Bersa

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B J Elliott

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I just purchased a new Bersa Thunder .380 and have not fired it yet. My very first impression so far is that is seems to be very light but sorta seems to be just cheap. I know, having not fired it yet and all but the metal seems to be of cheap quality or something. Am I wrong here. Any comments would help. Thanks.
 
Mine works just fine. Accurate, light, easy to use.

When people usually say "cheap" they mean "I wanted something else."

If you want a three pound solid steel block made by Caspian, LesBaer or whoever ... buy that? As is, in a Bersa you get a lightweight shootable and concealable handgun. Sorry if I sound harsh, but I do get that feeling at times when people describe their gun as "cheap."
 
It's not a bad little gun. I got mine new at $210.00. For what I paid for it about 4 years ago, I got my money's worth. The mag. capacity is small. Bersa makes an improved model w/ a double stack mag now.

chuck
 
I have a Bersa 95 in .380, a similar pistol. I've put a lot of rounds downrange. The only issue I've had is a grip screw fell out.

I quit counting rounds fired after the first 1000 or so.

The gun is accurate due to a fixed barrel (blow back action). It is low powered as in 95 hard ball can just make it to the thin side of a 2x4 which is 1.5" thick.

I recently ordered a 442-1 J frame in .38 +P. I wanted a bit more power and concealability even at the expense of lower round count.

Don't feel bad about buying a Bersa, it is a fairly inexpensive pocket auto that works and will fire a lot of rounds with out breaking. If this is what you could afford and would fit your carry profile, you didn't do too bad. I'll never get rid of mine. Any gun you have beats any gun you didn't bring.

Clutch
 
I have a Bersa Thunder 380 CC. I can honestly say that it does not feel cheap at all. The machine work is clean and it looks good. I have asked my friends to guess what I paid for it, the average guess is $500. I think it is ALLOT of pistol for the money.

I was weary of the pistol for what I paid for it, but it has proven itself a winner.
 
I am feeling a lot better after all these positive posts, can't wait to go to the ole range. Thanks everyone..
 
Fun gun to shoot, but .380 ammo is pricey.

Nice size for CC on the belt, but 9mm compacts are no bigger.

For pocket carry, J-frames are smaller and offer bigger bullets.

Regardless, I'm not looking to part with my Bersa Thunder .380.
 
If it's going to be your carry weapon, try to stay away from Fiocchi JHP rounds because their bullet is jagged, and stick with Speer Gold Dots as the bullet is rounded and they will cycle through your gun, but ALSO THE MAGAZINE reliably. My experience with Fiocchi HPs were terrible in my BT380. FTFs, and magazine failures galore.

Also, the gun is manufactured to pretty tight specifications, and while your mileage may vary, it will NEED a break-in period of up to 500 rounds. Again, UP TO. As you shoot the gun more and more, you'll see the slide and feed ramp begin to show signs of where most of the "traffic" is as it cycles the rounds.

Otherwise, once you've let the gun "grow up a bit" it's a great shooter, with very decent accuracy.
 
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The only trouble I have with mine is when you remove the mag if you look at it wrong, the slide will slam closed. I think it has something to do with the slide release being worn. No, I don't use the release to close but it has worn over time. Wish this was something I could repair.
 
You wanted a chevy but bought a yugo.

And yes, I have owned a Bersa before. Broke twice, fixed twice and got rid of it. And Bersachat doesnt tolerate anything but raving and glowing reviews. They slam any kind of honest negative feedback.
 
I can give honest POSITIVE feedback. The Bersa Thunder 380 is one of my three main carry guns, the others being .357 snubbie and .45 acp semi-auto. I thoroughly enjoy shooting mine at the range, and it's by far the most accurate semi-auto that I own. I am not sure why you think it reeks of cheapness. Mine has swalled thousands (at least 3000, possibly more) of rounds of everything from Wolf to Speer Gold Dots. Maybe one -- ONE -- FTF in all the time I've owned it (about 6 years). It's very easy to disassemble and clean and, for the same reason, very easy to replace parts and -- most importantly -- to understand how it works. I think it's reliable, good quality, and (caliber wars aside) trust it as a carry pistol.

Every brand of gun has its lemons, including Bersa. But you'll find lots of fans here, and with good reason.
 
A lot of people seem to like them, but I think that has a lot more to do with the price than the quality.
Click to expand...

They're pretty well made and have nice triggers. They're great little shooters. My wife's carry gun to be (as soon as her permit arrives) is a Bersa Thunder I've had for a while, and I own 30+ guns and am in a financial position to buy her whatever carry gun she would like. The Bersa works for her. I'm happy with that. There are some modern 380 jhp loads that fully expand and get 12 inches of penetration.
 
They're pretty well made
Click to expand...

...I would say that is an overstatement. Their fit and finish is not what you would find on a high or even a mid-grade firearm. The materials that go into them are not of high quality, hence their low cost.
 
Looked at one years back, when they first hit the market. Heard the glowing reviews and low price so decided to take a look.

No love here, wasn't really impressed and it appeared the cheap price was in accordance with what I was looking at. At least to my eyes. Maybe they've improved since, don't really know because I never cared to give one a second look. Saw enough then.

Bought a Beretta 84 instead and glad I decided not to make price the deciding factor. Bersa was $200 then, Beretta $500 so yea not really a fair comparison but when shooting .380 it's not the price of the pistol but the ammo so you might as well buy the best one you can afford. The extra $300 is long forgotten.
 
For a better made gun made from far better materials for about the same cost of a Bersa, get a Makarov.

E.German%20makarov.JPG
 
Bersa is a decent gun for the price, and quality is improving steadily though the only issues Ive ever encountered was that in some models the mag spring is weak, and if you load it w/ 7 like its supposed to be they may jam, so go w/ 6 or better springs.

My carry choice is a SIG, but im lookoing at a affordable pocket gun and im after the bersas in 40 and 45 for that
 
I have 2, the thunder and recently purchased a CC. The thunder is my wifes and the CC is mine for pocket carry. It is, I think, the best buy for the buck. It is light, accurate and VERY reliable. For self defense, I load mine with Hornady Critical defense ammo.

The Bersa is well worth your dollar. Enjoy it!
 
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