The Italians are making some great guns... there are some anglophiles out there that would disagreee, but the quality can't be argued with.

The Italians have done a great job in the last 10-years of investing in CNC machinery... and the results are obvious.

Beretta makes nice guns (of the ones that they still hand-build) but they have definietely fallen behind some of the better known "makers" (as opposed to "producers") of fine guns.

Fabbri, F.lli. Rizzini, Piotti, A&S (Famars) are making some of the finest guns available. An English gun is that... a gun & maker with lots of history, and you can't take anything away from them, BUT if there were $100K on the table and a new H&H or Purdey laying next to a new Fabbri or Rizzini - it would be a very tough choice for those that appreciate fit, finish, and attention to detial.

Peter Chapman is probably the English exception to that generalization, and most would agree that he's making the finest guns in England today.