Suppressed Bersa

[Dan Forrester]

I need some advice from some of you Bersa experts. I’m looking for a good pistol to screw onto my beloved Gemtech Vortex II. http://www.gem-tech.com/vortex-2.html I’d like to explore the idea of a Bersa “thunder 22†in nickel with the “Thunder 22-6†barrel on it.

http://www.bersa-sa.com.ar/bersa.asp

So I have a few questions for you guys:

Can the Bersa thunder 22 be imported into this country? If so how much should I pay and where is a good place to order one?

If I purchase a nickel thunder 22, can I purchase the 6 inch barrel from the thunder 22-6 from Bersa at a later time? I know some firearm manufactures won’t cell certain special barrels to the public even though they are perfectly legal (like Rugers threaded 10/22 or Mark II barrels, or their standard couture 22 inch 10/22 barrel, or the beretta model 87 threaded barrel, which I’d really like to have).

My final question is what kind of safeties does this firearm have? I find internal, built in keyed safeties particularly repugnant (like on S&Ws, H&Ks, and the walter P-22).


Thanks in advance, Dan

 

[denfoote]

http://www.bersa-llama.com/llama_about.html

The .22RF version is not listed on the web site.
I question the legality of modifying a post ban weapon to an NFA regulated one.
Of course, you would know more about that subject than I!!

 

[RonGoode]

Is a surpressor a "silencer"?`

Never understood the difference.

 

[horge]

Well, there are (muzzle-)flash suppressors, and with a .22LR, there's less need for sound suppression (although for a handgun, well ...okay...)

Both the Bersa Thunder 22 and 22-6 have the usual manual safety on the slide, and a magazine disconnect safety. I'm not aware that they now have that wonderful integral gunlock of the latter 380's built into the frame.

The barrels are swappable, but if you can import the 22-6 outright, why not? There are US ads for mags and holsters for the Thunder 22 AND the 22-6, so the pistols must be available somehow.

Dunno 'bout US legal issues regarding alteration or even sound suppression
I don't live there

 

[Hkmp5sd]

I question the legality of modifying a post ban weapon to an NFA regulated one.

No legal problems with threading the barrel of a pistol. It will not make the pistol an AW or an NFA item. The suppressor is the NFA item.

Never understood the difference.

Suppressors and silencers are the same thing. Suppressor is a more accurate term because it suppresses the sound of the shot being fired. It does not "silence" the firearm to levels commonly seen in the movies. It can be surprising how much noise a suppressed firearm still makes.

 

[Dan Forrester]

denfoote: Thanks for the link, I’ll call on Tuesday

Horge: I’m not saying that they have the internal lock (I don’t know), I’m asking if they do. Internal safeties bother me quite a bit; I personally find the concept insulting. I’m not particularly fond of mag disconnect safeties either, but I can live with that. The Argentine web site doesn’t say anything about an integral gunlock so I’m wondering. This could be the deal breaker for me.

The reason I don’t go with the 22-6 outright is that the barrel will be cut down to about a half inch from the end of the slide, re crowned and threaded. In the process I will lose the front sight from the 6 inch barrel. If I purchase the thunder 22 it will have sights built into the slide and also I can get it factory nickel plated (very important to me, although I would prefer stainless)

Thanks, Dan

 

[71Commander]

Deleted for the better part of valor

 

[keederdag]

Why go with the Bersa? there are pleanty of excellent Beretta Jaguar's/70's around. They made a 6" version as well as a standard version. The later models have a slide mounted front sight, and still leave pleanty of barrel for threading. Even an earlier version would only require moving (re-sodering) the front sight farther back a bit; as the slide is cut to accomidate the front site. Unless you are stuck on DA/SA I'd simply find a nice Beretta. The 70's have a rep. of being allmost absurdly accurate (mine is) and also the added bene of being Historically Cool: The Massod used them/ uses them freaquently. Check out The Sword of Giddeon. Great Read.

 

[horge]

Dark Tranquility:

I understood that you were asking if the 22 or 22-6 had an integral gunlock, and I was indeed answering:

"I'm not aware that they now have that wonderful integral gunlock of the latter 380's built into the frame."

Things change pretty quickly in how BERSA's pistols are made/marketed, and I wish I could categorically state that BERSA isn't (going to soon be) installing gunlocks into the 22's, but then I never expected what they did to the 380's when they did it. Nor did I expect the Firestorm angle.


Good luck in your quest for a 'silenced' BERSA!

 

[Dan Forrester]

horge: I’ve got bad news for us. The integral gun lock is now standard on all Bersa pistols according to Import Sports Inc here in New Jersey. To make it even worse for me, nether the thunder 22, thunder 22-6, or even the 6†barrel can be imported into USA. I guess Bersa is officially out! Thanks for all the help horge.

keederdag: I love the Berettas. I have a little model 21 in .22lr with a threaded barrel and my suppressor spends most of it’s time on there. The gun is so small and the slide so light there’s very little mechanical noise associated with firing the weapon. I’d love to just have a larger version of that. My first thought was to buy a berretta model 87 cheetah (not the target gun) but I couldn’t find any extended barrels for it, and Beretta wont sell them in the USA. I’m short on time right now but will look into the Beretta Model 70 when I get a chance and start a new thread. Are there any other Beretta models that I should investigate?

Sword of Giddeon, I’ll take a look.

Thanks to all who responded. Maybe I’ll eventually just end picking up a Ruger Mark II and be done with it. I don’t think those have an integral locking device on them yet. Did I mention I hate those things .

Thanks, Dan