Is it just me or do others out there also think that the Bersa Thunder .380 is one of the worse handguns on the market today? I may be wrong since I have never actually owned one, but I have seen several of people trying to shoot one of the things.

Every single Bersa .380 I have seen someone shooting has been a jam-o-matic. I realize that is just antidotal evidence and not very strong to form an opinion, but it is really about all I have to go on.

I mean they are pretty good looking little guns and they are certainly inexpensive to buy, but I think I would prefer a good pocket knife to carrying a Bersa.

This is not because it is not a S&W either, as I probably have as many Rugers as I have S&W and in revolvers I have more Rugers than S&W. I have carried Charter Arms and Colts in the past. I might even carry an older Rossi 720 if I had one, or some of the Taurus revolvers. But I really would take a good quality knife and some throwing rocks over a Bersa.

Neither. I simply have no need for a 380 or a Bersa. My J frame solved that problem.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

My girl friends has never had any problems. The gun feels really great in the hand too. I would chalk most failures up to not lubing or cleaning the thing correctly. Its definitely different from the other semi autos I own.

We bought a used one (not sure what the "break in period" is on them). When I took it apart to clean it, it was full of sludge. Looked like the first guy just pulled it out of the box, slapped a mag in and went to town until the gun stopped working. Then sold it back to the gun store. (gun store owner said this guy buys thing and sells them back a week or so later all the time)

They are kind of a pain to get apart, the way the parts mate makes me cringe... but the little guy shoots really accurate and like I said... .feels great in the hand. Im not trading my 442 or my fnx9 for it though.

My wife has one she uses for a carry gun. It has fired everything we put in it, including hollow points, and my reloads. We looked at a lot of guns and she picked this one because it fit her best. She shoots it well and is comfortable with it.

We did have to make one repair; the slide catch broke. I called Bersa, they sent me one for free, I put it in, and no other problems.

I've shot it; it's a little small for my hands, but it shoots fine. We both like the gun.

I HAD one years ago I took in on trade. The metal in the slide was so soft the slide catch rounded off and the slide would not lock back. I literally had to use a file to square it up. I don't think it would be a surpirse to tell you I no longer have this gun and have NO desire to ever posess another.

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Bill
Dis B. Leaf

I have had my Bersa 380 for 4 years and love it. One of the sweetest shooting pistols I have ever encountered. My buddy shot it a couple of times and got one for himself and he loves it. I agree you need to keep them clean and lubed but how is that a problem? For the record my other carry guns are a S&W 649 and MP9c and all three shoot accurately and reliably.

Where I'm going and how I'm dressed determines which one I bring but the Bersa is for me, the ultimate in concealed carry (Winchester 95 grain Silvertip hollow points in the 8 round mag).

One problem that plagues all mouse guns is limp wristing. I am sure if you contact customer service they will tell you they get guns returned all the time that they cannot duplicate the fault.

I have a Diamondback DB380. When i tried to shoot hollow points it would occasionally jam. If you're going to carry a .380 IMHO you need hollow points. I showed it to the gunsmith at the range and he stripped it ran into the back and I heard wheeeee. I must have looked funny because another clerk pointed to a magazine article posted there and told me Jeff had won awards. It took only a few moments and when I shot the gun again with hollow points they go through like water through a funnel. I still have the gun, but my carry gun is a Kel Tec PF-9.

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Luke 22:36

A couple weeks ago I was shooting my Walther PPK/S .380 and my Nephew was shooting his Bersa .380. They shot about the same and each stovepiped once. My nephew was frustrated with the Bersa because the windage rear sight ran out of movement and still shot to one side. but it was pretty informal and both guns stacked up well to each other. His had a key lock and my fixed sight Walther looked like a Cadillac next to a Ford Pinto. Well, a really nice Ford Pinto.

My wife had a Bersa Thunder .380 and never had a single malfunction. I thought it was a good gun for the price point, but the metal was a little soft. We sold it recently because she is petite and concealing it was a bit difficult. It was not a high-end pistol, but certainly not a jam-o-matic.

I have one and it has been 100% reliable and hits where I point it. It is very comfortable to shoot and have recommended them to several others.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I'v had one for several years. Had very few problems, shoots everything I run through it. I qualify with it for my backup every year and have no problems with accuracy or function. I was told by my gunsmith there is a known issue with the safety that the factory is aware of, tends to get tight and may sieze up the firing pin. They're trying to get the repair kits out to everyone right now.

That kind of sums it up for me, but I have to say I've heard and read more positives about the Bersa than negatives.

Apparently some of the people who were having problems traced them to limp-wristing, as mentioned above. Which to me is another argument for the J-frame, but I'm an old throwback.

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Oh well, what the hell.

I rented one with the intention of buying it at the local indoor range It had been shot but was clean and lubed. Like the OP mine was a jamo with HP or FMJ, no limp wristing involved. Who knows, a different sample may have been stellar. In any case, I bought a CZ which ain't jammed yet.

BTW, I didn't buy it for self defense or for any specific reason. I bought it because I liked it. It looked all James Bondish and stuff!

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Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

I've owned two of them (Bersa Thunder .380) and I didn't have any problems with mine. This was a couple of years ago, and I could not find magazines for them anywhere...so, I traded them. I also bought a BP9CC as soon as it came out, and that gun had the lightest trigger of any gun I have ever felt. If it was three pounds I'd be vastly surprised! I didn't keep it long...with no other safety, I was too worried about that light trigger.

One huge down side. Took my girl friend and I several months to find an extra magazine.

Wife has one and loves it. She's put over 1,000 rounds thru it with no failures. I frog lubed it before it was fired.

I bought one a few years ago before the LCP was introduced. I previously carried Beretta 85FS. Th Bersa CC was smaller, lighter, but not half as reliable. After a trip back to Bersa the gun was still semi reliable even with ball ammo. I traded it for an LCP, and advised the shop owner of the issues with the gun. The LCP is flawless.
The quality control of the Bersa was terrible.

I'm not a .380 kinda guy but if I ever get one it will be the Bersa CC model. They are good little shooters. I know a couple a guys that have 'em.

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Real men love cats!

I have several friends who use a Bersa as a daily carry and love them. I'm not a big fan of .380, but if I could find a Bersa UC 40 or 45 it would be going home with me.

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Certified AR-15 / SIG Armorer.

A Walther PPK for half the money, that's the Bersa. I had one, traded it, and missed it so bad I bought another.

Wife has gone through at least a dozen carry pistols. The only revolver she liked was my 2nd generation Colt DS from Lockheed's "Skunk Works" (fat chance she was getting that one!). She ended up with my WWII Walther PP in 32 acp (7.65). Got her a Bersa 22 for a practice gun. She liked it so well, I got her a .380. Not a problem with it, so far (about 1000 rounds through it)

I currently own one Bersa Thunder in .380. I used to own another Bersa Thunder in .380. I used to own a precursor to the Thunder model: a Bersa model 383A in .380ACP.

The Thunder .380 I currently own runs flawlessly. The Thunder .380 I transferred to a good friend also ran flawlessly. Both are surprisingly accurate.

The .383A (Thunder precursor) I once owned was inherited. It was 20+ years old when I acquired it. It ran okay, but the recoil spring was loosing a little pep and it was sensitive to limp-wristing. Rather than replace the spring, I traded it away for value toward another acquisition. I later bought a new Thunder .380.

I also have a Bersa BP9. Great trigger.

In my experience, Bersa makes a reliable and affordable product. It isn't a custom Kimber, Wilson Combat, or finely tuned Colt Mustang; but is a very good value. Great bang for the buck. Certainly there are finer firearms on the market, but few firearms offer as great of ratio in terms of quality : price. In my experience, the quality and reliability I got for the price would be very hard to beat.

I actually carry a Smith & Wesson sd.40 and a Bersa thunder .380 for back-up. I love my sd .40 but let's put it this way....If an assailant was holding my wife and I had to shoot....I would pick up the Bersa first, any day of the week. My Bersa's accuracy is about the best I have ever had in a handgun. You point, it goes.. Metal is a little soft, but this weapon is a blast to shoot..

Having worked at a couple of busy LGS's in the area the last several years, I've sold alot of them. Their popularity has dropped since their price-point went North of $300. They sold much better at the $259-$279 mark.

I equate them with other lower price-point 'utility' guns - you may get a good one that runs trouble-free. You may get one that gets frequent flyer points for trips back to Bersa. It's sorta a crapshoot.

For the money on a similar pistol - it's hard to beat a Makarov.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

I have a 380 thunder and, if I couldn't carry any of my other carry pistols for some reason or another I would be A-O.K. with carrying my thunder.

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I Cor. 10:13 "1611KJV"

Gun shops sell Thunder 380's to folks who want "the Bond Gun" but can't afford the Walther. They fit most folks hand better and feel much more substantial than other 9mm Kurz offerings at a similar price point, and they run best on quality ball ammunition.

I recommend the Bersa to anyone who is financially challenged and wants a decent 380.

Wow...this thread was inactive for exactly one year, and then was brought back to life!

I have owned a Bersa .380 for several years now, got it second-hand. It has worked flawlessly for me, and I've instructed several new female shooters with it. They both liked it, and it worked just fine for both of them, no limp-wristing. I can't recall precisely what model it is, but I don't believe it's a "Thunder". I just looked in one of my safes, and I couldn't locate it, so I can't say for sure.

I also worked at a LGS for several years, and we sold a ton of them (Bersa .380s that is, I don't believe they were "Thunders" either. This was in 1994-1997). I don't recall ever having one come back for any reason, but I do recall having multiple customers coming back to say how much they liked them.

So, yeah...I'd agree with others who say they're excellent "bang-for-the-buck" pistols. Dollar for dollar, I'd also rather have a Makarov...preferably in 9x18mm.

Tim

I don't hate it. I just have no use for one. To me it's simply not a reliable handgun. I would not chuck up failures to cleaning or lubing. Only if i ran 5k rounds through it. A few boxes should not cause that. This is why i don't consider it a reliable gun. IMO it made for those who believe in carry a lot shoot a little.

Amazon currently has plenty of magazines.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Your friend probably has a bad magazine. It happens with the Thunders. Send the mag back, and you'll receive a new one.
I've had one for five years and put approximately 2500-3000 rounds through it with no problems.
It's probably time for some new springs.

Mine has been passed on to my sister, and it's now her edc.
She prefers it over the Ruger SR9c she has.

I'm not a fan of the .380 but I like the Bersa CC model best of all the ones I've handled/fired. Has a nice trigger and just feels right in my hand.

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Real men love cats!

As of yesterday I'm the "proud" owner of a Bersa FSR38.

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SOS USA

That's a new one on me. Let us know how it shoots.

It comes from the same company as a Philippine RIA 206. $190. This one is factory bobbed hammer. Looks like a DS copy. DS grips pretty much fit. Pretty it ain't. It will be my taking out the garbage to the alley early in the morning gun.

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SOS USA

Bersa, PPK, Makarov they all come in second place to a cheaper pistol. The CZ82 in 9X18. More accurate, higher capacity, better round than the 380 a.c.p. Not much bigger or heavier.

They are gettin' tougher to find.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

380 is too close to 9mm, I have the S&W Chief's Special in 9mm and 45 acp for my carry guns. IF Iwere going to gea 380, it would be th S&W M&P shield.

Wife loves hers, eats anything rarely clean it and has nice sights. She also has a lcp and rarely shoots it. For her the bersa is a can killing machine out to 25 yards, the lcp only kills cans out to 7 yards for her. Best part I picked it up for 150. And we have wide variety to choose from and the bersa is her edc.

I've never owned or even fired one, but I've read and heard of those who swear by them...others seem to swear at them. My personal preference for .380 (on hot humid FL summer days) for concealed carry in a pocket is my SIG P238