So I want a 32acp. Can't decide Beretta or Bersa

[SteelyNirvana]

So I've been wanting a 32acp for sometime now. I don't know why, but after many years of wanting one I think I'm finally gonna break down and by one. I don't want a caliber war to get started, I know what the .32 is and isn't. I was in the local shop a few days back and they have a few Beretta 81's and a couple of Bersa Thunder's in .32. I want something that is accurate and will run with no hiccups if I do my part. Which would you choose?

 

[Walkalong]

I have never fired, or even held, the Bersa, but I can highly recommend the Beretta 81. Mine is a police trade in. Plenty of blue wear, but super clean inside. It shoots great. Hitting a 10" steel plate at 25 yards is easy, as long as you don't yank the trigger.

 

[Robbins290]

nice pistol

 

[wrench]

Never fired a Bersa in .32, but I had one in .380, and a buddy has one in 9mm.
Both of those are reliable, easy to shoot pistols.
The Beretta Bobcat....has some issues. I had a blued one, frame cracked and jammed it up in under 300r. Sent it back to Beretta, they 'repaired' it, and sent it back, broke again in two magazines.
The stainless ones are supposedly more durable. So I bought a stainless one.
It's OK, kind of heavy for a .32.
Sold it and got a Keltec P32. That one was reliable, great little pocket gun. Had it for a couple of years, sold it and defected to the Ruger LCP when it came out.
The LCP is staying.

 

[iLikeOldgunsIlikeNewGuns]

I've owned a Beretta Tomcat in .32 for over 5 years now, and it has never let me down. Not a single failure in 600+ rounds (I'm actually kinda surprised about that), and at 30 feet it's playing-card accurate. It's not boat-anchor heavy, but I like that it does have a little weight to it considering its size, I can empty the 7+1 rounds one-handed into a softball sized group pretty rapidly at 20-25 feet. Very fun little pistol, and anyone with arthritis can load it, as the tip up barrel makes it unnecessary to chamber via racking the slide. I also like the thumb-safety on it, I carry a 1911, so for me, the same motion drops the safety on both my primary carry and b.u.g. Very happy with it, have owned it since before the lcp and bodyguard existed, haven't been compelled to rush into a new backup gun just yet.

 

[bannockburn]

I had a Beretta Model 83 some time back and used it primarily as my HD gun. Reliable to the Nth degree and accurate enough for its intended purpose, I think one of these in .32ACP would make for a fine choice in that caliber.

 

[usp9]

You may want to include the CZ83 into your mix. Accurate and fun to shoot. The Sig P230 is also chambered in .32acp... hard to find but a really nice pistol.

 

[fpgt72]

What about the old man of the group, 1903 colt?

 

[berettaprofessor]

Does anyone ever read the original post?

SteelyNirvana, the Beretta 81 will be the more reliable and accurate of your two choices.