Beretta

Fabbrica dArmi Pietro Beretta, known as Beretta, is a privately held Italian firearms manufacturer headquartered in Gardone Val Trompia, Italy, founded around 1526 by Bartolomeo Beretta. It is considered the oldest active firearms manufacturer and one of the oldest continuously operating companies in the world, with its earliest documented work being arquebus barrels supplied to the Republic of Venices fleet at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Beretta makes pistols, shotguns, rifles and submachine guns for civilian, law enforcement and military customers, and its Beretta 92 pistol was selected as the United States Armys M9 service pistol in the 1980s. The company has stayed under the same familys ownership for close to five hundred years and now operates as part of Beretta Holding.