Author Topic: bersa thunder???? (Read 5732 times)

highwayman · « **on:** March 06, 2010, 01:40:55 PM »

can someone tell me why these pistols are so cheap priced??

S.S. · « **Reply #1 on:** March 06, 2010, 02:01:31 PM »

Will it make you mad if we do? $:-\$

highwayman · « **Reply #2 on:** March 06, 2010, 02:11:10 PM »

no it will not. i am waiting for my ccp to come in and i am new to concealed pistols so any info good or bad is good.

williamlayton · « **Reply #3 on:** March 06, 2010, 11:04:44 PM »

Opinions vary, but, It is due to history and distrust for me.
Blessings

GH1 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 07, 2010, 01:14:01 AM »

Well, I'm guessing it's because it's made in Argentina. I also think it's because it's a simple design and has been made for a long time, but I'm not certain about that.
As a Bersa .380 owner for the last year, I can assure you I've had nothing but reliable service from mine. I've shot some 500 rounds through it with no trouble of any kind. I've shot FMJ, Hydra-Shoks, Golden Sabers, 90 gr cast roundnose, and 100 gr cast truncated cone.
I find it to be a comfortable, accurtate shooter, and I have no trouble recommending one to anybody.
GH1

DC · « **Reply #5 on:** March 07, 2010, 02:11:21 PM »

I wish I still had mine. It not only was a great gun for the money, it was a great gun period. It is made well, and fires anything brand ammo you can find without a hicup. In fact I am going to bypass Walther, Ruger and all the rest for another 380 Thunderer. I have never heard anyone say anything bad about them.

greenjeans · « **Reply #6 on:** March 07, 2010, 04:24:25 PM »

have had mine for several years and never a problem with any ammo. No failures of any kind. Would not hesitate to recommend to anyone.

Tackleberry · « **Reply #7 on:** March 07, 2010, 06:47:24 PM »

I have one and I believe it's a great value for the money. I would not put the word cheap on it. It does what it's supposed to do every time and it's accurate, and mine looks nice too. I think the last Price I saw on one was about $269, a bargain!!!

It's a lot better design than the PPK which it mimics. It has a decocker and also a gun lock built in to render it useless if you intend it...

S.S. · « **Reply #8 on:** March 08, 2010, 12:46:34 PM »

Just making a little humor...
They have not had the best reputation but
I am really not sure why. I do not know anyone
who has had one that did not like it. Kind of
like the old Llama pistols. Folks didn't like them
but could not tell you why they didn't except
"I heard this or I heard that"?
I wish the Little 380 Model III would never
have left my possession. That really was a cool little gun.
Looked like a baby 1911

DC · « **Reply #9 on:** March 09, 2010, 11:45:18 AM »

To follow up on my comment, I put a deposit on one today and am going to sell my Para P16 40 S&W. I love it but I have a problem keeping my pants up without an anchor on my waste band. It has a custom trigger and beaver tail grip etc. It just weigh to damm much for a concealed carry gun.
The Bersa 380 gets the job done when needed and is an incredible deal.

Ultra25-06 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 15, 2010, 05:24:23 AM »

Bought one new in 03'. It is without a doubt the most reliable handgun I bought. It may be cheap but it is a very basic design. I've yet to have a jam with it, have only used factory mags no aftermarket. It will feed everything from steel case surplus to premium. To bad the wife has claimed it for herself, I have considered purchasing a second one to replace the one she claimed.

DC · « **Reply #11 on:** March 19, 2010, 05:37:29 AM »

Well I didn't sell the Para but bought the Bersa anyway. I picked up the two tone for $279. As my previous experience confirmed, at it't first outing, it fed solid, hollows and virtually anything I fed it. It is remarkably accurate and the eronomics are great.

GH1 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 19, 2010, 08:11:16 AM »

Congratulations on your purchase, I'm sure you'll get many years of reliable service out of it.
GH1

Brett · « **Reply #13 on:** March 26, 2010, 06:10:14 PM »

I hear that they have a stellar reputation for dependability and briefly considered getting one for CC myself. That is until I found the Kel-tec P-11. Same size, a little liter weight, 9mm vs .380acp, also very reliable and priced about the same.

poppie · « **Reply #14 on:** April 05, 2010, 05:58:13 PM »

my son has one in .380 and carrys it daily,it get dirty/dusty working out side and still runs flawless,he also has one in.45 which is next to impossible to find,bersas are a great gun you can depend on,we have a gun club at our RV park and several guys have bersas and no one has had one fail,we go here,... http://www.bsfshootingsports.com/ ,pistol,rifle and shot gun ranges.

tonantius · « **Reply #15 on:** April 15, 2010, 05:53:09 PM »

I have a Bersa Thunder 380 and I love it. It is my most accurate pistol. It just works. I am considering buying one in caliber .40 s&W.

tturner53 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 27, 2010, 02:19:56 PM »

Dang! With these reviews who wouldn't want one? Better than a Walther? Sounds good to me, so much so I bought one, actually a Firestorm .380, same gun. I plan to let my daughter try it, see if she likes it. Now I'm kind of hoping she doesn't. I really like all the controls on it, all standard type placement and it has a decocker safety, I really like those. Nice easy way to put the hammer down on a live round safely. Now that I'm in the .380 game for the first time, what kind of ammo should be best for personal defense? She's not a big girl and didn't like any 9mms we tried, too much blast/recoil.

GH1 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 27, 2010, 04:44:40 PM »

I use Hydra-Shoks in mine, while in the Kel-Tec I use Golden Sabers. The Bersa isn't fussy about what you give it, as I mentioned in my previous post. Congratulations on your purchase!
GH1

tonantius · « **Reply #18 on:** April 27, 2010, 05:36:51 PM »

I use Remington Golden Saber for personal defense.

tturner53 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 27, 2010, 07:26:07 PM »

Thanks guys, I'll try them both. I was able to load a few dummy rounds(no primer or powder) just for fun. I'll get some real dies though. I have a 6 cav Lee 125 358 that seems to work in the magazine ok. The dealer let me take the mags home with me, gotta wait 10 days for the gun. The Lyman 48th edition has a cast load for a 120 gr. bullet going up to almost 950 fps! Maybe I'll try sizing the Lee 125 down to .356 and use the starting loads for the 120 gr. cast bullet they list. It would be good to be able to make up a bunch of practice ammo for her using my cast bullets.

GH1 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 28, 2010, 01:29:48 AM »

I'm shooting cast bullets in mine for range use, 100 gr truncated cone with 2.8 gr AA # 2.
GH1

Mikey · « **Reply #21 on:** April 28, 2010, 01:48:33 AM »

tturner: I have always felt the best ammo for the 380 is plain ball or a cast substitute. You need only push them out the barrel at factory velocities; going lighter/faster isn't really the key with the 380 and with factory level rounds your wife or daughter should not have any problems with those loads in your Bersa, which is a solid, reputable pistol. I think the biggest reason for a poor reputation with some is due to its foreign manufacture - some folk just don't like foreign made stuff no matter how good and a really good example is with Argentine made FN High Powers - some folk won't buy them because they are made in Argentina, not because they are foreign (Belgian) or anythiing, so go figure huh.....

And right now I believe MidSouth, one of our sponsors, has brass, primers and bullets on sale that can be used in the 380. Good luck and have fun.

tturner53 · « **Reply #22 on:** April 30, 2010, 12:55:56 PM »

This gun will see a lot of cast bullets. I have a Lee 6 cavity 125 gr mold that drops them at .358, may have to size them down a bit, we'll see.

TribReady · « **Reply #23 on:** April 30, 2010, 01:13:42 PM »

Sorry for hi-jacking the thread and somewhat changing the subject, but what size holster do you guys use? Where can I purchase or view online?
Thanks

GH1 · « **Reply #24 on:** April 30, 2010, 01:32:45 PM »

I use a Fobus paddle holster, they have a website you can purchase from. Also, I believe Bersa has holsters on their website.
GH1

highwayman · « **Reply #25 on:** May 01, 2010, 02:20:07 PM »

went to the range with mine today and it jams about every other clip

. we have a regional repair center close to where i live so the pistol went back to today.along with pictures of the jams. other than that fact,i love the way it shot. fast or slow i could keep every shot in the chest of a man size target from 15 yds to 25 yds.

GH1 · « **Reply #26 on:** May 02, 2010, 02:49:50 AM »

Man I'm sorry to hear that. Glad you like the way it felt though.
GH1

tonantius · « **Reply #27 on:** May 03, 2010, 04:57:54 PM »

Quote from: highwayman on May 01, 2010, 02:20:07 PM

went to the range with mine today and it jams about every other clip . we have a regional repair center close to where i live so the pistol went back to today.along with pictures of the jams. other than that fact,i love the way it shot. fast or slow i could keep every shot in the chest of a man size target from 15 yds to 25 yds.

Try a different brand of ammo. I had problems with a Ruger LCP with certain types of ammo. Also make sure you have a firm grip on the pistol. You want minimal barrel rise on each shot. You want all of the recoil energy to activate the slide. That will minimize the jamming.

kctibs · « **Reply #28 on:** May 03, 2010, 05:06:24 PM »

Does anyone have the thunder in 9mm? I have not seen one but the wife would like one for her. We both shot the .380 but we both think the 9mm would work better for her. But need to handle one first to be sure. I have been looking and they seem hard to find. What little I have tried the .380 it seems like a good little gun.

highwayman · « **Reply #29 on:** May 03, 2010, 05:28:14 PM »

i had 4 different types of ammo and hung up on winchester ball ammo the most. tried soft, regular, and hard grip. nothing helped. after looking at the pictures the gunsmith thinks it the clip. we will see.