Updated March 2026
Beretta’s history begins in 1526, when Bartolomeo Beretta supplied 185 arquebus barrels to the Arsenal of Venice. That first recorded sale is widely treated as the starting point for what is still recognised as shooting’s oldest active family name.
This guide explains how Beretta developed from a barrel maker into one of the best-known names in firearms, competition shooting and field kit, and how that heritage now connects to the wider Beretta collection at The Sporting Lodge.
In simple terms, Beretta’s reputation rests on long-term continuity, practical performance and a family history that still shapes how the brand is understood today.
Table of Contents
1526: the first recorded sale
The earliest recorded Beretta story is grounded in function: high-quality arquebus barrels supplied to a serious customer in a region already known for metalworking skill. Over the centuries that followed, Beretta’s reputation became closely tied to consistent build quality, Italian design and a family line that remained connected to the business.
That continuity matters because Beretta’s history is not just old; it is unusually well documented and still tied to an active business. That is a large part of why the name carries so much weight in shooting circles today.
The Mayflower connection
One of the best-known stories attached to Beretta’s long history is the so-called “Mayflower Gun”, a Beretta firearm associated with the Mayflower’s Atlantic crossing. It is often cited as a striking example of how early the Beretta name appears in the wider history of travel, trade and firearms ownership.
What makes this notable is not only the date, but the way it extends Beretta’s story beyond Italy into a broader historical setting. Whether readers come to the brand through sport, heritage or field use, stories such as this help explain why Beretta is often treated as more than simply a maker of equipment.
Fifteen generations and modern production
Beretta is still described as a family-owned business after 15 generations. What began as a craft enterprise developed into large-scale modern production, with the Northern Italy factory often reported to produce around 1,500 firearms per day.
That mix of continuity and scale helps explain Beretta’s position in the shooting world. The brand became a supplier to military and police forces in many countries while also remaining familiar to sportsmen and sportswomen across clay shooting, game shooting and field use.
Competition and Olympic success
Beretta’s reputation is not built on age alone. The brand is also closely associated with competitive shooting, where equipment is judged by results rather than claims. In the record commonly cited around Beretta, the brand’s first Olympic gold medal in clay pigeon shooting came at Melbourne in 1956, followed by success across many later Games.
That matters because it points to sustained performance over time, across different athletes, different eras and changing competitive standards. The London Olympics in 2012 are often cited as a particularly strong example, with gold, silver and bronze medals linked to Beretta competition shotguns.
Olympic Games linked to Beretta success
- Melbourne (1956)
- Rome (1960)
- Munich (1972)
- Montreal (1976)
- Moscow (1980)
- Los Angeles (1984)
- Seoul (1988)
- Barcelona (1992)
- Atlanta (1996)
- Sydney (2000)
- Athens (2004)
- Beijing (2008)
- London (2012)
For readers interested in the brand beyond firearms alone, this part of the story helps explain why Beretta became such an established name in both sporting performance and wider shooting culture.
Why Beretta moved into shooting clothing and accessories
In the early 1990s, Beretta expanded beyond sporting guns into a complete line of hunting apparel and accessories, alongside clay target shooting and other sport-focused equipment. The move made practical sense. People spending long days outdoors need clothing and kit built around comfort, movement, weather protection and equipment carry.
That shift also explains why Beretta now appears naturally in conversations about fieldwear and shooting accessories as well as firearms. The clothing line developed a reputation for understated Italian design, but the real foundation is practical use.
If you want to explore that side of the brand in more detail, see our guide to Beretta clothing, field kit and everyday wear.
A short Beretta timeline
- 1526 – Bartolomeo Beretta supplies 185 arquebus barrels to the Arsenal of Venice.
- 1620 – The “Mayflower Gun” story places Beretta in the wider history of Atlantic travel and early America.
- 1956 – First Olympic gold medal in clay pigeon shooting at Melbourne.
- Early 1990s – Expansion into hunting apparel and accessories alongside sporting shooting equipment.
- 2012 – London Olympics often cited for gold, silver and bronze medals linked to Beretta competition shotguns.
- Today – A long-running family firm still associated with craft, precision and the wider shooting world.
From heritage to field kit
A long history matters most when it connects to how people actually spend time shooting today. Beretta’s combination of competition heritage and field use naturally leads into the categories many shooters build over time: reliable outerwear, practical vests, carry gear and the accessories that make long days more comfortable.
Start with the main Beretta clothing and shooting accessories collection, then follow through into specific categories such as Beretta field jackets and shooting coats, Beretta shooting vests and Beretta bags and luggage.
Comfort and safety also shape the wider range. Categories such as Beretta ear protection and Beretta shooting glasses show how the brand expanded into the smaller details that affect real time on the range and in the field.
The wider Beretta story also stretches beyond firearms and clothing into museums, collecting and a broader family business identity. Even so, the core appeal remains the same: practical design, continuity and a name that has stayed relevant across centuries rather than decades.
Browse and buy
Explore the full Beretta collection, or go straight to Beretta jackets, shooting vests, bags and luggage, and ear protection if you want to browse by category.
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By Neil Summers.
