.380: Is it really that bad?

[Hasaf]

What do you all think of Bersa's ?

I would stay away from them because they are blowback. In general blowback pistols are: harder to charge, have worse recoil characteristics, are frequently heavier, and are less flexible about what ammunition they prefer. All that being said, they are sometimes a slight bit more accurate.

If you just want to add a blowback to a collection they make sense, I frequently consider adding a Beretta 380 to the collection. What holds me back is the reality that I know I will almost never use it. If you are looking for a carry gun or a weekend shooter, I would recommend staying away from blowback pistols. At the same thine, if you just like something about the Bersa, for what it is, it is well regarded.

 

[Jeb Stuart]

I would stay away from them because they are blowback. In general blowback pistols are: harder to charge, have worse recoil characteristics, are frequently heavier, and are less flexible about what ammunition they prefer. All that being said, they are sometimes a slight bit more accurate.

If you just want to add a blowback to a collection they make sense, I frequently consider adding a Beretta 380 to the collection. What holds me back is the reality that I know I will almost never use it. If you are looking for a carry gun or a weekend shooter, I would recommend staying away from blowback pistols. At the same thine, if you just like something about the Bersa, for what it is, it is well regarded.

Worse recoil? Hardly, at least not the Bersa,When I did shoot one, I can tell you one thing. There certainly was NOT much recoil. Hardly noticeable. Yes, too big for me, and not what I would like, but for those that want a bigger gun in 380, then it seems like a viable choice. .

 

[Hasaf]

Worse recoil? Hardly, at least not the Bersa,When I did shoot one, I can tell you one thing. There certainly was NOT much recoil. Hardly noticeable. Yes, too big for me, and not what I would like, but for those that want a bigger gun in 380, then it seems like a viable choice. .

It is entirely possible that all the, larger than 22lr, blowback pistols, that I have used, may have had very tired springs.

 

[MikeInOr]

What do you all think of Bersa's ?

On my Bersa 380 the hammer cracked around the hammer pivot pin. I purchased my Bersa new back in the early 90's... it was my first center fired handgun. When I inquired about getting it repaired many years ago there was really no way to get it repaired. Hopefully things have gotten better with their manufacturing and customer service since then.

 

[Armybrat]

My Colt Government .380 is a solid little pistol. Still have the box & all papers since buying it new 32 years ago - even though Colt got sloppy with the rollmark:

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

Is it "bad", I dont know. I know it's not as good as 9mm.

As has been mentioned there are so many options for pocket 9's out there now it just doesnt make sense to me to use a 380 . Likewise if you need a slightly larger gun there are 9mm options there as well.


Really makes no difference to me as I'm long past the point of farting around with "micro" pistols and anything larger than that I'm using a 9 or bigger anyway.

 

[Jeb Stuart]

Is it "bad", I dont know. I know it's not as good as 9mm.

As has been mentioned there are so many options for pocket 9's out there now it just doesnt make sense to me to use a 380 . Likewise if you need a slightly larger gun there are 9mm options there as well.


Really makes no difference to me as I'm long past the point of farting around with "micro" pistols and anything larger than that I'm using a 9 or bigger anyway.

I have a number of both. And even one of the lightest Micro 9mm's made. Yet I carry a 380 much more than the 9mm's. And I have complete faith that there is no doubt that they are very lethal. They serve a purpose and they do it well. This old caliber war comes up about as often as the Glock love or hate threads which never stop. We have not had a 9mm/40cal thread for a while. How about we move on to that that old one?

 

[kcofohio]

What do you all think of Bersa's ?

They're a decent gun for the price. I had 2 basic Thunders back around '11 or '12. Good for the range, with little recoil. Easy to clean. I had no issue with them in the short time period of ownership. I just found for a carry, the LC9 was lighter and more concealable. I see you can get a single stack in the mid $200 range at Buds.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog...e_380_automatic_colt_pistol_(acp)_35_8?cpath=

 

[GBExpat]

What do you all think of Bersa's ?

I have a Bersa Thunder 380 Plus primarily because of its 15+1 capability.

It appears to me to be a well-made pistol. It has been very reliable, acceptably accurate, conceals easily and feels comfortable in my hand.

IMO, the only downside to this pistol is that it is a blowback configuration (like my PPK) and I much prefer locked breech (like my P3AT and G42s).

 

[jmorris]

It’s not the best but it’s not the worst and certainly better than nothing.

 

[mavracer]

Worse recoil? Hardly, at least not the Bersa,When I did shoot one, I can tell you one thing. There certainly was NOT much recoil. Hardly noticeable. Yes, too big for me, and not what I would like, but for those that want a bigger gun in 380, then it seems like a viable choice. .

Viable sure, just to me from a practical standpoint with just SD in mind mid size 380s like the Bersa just aren't as good of choice as a similar size 9mm. Even in situations where recoil sensitivity is an issue there are some standard pressure 115gr 9mm that preform better than the best 380 loads with little to no perceived recoil and ammo cost is much better.
Dont get me wrong from a nostalgic viewpoint I love 32s and 380s, but if I'm carrying one it's gonna be my LCP cause nothing else fits and if something bigger fits it'll be a larger caliber. Unless I feel the need to theme carry ie I will drop my 1903 Colt in my pocket to see a gangster flick.

 

[drband]

What do you all think of Bersa's ?

I have one (T380) and carried it for a while. Soft shooting, easy to manipulate, like the DA/SA trigger so I leave the safety off with the hammer down, mags are relatively expensive, ammo costs too much (so I reloaded my own), crazy accurate but tiny sights, replaced stock grips with "Combat" finger groove rubber grips--much better. It's too large for pocket carry in any grip configuration. The lock never bothered me. I have around 1000 rounds through it and have had no problems.
It's one of the most comfortable guns in my hand I have ever picked up, and a good value if you need one!

(I now carry a P938sas--true pocket gun)

 

[Browning]

What do you all think of Bersa's ?

It’s anecdotal evidence but half the ones I’ve run into malfunction periodically.

My stepfather bought my sister a Bersa Thunder .380 and it malfunctions at least once per mag. Since I’m into guns, used to work at a gun store, have taken a few classes etc my family and friends tend to rely on me to help them. I’ve cleaned it for her, bought new mags, tried different ammo and taken it to a smith who could find nothing wrong with it.

I urged her to send it back to Bersa, but she hasn’t done it yet.

My CZ-75 Compact 9mm is on long term loan to her as a result.

One friend and one guy at work also have one (same model) and they've been completely reliable.

Another guy at work on a different shift had issues similar to my sister and went through a similar experience. No longer trusting it he replaced it with a Glock 43.

So I wouldn’t personally buy one. :Shrug

Your mileage may vary.

 

[amd6547]

While I have a P3AT for a hideout pocket pistol, my favorite 380 is one of the medium sized ones most dismiss these days ..a Beretta 84F.
I bought it without any serious use in mind. It was just a pistol I had wanted for a long time, and Israeli surplus made it cheap.
After shooting it, I found it fit my hand really well, was reliable, and remarkably accurate.
I feel pretty well armed with it loaded with 14 Underwood +P XTP's.
Oh, I can carry my beloved G26 just as easily, and usually do. But that Beretta really works for me.

 

[Jeb Stuart]

Here are my Pocket guns. The only one missing is my Newly bought Kahr CM9 which is about as good as it gets in size, comfort for a Micro 9mm. A mere 15oz. I thought before I purchased it, the recoil would be harsh. Man was I wrong. The Nano and the Kahr for Micro 9mm and the others all are great little guns for carry. Love the Nano, but the Kahr is a whooping 4oz lighter.
The Kahr CW380 and the Cm 9mm make a great team.they have made me a Kahr fanboy.

 

[drband]

It’s anecdotal evidence but half the ones I’ve run into malfunction periodically.

My stepfather bought my sister a Bersa Thunder .380 and it malfunctions at least once per mag. Since I’m into guns, used to work at a gun store, have taken a few classes etc my family and friends tend to rely on me to help them. I’ve cleaned it for her, bought new mags, tried different ammo and taken it to a smith who could find nothing wrong with it.

I urged her to send it back to Bersa, but she hasn’t done it yet.

My CZ-75 Compact 9mm is on long term loan to her as a result.

One friend and one guy at work also have one (same model) and they've been completely reliable.

Another guy at work on a different shift had issues similar to my sister and went through a similar experience. No longer trusting it he replaced it with a Glock 43.

So I wouldn’t personally buy one. :Shrug

Your mileage may vary.

Promags are a known problem in Bersa T380s. Stick with factory mags. Just thought that point might be helpful— no idea if her problems are mag related. Good luck!

 

[Tallball]

I forgot about one...

When I was just a kid in my 20's, I got a 380 pistol and didn't really know what it was. I eventually traded it towards something else. It was a close copy of a Beretta Model 1934, made by Tanfoglio. They were imported by a couple of different companies, IIRC.

I saw one at the LGS a few months back, a nice nickel one. I think I gave $200 for it, pretty much just for nostalgia. It's actually a pretty nice little shooter, too. It's blowback, but the recoil doesn't seem like much to me. Then again, I shoot snub 357's and full-blown 44 magnums and stuff like that for fun, so a 380 seems pretty tame to me.

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[Browning]

Promags are a known problem in Bersa T380s. Stick with factory mags. Just thought that point might be helpful— no idea if her problems are mag related. Good luck!

Thanks, but they were all factory mags.

I wouldn’t buy Promag.

Had to rule out potentially problem mags as well as ammo. I honestly think in both cases that it was just the pistol. Tried 6 different types of ammo and three different mags on hers and my co-worker tried three different mags and at least three types of ammo.

 

[Mullo98]

Nothing wrong with 380. People been using for SD for years.

 

[cfullgraf]

I feel adequately protected when carrying a 380 ACP firearm but you have to remember it's limitations. Guns generally are a bit smaller and easier to conceal and even the high capacity 380 ACP guns are a bit more petite than their 9x19 "equivalent" models.

I carried a Colt Mustang for many years as well as a Beretta M84. The Beretta would shoot just about anything. I loaded some 38 caliber, 110 gr JHP that shot just fine in the Beretta. I just could not get the velocity up to an adequate level.

Generally, I shoot 90-100 gr FMJ ammunition. I'd rather have the penetration, particularly in winter, as I feel it is difficult to get expansion of bullets at 380 ACP velocities.

I still carry a 380 ACP when a larger gun is not appropriate.

 

[TTv2]

I think with .380 the question isn't necessarily is it "really that bad" it's more of "is it really that good compared to 9mm?" In a pocket gun, it's as big a caliber as can be without being totally uncontrollable, but in a full size pistol, which you're focusing on, the move up to 9mm means the gun itself is going to be about the same size and be more powerful.

Understand that the .380 exists because five score and a decade ago guns were not as well made as today, the scientific instruments didn't exist, the manufacturing wasn't as good, the metals and metalworking not as refined. Back then a .380 was made to fit in a Colt Pocket Hammerless, which at the time was considered a small gun relative to the caliber. Today, it's a monster of a mousegun that fires an inadequate cartridge relative to 9mm in something like the P365.

 

[paulsj]

Here are my Pocket guns. The only one missing is my Newly bought Kahr CM9 which is about as good as it gets in size, comfort for a Micro 9mm. A mere 15oz. I thought before I purchased it, the recoil would be harsh. Man was I wrong. The Nano and the Kahr for Micro 9mm and the others all are great little guns for carry. Love the Nano, but the Kahr is a whooping 4oz lighter.
The Kahr CW380 and the Cm 9mm make a great team.they have made me a Kahr fanboy.


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I like small handguns. I have been thinking about getting XDs-2 in .45ACP. One big plus is one no longer has to use JHPs to enhance stopping power. That is a big plus.

 

[loose noose]

Recently bought my wife a Bersa Thunder .22 in the black, to go with her Bersa Thunder .380 in the duo-tone . We haven't had a chance to go out and shoot the .22 yet as it's been hotter than he!!! out here in the morning, and the fact I've still got a week that I have to have the boot on my broken ankle yet. However my wife has had the .380 for some time, and really likes the feel of it, but she constantly anticipates recoil such as she is, my target holder definitely suffers. (2"X2"X6'). Between the two of us it has had about 750+- rounds thru it including my reloads, with out so much as a failure of any kind, so I know it's reliable. Hoping that once she gets over her fear of recoil by shooting the .22LR, she will adapt to the .380, so she can go and get her CCW and carry it in her purse.

 

[Jeb Stuart]

I think we need to ask the guy that was shot six or 7 times in the chest and the face with a 380. That is, if he is till alive. I constantly train with double taps, two to the head and two to the face.

I also like to train with revolver. A few months ago I had my 8 shot Ruger 22 LCR. It is amazing how accurate you can get with that gun at close range, and FAST. I was shooting the Aguila HYPER ammo and it was sizzling out the barrel. I was thinking, my gosh, I would hate to have 8 rounds of that stuff coming into my face.
And then I thought of how people on the internet laugh at the 22.cal. Say it is not a viable weapon for defense. I had to laugh to myself. Sorry, that is in fact a weapon. And my Gosh, a very dangerous one to boot.

 

[MedWheeler]

Re: The Bersa Thunder,

I bought mine used in 2008, when I "came back" to firearms as an interest, and decided to carry again (I had stopped when I left LE nearly two decades earlier.) I was replacing a PPK/S I'd carried on and off the job, and had subsequently sold. I tried repeatedly, using several techniques, to get the Bersa to malfunction. I mixed up old and new ammo in the mags, ammo of various bullet profiles, tried to "limp-wrist" it, and went long runs without cleaning it. Nothing worked. It's definitely a gun with some true military DNA in it, having evolved from models used by Argentinian officers.

I only stopped carrying it two years later when I came into a used PF9 for a hard-to-resist price. The Kel-Tec is easier to carry, though harder and less enjoyable to shoot. I still have the Bersa, which does admittedly lack resale desirability (so it's not likely to go anywhere anytime soon), and recently acquired a used .22LR version of it as well.