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In the early 70s, Beretta set out to develop a less-expensive, modern rifle that fit the NATO standard of a 5.56 chambering. So after keeping a close eye on the Colt AR-15 and then Armalite's development of the AR-18, Beretta combined attributes of both guns and created the AR 70. Beretta sold quite a few of these rifles in Indonesia and some other countries, but the gun never garnered much exposure. Despite this, it was a state-of-the-art design for its time and if found can have a hefty price tag due to the fact that they are no longer imported into the United States. For more on the Beretta AR 70 rifle, watch this "I Have This Old Gun" segment from a recent episode of American Rifleman TV.
Italy is known for its many makers of fine-quality shotguns, but what many might not known is that Italy is also home to one of the industry's top manufacturers of shotshells for hunting and sporting use: Baschieri & Pellagri.
EOTECH recently announced that the U.S. Army had purchased 14,000 of its lasers, holographic optics and magnifiers for use on the military's M7, XM8 and M250 platforms.
Today's suppressor makers have developed a host of new rifle suppressors that reduce weight and overall length while still offering impressive sound reduction.