The Beretta Sniper was adopted by number of European police forces and by armies in other parts of the world.

The 501 is a conventional bolt-action rifle that utilizes a modified Mauser action.

The 501 has a heavy, free-floating barrel fitted with a flash suppressor.

[1] The 501 fires 7.62mm NATO rounds, weighs 5.56 kg, is 1165mm in length, has a 586 mm barrel and uses a 5-round detachable box magazine.

It contains a harmonic balancer, a weight and springs help manage recoil.