Ammo Insanity Shoots Down .380 Purchase

[LibShooter]

My wife has been trying to decide on an automatic for future concealed carry. This will be her first handgun, so I suggested a trip to a local gun show this weekend. She tried a few and really liked a Bersa Thunder .380 with a beautiful matte nickel finish.

The checkbook came out and money was about to change hands when I made an off-hand remark about .380 ammo being impossible to find. She said, "You mean I can't shoot my new gun this week?" When I told her that ammo is often on backorder for weeks she put away the checkbook. If we had found even one magazine's worth of .380 in the whole show we would have left with the gun.

Does anyone know of a handgun with the Bersa's look and feel chambered for 9mm or some other readily available ammo?

 

[bkb0000]

aren't the bersas modeled after the walther ppks?

 

[ReelFaith]

Bersa and Bersa's other brand "Firestorm" make a 9mm very simular to the 380 you saw at the gun show. Search on gunbroker.com or auctionarms.com

 

[-v-]

If you're set on a Bersa, they do make the Bersa Thunder in 9mm and .40S&W. If you're looking for a PPK knockoff in 9mm, your only other choice is a Makarov in 9x18. Other then that, the direct blowback system of the Bersa .380/Walther PPK/Makarov is not strong enough to handle the full power 9mm ammunition.

 

[LibShooter]

Thanks for the advice. She liked a Makarov, too, but we understood the 9x18mm ammo was just as hard to find.

We'll check into the Firestorm, too.

 

[LibShooter]

Just checked the Bersa website. The guy at the show said there was no Thunder in 9mm Luger. Guess he was wrong?

The specs say it will hold more rounds than the .380 but only weighs 2oz. more. Couldn't find deminsions. Is the 9mm much bigger than the .380?

 

[-v-]

Well, .380 is 9x17, while 9mm is 9x19. So, only about 2mm difference in the casing, not sure on the pressure difference, but I would say significant, as the 9x17 launches a 95gr slug at around 800-900 fps (if memory serves) while 9x19 launches a 147gr slug at around 990-1020fps out of a 4".

The 9x18 is right in the middle of the two, with it being able to launch a 115gr at about the same 1000fps range or so, in a lot of ways its like a .380 +P/+P+.

As far as 9mm MAK (9x18), it is hard to find in person, but most online wholesalers usually stock it, and price is about equal to what you would pay for 9mm at Wal-Mart. However, you choice of SD ammo is very limited, and you would be dependent on online sources for ammo, for what its worth.

My personal suggestion is to go with a 9mm firearm, because you will have much more choice in ammo with a 9mm then with a .380 or a 9x18. Additionally, you also have the wal-mart factor, so no need to order online or keep a stockpile, if its not your thing. Additionally I will admit that I do like the extra bit of power that a 9mm has over a .380 or the 9mm MAK, although I'd be perfectly comfortable using either one of those and even a .32acp to defend myself if need be.

 

[chris in va]

How about something like a CZ PCR?

 

[dacavasi]

Just look online, you will find 9mm and/or .380 ammo if you want to

 

[LibShooter]

Thanks -v-. All those different 9mm rounds are a little confusing.

Also, I'm sorry my my question wasn't very clear.

How does the Bersa Thunder Compact in 9x19mm compare in size and weight to the Bersa Thunder in .380? The Missus loved the feel of the .380, and if the 9mm is the same size I think I can sell her on getting one of those.

Again, Thanks to everyone for your help. This forum is full of the nicest folk.

 

[Seven For Sure]

Check out the Kahr PM9 or the MK9.

 

[searcher451]

Walther PPS in 9mm. It might just be the ideal carry gun.

 

[Prince Yamato]

Why not just get something in .32ACP? You can get a PPK, a CZ-83, or a P32 in that caliber.

 

[kirkcdl]

Lots of 9X18mm Mak ammo out there

 

[Redhawk1]

I am not letting the ammo shortage stop me from buying a gun. Ammo will become available once everyone gets there stash built up.

Also if you look around, you will find 380 ACP, cor-bon has some as was well as buffalo bore ammo.

 

[Claude Clay]

why not reload?

 

[harmon rabb]

someone needs to release a little concealed carry gun that shoots a 9x18 mak. the ammo is available everywhere and it's weak enough to work in a pure blowback gun (e.g. my cz-82).

 

[jackstinson]

someone needs to release a little concealed carry gun that shoots a 9x18 mak.

Someone did...in 1964.
The surplus Polish Radom P-64 is basically the same size as a PPK/s...but a tad thinner. They carry one 9x18 round safely in the chamber and 6 rounds in the magazine. J&G Sales has them for $159 each. Mine was made in 1976 but arrived to me essentially a brand new gun, with deep bluing (the photo below does not do it justice) and no indication it had been used. It shoots quite well, is surprisingly accurate, and cycles Hornady XTP's 100%. Brown Bear FMJ ammo is about $9.95 a box of 50 and easily available from many sources.
Contrary to what was posted earlier, .380acp ammo IS NOT readily available these days. Unless you count the CCI Blazer FMJ currently at C-T-D for $59.95 per 50! I currently have .380acp on back-order with 5 different sources...and am hoarding the 4 boxes I have on hand.
Consequently, my P-64 gets shot a whole lot more these days than my PPK/s.
The downsides to the P-64? Some come with a heavy D/A trigger pull (mine didn't), they have a very light S/A pull, and some folks find the recoil to be harsh. Although I found the recoil on mine to be no more harsh than my Kel-Tec P3AT. Both trigger pull and recoil can be improved if necessary with aftermarket springs from Wolff. Recoil also seems to be improved with a nice set of Marschal wood grips.

 

[kludge]

I say, if she likes it, stick with the Bersa .380.

Ammo isn't THAT hard to find. Every time I go into WalMart they have a box.

 

[jackstinson]

Ammo isn't THAT hard to find. Every time I go into WalMart they have a box.

There are many .380acp shooters who would disagree with this.
Out of curiosity, I went to five Walmarts last weekend and found nearly bare shelves in all of them.
I suppose your statement is true as written: "Every time I go into WalMart they have a box." I did see 7 boxes of assorted ammo on a 3-shelf case 20 feet long...so I guess they did "have a box"...not a box of .380, but "a box" at least (four boxes of .22LR, one of 30-06 and two of .38 Special).
I haven't seen a box of .380acp in a gun store around here for over two months. I can buy 9mm and some other rounds locally, but not .380. Online sources generally show "not in stock"...have a look.
Please, let us know where all this .380acp is available, so we can buy some.

 

[modifiedbrowning]

Libshooter, try these links.
www.bersafirearmsusa.com
www.bersatalk.com