Bersa 380 owners - your thoughts please . . . .

[bedbugbilly]

Long story short - I'm missing a .380 in my line up - I have plenty of wheel guns but very few semi autos. I have dies, plenty of range brass, molds and plenty of lead so I am looking for a 380 to use it in.

About 6 years ago, I bought a used Bersa 380 CC Thunder - I really liked it and it seemed to eat a variety of ammo. The problem with it was that the previous owner had done his "magic trigger work" on it. DA was fine but when it went in to SA, the trigger was so light that just the recoil with finger on the trigger from previous shot caused multiple unintended double taps - a condition I did not feel was safe nor was I comfortable with - so it went back to the LGS and when I explained, they took it back no questions asked.

I like the Bersas and now want to get a new one (for the original owner warranty rather than used with no warranty) and am thinking the Bersa 380 Plus with the double stack might be the ticket. This will be a "fun gun only" - plinking, targets, cans, etc. - I have "carry guns' and am not looking to making a 380 one of them (due to personal preferences).

The one thing that does come up is magazine cost. But, since this will be just a "fun gun", I can get by with just one magazine and if I come across extras at a good price, add them later.

My question is - do any of you have experience with the Beersa 380 Plus (high capacity double stack)? Any issues or problems with them that you might have experienced?

Or, would the better option be to go with one of the Thunders or Firestorms and just add a 2nd single stack magazine?

I have looked for reviews on the Plus and so far. haven't found much in the line of negative on them.

No . . . not the highest priced firearm but the Bersas do have a reputation for shooting well and reliability. For a "fun gun" to plink with I know one would fit what I'm looking for and I know how the Thunder at least fits in my hand. I'm not interested in any of the small pocket guns like the Ruger, Kahr, etc. nor do I want to invest what a Browning or Sig runs.

Your thoughts and experiences would be appreciated. Thanks!

[shoot-n-lead]

I have had mine for years...has been great.

One of my favorite's.

[Powder Burn]

Qualified CC with Bersa Thunder 380. Shoots everything I feed it. I am not familiar with + gun. Seems the prices have steadily risen on these over the years. It has some advantages (for me) over my PPK/s i.e., lighter, better sights, doesn't bite me, improved trigger pull. But I will not part with the old Walther.
Lifetime warranty to original purchaser is nice too.

[kmrra]

Bersa is a good gun , especially for the women , It easy for the women to rack it back to chamber a round , I have found that a lot of the others on the market , are difficult for the women to rack back , next to that one , I personally have the Browning 1911 380 and it is easy to chamber and rack back, Bersa has a great service and repair service .... no questions , I had a friend of mine that was shooting his one day , and when he was shooting all was ok , and when he shot the next round and when it went off , It had a different sound to it kinda like an under charged squib load , the Bullet left the barrel but it bulged the chamber and locked up the barrel we tried to get it to open the slide and we had no luck to say the least , it was locked up , bigger that Dallas , he took it back to the dealer he bought it from .....they sent it back and 3 weeks later yjay had sent him a new pistol, so I would say that is as, about as good as it gets. I have seen several women taking CHL classe and they have trouble loading and charging the other brands with no luck.....so in a nut shell , The Bersa Is a great gun .

[hylander]

I have one as well as 4 of my friends and they are all great.

[Ed_Shot]

My Bersa Thunder has been outstanding.

[rond]

http://www.bersaforum.com/forum

There are a lot of new gun owners and first timers on this board and all seem happy with their Bersas. I would pass on the +, at the range you have plenty of time to reload the magazine. I have 3 Bersas and all work great.

[sparky45]

Another A+ for the Bersa 380 Thunder; has NEVER failed to go bang and is fairly accurate given the short barrel. My wife doesn't like it because of the grip (to large for her small hands) and I got her a Glock 42, also a great gun.

[mozeppa]

bought one for my wife ...too fat for her.

she like the sig sauer p-238 way better.

for the record they are both good shooters.

[Soundguy]

Long story short - I'm missing a .380 in my line up - I have plenty of wheel guns but very few semi autos. I have dies, plenty of range brass, molds and plenty of lead so I am looking for a 380 to use it in.

About 6 years ago, I bought a used Bersa 380 CC Thunder - I really liked it and it seemed to eat a variety of ammo. The problem with it was that the previous owner had done his "magic trigger work" on it. DA was fine but when it went in to SA, the trigger was so light that just the recoil with finger on the trigger from previous shot caused multiple unintended double taps - a condition I did not feel was safe nor was I comfortable with - so it went back to the LGS and when I explained, they took it back no questions asked.

I like the Bersas and now want to get a new one (for the original owner warranty rather than used with no warranty) and am thinking the Bersa 380 Plus with the double stack might be the ticket. This will be a "fun gun only" - plinking, targets, cans, etc. - I have "carry guns' and am not looking to making a 380 one of them (due to personal preferences).

The one thing that does come up is magazine cost. But, since this will be just a "fun gun", I can get by with just one magazine and if I come across extras at a good price, add them later.

My question is - do any of you have experience with the Beersa 380 Plus (high capacity double stack)? Any issues or problems with them that you might have experienced?

Or, would the better option be to go with one of the Thunders or Firestorms and just add a 2nd single stack magazine?

I have looked for reviews on the Plus and so far. haven't found much in the line of negative on them.

No . . . not the highest priced firearm but the Bersas do have a reputation for shooting well and reliability. For a "fun gun" to plink with I know one would fit what I'm looking for and I know how the Thunder at least fits in my hand. I'm not interested in any of the small pocket guns like the Ruger, Kahr, etc. nor do I want to invest what a Browning or Sig runs.

Your thoughts and experiences would be appreciated. Thanks!


I have a sig p230 ( later sig made this a 232 ).

My buddy loved it and got a bersa thunder. they look virtually identical.

His, once in a blue moon decocks and the trigger won't reconenct till I take the grips off and move a spring back into place. Nothing looks broke.. spring just moves and it won't fire.

I'd get the sig 230/232

[rintinglen]

I have shot three Bersas and owned one. If I needed another 380, I'd buy one in a heart beat. They are one of the "Consumer Best Buys" in handguns. I have never had a malfunction with one, and while I cannot say I have shot any of the three extensively, I believe that they would hold up as well as just about any other 380 you can name.
I have a Beretta 84f which is about the same size as the Thunder Plus and I like it a lot. The 380 in a mid-size pistol like that is a much more friendly item than when launched from a 10 ounce gun.

[FergusonTO35]

Bedbug, I had a Thunder for awhile and sold it to help get out of debt. Great pistol that ate anything and was more accurate than I could hold. Believe it or not, Pro Mags worked perfectly in mine and cost less than half of OEM. If you are willing to consider something other than Bersa I would go for the Glock 42 hands down. Just as accurate and reliable and eats boolits no problem. If you are willing to spend a little more I will also say that I have had the same results out of my Kimber Micro .380.

[TCoggins]

My wife carries a Firestorm, which is just a rebranded Bersa Thunder. Great little gun, quite accurate. I load up Lee 356-102-1R bullets, powdercoated with Smoke's red powdercoat, over Titegroup powder. Shoots pretty accurately, and it's cheap enough with the cast bullets.

I wouldn't think twice about carrying it. It's a nice gun.

[bedbugbilly]

Thanks to all for you input - greatly appreciated. We're headed back to MI at the end of the month and I'm going to take a look at the two LGS (not chain stores) that I know usually have some of the Bersas to see what they might have. I've watched a number of videos - I know what the Thunder CC is from the one I had and will make up my mind once i see and can handle them.

rintinglen - I've really never had any experience with Berettas - been pretty much a revolver guy for 50 plus years. But I did go and do some research on the Beretta 84F. It looks like a great pistol and even one of those would probably fit the bill for a good plinker and "fun gun". From what I saw on GB, Israel must have released a bunch of them so who knows, maybe if I can find one it would be a good addition. After all, it never hurts to have two handguns in the same caliber!

Thanks again all!

Jim

[bstone5]

I have one, shoots good with cast, powder coated bullets I cast, my wife shoots it some but has a time loading the magazine.

[rondog]

I like my BT380. Not a fan of fat grip "hi cap" handguns though.

Worst thing about the Bersas is the cost of extra magazines. That's why I don't have more than one.