I feel it necessary to give some attention to a model that has received little notice. Of course, any handgun enthusiast would be doing himself a disservice if he hadn't studied up on Bersa. I believe them to be one of the best qualities in handguns today, but we all know that story. Today, I'd like to focus on the rarely-mentioned Thunder 380 Plus.
Why the "Plus"? Well, because this model holds 15 rounds in the magazine. Aside from the double-stacked mag, it's basically the same as its single-stacked brother.
I bought the 380 Plus awhile ago for use as a very close range protector. I have a full-size SIG for most uses, but the Bersa's small size and reputation appealed to me. Plus, the girlfriend is very comfortable with the Bersa, not so much with the SIG. Despite a wider grip, the gun is easy to tuck away with an IWB holster.
The specs can be found on Bersa's website: http://www.bersa.com/bersa-firearms/thunder-plus.html
Now, on to the good part. I fired indoors using Federal 95 gr FMJ. It's worth noting that these Federal rounds have noticeably more snap than the Remington UMC, but it's nothing unpleasant. True to the Bersa's purpose, I started firing at 5 yds, then 7, then 10, and finally 12. The small 3-dot sights do their job, but it's about what you'd expect on a small BUG.
Overall, I'm very satisifed. Shooting at a realistic pace at the head (no 10 second pauses or anything like that), the Bersa was consistent out to about 10 yds. At 12, pinpoint accuracy suffered but still managed to hit the head and upper chest region. It's worth noting that I suffered two malfunctions, a stovepipe and a FTF. I've included a picture of the magazine when I suffered the FTF. This is likely my fault, as I haven't cleaned or oiled the old girl in quite some time.
If you're on the fence about which small semiautomatic to get, I implore you to consider the 380 Plus. It's affordable, nice to look at, has little recoil, is easy to slip in the waistband, and feels great overall.
Why the "Plus"? Well, because this model holds 15 rounds in the magazine. Aside from the double-stacked mag, it's basically the same as its single-stacked brother.
I bought the 380 Plus awhile ago for use as a very close range protector. I have a full-size SIG for most uses, but the Bersa's small size and reputation appealed to me. Plus, the girlfriend is very comfortable with the Bersa, not so much with the SIG. Despite a wider grip, the gun is easy to tuck away with an IWB holster.
The specs can be found on Bersa's website: http://www.bersa.com/bersa-firearms/thunder-plus.html
Now, on to the good part. I fired indoors using Federal 95 gr FMJ. It's worth noting that these Federal rounds have noticeably more snap than the Remington UMC, but it's nothing unpleasant. True to the Bersa's purpose, I started firing at 5 yds, then 7, then 10, and finally 12. The small 3-dot sights do their job, but it's about what you'd expect on a small BUG.
Overall, I'm very satisifed. Shooting at a realistic pace at the head (no 10 second pauses or anything like that), the Bersa was consistent out to about 10 yds. At 12, pinpoint accuracy suffered but still managed to hit the head and upper chest region. It's worth noting that I suffered two malfunctions, a stovepipe and a FTF. I've included a picture of the magazine when I suffered the FTF. This is likely my fault, as I haven't cleaned or oiled the old girl in quite some time.
If you're on the fence about which small semiautomatic to get, I implore you to consider the 380 Plus. It's affordable, nice to look at, has little recoil, is easy to slip in the waistband, and feels great overall.
