OP
OP
Elkins45
Member
It’s not for self defense. Just a pocket gun for around the farm.
Would you buy a Bersa Thunder 22?
- Thread starter Elkins45
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OP
OP
Elkins45
Member
I think that’s autocorrected for “heavy.”
Tallball
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Sure, if it's not too big or heavy. And if the trigger is okay.
It's an odd size bracket. Bigger than something tiny like a Bobcat (I can't hit anything with mine). Smaller than a (super accurate) 4" Ruger Mark.
You'd expect the accuracy to be somewhere in between.
I had an SR22 I always shot poorly. I can shoot my little HP22a pretty well. The Bersa is somewhere in that size bracket. If it fits the OP's hands well and the trigger is okay, why not?
It's an odd size bracket. Bigger than something tiny like a Bobcat (I can't hit anything with mine). Smaller than a (super accurate) 4" Ruger Mark.
You'd expect the accuracy to be somewhere in between.
I had an SR22 I always shot poorly. I can shoot my little HP22a pretty well. The Bersa is somewhere in that size bracket. If it fits the OP's hands well and the trigger is okay, why not?
KevininPa
Member
For a carrying around plinker that will fit your hand pretty good, buy one. I had the Firestorm version as well. One of the few I should have kept. The rounded trigger guard was more aesthetically pleasing to my eye. I'll have to check their updated website to see if the Firestorm line is around. I prefer my S&W MP22 Compact, and will even more when my suppressor finally comes in. But would gladly own both. I carried my Bersa/Firestorm in my back pocket in one of those leather pocket saving tool pouches on dog walks back then. Now my Zastava M70 rests there on walks. Break it in with warmer ammo.
I owned two of them over the years. They ended up as trading fodder but they didn't give me any issues. Well made, nice styling.
They were plenty accurate for me. All rounds fairly close together shooting at 25 yards indoors at paper targets. Maybe a 4 inch group.
Not awful for 250-350. I had an all black matte firestorm I bought here a few decades back, and a duo tone purchased face to face from armslist.
Wish I still had one or the other actually. I don't remember either of them choking on any of the ammo I tried.
I kept the duo tone and 3 mags secreted away as a basement stash gun. I trusted it to go boom and place rounds where I wanted them. Moreso a range gun and pest control option for me. But, 10 cci mini mags in a couple of seconds (zero barrel movement, no impulse during recoil just like most 22s) is not exactly hurling spitwads.
I think they're pretty neat. If I happened on the nickle model in the wild it might be round 3 with the bersa 22!
That said, the ruger sr22 and taurus tx22 didn't exist when I owned the bersas. They are likely better options (but NOT as cool looking!)
They were plenty accurate for me. All rounds fairly close together shooting at 25 yards indoors at paper targets. Maybe a 4 inch group.
Not awful for 250-350. I had an all black matte firestorm I bought here a few decades back, and a duo tone purchased face to face from armslist.
Wish I still had one or the other actually. I don't remember either of them choking on any of the ammo I tried.
I kept the duo tone and 3 mags secreted away as a basement stash gun. I trusted it to go boom and place rounds where I wanted them. Moreso a range gun and pest control option for me. But, 10 cci mini mags in a couple of seconds (zero barrel movement, no impulse during recoil just like most 22s) is not exactly hurling spitwads.
I think they're pretty neat. If I happened on the nickle model in the wild it might be round 3 with the bersa 22!
That said, the ruger sr22 and taurus tx22 didn't exist when I owned the bersas. They are likely better options (but NOT as cool looking!)
chicharrones
needs more ammo
In post #10, the Buckmark as seen is 37 ounces, the Bersa is 20 ounces, and the Beretta is 13 ounces. All with empty magazines in the guns.
The downsides to the Bersa .22LR is that it's not a red dot capable gun, and magazine availability is limited to when batches show up in the USA. If you see mags for sale, and you have a Bersa .22, snap 'em up.
OP
OP
Elkins45
Member
Midway has the magazines at this moment, just in case you need one. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1025129348
CajunBass
Member
I bought a Bersa Firestorm some years ago for my wife. She loved that little gun. It ran like a Swiss watch with CCI Mini-Mags but would choke with bulk pack Federal from Wally-World from time to time. We must have put thousands of rounds through it before she graduated to a Glock 19. She learned to shoot, clean, carry, when to shoot, and when not to with that little 22. Great gun. She sold it when she got the Glock and was sorry she did. She liked to shoot the 22.
Some years later, she thought she might like another one, but went with a Walther PPK/s instead. About the same thing really. Heavy DA trigger, but doable. S/A not bad at all. Ran great with CCI Mini-Mags and Stingers. Worked OK with Federal Bulk pack. Pretty much a toss up which was "better." They shot about the same for putting holes in paper. Maybe a slight edge to the Bersa for mag release location. It's a bit easier to reach than on the Walther, but it's not like the Walther isn't workable. Both are easy to strip down to clean and such.
Some years later, she thought she might like another one, but went with a Walther PPK/s instead. About the same thing really. Heavy DA trigger, but doable. S/A not bad at all. Ran great with CCI Mini-Mags and Stingers. Worked OK with Federal Bulk pack. Pretty much a toss up which was "better." They shot about the same for putting holes in paper. Maybe a slight edge to the Bersa for mag release location. It's a bit easier to reach than on the Walther, but it's not like the Walther isn't workable. Both are easy to strip down to clean and such.
no. i had a bersa thunder 380acp. the safety/decock lever sheared off one day while shooting. that unsettling incident plus slide bite (both known issues) had me swear off any bersa pistol forever. for 22lr hanguns i also had a s&w 316 and taurus 942 revolver, ruger lcp pistol, all gladly gone. my humble advice is get a ruger sr22 and a decent holster, load it with cci minimags or standard ammo, and carry it to your heart’s content.
Oh yeah dont use the safety as a decocker. Thats even a big No-No on the Walther PPK/PPKs. Lots of incidents of those safeties breaking from being used as a decocker though the years. Always Put the hammer down first before placing the safety on. My bersa 85 (old steel frame double stack) has been fine since the 90s after a many rounds (around 4,000 now) but I never use that safety as a decocker.
I doubt you will sheer off a safety from just shooting with the 22lr. Anything is possibly but the 22lr are very soft shooters compared to the 380acp. 380acp straight blowback Bersas with Aluminum frames can be a little violent/snappy. In 22LR they are fairly overbuilt. Steel slide isnt going to crack or wear out easily and the Aluminum frame is well strong enough for 22lr. There have been some incidents of the Aluminum frame cracking on the 380s though.. right side just above the trigger bar. People have to remember that the thunder 380s are aluminum framed blowbacks and that does not equate to a pistol that you can dump cases of cases of ammo through. Letting the slide slam home on an empty chamber isnt very good for it either. Bersa really needs to offer a version in steel frame again.
Ive seen 2 cracked slides over the past 20 years or so (both 380acp). Both at the front. I suspect it was just a flaw in the metallurgy from what I could tell. Straight blowbacks will typically crack at the front unlike locked barrel designs. Suspicion of a flaw in the metallurgy is because typically you will beat an aluminum frame to death before the steel slide ever cracks.
Shouldnt be an issue with the 22lr pistols though. As I said if anything they are overbuilt. Even with the 380 the major component failures are fairly rare given you dont try to kill the pistol with high round counts or Super Hot 380acp Ammo. You really need steel frames and stronger springs for that unless you get a pistol with a massive slide weight (Hi Point 380acp an example).
Be nice if Bersa would do another run of 32acp in the Aluminum frame Thunder. That would help quite a bit in terms of recoil and durability for high round counts. For anyone with a 380acp thunder. Try PMC 380acp 90 grain. Thats the softest factory load I know of and runs about the same cost of any other bulk ammo.
hi starling, i certainly suspect that you are correct about the bersa. my ruger sr22 is simply great for me so i cannot look at a bersa thunder 22lr pistol. bersa wouldn’t do anything about my broken thunder as i wasn’t the first owner. although i wouldn’t get a bersa in any current caliber, i am a sucker for 32acp pistols… there oughtta be a law: any 380acp pistol ought to have a 32acp twin.
LimaCharlie
Member.
Would you buy a Bersa Thunder 22?
I wouldn't, but you should.
I wouldn't, but you should.
people seem to like the Bersa from what I hear. I went for an older Ruger MK2 Standard instead, but that was a few years ago - and prices on all this stuff has gone through the roof. I'd look at the S&W Victory as well, also don't own, but people seem to review them well. There are others that people really like and can be found on the used market.
@jstert if you still have your bersa 380 with a broken safety here is your part..
THUNDER 380, FIRESTORM 380, AE, DLX SAFETY - Talon Distributing
talondistributing.com
Bersa is really good about selling parts and doesnt overcharge. For a while they were going through website and distributor changes and you had to call them but they have everything back online. I ordered parts from their old site and had no issues.
Yes I agree.. every 380acp should have a 32 counterpart and also every 22lr should also have a 25acp counterpart. That was how things use to be back in the not so distant past. Sure made selection of pocket autos a lot easier. A lot of that changed when everything went 380acp crazy. Now that all these manufacturers are kinda dumping 380acp pocket pistols its left a bit of a whole. At least Bersa offers the 22lr as a solid trainer for the 380acp then. I have no problems with people choosing the thunder 380acp for CCW. They have a lot going for them. Ergos are good, Adjustable sights, reliability etc. Durability is not the greatest with aluminum frames but people want light pistols. Being a simple blowback they are very reliable with a variety of ammo. Fixed barrel gives them excellent accuracy. Magazines are a very good design and I believe mecgar still makes mags for the bersa which is about as good as you can get. Simple blowbacks can be a little snappy sometimes but the trade of is better reliability. My advice has always been carry the 380 or 32 and practice most of the shooting with the 22lr. Bersa does make a 32acp version but for whatever reason not many ever come into the USA.
Nothing wrong with those SR22s. I am just not a fan of aluminum slides (at all) which is why i never jumped on the SR22. Also why I wont buy a Walther CCP 380 even though I like the gas delay design. Heres the thing though. If you like it and its reliable who cares. The ammo saving on 22lr basically zero out the cost of the pistol if you shoot a lot.
I also have a bit of a beef with Ruger on the LCP22 and their non fixed barrel on a simple blowback 22. Ruger charges a fortune for those pistols and my Sterling 302 and Jennings J22 with outshoot the Ruger LCP22 all day long both for me and my 11 year old son (shooting buddy now). Bonehead move #237 for Ruger (Im keeping track). Ruger keeps doing this wonky stuff Im going to start writing letters to them! Of Ruger made the LCP2 in 32acp and offered a version with a safety they would have one of the best pocket autos of all time. Same goes if the put a fixed barrel on the LCP22 and offered it in 25acp. Old timers with health problems and women CCWing a RIMFIRE for personal protection because the 380 is to uncomfortable should be an insult! Ive lost count of how many times I let these LCP 380 owners new to firearms shoot an inexpensive Raven P25 or Sundance Boa (both 25acp) and offer to buy it from me.
The difference between 380acp vs 32acp in tiny pocket autos is night and day though in terms of shooting comfort. I think 32 will make a comback but we really need a 32acp without that pesky rim in order to #1 utilize a better double stack and #2 Do away with any rimlock issues. A doublestack LCP2 in a 32auto with a reduced rim would like be 12-15 rounds capacity depending on magazine design and still remain VERY thin. Needs a safety though unless its a true DAO.
Anyways Apologies to the @Elkins45 for the derail. Back on point .. 22lr for the farm. Perfect choice when out and about. those adjustable sights on the thunder 22 are a major bonus because 22lr variations are all over the place. They will be extremely helpful when dialing in a particular load ....likely CCI minimags round nose copper plated. Those are one of the gold standards for reliability in pocket 22s. If you can run Federal Punch 22lr they are worth checking out. that website talondistributing.com above is you parts source. Never dryfire a rimfire of course. Seems like bersa has finally gotten it together as far as magazine availability and availability in general for the thunder 22. They use to be harder to track down. I will likely be picking one up for my 11 year old for his Christmas pistol this year in an attempt to pull him away from his rough rider a little bit. i think it will be a good pistol for you. being its a 22lr pocket up theres always the possibility you may have to tune it a little but it but I highly doubt it will be anything major just keep it clean. My last bulk order of CCI minimags copper plated round nose had so much wax on the bullets my son and I had to clean almost every stinking one of them. they have run in all my pocket 22s though 100%.
Oh one more thing. The Walther PPKs in 22lr looks nice but its made from ZAMAK. Shame on you Walther! You people are better than that. Calling that a PPK anything is an insult to arguably the most high quality and accurate 32/380acp pocket auto ever produced. I love me some cheap Zamak as much as the next guy but that pistol is ridiculous coming from them. Dont use the Walther Name or the PPK model designation to hoodwink the firearms community with that junk. No offense to you PPK/S 22lr owners here at highroad.
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