I'm from Italy, I did lunch with Mr. Franco Giussalli Beretta during the 15th of august, he was there with us because he spent holidays where I live and he was present at a pratical shooting tournament held in our range ans sponsorised with beretta, most of our questions with him concerned the beretta C4 STORM.
The storm was engineered to substitute the old PM12 submachine gun in our police and carabinieri armoury. Most of its features are a direct request by our top brass, and as such, most features are completely wrong. The sights are awful to say the least and the trigger pull..well let's say that is not light..
Beretta did rent Giugiaro (a top car designer) to design the storm, well, let's say that car designer must design cars, stop. Giugiaro is doing more harm than good to beretta, and the awful sales of the 9000 model is the proof.
When the discussion went to military small arms, and the fact that beretta italy refused to sell it's model AR 70-90 to civilians (even if the catalogued it), the answer from the very owner of beretta was that selling military-looking guns to civilians would be an unwise move politically speaking.
At this point the man beside him (top Italy beretta dealer) asked to me if I did compete in the tournament with a 92:
"no, thanks, I use a Glock, I'm not that good that I would handicap me with a lesser piece of equipment".
And left.
I ordered a beretta storm from my local dealer, but now, after the political correctness of the firm, I'm considering having a stery AUG instead.
Cheers.