Beretta Defense Technologies showed off its awaited ARX-200 7.62x51 mm combat rifle at DSEI 2015 in London. Developed to the requirements of the Italian Army, the ARX 200 is currently being qualified according to NATO AC 225/LCG1 rules.
The new rifle draws on the experience acquired with the ARX-160A3 5.56x45 mm rifle, adopted by the Italian Army and numerous other export customers.
Although not based on the ARX-160, the ARX-200 maintains a family look and feel with the earlier rifle, with many features such as the magazine release, the hold-open, and others remaining the same to facilitate training in services using both rifles.
A gas-piston operated weapon with locked breech and rotating bolt, the ARX-200 has no double-side expulsion, brass being always ejected on the left. However the cocking handle can be switched left or right dismounting the rifle, and the three-position fire selector (safe-single shot-automatic) is available on both sides.
The ARX-200 does not feature an immediate change barrel system, a quick change system having been adopted in the form of a single bolt under the handguard, fixing the heavy 16-inch free-floating cold hammer forged barrel to the bolt assembly.
Beretta took care to minimise weight, the upper rail and the forehand being made of a single aluminium piece, which is coupled with a reinforced techno-polymer insert hosting the bolt. The rifle uses the KeyMod system on the forehand in order to install side rails when needed. The ARX-200 has a weight of 4.5 kg, without magazine.
In terms of accuracy the new 7.62x51 mm rifle exceeded company expectations, obtaining a 1.5 MOA accuracy at 100 m using match-grade ammunition, a performance in line with designated marksman rifles. In fact Beretta will soon start developing a DMR [designated marksman rifle] version, modularity allowing the replacement of the fire selector and trigger assemblies; the former will be replaced by a two-position (safe and single shot) selector while the current single-stage trigger, whose pull should be around 3 kg, will be replaced by a dual-stage trigger with a pull of around 2 kg.