Makarov or Bersa Thunder .380

[briney11]

I'm going to the gun show tonight with the intent to buy. I don't have much so $300 is my top dollar. I know that I can get a Bersa with nice night sights for $299 at Sportsmans, but I will see if I can get a better deal at the gun show. (stop laughing) But then I thought that maybe I would get a Makarov(CZ-82 or whatever I can find). But I don't really know much about the differences. I only found one post on here about it that said the Makarov was better, but I would like more opinions. So what one would you choose and why?

 

[docnyt]

Well the Makarov PM has been tried and tested for decades. If you can find a nice Bulgarian, it will serve you well. Its cousin the East German is in my carry rotation.

 

[PabloJ]

Look for Russian Makarov with 12 shot capacity (some will have Klinton era 10-shot magazines). These are well worth seeking.

 

[Fastcast]

Makarov or CZ82!

 

[potmetal]

The Mak is steel, the Bersa is aluminum. The Bersa is, of course, lighter, but I think you feel the recoil a little more.
You can get the Mak in either 9x18, or .380. When ammo dried up awhile back, .380 was hard to find, but 9x18 was still available, though only at gun shops.
Magazines for the Mak are cheap and plentiful. Bersa mags are expensive from the factory. You have to buy ProMags to get cheaper ones, and I've heard mixed reviews on them.
Bersa is an active company with a good reputation for customer service. Maks are surplus guns and you will need to take it to your own smith for service, though they are pretty easy to work on.
I've got both and feel like they are both great guns. They are both reliable, accurate, and trustworthy. If someone hasn't said it already, buy both, you'll never regret it.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Makarov.
The only .380 Makarov is Russian (I have a couple).
If you can find a nice .380 (or 9x18) Makarov for $300, grab it. The Makarov price has and will continue to climb. I wouldn't be suprised that in a year the Makarov will be worth $100 more than you pay for it.

Personally, I would get the 9x18 Makarov instead of the .380.
The CZ83 is also a good .380 (and .32, 9x18) but way over $300.

The surplus CZ82 can be found in decent condition for about $250, but is 9x18, not .380.

As you can probably tell I'm a Makarov fan.

 

[potmetal]

That's an impressive collection!

 

[M2 Carbine]

That's an impressive collection!

Thanks. I have to redo the picture, I have more to add.

I was so impressed with my first Mak, years ago, that every time I went to a gun show I'd buy another one, since the price was so low.
Then when ever someone would shoot my Mak they wanted to buy it. Most times if I sold one I'd buy two more.

One thing about the Mak is many owners usually buy a second one, or more.

 

[mgmorden]

I'd go for the Bersa in .380 - just personally. I have a feeling that once the glut of surplus pistols dries up, 9x18mm Mak ammo is going to start to become less popular. Your long term ammo availability will look better for .380 than for 9x18mm (particularly with seemingly every manufacturer coming out with new .380's, and Maks' being pretty much a used-gun only proposition). I've got a CZ-82 myself and if I could trade it for one just like it that shot .380 instead, I'd make the trade in a heartbeat.

PS - What is the reason for buying? IMHO, unless you're going for concealed carry, a 9mm Luger gun makes a lot more sense than either .380 or 9mm Mak. More power, cheaper ammo. You can get the S&W Sigma guns in 9mm Luger for under $300 from Buds.

 

[harmon rabb]

Why do you want the gun? For carry, I say an actual Makarov. For range, a cz-82. I like both better than my Bersa Thunder (which itself ain't a bad gun)

 

[Fastcast]

I wouldn't worry about the availability of 9x18....I doubt the Russian cash cow of cheap 9x18 import is gonna dry up anytime soon.

Even if some political differences would halt the Russian imports....I seriously doubt S&B, Prvi and Fiocchi will all quit making 9x18...IMO

 

[harmon rabb]

Even if some political differences would halt the Russian imports....I seriously doubt S&B, Prvi and Fiocchi will all quit making 9x18...IMO

And if they did, an american manufacturer would pick up the slack. Maybe an outfit like Georgia Arms. A LOT of milsurp 9x18 guns are in the hands of american gun owners. There's always going to be a market for 9x18 ammo here.

 

[Fastcast]

There's always going to be a market for 9x18 ammo here.

Absolutely....Worrying about nothing I say!

 

[birddog]

I bought my Bersa Thunder in early 2004. It is one of three guns I carry frequently, and I still carry it frequently. It conceals well, is the most accurate small-frame semi that I have ever owned or shot, is a nice-looking weapon, and is very well made. I wouldn't trade mine.

 

[North Bender]

I vote Makarov but here's your article by Stephen Camp:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/MakarovBersa.htm

 

[schnarrgj]

I have the CZ82 and the Bersa. If the purpose is for carry, I would go for the Bersa. It is lighter,accurate and has a lifetime warrentee if ever needed. I love both the cz and the bersa but for carry its the Bersa all the way. As far as recoil, I do not see any appreciable difference. With the 380, you have more of a selection of carry ammo, and it is more widely available. With the CZ or the Mak, the ammo is cheaper but the selection and availability is a more limited. No matter which way you go, you should be well served by them all.

 

[briney11]

This will be for CCW.

 

[CZ57]

I voted Bersa. If you are not a handloader there is a much greater supply of .380 vs. 9X18 Mak. Factory loads are very comparable comparing the two. The addition of night sights favor the Bersa and it meets your price requirements.

 

[PabloJ]

I voted Bersa. If you are not a handloader there is a much greater supply of .380 vs. 9X18 Mak. Factory loads are very comparable comparing the two. The addition of night sights favor the Bersa and it meets your price requirements.

Just got back from ammo run at my favorite Walmart. A 100 pack of white boxed Winchester .380 FMJs is only $1 less then .45Auto. That truly sucks for .380 owners. I wonder how much would 9x19 Bersa cost as one can get brass cased ammo for about $11 per pack of 50.

 

[dashootist]

Voted Makarov: more collector value, shoots awesome 9x18 ammo, all steel, no wimpy aluminum, reliable heel mag release, better resale value, no ugly internal lock (S&W fans call it a "zit")

 

[WardenWolf]

I have shot both side by side. The Makarov has a better trigger, shoots a hotter (and less expensive) round, and is overall a much better gun. It IS a little heavier. But all things considered, the Makarov is much, much better. The double action trigger on the Bersa was BAD. I really don't know how to emphasize how awful it was. You just keep pulling and pulling, expecting it to break, and it gets to the point where you start having trouble pulling it because of the angle.

 

[briney11]

Thank you everyone for the replies. I went to the gun show tonight and handled about 5 of each. I just couldn't pull the trigger on either one of them. I used to have a Bersa and loved it but the ones that I picked up tonight all had crappy triggers. I think I may have been ruined by my Kimber. Amazing crisp trigger with almost no creep. The Makarovs were not much different. Very spongy triggers. Lot's of creep and heavy for their size as well. And then the one Mak that had a pretty nice trigger looked like crap.

 

[Fastcast]

CZ82 is what you're looking for!....By far the best trigger of the pistols you mentioned! Best overall pistol too. IMO

 

[dashootist]

I prefer some smooth creepage on my pistols, especially safe defense ones.

 

[Steve C]

The .380 ACP is a bit less powerful than the 9x18 Russian with the 9x18 being in between the .380 and a 9mm standard velocity. The typical military configured Soviet Block Makarov has very small sights and will be a bit larger than the Bersa. There are several inexpensive Com Block guns chambered for the 9x18 Makarov cartridge that would make as good a pistol, better for a home defense gun but as they are all ex military and police versions they're not as compact for concealed carry as a Bersa though they're certainly smaller than a full sized typical US or West European service pistol.

I really couldn't way which one would be better for your particular needs without knowing what your main intention is for the gun. For mostly a concealed carry gun I would think the Bersa has a slight edge due to size and wight. Depending upon your size and style of dress you may be able to conceal a Mak or Makarov chambered pistol easily. For a mostly house and car gun I'd look for a CZ82 with 12 round mag in the 9x18.