Trust can take a long time to establish.

Perhaps that is why some of the most trusted names in gun manufacturing are the ones that have been around the longest. After all, they must have been doing something right to have lasted for so many years, right?

So which manufacturers have done things so well for so long that they get to walk away with a “World’s Oldest” title? Check them out below:

Oldest in the US: Remington Arms

Remington Arms is the oldest currently operating gun manufacturer in the United States. Eliphalet Remington II was born to a blacksmith in Herkimer County, New York. The story goes that in 1816, Remington used the family forge to create the barrel of a sporting rifle for a shooting competition. The barrel was fitted by another gunsmith, but Remington’s creation was the star of the show.

After the competition, he began producing the barrel en masse. By 1828, he had a factory in Ilion, New York. By 1845, he had won a military contract with the US Army and began producing whole rifles.

(We won’t talk about their brief typewriter business in the late 19th century.)

Over 200 years later, Remington is still producing firearms and ammunition. The guns themselves are as noteworthy as those who carry them—including names like Anny Oakley and Buffalo Bill.

Remington Model 11

Remington Arms gets the bragging right to the first self-loading shotgun produced in the United States.

The Model 11 was released in 1905 when Browning approached Remington to produce the Browning Auto 5, the first patented semi-automatic shotgun in the US. Remington sold it as the Model 11 until 1947. It was re-released in 1963 as the Model 1100 which saw even more success than the original.

Remington Model 870

Rifles and shotguns are Remington’s bread and butter. Remington created the Model 870 pump action shotgun in 1950, and it has been one of the top-selling shotguns in history. Also called the “Wingmaster,” this model has many variations that have been used by US law enforcement. More than 11 million Model 870s have been sold to date!

Ammunition

In 1871, Remington Arms created Remington Ammunition Works as a separate division of Remington Arms. Remington Ammunition is credited with the first game load shotgun shell. Nineteen twelve saw the merger of Remington Ammunition Works and Union Metallic Cartridge Company. The innovation and quality of Remington caught the eye of the US government once again, leading to Remington Ammunition Works producing over half of the small arms ammunition for the Allies in both World Wars.

The ammunition factory moved to Lonoke, Arkansas in 1970 and, after overcoming some financial struggles, is now back to full production.

Oldest in the World: Beretta

With an incredible 496 years of continuous manufacturing, the Italian gunsmith Beretta takes the cake for the oldest firearm manufacturer in the world. The company is still owned by the Beretta family and its headquarters are still located in the northern Italian town where it started.

Like Remington, Beretta started by manufacturing rifle barrels. Fifteen twenty-six marked the first transaction for Bortolomeo Beretta. He sold 185 arquebus barrels for the Arsenal of Venice, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Beretta has won plenty of military contracts. They have been manufacturing firearms for the Italian Army since WWI. Then, in the 70s, they built a factory in Saõ Paolo to build 92S handguns for the Brazilian Army and another one in the United States. In 1985, The US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force contracted Beretta to produce 92FS pistols for them under the “M9” designation.

Beretta 92 Series Pistols

Beretta’s 9mm is among their most popular firearms. After the first US contract, Beretta went on to manufacture 92 series pistols for the French National Gendarmerie, the French Air Force, the Spanish Guardia Civil, and the National Turkish Police Force.

The US Army renewed their contract for M9s in 2009, but Beretta still isn’t done making improvements to their design. Versatility and customization updates can be found in every new release of the 92 series for private citizens and military alike.

Sport Shooting

Beretta got their start with rifle barrels, and have maintained their high-quality standards for over 500 years. In 1956, the first Olympic gold medal for Italy in Men’s Trap was won with a Beretta. In nearly every Summer Olympic Games since then, Beretta has medaled. In fact, the company gets to say that they have won more international shooting competitions than anyone else.

Honorable Mentions

Klett

The second-oldest gun manufacturer in the world goes to Germany: Waffen Klett is not far behind the Italians, making firearms since 1578. Like Beretta, Klett has stayed in the family since its creation. Led by master gun maker Eberhard Klett, they specialize in custom rifles and shotguns, but also deal in and restore rare firearms.

Springfield Armory

Remington is the oldest gun manufacturer in the US still operating, but it was not the first. That honor goes to the Springfield Armory.

In 1777, the US Congress created an armory in Springfield, Massachusetts to store weapons during the Revolutionary War. It evolved into a firearms factory in 1794 and operated until 1968. Today, it is a National Historic Site and has the largest collection of historic US military small arms.

Started in 1974, Springfield Armory, Inc. chose its name to pay homage to the original historical site, and started making some of the most famous guns built there. Like Remington, Springfield Armory, Inc. acknowledges the need to respect the past in order to continue to revolutionize American gun-making.

Caring for Antique Remington Shotguns and Other Timeless Models

If you are fortunate enough to have a beautiful old antique firearm or a legacy firearm that you want to pass on in the family, there are a few things you may want to get. The first item is a good case to protect it. Here is a list of a few bags and cases to protect your rifle.

• SKB 50” Quad Rifle Hard Case
• NCSTAR Deluxe Rifle Case/Mat
• BullDog 48” Rifle Case
• Allen Knit Gun Sock

The second item you want is a good firearms cleaning kit. Here are some we recommend:

• Breakthru(R) .30cal Cleaning Battle Rope 2.0
• Breakfree CLP 2oz Firearms Lubricant
• PS Products AR15-M16 Cleaning Kit

The Future of Past Firearm Powerhouses

Philosopher George Santayana said, “In a moving world, re-adaptation is the price of longevity.” Innovation created these companies, and it’s the reason they’re still alive today. Beretta is proud to say they’re a household name due to their “Industriousness, inventiveness, traditional methods…and state-of-the-art manufacturing methods.”

Remington feels much the same way about their success. They’ve adapted to the needs of the modern customer while remaining true to their roots. Clearly, it’s been working for them. None of these companies seem to be slowing down, so we’ve all have a lot to look forward to from them in the future.