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Considering Bersa .380 or .....?
7/21/2010 9:35:15 PM
WIfe's CCW permit is on the way and need to get a decent "purse" pistol. She is too petite for body carry, so a bag is her choice of carry.
Criteria;
1. manual safety (she is very leary of my LCP and revolvers)
2. minimal recoil
3. subcompact size
4. .380 or 9MM
Options thus far which have been ruled out;
1. Taurus Millenium Pro 9MM- she has this, but its a POS and way too unrelaible for carry.
2. Ruger LCP- what I currently carry and love it, but the recoil is too sharp for her and no safety.
3. Walther PPK-liked it, but too expensive ($600)
So based on all that, I found the Bersa .380, thoughts ? other recommendations ?? Most posts here seem to say the Bersa is a good gun, but feel like I'm overlooking another option.
Thanks!
Criteria;
1. manual safety (she is very leary of my LCP and revolvers)
2. minimal recoil
3. subcompact size
4. .380 or 9MM
Options thus far which have been ruled out;
1. Taurus Millenium Pro 9MM- she has this, but its a POS and way too unrelaible for carry.
2. Ruger LCP- what I currently carry and love it, but the recoil is too sharp for her and no safety.
3. Walther PPK-liked it, but too expensive ($600)
So based on all that, I found the Bersa .380, thoughts ? other recommendations ?? Most posts here seem to say the Bersa is a good gun, but feel like I'm overlooking another option.
Thanks!
7/21/2010 9:43:01 PM
They are a heavy gun, but reliable and go bang.
7/21/2010 9:51:11 PM
Originally Posted By die-tryin:
They are a heavy gun, but reliable and go bang.
They are a heavy gun, but reliable and go bang.
Funny you say that, the wife liked the Walther PPK because of the weight, she liked the more substantial feel. I'm sure the Bersa is pretty close.
Hope to fondle some Bersa's and others this weekend at the gunshow, so I need some alternative ideas.
7/21/2010 10:55:12 PM
It's my CCW.
It's cheap but not poorly build. I paid $200 for mine.
It's reliable I had shot couple thousand round through it. From $$$ Blackhills to Russian steel case ammo.
It has a fully functional slide lock and slide mounted safety/de-cocker.
It's more comfortable than the PPK and you don't have to worry about slide bite on the Bersa.
LaserMax makes a laser grip for it.
I would get the model that has 15-round magazine.
However, the Bersa is not light comparing to the polymer frame guns and it has sharp recoil. The extra magazines are expensive.
It's cheap but not poorly build. I paid $200 for mine.
It's reliable I had shot couple thousand round through it. From $$$ Blackhills to Russian steel case ammo.
It has a fully functional slide lock and slide mounted safety/de-cocker.
It's more comfortable than the PPK and you don't have to worry about slide bite on the Bersa.
LaserMax makes a laser grip for it.
I would get the model that has 15-round magazine.
However, the Bersa is not light comparing to the polymer frame guns and it has sharp recoil. The extra magazines are expensive.
7/22/2010 1:13:32 AM
I posted part of this reply in another thread about the Bersa:
I own a two-tone purchased several years ago for $200.00 or a little less.
Bigger then my Mustang Pocket Lite.
Eats any .380 ammunition I care to feed it. Not one hiccup.
.380 ammunition hard to find, so I don't shoot it right now.
I have several hundred rounds stored and do not want to use it right now.
I always look for them when I visit gun shows.
I like mine alot.
As another poster stated about recoil being heavy:
I took my Bersa to a NRA beginner pistol class.
No pain from recoil with the PMC .380 ammo I was shooting most of the class.
Unfortunately, I ran out of PMC at the end of the class and had to switch to my backup ammo which was Federal American Eagle.
Damn, the gun torqued more and beat the web of my hand pretty good.
PMC and American Eagle both use the same grain bullet. Guess the American Eagle is loaded hotter.
Never shot the American Eagle in my Mustang though. Extractor needs to be tweaked and I have not carried it in years.
Moral of the ammo/recoil issue. Try different brands of ammo to determine what appears hotter or more robust then other brands to determine what your wife would like to carry in the gun.
The Bersa .380 is a good gun. I just didn't know the case of American Eagle I purchased was so much hotter than anything else I shot in this gun.
I own a two-tone purchased several years ago for $200.00 or a little less.
Bigger then my Mustang Pocket Lite.
Eats any .380 ammunition I care to feed it. Not one hiccup.
.380 ammunition hard to find, so I don't shoot it right now.
I have several hundred rounds stored and do not want to use it right now.
I always look for them when I visit gun shows.
I like mine alot.
As another poster stated about recoil being heavy:
I took my Bersa to a NRA beginner pistol class.
No pain from recoil with the PMC .380 ammo I was shooting most of the class.
Unfortunately, I ran out of PMC at the end of the class and had to switch to my backup ammo which was Federal American Eagle.
Damn, the gun torqued more and beat the web of my hand pretty good.
PMC and American Eagle both use the same grain bullet. Guess the American Eagle is loaded hotter.
Never shot the American Eagle in my Mustang though. Extractor needs to be tweaked and I have not carried it in years.
Moral of the ammo/recoil issue. Try different brands of ammo to determine what appears hotter or more robust then other brands to determine what your wife would like to carry in the gun.
The Bersa .380 is a good gun. I just didn't know the case of American Eagle I purchased was so much hotter than anything else I shot in this gun.
7/22/2010 9:35:24 PM
Its gotta be better than a Hipoint .380 I think in regards for poor quality control they give Taurus a run for their money
7/23/2010 2:18:22 PM
Originally Posted By ElPresidenteAnRK:
Its gotta be better than a Hipoint .380 I think in regards for poor quality control they give Taurus a run for their money
Its gotta be better than a Hipoint .380 I think in regards for poor quality control they give Taurus a run for their money
When I started looking at Bersa, my Taurus drama is what immediately popped into my head. I cant handle another crap pistol purchase. The wifes Taurus is GTG now, but thats after 3 gunsmith visits!
I'm somewhat eased by the positve Bersa reviews, but still wondering if I need to spring for the Walther PPK or name brand.
7/23/2010 3:37:00 PM
Originally Posted By ArmyLifer:
When I started looking at Bersa, my Taurus drama is what immediately popped into my head. I cant handle another crap pistol purchase. The wifes Taurus is GTG now, but thats after 3 gunsmith visits!
I'm somewhat eased by the positive Bersa reviews, but still wondering if I need to spring for the Walther PPK or name brand.
Originally Posted By ElPresidenteAnRK:
Its gotta be better than a Hipoint .380 I think in regards for poor quality control they give Taurus a run for their money
Its gotta be better than a Hipoint .380 I think in regards for poor quality control they give Taurus a run for their money
When I started looking at Bersa, my Taurus drama is what immediately popped into my head. I cant handle another crap pistol purchase. The wifes Taurus is GTG now, but thats after 3 gunsmith visits!
I'm somewhat eased by the positive Bersa reviews, but still wondering if I need to spring for the Walther PPK or name brand.
Me, if I had the money, I'd buy two Bersa .380's in place of one Walther PPK.
One gun for the wife, one gun for you. If one gun goes down the wife has a spare.
The Bersa works.
Good luck on our decision.
7/23/2010 3:42:08 PM
I bought a Bersa .380 for my wife and she hated the snappy feel she felt when she fired it. She now uses my 9mm and I now use the Bersa as my CCW, go figure. 
7/23/2010 3:42:19 PM
Damn double tap
7/23/2010 9:52:07 PM
My Bersa Thunder .380 has been fairly reliable, but it had some issues with some shit Russian ammo I bought from AIM. It kept FTF on the last round several times out of 140 rounds. Other than that it's a perfect carry gun size-wise.
7/23/2010 9:56:35 PM
Originally Posted By Tyan:
It's my CCW.
It's cheap but not poorly build. I paid $200 for mine.
It's reliable I had shot couple thousand round through it. From $$$ Blackhills to Russian steel case ammo.
It has a fully functional slide lock and slide mounted safety/de-cocker.
It's more comfortable than the PPK and you don't have to worry about slide bite on the Bersa.
LaserMax makes a laser grip for it.
I would get the model that has 15-round magazine.
However, the Bersa is not light comparing to the polymer frame guns and it has sharp recoil. The extra magazines are expensive.
It's my CCW.
It's cheap but not poorly build. I paid $200 for mine.
It's reliable I had shot couple thousand round through it. From $$$ Blackhills to Russian steel case ammo.
It has a fully functional slide lock and slide mounted safety/de-cocker.
It's more comfortable than the PPK and you don't have to worry about slide bite on the Bersa.
LaserMax makes a laser grip for it.
I would get the model that has 15-round magazine.
However, the Bersa is not light comparing to the polymer frame guns and it has sharp recoil. The extra magazines are expensive.
All this. I love my Bersa but having 7 rounds sucks. 15 would make me happier. Pro-Mag even makes a 50(?) round drum!
7/26/2010 10:27:17 AM
Update-
Went to the show this weekend with a wallet full of cash to get a Bersa for the wife and she didnt like them!!
The pistol she fell in love with was the Sig P238, but we decided it wasent time for a $500 plus gun.
Of all things, the wife wants to get a Taser for daily carry and carry one of my pistols when traveling, etc. Surprisngly these frickin Tasers are more than the Bersa; Bersa were averaging $ 279 and the Taser's were $ 350. I'm gonna shop around for the Taser, I know I can get them cheaper than $350.
Thanks for the replies.
Went to the show this weekend with a wallet full of cash to get a Bersa for the wife and she didnt like them!!
The pistol she fell in love with was the Sig P238, but we decided it wasent time for a $500 plus gun.
Of all things, the wife wants to get a Taser for daily carry and carry one of my pistols when traveling, etc. Surprisngly these frickin Tasers are more than the Bersa; Bersa were averaging $ 279 and the Taser's were $ 350
. I'm gonna shop around for the Taser, I know I can get them cheaper than $350.
Thanks for the replies.
7/27/2010 12:28:14 AM
Wimmin....can't live with them, can't live without them....well maybe....
I stand by my endorsement. Good luck on the taser hunt.
9/6/2010 9:39:42 PM
Horrible piles of crap. I work at one of the warranty centers for Bersa. I get an average of 3 in per week, sometimes 10, sometimes 2, but never less than 2 per week. The barrels are not under warranty and have an issue with bulging. The sear/disconnector bars are soft and often poorly fit. The mags suck, mag catch slot on the slide is cut wrong on a lot of slides I see.
9/6/2010 10:11:32 PM
Originally Posted By ArmyLifer:
Update-
Went to the show this weekend with a wallet full of cash to get a Bersa for the wife and she didnt like them!!
The pistol she fell in love with was the Sig P238, but we decided it wasent time for a $500 plus gun.
Of all things, the wife wants to get a Taser for daily carry and carry one of my pistols when traveling, etc. Surprisngly these frickin Tasers are more than the Bersa; Bersa were averaging $ 279 and the Taser's were $ 350. I'm gonna shop around for the Taser, I know I can get them cheaper than $350.
Thanks for the replies.
Update-
Went to the show this weekend with a wallet full of cash to get a Bersa for the wife and she didnt like them!!
The pistol she fell in love with was the Sig P238, but we decided it wasent time for a $500 plus gun.
Of all things, the wife wants to get a Taser for daily carry and carry one of my pistols when traveling, etc. Surprisngly these frickin Tasers are more than the Bersa; Bersa were averaging $ 279 and the Taser's were $ 350
. I'm gonna shop around for the Taser, I know I can get them cheaper than $350.
Thanks for the replies.
I love the p238 but don't like the cocked and locked only carry option. Great sites for a micro........check out the karh pm9.
9/6/2010 10:46:31 PM
I've had a Bersa for three years.
They are great pistols. They come with great sights, decent trigger.
Mine is accurate and reliable. I wish I had a couple more.
They are great pistols. They come with great sights, decent trigger.
Mine is accurate and reliable. I wish I had a couple more.
9/6/2010 10:51:42 PM
Originally Posted By ArmyLifer:
WIfe's CCW permit is on the way and need to get a decent "purse" pistol. She is too petite for body carry, so a bag is her choice of carry.
Criteria;
1. manual safety (she is very leary of my LCP and revolvers)
2. minimal recoil
3. subcompact size
4. .380 or 9MM
WIfe's CCW permit is on the way and need to get a decent "purse" pistol. She is too petite for body carry, so a bag is her choice of carry.
Criteria;
1. manual safety (she is very leary of my LCP and revolvers)
2. minimal recoil
3. subcompact size
4. .380 or 9MM
M&P 9C with Thumb safety. 12 round capacity mags, is slightly smaller than a Glock 19, and very easy to shoot. Reliability? I just passed 2K rounds with no malfunctions.
Note, mine did take some breaking in before the slide release worked the way I wanted it.
9/9/2010 11:52:17 PM
Originally Posted By grifman23:
Horrible piles of crap. I work at one of the warranty centers for Bersa. I get an average of 3 in per week, sometimes 10, sometimes 2, but never less than 2 per week. The barrels are not under warranty and have an issue with bulging. The sear/disconnector bars are soft and often poorly fit. The mags suck, mag catch slot on the slide is cut wrong on a lot of slides I see.
Horrible piles of crap. I work at one of the warranty centers for Bersa. I get an average of 3 in per week, sometimes 10, sometimes 2, but never less than 2 per week. The barrels are not under warranty and have an issue with bulging. The sear/disconnector bars are soft and often poorly fit. The mags suck, mag catch slot on the slide is cut wrong on a lot of slides I see.
About how many rounds can I expect to get out of mine before it suffers the bulge?
9/10/2010 1:19:18 AM
edit
9/10/2010 10:59:30 AM
Happens at any time. People have shipped them in after one box of 50 rounds, sometimes after 500 rounds.
Originally Posted By Hb2:
About how many rounds can I expect to get out of mine before it suffers the bulge?
Originally Posted By grifman23:
Horrible piles of crap. I work at one of the warranty centers for Bersa. I get an average of 3 in per week, sometimes 10, sometimes 2, but never less than 2 per week. The barrels are not under warranty and have an issue with bulging. The sear/disconnector bars are soft and often poorly fit. The mags suck, mag catch slot on the slide is cut wrong on a lot of slides I see.
Horrible piles of crap. I work at one of the warranty centers for Bersa. I get an average of 3 in per week, sometimes 10, sometimes 2, but never less than 2 per week. The barrels are not under warranty and have an issue with bulging. The sear/disconnector bars are soft and often poorly fit. The mags suck, mag catch slot on the slide is cut wrong on a lot of slides I see.
About how many rounds can I expect to get out of mine before it suffers the bulge?
9/10/2010 10:59:47 AM
Now now......
Originally Posted By Burrito:
You are full of shit.
Originally Posted By grifman23:
Horrible piles of crap. I work at one of the warranty centers for Bersa. I get an average of 3 in per week, sometimes 10, sometimes 2, but never less than 2 per week. The barrels are not under warranty and have an issue with bulging. The sear/disconnector bars are soft and often poorly fit. The mags suck, mag catch slot on the slide is cut wrong on a lot of slides I see.
Horrible piles of crap. I work at one of the warranty centers for Bersa. I get an average of 3 in per week, sometimes 10, sometimes 2, but never less than 2 per week. The barrels are not under warranty and have an issue with bulging. The sear/disconnector bars are soft and often poorly fit. The mags suck, mag catch slot on the slide is cut wrong on a lot of slides I see.
You are full of shit.
9/20/2010 10:57:44 PM
the Bersa thunder 380 is a fine pistol for the money, they run about 300.00 here now
as for warranty work i know of 2 places that greatly accept them and do quailty work if needed
lifetime warranty, should be on barrel also, ill check
the CC Bersa seems to have had most issues not the thunder......
use only Bersa mag for the best result...
they won't jam like the other pocket pistols... trust me
as for warranty work i know of 2 places that greatly accept them and do quailty work if needed
lifetime warranty, should be on barrel also, ill check
the CC Bersa seems to have had most issues not the thunder......
use only Bersa mag for the best result...
they won't jam like the other pocket pistols... trust me
