Company name: Beretta USA Corp.
Headquarters: Accokeek, Maryland
Signature Product: APX A1 pistol and the 1301 tactical shotgun
Website: https://www.beretta.com/en-us/
1. Where did your company name originate from?
The company name originated with the family name of the original and current owners, the Beretta family. Beretta is the oldest industrial dynasty in the world, under continuous family ownership since 1526 (this is the date of the oldest company document that has been found to date).
2. What was the inspiration behind starting your company?
In the 1500s, Bartolomeo Beretta was already making barrels for the Republic of Venice and soon enough started making complete firearms. The tradition and passion for excellence were passed down through the generations and carry on today. In 1977, Mr. Ugo Gussalli Beretta founded Beretta USA Corp. to better service the U.S. market and begin manufacturing operations in the U.S. This led to the U.S. Army M9 pistol contract award in 1985.
3. What is your signature product and how does it work?
Beretta has a complete line of firearm products, but the two that are currently most relevant to the police officer are the APX A1 pistol and the 1301 Tactical shotgun. The APX A1 is our most recent polymer-framed, 9 mm striker-fired, semi-automatic pistol and was designed specifically to meet or exceed law enforcement and military standards.
4. Why do you believe your products are essential to the police community?
Beretta products are legendary for their reliability ... this is the most critical feature for any law enforcement use. Of course accuracy, “shootability,” safety and durability are also important, and our products deliver on all these fronts.
5. What has been the biggest challenge your company has faced?
Continuing to evolve and innovate over 500 years!
6. What makes your company unique?
Our unique heritage and history provide the know-how to design and develop firearms for the professional user, supported by continuous investments over the years to maintain our technological advantage. They have been used worldwide and proven in real-world combat situations.
7. What do your customers like best about you and your products?
The reliability of our products and the dependability/stability of our company. Our products are functional but also betray their Italian design heritage.
8. What is the most rewarding part of serving the first responder community?
To know that our products are defending them and their communities ... our M9 pistol served as “America’s Defender” for 35 years as the official sidearm of the U.S. Armed services.
9. Do you support any charitable organizations within the public safety community?
Beretta USA participates in and attends around 50 law enforcement shows and events across the country every year. We frequently support the local organizations that sponsor fundraising events for their area, providing, for example, raffle or prize guns.
10. Is there any fun fact or trivia that you’d like to share with our users about your company?
The first historical document that establishes the existence of Beretta dates back to October 1526, when Bartolomeo Beretta sold 185 arquebus barrels to the Arsenal of Venice. An invoice of this sale for 296 Ducats was found in the archives of the Republic of Venice!
11. What’s next for your company?
Beretta continuously develops new products. There are several in the pipeline that will be of great interest to the LE community. Stay tuned for SHOT 2023!