Despite the fact that he’s recently joined forces with Jony Ive to design the next generation of Apple products, Marc Newson’s latest creation isn’t a phone or a smartwatch — nor is it an Apple product of any sort. Designed through a partnership with the renowned Italian firearm manufacturer Beretta, Newson’s newest project is a side-by-side double-barrel shotgun.
While he didn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel here, Newson basically gave the iconic firearm a 21st century design makeover, streamlining it’s various components and giving it a few aesthetic touch-ups along the way. “The main focus for my design of the 486 was to simplify and rationalise all the surfaces,” said Newson in a statement. “Specifically streamlining the area of the action.”
First and foremost, you’ll notice that the traditional tail of the receiver — the part that harbors the gun’s operating components such as the trigger and firing pin — has been lowered a bit, allowing the wood to separate the receiver and the safety/selector lever like a wooden bridge over the steel. The receiver is now completely edgeless, so there aren’t any noticeable breaks between the wood and steel.
Newson also had all the parts re-machined into more ergonomic shapes. In addition to the new “rounded” receiver, the 486 includes a redesigned opening lever, relocated trigger guard, and a slimmer forend than you’d typically find on a traditional shotgun.
“During the manufacture of my design in the Beretta workshops, I got to observe the fascinating mix of traditional skills employed by Beretta’s craftsmen in conjunction with the most impressive state-of-the-art engineering processes, including the use of intricate x-ray equipment, sophisticated laser technology and robotics,” said Newson. “With these standards of ingenuity I believe that my vision to create an innovative and modern design while respecting the DNA of the product typology has been spectacularly achieved.”
