Opinions On Bersa/firestorm Mini-9/mini 40?

[The Mighty Beagle]

Well guys, I know I’ve been on here asking a lot of questions about some high-end autos, and I certainly do appreciate your responses, but tonight at a pawn shop I fell in love with a Firestorm Mini 40. And I wasn’t the only one, the wife really, really liked it as well.

I’ve just never had a semi fit my small hand so well; the grip is a little fat, which I like, but is also rounded nicely with finger grooves that actually fit my small fingers like a glove. Kinda like that feeling you got when you first picked up a CZ.

And the balance was perfect, with the sights coming up darn near perfect when pointed instinctively. This gun uses the Glock-type sight set-up, just put the big white ball into the bright white square and squeeze. Very visible and easy to use for me.

I don’t know if the frame is alloy, steel, plastic, or what. It was just sort of dark black, and I couldn’t really tell where the grips ended and it began (it was only a cursory inspection before the shop closed). The gun had a tasteful nickel/chrome/whatever silver finish on the slide; everything else was black. Normally I don’t two-tones, but found it very tasteful and striking on this on.

The trigger was the only thing I wasn’t wild about. The DA was heavy, to be expected, but sadly the SA was also very heavy. The gun felt over-sprung. However, both pulls were very smooth and the SA, when it did break, went cleanly, almost crisply, and the fall did not slap my sights off target (which a heavily-sprung revolver sometimes does).

I feel that I could take this gun in 9mm (which they are getting in a few days) and really have a ball with it for plinking. But it’s just the size I wanted for my new CCW piece, and has a corresponding “heft†about it to dampen some recoil. This is the gun that’s “just right†for me. But ... which caliber makes it shine? Also, is it reliable? Lastly, how durable would it be? This is a great alternative to the cheaper Bersa .380 we had looked at.

Incidentally, we also looked at the Kel-Tec P11, which I found to be much less gun for only being 60 bucks cheaper. Upon inspecting it, I couldn’t get what I took to be the slide stop to work, so I had to pull back on the slide to get it to close into battery. Not impressed, I then realized that the mag. would not drop free, but had to be yanked as you depressed the mag. release button. Not a bad trigger, though. But bad grip and miserably tiny sights. My wife however liked the gun.

Anyway, thanks guys!

 

[bpisler]

If it's as good as the 2 bersa 380's if owned it should be a good deal.I saw a 45acp mini-firestorm in the feb 3nd shotgun news.

 

[priv8ter]

What I know

I agree with your opinion of the Firestorm Mini .40. It fits the hand wonderfully, and yes, it's trigger pull leaves something to be desired, especially compared to my H&K, the only other DA/SA I can compare it to based on my experience.

As to it's durability and reliability:

At the small gunstore/smith where I used to shop, both the owner and his wife carried the Mini .40. I can't think of a better recomendation this side of Col. Cooper.

 

[hksw]

Have a couple Mini9s. (Like the first one so much bought another.)

It is basically an indirect copy of the Walther P88. Not quite as nicely built but for less than 1/3 the price of a P88, quite understandable. As you've experienced, the DA pull is smoother than normal for a gun of that price and it was a factor in my buying one. The fact that it is a copy of the P88 was the big factor for me. I've put about 300 rounds through my first one without any problems at all. (I would have put more through it but other newer guns have since displaced my attention.) The frame is alloy.

Accuracy-wise, not top notch but about average. Nowhere near the P88 but this could be mainly due to the more loose tolerances. This, actually, is a benefit, IMO. The Mini has never failed to feed any ammo whereas the P88 has failed on ammo with less streamline bullets due (my guess) to the tight tolerances and fitment.

The minor drawbacks I've experienced and seen are that the gun occassionally gives me a hammerbite at the web of my shooting hand and the rear bottom edges of the slide are sharp. Like the P88, easiest gun to take down. With the gun unloaded, the mag ejected, and the slide in the fully forward position, just lower the takedown lever 90° clockwise. No button to push like a Beretta/Taurus 92 series, slide doesn't have to be lock back like a SIG P22X, no lining up of notches and levers like a 1911 or HK USP. Some may think that this could be a potential shortcoming when in hand-to-hand combat and the badguy takes down the gun in the scuffle.

As for durability, 300 rounds of 9mm is not a good indicator but the frame has held up OK. Better than a then new to the market Taurus PT908 I had bought and sold off in the early '90s.

In short, I like the Minis.

 

[The Mighty Beagle]

Thanks Ron and Priv8ter!

Ron, I much appreciate the detailed response about your experience with the gun. I too have seen used Tauri aluminum frames looking pretty ground-down. I can only hope the Mini has a better grade of aluminum, as I've decided I'm going to get it.

I just don't know which caliber yet ... I want the 9mm because it's more likely to be reliable and it would share the same ammo and snapcaps as my other 9's. I imagine I could get some .40 Mini mags and press them into service as hi-cap 9mm mags (I read about this on TFL a long time ago). It's not that I like the 9, I don't, it's just cheap to practice with.

OTOH I want the .40 because I personally feel that the larger bore would make a bigger impression on some badguy who's attacking me. It would kick more, be more expensive/inconvenient to practice with, and just be more gun in general. I wonder if it would kick prohibitively?

Which one should you guys recommend?

 

[priv8ter]

Since you asked

If it was me, I would go with the .40 S&W.

A few reasons:

One, I already own an H&K in that caliber.

Two, I think that as good as the Mini fits your hand, the .40's 'snappy' recoil would be fairly easy to control.

Three: I believe in using as big bore a bullet as your platform will allow(IF you can handle the recoil for a quick follow-up shot).

Greg

 

[2xTap]

I haven't had any experience with these mini's from Firestorm/Bersa but have heard good things about them. But I have had experince with Bersa's Thunder9, which is the original fullsize version of these mini's. As had been said about the mini's, and it equates to the Thunder9 particularly, it is a copy of the Walther P88. The Thunder9 was an excellent gun for the price and of those I know who own or had owned them, never had a problem with them. And if the quality of the original Thunder9, and Bersa's current crop of .380's is any example, these mini's should be quite the little gun.

2xTap

 

[Akurat]

It is now being offered in .45 if thats of any interest to you. (7+1) Their website has not been updated yet, but theyve been shipping for about 6 months.

I personally love my Mini 9. Well made gun for all of $300. About 400 rnds through it and not a single problem. Love the glock style sights... and it points very naturally. 40s&w mags as hi-caps for the 9

Whats not to like?

 

[The Mighty Beagle]

Akurat,

1. About how accurate is your Mini 9?

2. How many 9mm rounds will the .40 mags hold?

Thank you.

 

[Akurat]

Its no target pistol, but it does give decent groups for its size. Depending on the ammo, I can get anywhere from 2.5-3.5 inch groups at 10 yds. Corbon +p 115 and American Eagle 9mm give me the best (~2.5-3in) groups. Keep in mind that I'm no pro by any means so the gun could very well be more accurate in someone elses hands. Comparitively, my Beretta 92FS Centurion gives me 1.5-2.5 inch groupings at the same distance.

The .40 mags hold 13 rounds, the 13th (first round put in mag) is kind of iffy and can get hung up at the bottom sometimes, resulting in a bad feed for the 2nd or 3rd shot. Could be the ammo, I have to experiment more. I only go 12+1 for now.

Cya.