Italy · founded in 1526
Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta
The oldest active firearms factory in the world, since 1526.
History
The company traces back to 1526, when Bartolomeo Beretta delivered arquebus barrels to the Republic of Venice. For nearly five centuries it has remained in the same family, traversing Venetian, Napoleonic, Austrian and Italian rule. In WWI it supplied the Beretta M1918, one of the first submachine guns ever fielded.
In 1985 it won the U.S. M9 contract, replacing the historic 1911 with the 92FS as U.S. Army sidearm until 2017. Today Beretta Holding owns Benelli, Sako, Tikka, Stoeger, Burris Optics and more, remaining the only Italian group integrated from pistol calibers to the ARX military rifle.
Iconic products
- →Beretta 92FS / M9 — U.S. Army sidearm 1985–2017.
- →ARX-160, ARX-200 — Italian modular rifles.
- →Beretta M1918 — first Italian submachine gun.