Bersa .380. Not bad.

[Silent Rifleman]

I picked up this little guy today for cheap as a Truck/Carry pistol.

Bersa Thunder .380



Apparently it's a Walther PPK clone of some sort, but I was really impressed with the fit and finish. It's the Duo-Tone model with an aluminum alloy frame. The mag has an extended floor plate that gives your pinky a nice place to rest.

I took it out and shot it a this afternoon, no malfunctions, and it seemed to be accurate enough for what it was designed for. It also has a fairly large tang on the back to prevent slide bite. The muzzle flip was noticeable, but not out of line for it's size. The white dot sights are VERY nice for a pistol of this size.

Good things:

Very nice fit and finish and a handsome pistol to boot.

Accuracy seemed to be adequate ( this coming from a horrible pistol shooter)

Thin and light

Nice sights

Very safe to carry with a manual safety that's also a decocker, a mag safety, and an exposed hammer

Bad things:

The trigger pull on DA has about an inch of travel and is different enough to throw you off on the followup shot in SA. SA trigger pull has a small amount of creep, but fairly light.

I don't like the magazine safety( wont' fire without a mag in it )

Grips are pretty cheap.

This isn't some fancy high dollar pistol, but for the money, it is beyond my expectations.

 

[Deaf Smith]

And it works as good as those pricey .380s you see.

Yes I got one, very slightly used, nickle, tight and shoots strait. Paid $236, tax included.

And while I'm a Glock man, I'm keeping this little gun.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Very few people who own these Bersas seem to complain about them. I rather fancy a Thunder 9 compact, but at this time it does nothing my current lineup won't do.

 

[BP Hunter]

I also bought a Duo Tone Bersa .380 for my wife last week. I took it to the range to get the feel of it with its fire running. I was impressed with its quality, accuracy, natural pointing and light recoil. It definitely felt like a few hundred $$ more than the $275 I paid for brand new. For its price and quality, I would recommend every gun owner to own one.

 

[DougW]

My 2 have been perfectly flawless for 9 years now. Always work well.

 

[JimKirk]

Bought my wife one about 3 years ago, she loves it and shoots it very well too, better than me... We've shot about 400 rounds of Alum. Blazer and Remington UMC without any problems what so ever. It is very accurate too. Double action is quite stiff, but single action is very nice.

Jimmy K

 

[W L Johnson]

Paid $200 for a new two-tone about 3 years ago. It is still one of my favorite handguns, fits my hand like no other and shoots flawless. I think Bersa is the best value in guns today. Their normal finish may not be the best but they put their money into making sure you have a good reliable gun.

Try to find their short barrel 22, you can find the long barrel model all day long, but the short barreled one seems to be hard to get. It looks and feels exactly the same as the 380. Everybody whom I have let shoot it at the range has been caught trying to put it into their range bag.

 

[md7]

these pistols are really nice. i do not have one YET, but oh i will! i hear only good things about this little gun. congratulations on a nice pistol.

 

[maroast]

It's a nice pistol for the money (I paid $220 OTD new a few years ago). I REALLY dislike the .380 caliber in a pistol this "large". Low capacity, single stack that just feels anemic and is expensive to shoot.

I rarely shoot the pistol these days....It sits in my center console 24-7 with 3 loaded mags of Speer Gold Dots....

 

[bikerdoc]

Great gun. Mine has been flawless, goes bang every time, and eats anything I feed it.

Has a place in my EDC rotation, depending on dress and destination.

Good price ! Glad your happy

 

[m2steven]

I agree that the Bersa 380 is one of the finest handguns made regardless of price. I got mine for 209.00 plus tax 2 years ago and it still looks new. I've probably now got 1000 rounds through it and it's never blinked. It's quite comfortable to shoot too in comparison to some 380s.

Probably the best bang for the buck i've got out of a handgun. I think my next pistol will be a bigger Bersa, just to see if it runs in the family.

 

[Fastcast]

I agree that the Bersa 380 is one of the finest handguns made regardless of price. I got mine for 209.00 plus tax 2 years ago and it still looks new.

Not exactly!......I looked over the Bersa closely before buying a Beretta 84 and the Bersa is truly a fine gun for the selling price but it's NOT in any stretch of the imagination in the same league as the Beretta 84.

I'm very particular with my hard earned money and if I didn't think the Beretta was worth the difference, I would have bought the Bersa.

 

[DougW]

So now we are comparing the Thunder .380 to the Baretta 84?

 

[MedWheeler]

I like mine, too. Like was pointed out, it is a little larger than the "keychain" guns that are dominating the caliber. Makes it easier to shoot, and harder to conceal. Mine is pretty much my EDC gun, worn in an IWB holster sandwiched between my belt and pants. Enjoy yours, and check out more chat on these guns at bersatalk.com..

 

[Lonestar49]

So now we are comparing the Thunder .380 to the Baretta 84?

...

Good call, lol

MINE MINE MINE!!! (kids with their toys)


Ls

Ps.. congrats to the OP's great, on a "not overpriced" - "dependable 380acp investment"

 

[Fastcast]

So now we are comparing the Thunder .380 to the Baretta 84?

...

Good call, lol

MINE MINE MINE!!! (kids with their toys)


Ls

Ps.. congrats to the OB's great, not "overpriced" "dependable 380acp investment"

Only to keep things into perspective gentlemen.

I'm sure there are people reading here on THR that are first time gun owners or considering their first handgun, researching, gathering info etc. that will think the Bersa is best .380 one could buy, regardless of price, after reading some of these comments.

Believe what you want but the fact is the Beretta, Sig, Browning, Colt, Walther & CZ are more expensive for a reason.

 

[MICHAEL T]

My bersa has given me 5 trouble free years It will shoot with my Interarms PPK/S and has way better trigger than a PPK/S Might nor be as nicely finished but has ate every brand of 380 ammo Ive fed it I have Corbon DPX for carry.
For all your Bersa needs http://bersatalk.com We have holster makers grips factory mag links and giveaways Be sure to join and watch for my April surprise. planed for Easter week end

 

[harmon rabb]

it's a PPK clone, except more reliable and with a better trigger

i love mine.

 

[Nasty]

I went to the other end of the line and have a Bersa UC 45 in stainless...reliable, accurate and pretty good looking to boot. A great CCW piece for anything near it's price range.

Yes...expensive extra mags...but still worth it!

 

[sixgun MAK]

Mine has been flawless.

The main reason for the price, Bersa doesn't advertise, so they can keep the prices low.

 

[group17]

Use a fluorescent yellow marker on the white dot of the barrel sight for easier target pick up. Yellow between white circles, Works great!

 

[thunder173]

Have had Beretta's and Walthers. Great guns no doubt. Wish I still had them. But,...I have 3 of the Bersa's/Firestorms now. Although not the finest jewelled finish,....they are a highly underated gun. They work very well,...and seem to hold up as well.. They are not expensive,..and I'll admit they don't look expensive. Ya want pretty. Buy pretty. But the Bersa's work just fine thank you.

 

[Lonestar49]

Only to keep things into perspective gentlemen.

I'm sure there are people reading here on THR that are first time gun owners or considering their first handgun, researching, gathering info etc. that will think the Bersa is best .380 one could buy, regardless of price, after reading some of these comments.

Believe what you want but the fact is the Beretta, Sig, Browning, Colt, Walther & CZ are more expensive for a reason.

...

Ref: Beretta 84/85 aprox. 645.oo NIB 380acp

Fair enough let's keep things in perspective

Go over to the Beretta Forum and search/read about "first time buyers" and their choice of the far more expensive (very good looking) 84's 85's 380's and what their complaints are:

Too hard to rack all the time, does it ever loosen up..?

DA trigger pull is so long and hard..

Safety is so stiff very hard to use, does it ever loosen up..?

My favorite: "I put safety on, trigger does not work, as it should, but when I put the lever back down, red dot clearly showing, the trigger will not engage, what's up with that..? (their safety lever/mechanism is tricky) and that's why, after awhile, (when none of the action loosens up) many first time, or low time, gun owners just sell them.

Bought the gun for me and the wife, she hates it, can't rack it, let alone engage the safety on, or off without grief.. too stiff..

And: God help ya IF your gun needs any Warranty work for the 2, or if one doesn't read the fine print, register it within 30 days of sale/take-home or you forfeit the 3yr, 1yr extended warranty..

Not to mention, calling their CS to get a live voice and wait on hold for a long long time, only to be told, send it in on your dime (55 dollars) next day air UPS or Fed Ex.. And only if your lucky, will they offer to send you a Fed Ex packing slip, but you have to win their lottery draw to get that..

Then the best part: the long wait, 3 weeks, don't hold your breath, 1-3 months is what one should be prepared for, let alone, a good chance of after the long wait, only to get one's gun back with a letter.. "gun found to be within factory specs" no change, no fix, and one just spent an additional 55.oo dollars on top of the 645.00 dollars one spent on a NIB 84/85..

That's for any readers thinking about buying one, as a first time buyer or a gun both man and woman can share..

So you're right, one does/can get what he pays for.. plus some more..

I agree with you, research, read, find out before buying one of these classic looking gems, as they are beautiful, striking, but all around ease of function is not their shining asset..

From the very beginning I always admired their looks but never bought one for just 2 of the reasons I mentioned, as price was not the problem for me, but the items mentioned were, along with, at the time, the unknown negatives about their CS a/o warranty negatives that, as I said, just go to the Beretta Forum and search and read about CS/warranty with BUSA and, like this thread, all post are positive about Bersa 380's and only yours was not based on your interpretation of what other's positive statements "meant" and, based on that, this is my take, knowledge, read, persoanlly felt (testing any NIB 84/85 I've tested personally) and garnered over the last 3yrs out of the Beretta Forum.

It is the same in reverse about all the post that are negative about first time owners of 84/85 380 guns and BUSA/CS and handling (honoring) their 2 - 3 yr warranty on their "civilian" marketed guns as they're really only dedicated to their Military M9 market and supporting it full time.. the rest of the left-over civi (civilian owned) problems are, well, nothing short of piece mill..(to BUSA) and just be forward.. God help ya (to the unsuspecting "first time/low time" buyer)

It's all there in print/testimonials that as the saying goes: "a thousand fly's cannot be wrong.."

There's the perspective, fair and balanced, for any to read and garner the good, on your part, (the beauty of the gun, we both agree), but the functioning or warranty of the gun is hardly worth that kind of hard earned money IF the new, first time, low time, gun buyer doesn't know what to look for, feel, test, and research.. or thinks, or needs, that the gun needs to go back to BUSA (on their $55.oo dime) and I agree, some guns are more expensive "for a reason", and not always for the better..

OMMV,


Ls

 

[DAdams]

The only problem I have ever had with mine, a couple of screws that tend to loosen and fall out from shooting. Rear sight and grips.
LocTitem or make sure after each shooting you check to make sure they are secure.


Truck Gun


Two magazine types available


First time out at 7 yards.

 

[NMGonzo]

I love mine, and it fits me better now that I got the BERSA wood grips.

1000 rounds in a year.

Never failed me.

Just noticed; I spent more money on ammo in a year than on the weapon itself.