Bersa Thunder & Firestorm .380s

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I had an older model Bersa 380 and it was a very good handgun. Never had an issue with it.
 
We've had a couple and they have been very reliable. I like the single stack best as a carry gun. The ones we had ate any ammo we fed it, but I usually shy away from steel cased ammo so I never tried it in my guns.
 
Good guns. Mine is reliable. T380, single stack.
BTW, they are NOT PPK clones. They are more closely related to a CZ83 in .380acp. Totally different mechanics than a PPK.
 
I bought my Thunder 380 used in 2008, when I "came back" to firearms as an interest, and decided to carry again (I had stopped when I left LE nearly two decades earlier.) I was replacing a PPK/S I'd carried on and off the job, and had subsequently sold. I tried repeatedly, using several techniques, to get the Bersa to malfunction. I mixed up old and new ammo in the mags, ammo of various bullet profiles, tried to "limp-wrist" it, and went long runs without cleaning it. Nothing worked. It's definitely a gun with some true military DNA in it, having evolved from models used by Argentinian officers. Easy in hand and wallet, and shoots where I want it to.

I only stopped carrying it two years later when I came into a used PF9 for a hard-to-resist price. The Kel-Tec is easier to carry, though harder and less enjoyable to shoot. I still have the Bersa, which does admittedly lack resale desirability (so it's not likely to go anywhere anytime soon), and recently acquired a used .22LR version of it as well.
 
If the Bersa thunder had Ambi controls i would buy one in a minute. I looked at one a couple weeks ago and as a lefty it was a real cluster f to operate.
 
A Bersa 380 was the first handgun I ever purchased back in the late 80's. My Bersa didn't last a year before the hammer cracked where the pivot pin goes through it. I seem to be one of the few that have had bad experiences with Bersa's.
 
Bersa has quite a variety of models of their PPK clones: 7 or 8 or 15 rounds, different grips, sights, etc. Anyone have any strong feelings for or against the different variations? See link below for current options:
I EDC a Bersa Thunder 380. Standard model, not the CC version. Love the gun and the way it shoots. Got mine used and the inner rear sight blade was missing, the adjustable part. Figured I could get a new part if I wanted to and I saved a few bucks on the gun without one. Took it to the range to test its workability and reliability. Put 2 magsful (14 rounds) in a 4" circle at 20' with no inner sight blade so I figured what the heck, don't need to put one in. After all, it's 100% a defensive weapon and I can't really shoot someone 100 yards away and claim SYG. At a reasonable defensive distance it was "good enough" accurate.
We've sold a good number of them we've ordered in and no complaints.
 
I have the normal Thunder 380 with adjustable sights and 8 round capacity,,,
The pistol has been 100% reliable for me and I like it a lot.

A friend shot and liked it so he ordered one for himself,,,
But he ordered the "Combat" version with fixed sights and 15 round capacity.

That gave his pistol an entirely different feel than mine,,,
The fatter grip is still plenty slender enough,,,
And I found the fixed sights to be fine.

I honestly don't think there is a performance difference between any of the versions,,,
Just choose the version that makes sense to you and enjoy your gun.

I will bet that you will be pleased with any of the Bersa pistols.

Aarond

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I really like the Thunder Plus that holds 15 rounds. Most would scoff at .380, but for those who want or need lower recoil (women, elderly) but don't want to sacrifice capacity or go smaller in caliber, the Thunder Plus is a good option and AFAIK the only option for .380 pistols.

I've thought about getting one. Don't really need it, it's just unique, but if I wanted lower recoil there are low recoil ammo options available in 9mm from Hornady and a steel frame 9mm would help lower recoil too. The only steel frame 9mm with 15 rd capacity that's as cheap as the Bersa tho is the Taurus PT92 and that's a big gun.
 
I had one a few years ago. It produced a sharp, stinging recoil that the wife and I did not appreciate. Just the nature of straight blowback I suppose. Tried downloading ammo for it, but then it became unreliable. Sold it. Now we have a PK380 for her to shoot at the range.
 
The recoil is snappy and the beaver tail hit the thumb knuckle and hurt, you can put a rubber furniture pad at the under side of the "beaver" tail to distance from it. On mine, the double action trigger failed to work from time to time due to burrs on the stamped trigger bar, it was a known problem reported by others, a simple fix with a few file strokes, the slide steel is soft compare to my other guns, also reported by other owners, likely because it is cast. I bought it when the price was under $200, I sold mine while I have a Makarov, also a single stack straight blow compact, but much better quality and cheaper. The Bersa magazine was expensive, no sure these days.
 
tbs writes

If the Bersa thunder had Ambi controls i would buy one in a minute. I looked at one a couple weeks ago and as a lefty it was a real cluster f to operate.

My post is directly above yours, and I'm left-handed.

But, I've also trained on the action as a left-handed cop in a right-handed world. I use my left middle finger to actuate mag release buttons, and I generally do not use safety/decocker levers on DA/SA guns equipped with them except to lower an already-cocked hammer under controlled conditions.

My nightstand gun is a Ruger P95, which has an ambidextrous mag release and decocker, but I still use the above in order to keep myself consistent for guns not so equipped.

What really messed me up was handling a Charter Arms Southpaw revolver once. ;)
 
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