Celebrating 250 years of Devil Dogs making the grass grow, the oldest firearms manufacturer in the world announced a special shotgun dripping with classic Marine Corps energy. The limited-edition A300 Ultimate Patrol Raider takes Beretta’s American-made, semi-auto shotgun and decks it out with an iconic Frogskin camouflage that Marines wore in the Pacific during World War II. To make this Marine Corps birthday boomstick even more hard-charging, the Commemorative Edition of the Raider includes a bayonet.
The Marine Corps’ birthday is November 10, 1775. However, it was only in the service’s latest four decades that the Marines carried Berettas; specifically, the Beretta 92F, which was adopted as the M9 handgun. The pistol was famously seen in the hands of 1st Sgt. Brad Kasal as he was carried out of the “House of Hell” during the Battle of Fallujah after taking seven bullets and 43 pieces of grenade shrapnel. Oohrah Marine!
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Well-versed in close-quarters combat, the Marine Corps has an extensive history with shotguns. During World War I, along with the Army, the Marines used M1897 shotguns modified to equip the M1917 bayonet to devastating effect in the trenches of Western Europe. Famously, the Germans lodged an official diplomatic protest against the use of shotguns. The protest was rejected as shotguns are no more cruel or devastating than machine guns or artillery… let alone mustard gas. Stick that up your pickelhaube.
During the Global War on Terror, the Marine Corps also made extensive use of the Benelli M4 semi-auto shotgun, adopted as the M1014. Primarily used for breaching, the M1014 has become a combat shotgun legend for its reliability and versatility. Although Benelli was acquired by Beretta Holding in 1983, it remains a separate company from Beretta. Moreover, Beretta’s A300 is made right here in the good ol’ US of A. Nationalism aside, the A300 is significantly more affordable than the Benelli and features improvements such as a larger bolt release and loading port.
Beyond the Frogskin camo on the standard Raider, the Commemorative Edition includes an Ontario Knife Company 3S bayonet, the same one issued to and used by the Marines. For the discerning collector or veteran Marine, the A300 Ultima Patrol Raider Commemorative Edition also comes in a special display case and features a custom serial number. The Raider blends Marine Corps history and heritage with modern technology and optimization.
Beretta lists the standard A300 Ultima Patrol at $1,149. The standard Raider bumps the price up to $1,399; not a bad premium for that drippy camo job and the bayonet mount. If you accidentally forgot to return your bayonet on purpose, you can slide that bad Larry on your A300 Raider. The Commemorative Edition Raider with the bayonet and custom display box is listed at $2,499. The wood crate and rope carry handles are reminiscent of World War II supply crates, and the velvet lining is a fitting tribute to the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday from the world’s oldest firearms company.
