
Beretta is a world-leading manufacturer of shotguns where there’s quality without compromise, providing shotguns for the Game and Sporting seasons. They have a wide range of shotgun series’ available such as the Premium SO10 and SO6 EELLs, as well as the 486 EL side by sides, the DT11 EELL Sporting over and under’s and the 687 EELL over and under field guns to name just a few.
