Bersa .380

[Joe Maisto]

looking for opinions. I bought one and for the price, looks to be well made. Anybody care to chime in ?

 

[T-shooter]

A decent pistol for the money. You may need to oil the safety/de-cocker lever and work it a couple hundred times to get it loosened up. They are reasonably accurate and have a fixed barrel. When you tear it down, the recoil spring on the barrel needs to go on only one way.

 

[Joe Maisto]

A decent pistol for the money. You may need to oil the safety/de-cocker lever and work it a couple hundred times to get it loosened up. They are reasonably accurate and have a fixed barrel. When you tear it down, the recoil spring on the barrel needs to go on only one way.

Thank you. Haven't got it all figured out yet. my hands are not as strong as they once were, and it reacks very hard to me. I'll go to an indoor range and work on things. Yesterday I also purchased a S&W Compact .22 which is very sweet.

 

[skeeljc]

I had Bersa Thunder pistols in .380 acp and .22LR. Good guns. I wish I had kept them. They are well made and shoot well.

 

[69mach]

I’ve got a crimson trace edition. For no bigger than they are and in 380 they tend to have a snappy recoil. Maybe it’s the design of the handgun or maybe it’s my big hands oddly gripping the gun but I don’t enjoy shooting it. I’d rather shoot my 44 mag 25 times than I would that little 380acp bersa the same amount If times. I will same though with the crimson trace grips it’s hell on bunnies in the garden. Aside from that the gun is reliable and pretty accurate.

 

[Straightshooter1]

looking for opinions. I bought one and for the price, looks to be well made. Anybody care to chime in ?

I've had one now for a few years and carry it as a defensive weapon. It's not the one with a long beaver tail. So, I shoot it pretty often and it has operated flawlessly for me. It's plenty accurate at defensive distances making if an effective defensive weapon, IMHO. I like handguns like this one that have hammer rather than a striker mechanism for safety (mainly, because of the way I carry it). The safety feature is great where it has a hammer block that prevents it from firing if a round is chambered (important to me as I keep a round chambered at all times with safety off). The grip fits nicely and comfortably into my large but lean hands. Though the trigger is a little long and heavy for my taste, after the uncocked firing (around 10 lbs of pull), the subsequent trigger pulls are short and light (mine is just over 3 lbs). The reset is short, also to my liking. I also like the design of the sights, though I really don't use them much as I'm more of a point and shoot kind of guy when it come to pistols. In terms of it mechanical operation, of all the pistols I've fired, I can say that there hasn't been any that operate any better. It's a very reliable pistol. The ONLY real issue I have with it is, it's plenty easy to take apart to clean, but it gives me fits often in getting the slide back in place.

I bought this Bersa .380 after I was so impressed with the Bersa Thunder 9 Pro I'd usesd for a while, which is VERY accurate and Very reliable. Its features and performance led me to their .380 and haven't been disappointed with either. The Argentinians did a fine job on designing and manufacturing the Bersa's.

 

[Riesel]

Got two of them and would say that they are well made, reliable and defense accurate. I kind of agree with 69Mach, the recoil is a bit snappy but I think it's the weight or lack of. NO, i would not prefer shooting my .44 shot for shot.

 

[Joe Maisto]

I had Bersa Thunder pistols in .380 acp and .22LR. Good guns. I wish I had kept them. They are well made and shoot well.

I agree . I prefer it to my S&W MP .40

 

[Joe Maisto]

I’ve got a crimson trace edition. For no bigger than they are and in 380 they tend to have a snappy recoil. Maybe it’s the design of the handgun or maybe it’s my big hands oddly gripping the gun but I don’t enjoy shooting it. I’d rather shoot my 44 mag 25 times than I would that little 380acp bersa the same amount If times. I will same though with the crimson trace grips it’s hell on bunnies in the garden. Aside from that the gun is reliable and pretty accurate.

I wish I had the crimson Trace . I saw a " piece at Cabels's yesterday with the "crimson trace" in the handle, whereby...when you wraped your hand around the GRIP, the light came on. It was perhaps $100. more than what I bought, but very positive.

 

[Joe Maisto]

I've had one now for a few years and carry it as a defensive weapon. It's not the one with a beaver tail. So, I shoot it pretty often and it has operated flawlessly for me. It's plenty accurate at defensive distances making if an effective defensive weapon, IMHO. I like handguns like this one that have hammer rather than a striker mechanism for safety (mainly, because of the way I carry it). The safety feature is great where it has a hammer block that prevents it from firing if a round is chambered (important to me as I keep a round chambered at all times with safety off). The grip fits nicely and comfortably into my large but lean hands. Though the trigger is a little long and heavy for my taste, after the uncocked firing (around 10 lbs of pull), the subsequent trigger pulls are short and light (mine is just over 3 lbs). The reset is short, also to my liking. I also like the design of the sights, though I really don't use them much as I'm more of a point and shoot kind of guy when it come to pistols. In terms of it mechanical operation, of all the pistols I've fired, I can say that there hasn't been any that operate any better. It's a very reliable pistol. The ONLY real issue I have with it is, it's plenty easy to take apart to clean, but it gives me fits often in getting the slide back in place.

I bought this Bersa .380 after I was so impressed with the Bersa Thunder 9 Pro I'd usesd for a while, which is VERY accurate and Very reliable. Its features and performance led me to their .380 and haven't been disappointed with either. The Argentinians did a fine job on designing and manufacturing the Bersa's.

I share your feelings entirely. They did a fine job indeed ! ( much to my surprise). Being new to this type of firearm, am not sure if and how I will carry it. Last thing any of us need to do is pull a trigger on someone. What a snap decision to have to make. May I never be confronted with it.
Thank you for your response.

 

[Joe Maisto]

Got two of them and would say that they are well made, reliable and defense accurate. I kind of agree with 69Mach, the recoil is a bit snappy but I think it's the weight or lack of. NO, i would not prefer shooting my .44 shot for shot.

Nor would I !

 

[69mach]

Nor would I !

my 44 fits my big ass hands and is comfortable to me. That little bersa 380 is just awkward. If not for mine having the little hook built into the mag base plate I would have sold it. Mine is the single stack version. My brother has a nickel staggered mag version and likes it ok but it’s snappy too

 

[T-shooter]

You can get better grips on the .380 Bersa. I sold the Bersa and replaced it with a Taurus 738 .380, smaller for concealed carry. I also have a Firestorm .22LR (It's stamped Bersa on one side). The rubberized grips came on it. It's is 100% like the Bersa .380 except for the bore diameter. These grips are interchangeable.

I did a trigger job on this one. What a pain. The little reset spring behind the trigger is beyond a nightmare to put back in. Originally it was 7lbs/4oz in single action and 9lbs in double action mode. I got the single action pull down to 3lbs/7oz.

 

[normmatzen]

My Daughter got one then my wife got one for her birthday (from me). Both are every bit as good as my 33 year old Hungarian PPH in 380 auto.

 

[JEFFPPC]

looking for opinions. I bought one and for the price, looks to be well made. Anybody care to chime in ?

My wife carries one and can shoot it well. It seems like a lot of gun for the money. Only issue I have is the safe operating backwards from every other handgun I have used. For me personally that is the only reason I don't also have one. If you only use one gun it's not an issue.

 

[Joe Maisto]

My wife carries one and can shoot it well. It seems like a lot of gun for the money. Only issue I have is the safe operating backwards from every other handgun I have used. For me personally that is the only reason I don't also have one. If you only use one gun it's not an issue.

I agree about the safe being opposite from others. Don't understand how they got away with that, or why.

 

[Straightshooter1]

Let me introduce you to my little friend.

 

[Pwc]

A decent pistol for the money. You may need to oil the safety/de-cocker lever and work it a couple hundred times to get it loosened up. They are reasonably accurate and have a fixed barrel. When you tear it down, the recoil spring on the barrel needs to go on only one way.

Put the end of the spring that is slightly smaller on first (friction fit).

EDC, IWB, always goes bang paint front sight day-glo orange, rear white.

Didn't always lock back on last shot; needle file in slide notch fixed it.

Looks like a pistol, not just a hunk/blob of steel with a trigger.

 

[T-shooter]

Put the end of the spring that is slightly smaller on first (friction fit).

EDC, IWB, always goes bang paint front sight day-glo orange, rear white.

Didn't always lock back on last shot; needle file in slide notch fixed it.

Looks like a pistol, not just a hunk/blob of steel with a trigger.

Never had one not lock back but the safety/de-cock lever was so stiff it took both my thumbs to move it. Some oil and working it a couple hundred times loosened it right up.

 

[JMS597]

We have one, I jokingly call it the Saddam Hussein model because it has a lot of gold trim.

We bought it used, and it works perfectly fine. I would carry it, but I have others for that role. It's eaten everything I put through it with no issues.

I did put new grips on it and it feels pretty good in the hand.