Italian Field Trip: The Magic Behind Pietro Beretta Selection Guns
As part of Guns.com's peek behind the scenes at Beretta's historic factory complex in Gardone Val Trompia, Italy earlier this year, we visited the Pietro Beretta Custom Atelier, where dreams come true.
We discovered the Atelier – a word that translates to a studio or workshop where a group of skilled artists work together for a common goal – is where almost anything that can be conceptualized in terms of bespoke firearm production can be realized. Where simple components such as metal, wood, and fabrics can be shaped into a dream by master craftsmen (gunsmiths, woodworkers, engravers, and gun case makers) who stand on inherited centuries of Italian gunsmithing art.
The PB Select Atelier in Italy has a custom lounge where those ordering guns through the program can come and directly interface with the process of developing their dream gun. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
The airy workspace is geared toward individualized craftsmen.
The PB Select Atelier is where Beretta's famous unique customer-ordered one-off pieces are produced, along with exhibition-grade guns such as the Italian Cities, Tutankhamon, 490 Serpentina, and all-DLC 92FS Fusion. They also make short runs of limited edition guns, like the 92 Fusion OCP announced earlier this year, and highly customized made-to-order pieces.
Starting with the drying (Asciugatura) room, there are all five grades of Turkish walnut on hand.
There are even wood sets for matching pairs. Drawn from the same tree, Beretta can ensure that two matched shotguns only deviate in weight by about 1 gram.
There are matching forends as well.
Now that is beautiful.
There is still a wide variety depending on the finish.
And even exotics such as ebony.
The result is breathtaking...
...and can be further customized.
When it comes to fine-detail metalwork, it is hard to compete with Beretta's custom and semi-custom shotguns.
You can lose yourself in these designs.
Spoiler alert: this is not laser-engraved.
How about this 486?
And SL3s.
Beretta has lots of choices...
...and is willing to break the mold when it comes to custom requests.
Go ahead and try to scoff at the fitment of this Serpentina.
The fitment and finishing of these guns is by hand...
...using traditional methods,
...many of which would be familiar to the valley going back hundreds of years.
The craftsmen at Beretta often come from a family legacy of working in the facility – one that accepted its first gun barrel order in 1526!
It is a painstaking process.
But there is no rush.
Because it has to be right...
Because it is Beretta.
Pistols are on the menu at the Atelier as well, with the same benchmarks for quality.
The limited-edition Fusion OCP...
...with the PB touch.
Because everyone loves a Model 92.
Even the cases and fabric accessories are hand-crafted under the same roof,
...with the PB seal of approval,
...down to the smallest components.
It's all done in house, not ordered overseas or farmed out.
"When someone comes to us with a dream, they take part into its realization step by step: this co-creation process leads to the generation of PB Selection one-off projects, unique pieces of art whose unique style and uncompromising quality suit their owner's identity, whether it's traditional, unconventional or contemporary and high-tech," notes Beretta of the program.
Roughly, "Who says that it is impossible, should not bother those who are making it."
Besides the PB Custom Atelier in Gardone Val Trompia, those interested in the program can also experience the fruits of the program at Beretta Galleries.
