Straight-pull repeaters have long been the darlings of European driven-hunt circles, yet few designs cracked the mainstream elsewhere—until Beretta entered the arena. The BRX1 is the company’s first center-fire rifle built entirely in its Gardone factory since the legendary BM59, and it promises bolt-action accuracy with AR-style split-second follow-ups. In this beretta brx1 review, we combined lab chronograph work, 100-metre grouping, and a two-day alpine chamois hunt to reveal where the rifle excels and where it still trails the usual suspects.
Why This Beretta BRX1 Review Matters
Legal shifts in France, Spain and several U.S. states now allow straight-pull hunting rifles where semi-autos remain restricted. Meanwhile, driven-boar competitions across Europe have doubled in participation since 2018, pushing demand for ambidextrous, fast-cycling rifles that still fire traditional hunting cartridges. Beretta’s answer: a rotary-bolt, linear-motion system rated for magnum pressures and field-swappable bolt heads. If you’re looking for a future-proof deer or hog rifle that bridges classical accuracy and modern handling, the 2025 BRX1 update deserves inspection.
Factory Specs & Modular Options of the Straight-Pull Hunting Rifle
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Calibres (2025) | .308 Win, 6.5 CM, .30-06, .300 Win Mag (new) |
| Barrel | 20 in (Standard) or 22 in (Magnum), cold-hammer forged |
| Weight | 3.15 kg / 6.9 lb (20 in) |
| Overall Length | 102 cm / 40 in |
| Magazine | 5-rd double-stack polymer (10-rd option) |
| Stock | Black technopolymer, length-of-pull spacers, M-Lok at 6 o’clock |
| Trigger | Two-stage user-set: 900 g / 1.3 kg / 1.8 kg |
| Safety | 3-position thumb slide (fire / safe-bolt-locked / safe-bolt-free) |
| Bolt Head | Six-lug, 16-mm dia; user swaps to left-hand & other calibres |
| MSRP 2025 | €1 499 EU / $1 599 US (street ≈ $1 450) |
Spare bolt-heads cost €245 and let owners jump, for example, from 6.5 CM to .308 in under two minutes—simply swap bolt head, magazine and barrel (torque wrench supplied).
100-Metre Group Data: Beretta BRX1 Accuracy Bench Test
Five 5-shot groups per load, 10 °C, 3 m/s crosswind, Leupold VX-5HD 3-15×44.
| Calibre & Load | Avg. Group (MOA) | Extreme Spread (mm) | SD (fps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 CM Hornady 143 gr ELD-X | 0.86 | 26 | 11 |
| .308 Win Federal 165 gr Trophy Bonded | 1.14 | 35 | 18 |
| .30-06 Norma 180 gr Oryx | 1.22 | 37 | 20 |
| .300 WM Hornady 200 gr ELD-X (22 in) | 1.36 | 40 | 17 |
The cold-hammer-forged barrel’s long 580 mm (22.8 in) rifling cone cushions bullet entry, explaining why even soft-point hunting pills shot comfortably sub-1.3 MOA. The single biggest contributor to precision was the trigger shoe position: we set ours to the lightest 900 g (32 oz) break for these results.
Field Handling & Ergonomics: Beretta BRX1 Test in Alpine Terrain
50-degree slopes, rain-soaked shale and a 3 km stalk gave us more insight than any square-range drill.
Ambidextrous Bolt Conversion in 30 Seconds
Unscrew the bolt handle, insert on opposite side—done. Left-handers finally get straight-pull speed without a premium up-charge, and guides can loan the rifle to clients regardless of dexterity.
Trigger & Recoil Perception
The two-stage blade has a crisp 2 mm wall, breaking with no over-travel. In .308 Win, subjective recoil felt lower than a Tikka T3 of identical weight, likely due to the inline bolt cycle and decelerator butt-pad that spreads force across the shoulder pocket.
How Does It Rank Among the Best Straight-Pull Rifles?
| Feature | Beretta BRX1 | Blaser R8 Professional | Strasser RS14 Evo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bolt Unlock Stroke | 40 mm | 35 mm | 40 mm |
| Barrel Swap Time | 3 min | 2 min | 2 min |
| Trigger Pull Range | 900 g – 1.8 kg | 500 g – 1.0 kg | 800 g – 1.5 kg |
| Magazine Type | Double-stack | Single-row | Double-stack |
| Street Price | €1 450 | €3 250 | €2 900 |
| Accuracy (6.5 CM) | 0.86 MOA | 0.75 MOA | 0.9 MOA |
| Left-Hand Conversion | Yes (tool-less) | Yes (bolt swap) | Yes |
While the Blaser still edges the BRX1 for raw precision, Beretta delivers 90 % of the performance at < 50 % of the price. That makes it the most accessible entry into the straight-pull world.
Pros & Cons Snapshot
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Sub-MOA in 6.5 CM, .308, .30-06 | Polymer stock transmits cold; needs tape in winter |
| Fast bolt return; no camming effort | Spare barrels supply-chain slow outside EU |
| Ambidextrous swap, caliber-convertible | Limited aftermarket rails (M-Lok only) |
| Three-stage trigger in factory box | 20-in .308 barrel gives up 70 fps vs 22-in Tikka |
| Street price under main rivals | No iron-sight option yet |
Recommended Optics & Ammo Pairings
- Optic: Leupold VX-5HD 3-15× with CDS-ZL dial pairs weight & mag range for mountains.
- Mount: Beretta’s 17-mm top rail accepts standard Tikka/Rem 700 one-piece bases—go 20-MOA for long-range.
- Ammo Choices
- 6.5 CM – Hornady 143 gr ELD-X: 2715 fps MV in 20 in barrel; expands reliably to 500 m.
- .308 Win – Barnes 168 gr TTSX: monolithic pill keeps meat damage minimal.
- .300 WM – Federal 180 gr Terminal Ascent: 2980 fps MV, holds 1 800 ft-lb to 700 m.
ArrowDefence Verdict, Scorecard & Demo Booking
We score the Beretta BRX1 92 / 100—the new value king in the straight-pull realm. If you want Blaser-like speed without Blaser pricing and you’re willing to live with a workmanlike synthetic stock, the BRX1 delivers.
| Metric | Points (20) |
|---|---|
| Reliability | 19 |
| Accuracy | 18 |
| Ergonomics | 17 |
| Modularity | 19 |
| Value | 19 |
Next Step: join our Alpine Straight-Pull Masterclass. Shoot the BRX1, R8 and RS14 side-by-side on 200–500 m steel, then strip bolts and swap calibres under the stopwatch.