Lennyjoe
Member
I noticed a few interested parties on another thread about the .45 Bersa I acquired from another THR member last month. So I will give everyone here the 411 on the pistol in my eyes.
First off, I love my Kimber. No question its the most reliable accurate .45 I own. I originally purchased a 24/7 as an impulse buy. After a couple of months I couldnt get used to the DAO trigger and eventually sold it.
I ran into a fella here (you know who you are) who wanted to depart with his Bersa so I offered a trade for my Kel-Tec .380 (don't worry, I plan on getting another one shortly).
I have had the Bersa Mini-Firestorm for the last month or so and have put 600 rounds thru it. Both reloads and factory185, 200 +P and 230 ball ammo. All have fired exept 1 reload that didnt have the primer seated all the way (my fault).
Lets get into the design of the gun.
The frame is an all metal design with accessory rail. The trigger guard is large enough to accommodate gloves if need be. The grip sleeve is plastic with checkering and finger grooves. Its a great fit for my hand. I just wish it was rubber instead of plastic but the grooves keep the grip in place with sweaty hands.
The slide. Stainless matte finish. The barrel is a bit tough to get out when you break it down due to the tight fit. The slide itself is pretty easy to tear down as far as firing pin cleaning is concerned.
The trigger. Its pretty darn good in my eyes. Not the sweet pull you feel with a Kimber, but its pretty smooth. The DA trigger is pretty heavy but you can still keep the sights online thru the complete trigger pull. The SA trigger is pretty close to my Kimbers trigger feel. Light and crisp.
Magazines. You get one with the purchase. Others cost $39 (online) and $45 at gunshows. Pretty pricey for this pistol but they all come with finger extensions which add comfort to the grip. The mags hold 7 rounds. You can have one in the pipe and 7 in the mag without any problems as far as shooting and feeding is concerned.
Sights. The rear sight is white outline and the front is white dot. The sights are easy to pick up in low light and are also easy to aim with. No complaints about the sights other than I would like night sights for CCW.
Barrel. The barrel is 3.25" and has a coating on the outside to deter wear and rust. The feed ramp is smooth and chamber is tight.
Holsters. Not much out there for the .45 model. For that matter, I dont remember seeing too much for the Mini-Firestorm at all. I carry mine in a Safariland IWB holster designed for a Glock 19. I think the one for the 26 would of been better due to length of the leather but the extra inch helps keep the lint out.
Now as far as accuracy goes. I can obtain 3" groups at 15yds all day long with this pistol. It seems to like 185 and 200gr bullets the best. No failures to feed or anything.
Overall, I give this pistol a 9 out of 10. I have no plans on parting with this pistol in the near future. Most likely it will get an M-5 light installed and ride in a secure location in the bedroom. For now, when I give the Kimber a break from daily carry, the Bersa takes its place.
BTW, I seen them for sale at the last gunshow for $295. In my eyes, its well worth the price. Especially for a lefty like me.
First off, I love my Kimber. No question its the most reliable accurate .45 I own. I originally purchased a 24/7 as an impulse buy. After a couple of months I couldnt get used to the DAO trigger and eventually sold it.
I ran into a fella here (you know who you are) who wanted to depart with his Bersa so I offered a trade for my Kel-Tec .380 (don't worry, I plan on getting another one shortly).
I have had the Bersa Mini-Firestorm for the last month or so and have put 600 rounds thru it. Both reloads and factory185, 200 +P and 230 ball ammo. All have fired exept 1 reload that didnt have the primer seated all the way (my fault).
Lets get into the design of the gun.
The frame is an all metal design with accessory rail. The trigger guard is large enough to accommodate gloves if need be. The grip sleeve is plastic with checkering and finger grooves. Its a great fit for my hand. I just wish it was rubber instead of plastic but the grooves keep the grip in place with sweaty hands.
The slide. Stainless matte finish. The barrel is a bit tough to get out when you break it down due to the tight fit. The slide itself is pretty easy to tear down as far as firing pin cleaning is concerned.
The trigger. Its pretty darn good in my eyes. Not the sweet pull you feel with a Kimber, but its pretty smooth. The DA trigger is pretty heavy but you can still keep the sights online thru the complete trigger pull. The SA trigger is pretty close to my Kimbers trigger feel. Light and crisp.
Magazines. You get one with the purchase. Others cost $39 (online) and $45 at gunshows. Pretty pricey for this pistol but they all come with finger extensions which add comfort to the grip. The mags hold 7 rounds. You can have one in the pipe and 7 in the mag without any problems as far as shooting and feeding is concerned.
Sights. The rear sight is white outline and the front is white dot. The sights are easy to pick up in low light and are also easy to aim with. No complaints about the sights other than I would like night sights for CCW.
Barrel. The barrel is 3.25" and has a coating on the outside to deter wear and rust. The feed ramp is smooth and chamber is tight.
Holsters. Not much out there for the .45 model. For that matter, I dont remember seeing too much for the Mini-Firestorm at all. I carry mine in a Safariland IWB holster designed for a Glock 19. I think the one for the 26 would of been better due to length of the leather but the extra inch helps keep the lint out.
Now as far as accuracy goes. I can obtain 3" groups at 15yds all day long with this pistol. It seems to like 185 and 200gr bullets the best. No failures to feed or anything.
Overall, I give this pistol a 9 out of 10. I have no plans on parting with this pistol in the near future. Most likely it will get an M-5 light installed and ride in a secure location in the bedroom. For now, when I give the Kimber a break from daily carry, the Bersa takes its place.
BTW, I seen them for sale at the last gunshow for $295. In my eyes, its well worth the price. Especially for a lefty like me.
