Bersa 380 is quite nice

[atctimmy]

I just traded a forum member for a Bersa Thunder 380. I traded a safe queen that i was going to sell and I am very pleased. The gun is very nice for an inexpensive firearm. Kudos to the man who traded me! Thank you sir (I will let him chime in if he wants to be identified).


So who else has a Bersa and what do you think of them (I know, I know there are plenty of Bersa threads already, BUT this one is mine :).)

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[buckeye .45]

I have a bi-tone Bersa .380, I think I paid something like $230 for it. Really word is starting to get out, but for a while they seemed to be one of the secret best buys out there. Spare magazines are kinda of expensive, and it is too big to pocket carry. But other than that, they are good little .380's, accurate, and reliable. They look kinda cool too.

[Gideon]

Had one, loved it, got rid of it. Mine was accurate and reliable and a very soft shooter. But I got rid of it for two reasons....

1. If I could carry a gun that size, I was going to carry a 9mm or .38 minimum. I'm a firm believer that .380 is below nominal for a defense round. If you can carry a larger caliber and don't, I think you could end up regretting it.

2. Although I love shooting .380, it's too expensive for a range plinker and not a good set up for hunting.

Having said that, I do keep/use a .380 for dedicated pocket carry when I can't wear a cover garment.

Despite my logic, I find myself looking at them a lot in the store and kind of wish I'd kept mine! Mine was very very accurate and a lot of fun to shoot. Enjoy it.

Gideon

[JLUSAF]

My mother has one, they are good little guns. Althought the ammo is so expensive it helps out that the pistol is decently priced. It is fairly accurrate and very easy to field strip and clean. The only complaint i have is the magazine safety, meaning that if the magazine is not in place, or seated fully, the pistol will not fire. This safety does not seem tactical or helpful in a SD situation.

[BugDude]

Congrats!!! I have a Bersa Thunder 9 ultra compact (the 9mm version of yours) and it is totally awesome!!! These guns are built like a tank and are excellent shooters. The best kept secret out there with regards to value, quality, durability, and shootability. I was sold on them after shooting my buddy's Thunder .380. I was so impressed that when the 9 version came up on the member buy and sell thread here, I jumped on it. His Thunder .380 is always a hit with female shooters we know because it is such a smooth shooter and easy to be accurate with. When I shot an LCP, it felt like an M80 going off in my hand (my hands are too big to get a good grip on it). The little Bersa .380 is just smooth as silk. Always a good consideration for someone who is recoil sensitive.

On mine (not sure if the .380 is the same), all of the external controls and internal workings are made of thick steel. The extractor and ejector are very well designed and made. The frame is alloy metal, and it has very long metal slide rails. It has a steel trigger. It also has a metal follower in the magazine. The hammer, when de-cocked, rides an eighth of an inch from the firing pin but can still be shot in DA or SA mode. Trigger pull and reset are nice as well. All of these things also mean that it isn't necessarily the smallest, thinnest, or lightest 9mm that I own but it is the best combination and balance of compact, durable, shootable, and 13+1 capacity. The little bit of extra weight really makes it a smooth shooter. The rounded slide top, tapered frame, rounded edges, etc. make it seem smaller. It fits in one of my PT709 slim holsters that my XD sub compact won't even think about fitting in. They also have a parts list on their website and you can order anything you need right from the site...and the parts are inexpensive. Check out Bersachat.com and you'll get a lot of good information. I wish I had known about Bersa's before I bought my .40 in another brand. It's been great, but the Bersa's are just plain hard to beat in my book. Check out the thread I posted a week or so ago "Bersa Thunder 9 uc stress test". Two guys taking turns running a couple thousand rounds of ammo through one non-stop. At one point, a guy comes over and starts pouring water on the gun while they are shooting and steam just rolls. It just kept on going and going.

Welcome to the Bersa cult...the kool-aid is on the table in the back.

DSC00891.jpgDSC00893.jpg

[MinistrMalic]

I have a bi-tone one and love it. Great little gun, and my wife carries it.

[OldVet]

Bersa Thunders have a good reputation. I looked at getting one after buying my G30 but changed my mind after seeing the size. I decided it was too large for convenient pocket carry (my intent) and for a gun that size I'd carry a 9mm or larger. I ended up buying a CZ-82 for a project gun. It's virtually the same size (use the same holsters) and at the time ammo was more available--the .380 being non-existant! I imagine the Bersa is very similar to the CZ as far as power and recoil, both of which I find suitable for most SD. I reload nearly all my Makarov ammo so having ammo for practice isn't an issue.

Enjoy!

[stumpjumper]

I've had 3 (2 duo-tones and 1 380cc) and never had any problems with any of them. I got rid of all of my 380s (except for my LCP) when the price and availability of ammo went ballistic.

[gilraen]

This is so weird. I had a Bersa Thunder UC 9mm that was great, but too big for my hand, so I gave it to my son. It's a great gun.
But the .380? It kicks like a mule on steroids! Literally, I cannot shoot more than 1 mag's worth. My hand hurts so badly I have to stop. Incredibly painful to shoot! I don't see how anyone could like it.....

[head scratch]

[pirate]

The build quality of all Bersa handguns is very good. They are not as highly finished on the outside and generally not as polished on the inside as some higher priced guns but will function and perform as well as handguns costing 30-50 percent more. IMO, and experience which includes many years selling and dealing with customers and service and warranty issues for all these makes of handguns, they are superior to anything produced by Taurus or Kel Tec which are their main competition on the "lower priced handgun" market today.

[babyhulk]

Congrats!

I bought my Bersa .380 CC stainless model about 2 years ago due to the high-praises of folks on this great website and it's been nothing but a great little firearm!

I hope it's as accuarate and faultless for you!

[Cosmo]

Congrats! I have a Bersa Thunder DLX .380. I love it. Has never given me any problems and shoots better than I do.

[phone4]

nice 380

[GlockJS]

Man, I wish I didn't sell my Bersa!

[zeppelin03]

I just traded a forum member for a Bersa Thunder 380. I traded a safe queen that i was going to sell and I am very pleased. The gun is very nice for an inexpensive firearm. Kudos to the man who traded me! Thank you sir (I will let him chime in if he wants to be identified).


So who else has a Bersa and what do you think of them (I know, I know there are plenty of Bersa threads already, BUT this one is mine :).)

I was wondering how you felt about the trade. I'm glad you enjoy it.

That taurus is definitely a welcomed addition to my collection. Don't worry its got the top shelf in my safe and will only be getting the gunzilla treatment.