I'll be in Milan for a few days later this month and I think I might have half a day of free time. I'm looking to buy some Beretta clothing but more, I'd like to visit the company's headquarters in Gardone Val Trompia to look over their double rifles.

Has anyone on this forum been to the Beretta headquarters or are they even open to visitors? I suppose I could email or call them but I thought I'd ask on this forum first.

Namibiahunter

I read that they have an increadibly gun collection but do not know if it's open to the public.

If you learn more, would you mind posting that here? Gardone is not very far from Germany.

About 12 years ago, I could visit their outstanding gun collection; however, it's not open to the public, so you must have some sort of reccomendation; I went there accompanying a frend that owns a gun shop here; he had to call Beretta and make an appointement several days before.

My wife and I have no influence at all and we were given a tour of the Beretta Family collection. You have to e mail the curator for permission. Most people travel from Brescia. Brescia is an industrial town with little tourist traffic and few English speakers. We stayed in Brescia and took the bus up to Val Trompeia. There are a lot of places to eat in Val Trompeia but be advised that they do eat horsemeat and they do speak a different dialect of Italian. Photography is allowed inside the museum. Be sure to examine the Jubileo Series as they were the best guns of the century of production. They have one in the Baroque style with little cherubs engraved on the lockwork. It was a fascinating trip. The Happy Hotel in Brescia is better than it sounds and candy is a brescian specialty.

Beretta's Website states they are not "Open to the Public".

I know people who have visited (similar to what wildboar says above). Apparently if your visit is "pre-greased" you can get in.

Perazzi is another option; they are very "public" friendly.

quote:

Originally posted by 106rr:
....but be advised that they do eat horsemeat and they do speak a different dialect of Italian....

They DO speak Italian. Everywhere in Italy horsemeat can be (seldom) found on restaurant menu. In Valtrompia you can find any sort of meat to eat, including (seldom) horsemeat.

Hi Namibiahunter
so you will be in Milan? Beretta has a boutique there in via Durini where is possible to go for hunting clothing shopping, in the historic center ov Milan. If you want we can meet. i don't know if it is possible to visit Beretta HQ, if you don't have any answer, I can try to contact them.

Hi

If you are seriously interested in a Beretta SO double you must contact the SO department first. The person you she could speak to is Marco Conte. If you PM me, I will give you his direct line. (this will save you quite a lot of time)

The so called "private collection" of the Beretta family has been closed to the public for at least 05 years of more. Only by invitation.
There is however a further special collection at the family mansion that has NEVER been shown to the public.

They really know how to make somebody feel specical.

If you are serious about an SO double then seeing the so called private collection is not an issue. Marco is the Curator.

Within the valley, there are numerous other factories you should visit but you need somebody to get you in. Just like in Suhl. Going in unannounced is pointless.

In relation to double to see and handle, the place to go is GAMBA and Perrugini & Visini

Is a double rifle your only interest?

Honestly you can spend a few weeks within the valley and there are still new discoveries every day..remember you have to drive 40 minutes from the outskirt to Milan to the valley so dont get stuck in traffic. They all close at 1pm for lunch and at 5pm for the day.

I hope this helps..

As to clothing the shop steve mentioned in previous posting is good. There is however another 02 shops which sells last seasons unsold stock. I am sorry I cannot tell you the name but I can give you the exact co-ordinates from my sat nav. Price is almost 50% off when they are in season and you have to take whatever size is there and nothing else.

I think half a day is not sufficient to do what you want to do travelling from Milan city centre.

I think tht I have to agree with londonhunter about his last phrase, it is necessary to spend about 1&1/2 or 2 to be in Gardone from Milano Center. I did the travel many times in the past and I know the necessery time because I live in Milano Center.
If Londonhunter gives to me the co-ordinates, and/or the name of he other two shops, I can help namibiahunter.

Hi Steve I will PM you once I get the co-ordinates out from my TomTom.

We must meet up for lunch and allow me to visit your club. Which day is the best to come as visitor....? Sat or Sun

There are quite a lot of pending italian trips in the coming months.

Golden Fiocchi
Beretta cup
Grand Europa

Are you around by any chance ?

Stefano and londonhunter and everyone:

Thank you all for the tips and info about Beretta. I will be in Milano May 27-29 and then Pavia, Venezia, Siena, San Gimignano, Firenze, Orvieto, and finally Roma (leaving June 6). Lunch with you guys would be great.

A Beretta double have been something I've wanted for quite sometime and I thought that since I would be in the neighborhood I'd like to visit Beretta's HQ and perhaps view their private collection.

I will be, however, pressed for time since my main reason for being in Italia will be to attend concerts by the University of Georgia Athens choir, which is led by my niece, a professor at that university. (Do you detect a bit of bragging on my part?) The choir will be performing at the Milano, Alessandria, Pavia, Venezia, Firenze, and finally at the Vatican.

Although I've been in Italy before this is a trip I cannot miss. Since the group will be singing High Mass at St. Mark's Basillica in Venice, the Duomo in Florence, and at St. Peter's Basillica, and a recital in the Sistine Chapel, I have to be on my best behavior. My hunting buddies told me to go to confession prior to leaving on my trip.

Back to Beretta - I'm going to try to find some time while in Milan to break off to go to Gardone Val Trompia, if I can get permission from Beretta to visit. The purchase of a double rifle is still about a year off (I still have to pay for a .470 Capstick that is being built for me). I do want to pick up a Beretta Kalahari Bush Jacket (got to look good for those buffaloes) and the locations of the boutiques would be most appreciated.

Stefano and londonhunter, if we meet in Milan, lunch is on me.

Namibiahunter

I presume from your posting that you are looking for an over and under Beretta SO double rather than a side by side correct?

I know the waiting list in this drepressed economical climate has come down from 03 years to just over 02 years. So get your order in asap !

It also seems the hunting clothing you are looking for is quite specific. The 02 shops I mentioned are essentially "Beretta outlet shops" they will not be carrying the current catalogue items.

Steve will be the best person to contact since I live in London full time but travels to Italy for training every 10 weeks or so.

I will actually be in the region for competiiton that particualr weekend. So PM me for prviate contact details.

Again I must stress on traffic coming out of the centre of Milan. You will be struggling with gettting anything done in that half day.

Do you shoot trap by any chance ?

I will be going again to Namibia this september for my Second Leopard with dogs up the caprivi.

Trying to combine the trip with a good buffalo and hippo deal. Any suggestions ?

I notice that you are from oregon. By any chance you know of any good deals with brown bears in BC ?

I haven't made up my mind whether I want an OU or SxS big bore. I know that Beretta makes a .500 NE OU and that's why I wanted to see and feel one at first hand. Although I am not much of a shotgunner I am familiar with, or rather handled, the Beretta 687 EELL a few times and am very impressed with the work.

I should have ordered the bush jacket years ago when they were available through Cabelas but they have disappeared from their catalog but not from Beretta's. I don't mind paying full price for it as long as I can get it before next year's hunt (Zim for buff).

I'm not sure if Russ Gould has a buff/hippo combo to offer but you might contact him on this forum (he hangs out in the Africa columns).

I've never hunted BC but I have a daughter in Alaska who I sometimes hunt with so that I can get a kinship Brown Bear tag.

I'm still trying to rearrange my itinerary so that I can get more free time. I'll PM the details later.

Namibiahunter

quote:

Originally posted by wildboar:

quote:

Originally posted by 106rr:
....but be advised that they do eat horsemeat and they do speak a different dialect of Italian....

They DO speak Italian. Everywhere in Italy horsemeat can be (seldom) found on restaurant menu. In Valtrompia you can find any sort of meat to eat, including (seldom) horsemeat.

I agree with wildboar.

All Italians speak Italian, some dialects are more "redneck" than others and they make a point of acting like they don't speak Italian.

Especially in Sicily, "tu parlais Siciliano" and I would say no (hell I don't even speak passing Italian, other than what I can manage in Spanish). There are some word differences, but not enough that an Italian can't speak to one of his fellow countrymen.

I know Steve will agree with me.

If one travels all the way from Oregon and wants to order a double rifle, any of the gun makers WILL find somebody to converse with you at very short notice in English.

02 months ago I was asked by a London gunmaker as a "favour" to assist. A customer turned up from Taiwan and speaks mainly Mandarin. He wants to order a pair of smooth body 20 bore game gun.

I was given a budget of £500 to entertain him and his wife for 03 hours! They also gave my pair of game guns a free polish and service!

They will do the same in Brescia.

Wildboar and D99;
Thank you for the clarification, I was not implying that they did not speak Italian, only that it sounds very different to me. I did not see horsemeat advertised anywhere else in Italy, but I have little experience. The collection I saw was at the Beretta ancestral home on the main street of Val Trompeia.

quote:

2003

I went there in 02. We had no idea the museum was not public but they let us in anyway.
Make sure you don't make the same mistake I did and go to the town of Gardone on lake Garda. You want Gardone V.T. It's in the hills west of the lake but both places were nice.

Londonhunter
I know of some smooking good deals for a brown bear. P.M. me if your interested.

Horsemeat is part of the Pannini culture, it's hard to get horsemeat in a resteraunt.

As an Icelander I have eated horsemeat all my life, grilled, smoked, salted etc. I have also eated horsemeat in Verona Italy in a great resturant Il Grappitone or something like that. It was smoked and raw and tasted heavenly.

I'm not adverse to eating horsemeat, if properly prepared. I've had my share of zebra while in Africa.

Even though I'll be in and around Milan from 5/27 to 5/30 I'll be staying to the south and that puts me further away from Beretta. Too bad because I really would have liked a visit to their museum and perhaps handle their double rifles. I'll have to do it another time.

Namibiahunter

How far south ?

I know Beretta will arrange for a double to be delivered to a dealer anywhere in Italy for an important visitor who is serious.

PM me and I will give you Marco's direct line. He has done this before for a friend of mine. Since he runs the "SO" department anything is possible.

BTW I do not work for Beretta and have nothing to do with them.

Marco is a good friend thats all

londonhunter:

PM sent.

Namibiahunter

For Londonhunter, sun it is better but we have two weeks of national competitions at 300 meters. I'll be RO on both sundays.
namibiahunter waiting for your news.

I'm looking over my itinerary and although I will be in and around Milan 5/27 to 5/30 most of my time will be in Cremona, Pavia, and Alessandria. The only time I can find free time is probably 5/28 when I'll be playing tourist at the Duomo, Castello Sforesco, and La Scala. So if either Steve or londonhunter will be around the area I'd love to have lunch with both of you.

After the 5/30, I'm off to Venice, Florence, and Rome. I think that I'll have to forego any visit to Gardone V.T. on this trip.

BTW, what is this competition at 300 meters you're talking about? If the time and place will permit I'd like to see that shoot.

Namibiahunter

Its the ISSF 300m dicipline

In England we have it at Bisley

Excelled by Malcolm Jenkins one of the founders of Accuracy International.

It used to be an Olympic dicipline until ...

http://www.gb300m.com/

Really a good dicipline if you are a hunter

However a hunting rifle will not be competitive.

BTW a 600 - 60x perfect score was shot in Clemont France in the last 02 months by the British A team.

Lovely stuff!, Horsemeat, Best serving I had was in Belgium

Namibiahunter
will you be free for a dinner? Lunch is more difficult I have to work and I've a too short time.

I think I found the Beretta Gallery in Milan while browsing the web. It's on Via Durini. I'm going to try to drop in there between concerts. The url is www.vrway.com/beretta/en/home_fullscreen.html .

If what I see on the site is correct then I can view and handle some of the Beretta firearms there. Also, I want to see their trophy room to get some ideas. I have a zebra back skin that I was thinking of using to upholster a wingback chair, such as is shown in the site. Also, they just might have the Kalahari Bush Jacket that I want.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Malinverni

Namibiahunter
will you be free for a dinner? Lunch is more difficult I have to work and I've a too short time.

Stefano: Most of my dinner time is already engaged except for Friday, May 29, but I'll be in Alessandria. My niece will have her cellphone and laptop and I can send you my whereabouts. If we can't make connection this time I'm sure we'll run into each other somewhere - Italy, Africa, or? I'll look forward to it.

Namibiahunter

I do not know how I could miss your answer. I'm so sorry. I'm going to send to you a PM

Steve and londonhunter:

Sorry for not getting back on this subject after my trip.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get to Gardone Val Trompia during this trip and when I was in Milan I didn't get to the Beretta store until it was ready to close. My brother and I did spend some time in a gunshop in Cremona where he found a double shotgun to his liking but, in the end, thought that the paperwork involved would be too much for him.

Anyway, Italy is a beautiful country with beautiful people and the legend of Trevi Fountain in Rome must be true for each time I throw a coin in I return. I threw a coin in again so I'll be back.

Check out pics of my trip at Choir Italia

BTW, how did the ISSF 300m shoot go?

Namibiahunter