‘Beretta Sticky Stock’: Class Action Claims Beretta Firearms’ Rubber Inserts Degrade, Become Sticky Over Time

A proposed class action filed this week claims Beretta firearms are plagued by a defect that causes the rubber on the guns’ stocks or fore-ends to degrade and become “extremely sticky or tacky” after only a few years of use.

The affected guns, including Beretta shotguns and rifles, are built with synthetic stocks or fore-ends inlaid with rubberized carbonaceous composite material, according to the 15-page case. Though defendant Beretta U.S.A. Corp. represents that the rubber inserts make their firearms “even more ergonomic,” many owners have found the opposite to be true, the suit says.

According to the filing, the rubber inserts on Beretta firearms degrade after only a few years of “normal and expected use” and become sticky or tacky to the touch, which the case says significantly hinders an owner’s ability to use the guns as expected. The alleged defect is so pervasive that many gun owners have come to refer to the problem as the “Beretta sticky stock,” the lawsuit says.

“Beretta’s products with the ‘sticky stock’ are not fit for their ordinary and intended use, and do not perform in accordance with Beretta’s advertisements, marketing materials and/or implied and written warranties nor do they meet the reasonable expectations of ordinary consumers and members of the Class,” the complaint charges.

Per the case, the alleged sticky stock defect “essentially destroys the economic value” of Beretta firearms, leaving owners with no choice but to fix the guns at their own expense.

Lawsuit claims Beretta guns “fall well short” of consumers’ expectations

According to the case, consumers have come to expect “well-crafted works of art” from Italian firearm manufacturer Beretta, and many of the company’s guns sell for over a thousand dollars.

The lawsuit alleges, however, that Beretta’s representations of its firearms as works of art “perfectly suited for their purpose in the field” don’t always hold true due to the premature degradation of the guns’ rubber inserts.

Per the filing, the rubber used in the firearms’ stocks and fore-ends “degrades to the point” where it impedes owners’ ability to use the firearms for their intended and advertised purposes. The case claims Beretta has sold guns made with rubber inserts for at least 20 years and is still selling them despite being aware of the stocks and fore-ends’ propensity to become sticky.

According to the suit, Beretta has failed to warn buyers that using the guns as intended will eventually render them unfit for such uses.

The case claims owners whose guns have become sticky are left with no other choice but to purchase replacement stocks and fore-ends “at significant cost to themselves.”

The plaintiff’s experience

The named plaintiff in the case is an Alabama resident who purchased a 12-gauge Beretta shotgun to hunt several types of fowl.

Per the case, while the plaintiff was using his firearm “in a manner reasonably anticipated by Beretta,” he noticed that the rubber molded inserts on the gun’s stock and fore-end had begun to degrade, “becoming extremely sticky and chipping.”

The suit says the gun’s sticky stock and fore-end have hampered the plaintiff’s ability to use his gun, as they make it uncomfortable to hold and affect his mounting technique and aim.

Like a golf swing or tennis, the mounting, fit and ergonomics of shotgun usage is a matter of long practice and technique. The sticky stock and fore-end renders the firearm nigh impossible to use the long-practiced muscle memory to effectively mount the shotgun to Plaintiff’s shoulder and cheek and then swing naturally on the moving target.”

The plaintiff claims the allegedly defective rubber inserts render his gun essentially worthless.

Who does the lawsuit look to cover?

The proposed class action looks to represent anyone in the U.S. who purchased any Beretta firearm with a synthetic stock and fore-end featuring a rubber molded insert anytime since 1999 through January 31, 2022.

How do I join the lawsuit?

There’s usually nothing you need to do to join a class action when it’s first filed. If the case moves forward and settles, that’s when class members, i.e., those who fit the criteria mentioned in the above section, would be able to file a claim for their share of the deal.

Keep in mind that it may take months or even years for the lawsuit to be resolved, either through settlement, trial, arbitration or dismissal. A similar lawsuit filed against Browning Arms Company back in 2017 over its guns’ Dura-Touch coating resulted in a settlement that provided free repairs or replacements of affected guns – but every case is different.

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