Bersa Thunder .380 DuoTone

[Spencer, Carey]

Hello everybody. Picked up a Bersa Thunder .380 at the show here in Winston Salem this weekend. My mother took a look at it and said that she thought it was "nice". I told her it was not to my knowledge a first class pistol, but she said "Id like to have something like that". (HINT, HINT) Now if she wants it, it is hers, but before i give it to her knowing that the SP101 she currently carries will be replaced, can anyone out there give me a review of this little autoloader?
I cant swing the Walther PPK/S that it looks to me to be a clone of, so how does this little peice stack up? Thanxs all! 

[spruce]

Never owned one, but plan on buying the .22 version soon for a fun plinker/knockabout gun.

I think it's a much underrated pistol, often dismissed as just another cheap import due to it's very reasonable price.

I think Gunblast has a couple reviews in their archives, but if you want to find out everything there is to know about it go to bersachat.com and browse around.

[GH1]

I've got well over a thousand round through my Thunder .380 with nary a hiccup. I've shot Hydra-Shoks, Golden Sabers, FMJ RN, cast truncated cone, ans cast roundnose with no trouble at all. It is, in my opinion, the best kept secret in the world of compact semi-autos.
Many people will tell you the Bersa is a good gun for the money, but that's not true. It's a good gun, period.
I must ask though, why does she not want the SP101?
GH1

[Brett]

May not be 1st class as in SIG or a high end 1911 but they are darn good and very dependable little autoloaders.   

[Spencer, Carey]

GH1, She has a little more firearms experience now and wants something different to carry. The SP101 will be relegated to bedside nightstand duty. Wants to have another toy like the rest of us maybe! Thanx for the feedback everybody. Feel better about the little gun than I did before.

[Brett]

I like your Mom already and I've never even met her.  After a good break in and with the appropriate ammo she will have another fine little SD firearm at her disposal.

[highwayman]

i have the duo-tone. at first it would jam alot. it went back to a gunsmith and it would still jam, some times ever other shot. after about 300-400 rds and a few cuss words it started shooting any thing i put in it. it is my ccw loaded with a golddot and ww fmc fn. if yours gives you trouble donot give up on it.

[Spencer, Carey]

Thanx highwayman. Will buy several brands/types of ammo and really wring it out.

[DC]

Very much a first class pistol.  I have owned a few and know others that have owned them as well.  It out classes the Walther and is almost an exact copy.   It is not fussy about ammo and will shoot almost anything you load in it.  IMHO it is the most underrated pistol on the market.

[keith44]

after about 200 or so rounds carefully apply high pressure moly grease to the rails.  I did this to mine and it is as slick as a tuned 1911.  I've put about 900 to maybe 1,100 rounds through mine, and the only hiccup I ever had was with comercial reloads.