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Bersa Thunder .380
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:09 pm
by teejay
As I grow older, I'm finding myself becoming more and more in the "Victim" group, and less in the middle-aged guy who can take care of himself, I've been thinking about carrying a little something when I go out. Anyone had experience with the Bersa Thunder .380? They seem to be the size of a Walther PP. Are they as reliable? The price is certainly about right, but I'd rather stay away from junk. Opinions, please. TJ
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:35 pm
by bgreenea3
Its a decent gun and a great value. not flashy or expensive and it is reliable. I know a couple of guys that have them and love them.. its basically bersa's version of the PPKS.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 4:54 pm
by Bullseye
The Bersa's have a pretty good reputation as a pocket pistol.
R,
Bullseye
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 8:31 pm
by jrayb95
If you are looking at a .380 you might want to take a look at the CZ83.
I have the nickel .380 and it has been fool proof. It's easy to take down and clean and I haven't found anything it won't eat including several different reloads. It's typical CZ quality at a reasonable price.
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 10:06 am
by ruger22
Everything I've read and heard about Bersas has been positive, except that they can be a little hard to find extra magazines for.
In a larger gun, the Stoeger Cougar in 9mm seems to be rated the outstanding gun for the money, of any size. It's a former Beretta gun, and Beretta owns Stoeger. The gun is made in Turkey on Beretta's machinery, and is said to be just as good as before.
In a smaller .380 than the Bersa, Ruger's LCP or NAA's .380 Guardian get good ratings.
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 1:29 pm
by bgreenea3
bersa mags are all over the place and easy to find here. and if you want a metal, little gun it would be hard to beat for the price.
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 10:26 pm
by Baldy
I have never shot one but I know several people who carry them for back ups and they have no complaints with them. I carry a KT-3AT with me at all times and I have no complaints with it.
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 2:01 pm
by teejay
jrayb95 wrote:If you are looking at a .380 you might want to take a look at the CZ83.
I have the nickel .380 and it has been fool proof. It's easy to take down and clean and I haven't found anything it won't eat including several different reloads. It's typical CZ quality at a reasonable price.
Oddly enough, that was the other one I was looking at. It cost just a bit more, but I figured it was good to go, being Czech made. I wanted to know what everyone thought of the Bersa. I kind of liked its' looks. Thaks for the suggestion. TJ
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:21 pm
by dacaur
My brother has a bersa thunder. Everything I have read about them said they should be dead reliable, but my bothers is not, at least one stoppage every other mag, hes not very happy with it, he bought it for a CCW but understandably doesn't trust it... Its also big and heavy for a .380, being a gun made before the current generation of micro's... you can get a 9mm smaller and lighter than the bersa thunder, and recoil will be about the same, due to the thunders straight blowback design (vs locked breech tilt bbl for the current generation stuff) If you are happy with .380, you can get an LCP thats smaller and weighs less than half what the thunder does, and with lighter recoil (due to polymer frame + locked breech operation)