Beretta BRX1 – Professional hunter and deer stalker Peter S Jones looks at Beretta’s first hunting rifle.
RRP £1,500-00 now that’s an interesting price point! It’s a funny thing, here at County Deer Stalking we have just posted a video on YouTube looking at Top Rifles in the UK for deer stalking. We looked at entry level rifles, of which there were a fair few, we looked at high-end rifles of which there were an equal number and we looked at mid-range rifles of which there were precious few.
When I first heard that Beretta were entering into the world of hunting rifles, if I were to have guessed a price point, I would have speculated around £2,500 - £3,000. I would have also speculated that it would have been a traditional turn-bolt rifle. Wrong and wrong again.
By producing a rifle at the £1,500.00 mark, Beretta have been very clever indeed, because quite frankly, apart from the sako-85 and sako-s20 there are few rifles at that mid-range price point that I have felt comfortable recommending. Now it seems we have a very viable alternative.
What’s more, unlike the Sako 85 and S20, with the BRX1, Beretta have introduced a straight pull option. Clever, clever, clever! Again, here Beretta have surprised me. In my mind’s eye, I had imagined that Beretta were going to produce a traditional rotating, turn bolt rifle. Yet with Beretta’s linear bolt action system, which to you and me, looks remarkably like that of the Blaser R8, they have created a rifle that will appeal to a growing audience of shooters that desire a fast reload, without the rotation and loss of sight picture that comes with a traditional turn bolt.
And we have to remember, as much as we would like to think it were the case, rifles are not made with just UK deer stalkers in mind. There are world’s outside of UK deer stalking, and they are very big marketplaces indeed. There is the US market which dwarf’s the UK market and the European market of driven shooting, where this rifle, both in terms of its straight-pull bolt, price, and 5 shot - bright orange magazine (a great idea to stop it getting lost) is going to prove very popular.
So, what else should you know about the new Beretta BRX1 rifle? Well, here are the other headlines.
In terms of design, with its angular, chunky contemporary appearance, my initial impression was that it looked a touch like the benelli-lupo, that tragically has never made it to the UK and whose styling I likened to the Lamborghini of rifles. In short, it is to my eye, attractive.
The stock is a composite polymer with rubber recoil pad and encompasses the ability to adjust the length of pull with standard Beretta spacers. The textured pistol grip is detachable and a little longer than most, which with my ‘freakishly’ big hands, I like.
The BRX1 safety and cocking system is similar to that of the blaser-r8 and sauer-404 with a similar intuitive ‘push to go’ action that operates in three stages. I like it, I like it a lot. This style of safety does exactly what it is supposed to, it keeps the rifle safe and un-cocked until you are in the aim ready to take your shot. Meaning that the chances of accidental discharge are reduced.
Before fitting a scope, the rifle weighs around 3.3kg’s and for the attachment of optics, there is a choice of a picatinny rail or Beretta’s quick detachable option. All good stuff. The BRX1 comes pre-threaded for a moderator and something pretty nifty for left-handers - the bolt handle and ejection can be changed relatively simply from the right-hand side to the left!
To be frank, its better than I had hoped for. With the BRX1, Beretta have resisted going down the expensive traditional, turn-bolt rifle route and have adopted a much more contemporary design and action, at a price point that is very well thought through.
In the UK will it impact on Sako and Blaser sales? Possibly yes, However, I find that there are plenty of diehard Sako and Blaser enthusiasts who simply won’t entertain a Beretta rifle. However, for those new to the sport and/or for those with no brand loyalty, or loyalty to Beretta shotguns, I suspect that they will want to handle this rifle before making their mind up.
A word of caution though, before you set your heart on one, currently it only comes in .308, .30-06 and 300 Win Mag, something that will need to change if it is going to have a big impact in the UK where 6mm, 6.5mm and other iconic calibres are popular.
One way or another, having spoken to Tim King at Beretta, St James this morning, I am pleased to say that there will be plenty of opportunity in the coming months to handle the new BRX1, as importers GMK role out the Beretta BRX1 to their numerous dealers up and down the country.
Of course, handling a rifle is crucial, and I am also pleased to reveal that the Beretta BRX1 will be on display at the Capreolus Club Christmas event at the Beretta Gallery in St James, on Thurs 02nd December, when members will get a chance to handle a rifle that is set to broaden the choice for those seeking a solid mid-range rifle.
Left: Peter S Jones gets his hands on the Beretta BRX1 during the Capreolus Club's Christmas event held at the Beretta Gallery, London. Christmas 2021.
To read more about the event click here: beretta-host-the-capreolus-club-at-christmas
For other alternatives and more rifle reviews visit our rifle reviews page: rifle-reviews
To watch a film in which we review many of the top hunting rifles on the market today, click here: youtube.com/watch
