Italian firearms giant Beretta was founded in 1526 when Maestro Bartolomeo Beretta began producing rifles for the Arsenal of Venice, at a time when the city-state was a world power in the Renaissance rather than a honeymoon destination. Marc Newson, who recently joined Apple as a special adviser, has been working with the arms maker to design a shotgun, called the 486, for the modern age.
The design of firearms tend to be a hybrid of high-technology and human-centered elements. Barrels are carefully fabricated to exacting standards, but the grips and shoulder stocks are artfully sculpted to fit human hands. Newson made it his mission to harmonize these two types of forms. "The main focus for my design of the 486 was to simplify and rationalize all the surfaces," writes Newson. "Specifically streamlining the area of the action."
The "Action" is the metal hub where the trigger, reloading mechanism, and safety come together and serves as a showcase for Newson's design expertise. Trigger guards are often screwed-on pieces of sheet material, but Newson opted to mill his so that it becomes part and parcel of the gun's receiver. Cleverly, the 486's safety switch stands alone on the stock with a "wood bridge" hiding its connection to the receiver---and thereby calling special attention to its lifesaving functionality. Similarly, the lever that unlocks the barrels for reloading was left uncluttered by decorative swirls to better reveal its critical role.
The delicate, laser-etched engravings depict quails which were imported to Europe from Asia as game birds for hunting. Newson used them as an homage to the slaughtered flocks and an opportunity to add a personal dimension to the aesthetics. "I am fascinated by Japanese culture and in particular the different comprehension of scale and detail," writes Newson. "With this in mind I started to look at Japanese tattoos and the craftsmanship involved in creating complex engravings as a means to compliment the surfacing of the action."
Newson's 486 pays tribute to company's nearly five-hundred year history, but is loaded with design touches that are only possible by leveraging modern technology. The stock and forend are are made of burled walnut, a material befitting one of Lord Fairfax's famous fox hunts, but feature precisely knurled grips produced using ultra-modern milling and robotic manufacturing tools. The result is the closest thing to the iGun we're ever likely to get.
No product pricing or availability information is yet available, but be sure to inquire with your local Gucci-clad gun dealer for more details.
