The Beretta logo is serious, dangerous, and fatal. How else could it be, given its tie to an industry where mistakes are unacceptable? One mistake and a man’s life is in danger. Ideal lines suggest perfect results while evoking ancient knightly ideals. The theme of arms is always relevant, which is why the brand’s emblem is included among legendary icons.
Beretta’s history begins in Gardone Val Trompia, a weapons-making village in Brescia province in northern Italy. On October 3, 1526, Maestro Bartolomeo Beretta received 296 ducats from the Venetian Arsenal for 185 arquebus barrels. That receipt, preserved in Venice, is considered the company’s founding document.
The family remained in the trade for generations. After Napoleon ended the guild system in 1797, Beretta gained wider access to military markets and supplied the French army with musket barrels. In 1832, the business adopted the name Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta, which it still uses today. Under Giuseppe Beretta, the company moved from barrels to complete firearms and entered the civilian sporting market.
Pietro Beretta modernized the factory in the early 20th century, built a hydroelectric plant on the Mella River, and brought in inventor Tullio Marengoni. During World War I, Beretta produced the Model 1915 pistol for the Italian army. The Model 1918 was among the first true submachine guns, and the M1934 became the Italian army’s standard sidearm in World War II.
In 1975, Beretta introduced the 9 mm Model 92 with a 15-round magazine. Beretta USA was founded in 1977. In 1985, the company won the U.S. military contract to replace the Colt M1911, supplying the M9 pistol for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. From 1986 to 2022, U.S. forces received more than 830,000 M9-series pistols. In 2017, SIG Sauer replaced it with the P320. Beretta Holding later included Benelli, Franchi, Tikka, and Burris Optics.
Meaning and History
Bartolomeo Beretta founded a forge that became the oldest Italian weapons-production holding. Although it has operated since 1500, its official founding date is 1526, when the first documented transaction appeared. It listed 185 arquebuses for the Republic of Venice, valued at 296 ducats. Today, this agreement is a museum piece.
At the end of the 17th century, Beretta ranked among the top 2 gunsmiths in Gardone. Over time, the company passed down barrel-making knowledge from generation to generation, becoming a true family business. The Italian dynasty still owns the business and manages it through a holding company. Interestingly, its identity has followed historical traditions and changed only once. It has two emblems: the original and the current one.
What is Beretta?
Beretta is an Italian arms holding, considered the world’s oldest. Founded in 1526, it began as a forge in a region with extensive iron ore mining. Its full name is Pietro Beretta Weapon Factory. The company specializes in weapons for law enforcement, the military, and civilians. It also produces uniforms and accessories for shooting ranges. Its head office is located in Gardone Val Trompia (Italy).
the 1800s – 1950
The debut logo adorned Beretta firearms for 150 years. It served as both an overhead die and a product imprint. It depicted a vertically elongated shield with eight corners and one semicircle at the bottom. The badge had two parts: graphic and text, reflecting the trademark’s deep historical roots. The center featured the letters “PB,” the initials of Pietro Beretta. They were rendered in an old style, resembling a monogram. Each symbol featured spiral elements and other decorative embellishments that testified to the brand’s antiquity. Below them, intertwined oak and laurel branches classically denoted valor and glory. A twisted ribbon tied them.
1950 – today
The modern version of the logo goes even further back in history, representing the weapons company’s very beginning: an arquebus for throwing arrows. That is why the emblem shows three arrows with three pairs of “feathers” at the ends. The tail wraps in a circle around the central element, and the side is the middle part (under the tip). A large ring surrounds them. Below is the weapon brand name, set in a refined, smooth uppercase font. The letters feature sharp serifs, and the “R” has a characteristically shortened right leg, reminiscent of a firearm trigger.
Font and Colors
The corporate logo is based on the heraldic sign the founder of the weapons company saw in Gabriele d’Annunzio’s house. It is well thought out, finalized, and modernized, so it looks incredibly stylish and fully aligns with the manufacturer’s concept. A large circle with three vertical arrows and three smaller circles inside represents a precise hit on the target. In the people, this emblem is called a trident.
The designers chose a narrower version of Jupiter Pro Regular for the modern logo, so the inscription’s letters are vertically elongated. The exception is “R,” which resembles the glyph from the Saya Serif FY Light typeface by FONTYOU. The Beretta brand’s signature palette is restrained and rigorous. The early version uses dark red copper shades, while the current version uses dark blue.




