sixgun MAK
Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2006
- Messages
- 158
Okay guys, what are your thoughts and opinions?
Is it a good gun?
How about the caliber?
Is it a good gun?
How about the caliber?
Bersa 380
- Thread starter sixgun MAK
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bikerdoc
Moderator In Memoriam
I like mine. Light and easy to conceal in right front pocket when I cant carry the big stuff. (9mm compact, or 357 3 inch)
Over 500 rounds, nary a hiccup. very accurate at 7 yards, if you practice.
Not happy with the ballistics but as a back up, or for times when the the situation dictates the 380 or no gun, I am confident it will do the job with well placed HP bullets.
YMMV
Over 500 rounds, nary a hiccup. very accurate at 7 yards, if you practice.
Not happy with the ballistics but as a back up, or for times when the the situation dictates the 380 or no gun, I am confident it will do the job with well placed HP bullets.
YMMV
Taurus 617 CCW
Member
I got mine for $200 slightly used and don't have one complaint about the gun. It works great for deep concealment.
Just One Shot
Member
I had one before I went to the lighter Ruger LCP. It's a great gun. I never had an issue with mine and it was very accurate for it's size.
As far as caliber goes, it's better than a sharp stick! I own handguns in .22, .380, 9mm, .40, .45 acp and with the exception of the .22 I am comfortable carrying all of them.
As far as caliber goes, it's better than a sharp stick! I own handguns in .22, .380, 9mm, .40, .45 acp and with the exception of the .22 I am comfortable carrying all of them.
schnarrgj
Member
They are great little pistols, Both my wife and I use them for CCW. With over 2000 rounds through each one, I am very impressed with them. The only issue I had was the rear sight fell out after I adjusted it and did it wrong. I called the authorized repair station and had a new one in my had within a few days at no charge. With a lifetime warrentee, you cannot go wrong.
darksidemxer
Member
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2009
- Messages
- 76
love mine, will be buying another. i got a 9mm makarov to get alil more UMPH out the small caliber but its got nothing on the bersa
Wilson2
Member
I've had one in .380 since about 1993. I haven't shot mine nearly as much as some who posted above, however, mine has never had a hiccup either.
I think they are good quality pistols for your money.
I think they are good quality pistols for your money.
dbshabo
Member
I got one for the wife to take on business trips when she has to stay in a hotel alone. It's a good gun/caliber to introduce someone to semiauto pistols who may not be able to rack the slide on a larger caliber gun. That's where my wife was, she couldn't rack the slide on my M&P 9c.
The gun itself has been great. I did send it in to have the safety lightened up, it was very stiff and my wife had trouble flipping the safety to the 'let's rock' position. This was done under warranty at no cost to us. Other than that it's been perfect. As mentioned above it's pretty accurate out to 15 yds, that's the distance on the pistol range at our club. It may be accurate further out, I haven't tried. It is sensitive to limp wristing as the wife found out. The only other negative I could add would be the cost of factory mags, a little steep.
For the $$ I think it is a real good value. The quality of construction is good, it feels substantial when you handle it. We've put about 1000 rounds thru it so I consider it to be reliable for carry. I'm a happy camper. I am trying to get the wife to move up into the 9mm world however. I'm in the 'a .380 in hand is better than a .45 in the safe' crowd. I do prefer larger calibers though.
Shabo
The gun itself has been great. I did send it in to have the safety lightened up, it was very stiff and my wife had trouble flipping the safety to the 'let's rock' position. This was done under warranty at no cost to us. Other than that it's been perfect. As mentioned above it's pretty accurate out to 15 yds, that's the distance on the pistol range at our club. It may be accurate further out, I haven't tried. It is sensitive to limp wristing as the wife found out. The only other negative I could add would be the cost of factory mags, a little steep.
For the $$ I think it is a real good value. The quality of construction is good, it feels substantial when you handle it. We've put about 1000 rounds thru it so I consider it to be reliable for carry. I'm a happy camper. I am trying to get the wife to move up into the 9mm world however. I'm in the 'a .380 in hand is better than a .45 in the safe' crowd. I do prefer larger calibers though.
Shabo
DougW
Member
Had 2 for about 9 years. Always have one with me when the Glocks are too big to carry. I keep one in the Jeep and the other when I am dressed for success. They have never failed me, and they are totally reliable.
makarovnik
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- Joined
- Jul 8, 2006
- Messages
- 1,678
Yes I like the CC model. I carry a hollowpoint in the tube and a mag full of FMJ.
iwilc2
Member
have the CC model, cant go wrong for the money
Len
Len
dondavis3
Member
I seriously considered buying a Bersa, but decided on the Ruger LCP
To me the Ruger LCP seemed better made and to my eyes looked a little better quality.
Neither gun is a target gun, but excellent for easy carry. I have mine in my front pocket right now in a DeSantis holster.
I carry it all the time unless it's cold (not that often in Texas) - but if I'm wearing a coat I carry my Kimber .45 on my string side hip.
I hope you find what you want, and what's right for you.
To me the Ruger LCP seemed better made and to my eyes looked a little better quality.
Neither gun is a target gun, but excellent for easy carry. I have mine in my front pocket right now in a DeSantis holster.
I carry it all the time unless it's cold (not that often in Texas) - but if I'm wearing a coat I carry my Kimber .45 on my string side hip.
I hope you find what you want, and what's right for you.
thunder173
Member
Have the Firstorm version of the Thunder 380,...works fine,..not a real fine finish,..but the price I paid,..exceptionally good shooter,..has never hiccupped,..easy to carry,..I carry occasionally,..wife more than me. Have ran a couple thousand round through it. Hydra Shok's are the favored load,..spits out any hardball I have fed it without fail,...
smoketheresfire
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- Joined
- Sep 22, 2009
- Messages
- 93
Shot one the other day. Probably the most accurate .380 I have shot. Nice trigger, nicer price. Still won't get one though, as I have the wants for the real thing (Walther PPK)
I've had one for nearly 4 years now and it's the easiest to shoot 380 I have, and i have at Walther ppk/s, Ruger LCP, and two others. Most of the guns of this caliber seem to want to be 357 magnums. They hurt to shoot. However, my Bersa is comfortable, light, shoots like a dream, and never misses a beat. It's pretty accurate too. It, for some reason, does not hurt to shoot like some of my other 380's.
As far as the calibur goes, if you carry +p for personal protection, you should be fairly well protected. I get my guns confused sometimes, but it's got a safety and i think a decocker which I find a great thing. The only little blip about the safety is that you swipe it reverse to 80 percent of the pistols with safeties.
I got mine new for 210.00, they are more expensive now. They are still a bargain. If you get it, you'll probably really like it.
As far as the calibur goes, if you carry +p for personal protection, you should be fairly well protected. I get my guns confused sometimes, but it's got a safety and i think a decocker which I find a great thing. The only little blip about the safety is that you swipe it reverse to 80 percent of the pistols with safeties.
I got mine new for 210.00, they are more expensive now. They are still a bargain. If you get it, you'll probably really like it.
SigP229R
Member
I bought a rev. TT about 4 years ago and the only I do not carry it more is because the wifey likes it more than my 229 or P6 . It is a nice little gun I have never had a problem with mine..
sidheshooter
Member
I've got two; an older 383-DA and a newer thunder .380. Both reliable and accurate. The newer one has a better trigger pull and slicker safety.
Magazines are cheap and the guns carry well (especially the alloy thunder). Comp-tac makes some great kydex for one, FWIW.
With a round like double tap's 95 gr. XTP at a measured 1080 (or buffalo bore's "+P" if you want to spend almost as much function-testing ammo as you've got in the gun), you're not exactly unarmed.
For the dough, the thunder is impressive. Check out gunblast's multiple reviews or Stephen Camp's comparo to the sig P230 for some very positive comments.
More pleasant to shoot in almost every way than a PPK in .380. A beater-cheap gun that is both fun and functional. What's not to like? ('cept maybe the caliber, and bersa's got you covered there too).
Magazines are cheap and the guns carry well (especially the alloy thunder). Comp-tac makes some great kydex for one, FWIW.
With a round like double tap's 95 gr. XTP at a measured 1080 (or buffalo bore's "+P" if you want to spend almost as much function-testing ammo as you've got in the gun), you're not exactly unarmed.
For the dough, the thunder is impressive. Check out gunblast's multiple reviews or Stephen Camp's comparo to the sig P230 for some very positive comments.
More pleasant to shoot in almost every way than a PPK in .380. A beater-cheap gun that is both fun and functional. What's not to like? ('cept maybe the caliber, and bersa's got you covered there too).
chaim
Member
I have had a Bersa Thunder .380 for several years now.
The good:
-Very reliable. When I first got it, it did something funky the first 100 or so dry fires (I don't remember exactly what it was, and it wasn't every trigger pull) but it has never failed when actually shooting live ammo, and it hasn't had a dry fire failure since trigger pull 75 or 100.
-It is a decent size for the caliber. Most .380s (including the Bersa) are blowback guns, this can translate a lot of recoil to your hand and make them uncomfortable to shoot. This isn't the case with the Bersa, recoil is fine (comfort will be addressed in the cons). The size also makes for a decent sight radius, but it is still fairly small and concealable.
-Trigger pull is decent.
-The way it fits my hand is pretty good for a small gun.
-Price. It is hard to find a gun that works this well for anywhere near this price (pretty much everywhere they can still be had for under $300).
Negatives:
-Comfort. While recoil isn't bad, there are sharp corners and spots on the gun. The design of the beavertail is such that it rubs the web between my finger and thumb raw and sometimes cuts it in as little as one box of ammo. This makes practice very uncomfortable.
-Size. It isn't much smaller than many of the smaller 9mms, and it is bigger than some. You can get much more gun without losing on size, though not without usually having to spend more (even the Taurus PT111 is $50-100 more, only the Kel-tec 9mms are basically the same price). However, you can get a much smaller .380, actually a pocket gun, for similar prices (I'm basing this on the Thunder .380, the Bersa Concealed Carry may not be significantly larger than the Kel-tec P3AT or Ruger LCP).
Overall assessment. They are good guns. They are very reliable, and the accuracy is acceptable to good. However, I don't like mine much. Its size is awkward- not small enough to be a pocket gun, it isn't much smaller than many 9mms and .40S&Ws and for IWB or belt carry I'd rather have something a tad bigger in a more capable caliber (and for a bit more money you can even go smaller and 9mm or .40S&W). Mine is uncomfortable to shoot, sometimes my hand is bleeding after a range trip with it. If you are on a strict budget it is a good gun (though if a smaller .380 pocket gun won't be too uncomfortable for you I suggest checking out the LCP, P3AT or even Bersa .380 Concealed Carry instead), but just a little more can get you something far more capable in a more potent round (the Taurus PT111 and PT140 Millennium Pro isn't that much more, the Kel Tec P11 and PF9 are about the same). Basically, all this has translated to it not even leaving my safe for a dry fire session in a year or two and it hasn't been to the range in at least 3 or 4 years, maybe as much as 5 (I still have a box of UMC ammo for it from when they were in the yellow boxes with black lettering).
The good:
-Very reliable. When I first got it, it did something funky the first 100 or so dry fires (I don't remember exactly what it was, and it wasn't every trigger pull) but it has never failed when actually shooting live ammo, and it hasn't had a dry fire failure since trigger pull 75 or 100.
-It is a decent size for the caliber. Most .380s (including the Bersa) are blowback guns, this can translate a lot of recoil to your hand and make them uncomfortable to shoot. This isn't the case with the Bersa, recoil is fine (comfort will be addressed in the cons). The size also makes for a decent sight radius, but it is still fairly small and concealable.
-Trigger pull is decent.
-The way it fits my hand is pretty good for a small gun.
-Price. It is hard to find a gun that works this well for anywhere near this price (pretty much everywhere they can still be had for under $300).
Negatives:
-Comfort. While recoil isn't bad, there are sharp corners and spots on the gun. The design of the beavertail is such that it rubs the web between my finger and thumb raw and sometimes cuts it in as little as one box of ammo. This makes practice very uncomfortable.
-Size. It isn't much smaller than many of the smaller 9mms, and it is bigger than some. You can get much more gun without losing on size, though not without usually having to spend more (even the Taurus PT111 is $50-100 more, only the Kel-tec 9mms are basically the same price). However, you can get a much smaller .380, actually a pocket gun, for similar prices (I'm basing this on the Thunder .380, the Bersa Concealed Carry may not be significantly larger than the Kel-tec P3AT or Ruger LCP).
Overall assessment. They are good guns. They are very reliable, and the accuracy is acceptable to good. However, I don't like mine much. Its size is awkward- not small enough to be a pocket gun, it isn't much smaller than many 9mms and .40S&Ws and for IWB or belt carry I'd rather have something a tad bigger in a more capable caliber (and for a bit more money you can even go smaller and 9mm or .40S&W). Mine is uncomfortable to shoot, sometimes my hand is bleeding after a range trip with it. If you are on a strict budget it is a good gun (though if a smaller .380 pocket gun won't be too uncomfortable for you I suggest checking out the LCP, P3AT or even Bersa .380 Concealed Carry instead), but just a little more can get you something far more capable in a more potent round (the Taurus PT111 and PT140 Millennium Pro isn't that much more, the Kel Tec P11 and PF9 are about the same). Basically, all this has translated to it not even leaving my safe for a dry fire session in a year or two and it hasn't been to the range in at least 3 or 4 years, maybe as much as 5 (I still have a box of UMC ammo for it from when they were in the yellow boxes with black lettering).
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MedWheeler
Member
Good fighting pistol for the caliber. Longer sight radius and barrel than the typical "pocket" .380 autos make this gun easier to hold and shoot with. However, that's because it's bigger, more so than many other nice guns in more potent calibers. The downside of that extra size is less "concealibility".
I have one, and I carry it almost daily. It's also on me at home, so would likely be my grab-gun for the noise at the door if I don't have time to get to my 4-inch Magnum revolver..
I have one, and I carry it almost daily. It's also on me at home, so would likely be my grab-gun for the noise at the door if I don't have time to get to my 4-inch Magnum revolver..
Claude Clay
Member
what chaim said and i would like to add that when i put on my instructors hat the bersa is a favorite amongst the ladies. points being the visual positiveness of the de-cocker. the side lock up that seems so total. the relative ease of operating the slide [ i teach push the grip frame with strong hand while grasping and pulling the slide with other hand (thumb pointed towards chest)].
the learning curve is fast as i make 95gr LRN on top of bullseye: 2.5gr is light recoil and operates the gun reliably. accurate also. 2.8gr duplicates factory ammo and 3.1gr makes like a SD round. when competency with presentation and accuracy with 2.5 is achieved than mix in some 2.8's. repeat with 3.1's. some back to 2.8 for a bit longer and than on to 3.1.
train with the p380 alongside. it in a Holdster [tm]. makes recoil disappear and accuracy is rather amazing.
but honestly; for its weight and size may as well have a 9. just takes some time for some to get there. and better to be accurate and feel empowered with a 380 than to not feel 'one with' a 9.
the learning curve is fast as i make 95gr LRN on top of bullseye: 2.5gr is light recoil and operates the gun reliably. accurate also. 2.8gr duplicates factory ammo and 3.1gr makes like a SD round. when competency with presentation and accuracy with 2.5 is achieved than mix in some 2.8's. repeat with 3.1's. some back to 2.8 for a bit longer and than on to 3.1.
train with the p380 alongside. it in a Holdster [tm]. makes recoil disappear and accuracy is rather amazing.
but honestly; for its weight and size may as well have a 9. just takes some time for some to get there. and better to be accurate and feel empowered with a 380 than to not feel 'one with' a 9.
MICHAEL T
Member
Had mine several years Like so much we created
http://www.bersatalk.com/forum/
http://www.bersatalk.com/forum/
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