Is my Bersa supposed to do this?

[Stand_Watie]

I bought a new Bersa (thunder 380) last weekend and put a box of shells through it. I loaded the full magazines fairly gently, pushed them in until it clicked and then pulled the release to let the slide forward. Today I pushed a magazine in vigorously and the slide release automatically. I tried it again, gently and the slide didn't release until I pulled the slide release. Push it in there hard and the slide goes forward automatically again. It's consistent, put it in gently - no slide release until I pull it manually, vigorously and it releases automatically.

A malfunction or is it designed to do that?

 

[Lobotomy Boy]

Try inserting a magazine with the decock/safety lever in the fire position.

 

[BigRedBowtie]

I'd guess that the inertia of slamming the magazine home is either causing the slide to release it's spring pressure off the slidelock, or the slidelock is remaining at rest as the rest of the weapon is moving upward, effectively releasing the slide... Then again, maybe it's supposed to do it.

 

[WarMachine]

I have heard and seen this happen on other guns before, sometimes it is consistant, sometimes not. Guns like the H&K Mark 23 SOCOM seem have this feature built in. Other guns, like my Ruger P89 seem to drop the slide during a firm reload sporadically (off and on).

As long as the hammer is not following the slide down, I wouldn't think that your pistol has any serious mechanical defects. I don't personally own a Bersa myself, otherwise I would check to see if my pistol did the same as yours. Shoot Safe

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

My USP40 does it consistently. My wife's Bersa doesn't though.

 

[railroader]

My buddy had a bersa that did the same thing. Mark

 

[davidtdm]

Mine does it also. Lite mag insert the slide is locked back. Hard mag insert the slide slams forward.

my two cents

...dave

 

[horge]

As mentioned, it's just a matter of jiggling the slide free of the slide lock.

You can't do it with an empty mag, though, as the feeder platform ("follower") properly keeps the slide lock way up and jiggle-proof

There are many other pistols that allow this mag-slap reloading trick, and there are some pros and LEO's here in the Philippines who do it routinely to save reloading time (vs. leaving a round in the chamber).

Anyways, with the Thunder 380, it's a heck of a lot easier to do with the 9-round mags, because they have nice, flat bottoms to distribute the impact across the palm (although the 9-rounders can and will bite you on reload, or snag-up on release, if you're not careful).

The trick/procedure is given VERY cursory description near the bottom of this page:
Bersa Thunder 380 : Instructions on Use



***
horge

 

[Stand_Watie]

One can insert a fresh magazine and slap it upwards, which jimmies the slide free of its locked position.
The slide rushing forward will then chamber a cartridge from the magazine

Excellent! I feel a lot better about that Horge (and everybody else) now. It seems like this would possibly be a tactical advantage in terms of speed.

That is one slick website BTW, I bookmarked it.

 

[jval]

It is suposed to operate that way. When you empty one mag, the slide locks back. Then when you "slam" another mag in there, the slide moves forward and you're ready for the next shot. I have the 380 and a Glock 22. They both work that way.