I’ve known of Aridus Industries for about a decade, but I first met the owner, Adam Roth, at the 2024 Thunderstick Summit. Since then our paths have crossed a few times, and we’ve chatted a fair bit about shotguns, drills, accessories, and more. In late 2025 Adam sent me a prototype Imperium handguard for the Beretta A300UP to test and evaluate. Over the past several months I’ve been handling and shooting various revisions of the Imperium and its associated internal parts. Now, with the commercial variant in hand, it’s time to tell you my thoughts on the final product. Here’s my review of the Aridus Industries Imperium handguard for the Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol.
Design of the Aridus Industries Imperium Handguard for Beretta A300
The Aridus Industries Imperium is an replacement handguard for the Beretta 1301 and A300 Ultima Patrol, this review covering the A300 variant. Made from a single piece of aluminum, it is friction fit onto the gun, secured in place by the OEM magazine cap. A unique texture is milled directly into the Imperium, which helps ensure a solid grip with wet conditions. Close observers will notice that this texture is the same used on other Aridus products such as their charging handle and bolt release.
I won’t go into detail on installation here, as the Aridus instructions are your better bet. I will say that installation is a breeze, taking about a minute to perform on the range. Zero tools are necessary for this process, which is a huge advantage compared to some other products. Despite being friction fit, the Imperium is rock solid on the gun, having virtually no wiggle. This is again, a huge advantage compared to competitor’s offerings.
MLOK
MLOK slots run the length of the Imperium at the 3 and 9o’clock positions. In an effort to maintain as slim a profile as possible, there are no provisions for mounting accessories to the 6 or 12o’clock positions of the handguard. I see this brought up as a complaint fairly often online, but with no substance; typically the one complaining can’t explain what they’d mount at the non-existent positions, but they’re unhappy not to have them.
In our world of AR-15s ruling the roost, most everyone mounts slings, lights, and lasers to the sides of their handguards. The Imperium follows this trend. Personally, I have no use for MLOK slots atop the handguard, and I have no complaints there. As a 30-something Boomer, I prefer to sling my gun using African Carry, and would love even a single MLOK slot near the end cap at 6o’clock. This isn’t a deal breaker for me, but it’d sure be nice.
Regardless, there’s a lot of real estate here for mounting gadgets and gizmos. That’s a win in my book.
Range Time with the Aridus Industries Imperium Handguard
I spent a lot of time working with the Aridus Imperium handguard. It saw a lot of regular range time, both long and short sessions, shooting clays and traditional drills. Additionally, I taught several complete newcomers to the shotgun using my Aridus-ed A300UP, which provided some unique insights. Finally, I had the opportunity to directly compare the Imperium to two major competitors on the range during SHOT Show 2026.
At the time of receipt, the Imperium handguard itself, along with the associated piston stop and rear collar, were prototypes. Throughout the test and evaluation (T&E) process, others and I provided feedback to Aridus which led to a handful of revisions. What we have here is the final product, the same which you can order from Aridus Industries today. In short, what you’re reading is what you’d get when placing your order.
Rounds Fired
Due to this T&E process, a few parts, specifically the rear collar and the handguard itself have a few hundred more rounds on them than the current generation piston stop. Round count on the piston stop sits at 1,115 rounds as of this writing. Round count on the handguard and rear collar is 1,439. Below is the specific breakdown of the rounds fired throughout the review process.
- 105x Winchester AA Xtra Light #7.5, 2-3/4″
- 50x Fiocchi Shooting Dynamics Target 7.5, 2-3/4″
- 5x Remington Peters #8, 2-3/4″
- 50x Remington Gun Club #8, 2-3/4″
- 25x Bioammo Rex #8, 2-3/4″
- 25x Federal Field and Target #8, 2-3/4″
- 425x Federal Top Flight #8, 2-3/4″
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50x Federal Game Load Heavy Field #5, 2-3/4″
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25x Federal Game Load Heavy Field #7.5, 2-3/4″
- 20x Winchester Pheasant #6, 2-3/4″
- 25x Bioammo Lux Steel #6, 2-3/4″
- 25x Federal Speed Shok Steel #3, 2-3/4″
- 25x NSI Waterfowl #2, 2-3/4″
- 10x Winchester Defender 00, 2-3/4″
- 160x NSI 00, 2-3/4″
- 10x Federal Flite Control 9 pellet, 2-3/4″
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15x Federal Power Shok #1 buck, 2-3/4″
- 10x Federal Power Shok 1oz slug, 2-3/4″
- 15x Federal Tru Ball slug, 2-3/4″
- 15x Winchester Super X low recoil slug, 2-3/4″
- 15x Remington Slugger 1oz slug, 2-3/4″
- 10x Brenneke bear protection 1-1/4oz slug, 2-3/4″
Additional rounds fired through the Imperium handguard and collar
- 53x Winchester AA Lite #8, 2-3/4″
- 13x Remington Gun Club #8, 2-3/4″
- 16x Federal Top Gun #7.5, 2-3/4″
- 17x Remington Gun Club #7.5, 2-3/4″
- 75x Winchester Super X #8, 2-3/4″
- 75x Fiocchi Hi Velocity #7.5, 2-3/4″
- 15x Federal Power Shok 4 buck, 3″
- 21x Federal Flite Control 9 pellet 00 buck, 2-3/4″
- 4x Winchester Super X 1oz slug, 2-3/4″
- 5x Remington Slugger 1oz slug low recoil, 2-3/4″
- 5x Winchester Super X 1oz slug, 2-3/4″
- 25x Federal Power Shok 1oz slug, 2-3/4″
The Imperium stayed firmly in place throughout the review process for the final iteration. I encountered zero excess wiggling, loosening, or instability with the handguard. We’re just as locked in as the OEM handguard, if not more so.
Texture on the Aridus Industries Imperium Handguard
If you recall my initial review of the A300UP back in 2022, I mentioned that the OEM handguard tore up the skin on my hand a bit during my first few range sessions. The texturing on the Imperium steps back the aggressiveness, while also avoiding slick spots found on the OEM, which leads to improved control without being rough on the hand. I encountered zero slipping, despite sweaty hands in the desert heat, regardless of hand positioning.
Several students tried the Imperium, most of which were newcomers to firearms in general, and completely unfamiliar with the shotgun. I saw zero complaints about the texture, across a wide variety of shooters.
The Return of the Heat Shield
Thanks to the fully encompassed barrel, shooters have the option to C-clamp the handguard, which typically isn’t afforded to shotgunners. I had no intention of doing this initially, but found myself subconsciously moving to that technique over time. This does cause my elbow to flare out some, and I believe reduces my strength a little bit in managing recoil. However, I also think that this gives me a slightly more secure grip with my support hand when really pushing my limits. Ultimately, I think the ability to C-clamp is a toss-up here, but I’m sure people will appreciate the option.
Where the enclosed barrel pays off is with short stocking, and violin loading. Normally I need to contort my hands to avoid burning them on a hot barrel. Some choose to wear gloves to protect their palms when round counts rise. With the Imperium, this isn’t an issue. I can effectively maintain my standard support hand grip, despite rotating the gun nearly 90 degrees. Even with the barrel painfully hot, the Imperium remains warm, but comfortable to hold. This makes a big difference in classes or matches with high volumes of shooting.
Closing Thoughts on the Aridus Industries Imperium Handguard
It was great to be a part of the T&E process for the Imperium, alongside some other great shotgunners. The process was almost as great as the Imperium itself! This is a great piece of equipment, and a solid upgrade for your Beretta A300UP. As someone who has had the opportunity to shoot a few hundred rounds out of the competition, the Imperium wins without question. From the texturing, to the stability of its mount, and tool-less installation process, it’s a well thought out and executed product.
Check out the Imperium handguard directly through Aridus Industries >>HERE<<
Author’s Note: Aridus Industries provided me with a pre-production prototype of the Imperium handguard for test and evaluation purposes. I also maintain a personal relationship with the owner of Aridus. No expectation of a positive review was provided by either party. Sorry it took so long Adam, I appreciate the patience!
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