.380acp rich (CZ and Beretta)

[TennJed]

I picked up a Makarov in 380acp a couple of years ago. I fell in love with the gun and the round. Don't get me wrong I am not here to preach the round as the most effective SD round or want this to turn into a caliber war.

I just love shooting my Makarov. I also reload and the 380 round is quick, easy, and absurdly cheap to reload. I can get 1000 rounds of lead cast for less than $50. The small case takes very little powder.

Shooting it for about $4 for a box of 50 is hard to beat.

Anyway, I was wanting a high quality
double stack 380 for some range fun and I put a CZ 83 on order and it should be here tomorrow. Well the range gods shined down on me and I happen upon a Beretta 84 this weekend. It is used but never fired (like new!). I was able to do a trade for it that we were both happy with.

So now I have a:
Beretta 84fs
CZ 83
Makarov
Safe full of 380 ammo.



I wanted to brag, but also find out if any other Beretta or CZ 380 owners can tell me to good and bad of these guns? I think the are considered 2 of the better large 380s out there, but I have not shot either.

Also, what other larger 380s out there would be good additions to my collection?

 

[aarondhgraham]

I chuckle at the word Large,,,

But I guess it's actually proper considering the proliferation of teensy 380's.

The Bersa Thunder 380 is a nice gun,,,
And it's inexpensive at around $275.00.

In size it's almost identical to a Beretta Cheetah (84/85/86/87)

My Bersa has been a flawless performer with any type of ammo I have fed it.

Here she is beside my Beretta 85BB,,,

I own the Thunder 380 and the Thunder 22

I also own the Beretta 85BB and the 87 in .22 LR,,,

The main difference is that the Bersa pistols have a decocker.

Aarond

.

 

[TennJed]

The Bersa has always intrigued me. Do you have the 15 round or the 8?

 

[CWKahrFan]

Archive on the subject:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-467747.html

Taurus PT 58 is kind interesting as a large hi-cap (19+1 version!)... Popular in some South-of-the-border countries which limit legal sale to civilians to .380 or less... (but no longer available NEW in the US I believe)...:

http://www.gunlistings.org/kansas-gun-classifieds/topeka/pistols/74433/taurus_pt58_hc_plus_380_auto

And this one which I assume is still in production:

http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/taurus-pt-638-pro-review/

 

[TennJed]

I almost ordered the PT58 instead of the CZ 83. Bud's has them for about the same price. I went with the CZ because I could not really find much info out there on the PT58.

If anyone wants one of the Taurus both Buds and Davidson's Gallery of Guns have them in stock ( if I am not mistaken Taurus has discontinued them)

 

[PSP]

I have the CZ and Beretta. Both are nice guns, but I much prefer the Beretta. Though very similar in size, the Beretta has always felt better in my hand. I shoot both reasonably well, but, again, the Beretta seems to be more accurate, perhaps because I like the prefer it's sights.

Nice guns, you'll love shooting them. Enjoy.

 

[TennJed]

PSP, have you always had the wood grips on the Beretta? I ask because I really like the looks of them. I have the black plastic ones on it now and they feel really good in the hand. If you have had both can you tell much difference in the feel? Are the wood ones thicker, thinner, or the same?

Thanks

 

[Billy Shears]

Also, what other larger 380s out there would be good additions to my collection?

Have you considered the Browning BDA or the Colt Government 380? Both very nice pistols.

 

[Beentown71]

The Browning BDA is very nice, indeed. I have found it hard to find a more accurate, cost effective pistol as the CZ. I have both the .380 and 9mak versions and they are SO accurate. I shoot them better than any other pistol I own...period.

My Beretta 84 isn't half as accurate (actual number) than my CZ. Polygonal rifling and fixed barrel are hard to beat IMHO.

Enjoy!

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk 2

 

[TennJed]

Have you considered the Browning BDA or the Colt Government 380? Both very nice pistols.

I would love either, they are just hard to find locally. I have seen a few online, but I prefer to buy used after look it over in person. That being said, I would go after a deal online if it was really good
*

 

[JWT]

Just picked up a nice used Colt Mustang .380 (1986 date of mfg.). I find it much nicer to shoot than my Beretta Cheetah. Fits my hand better, less recoil, nicer trigger. I am much more accurate with the Mustang than with the Cheetah.

 

[PSP]

PSP, have you always had the wood grips on the Beretta? I ask because I really like the looks of them. I have the black plastic ones on it now and they feel really good in the hand. If you have had both can you tell much difference in the feel? Are the wood ones thicker, thinner, or the same?

I've had five different grips sets for the Beretta.
* OEM plastic which I find to be excellent.
* OEM smooth wood are very comfortable but less tight in the hand.
* OEM checkered grips feel very secure, look super and add no girth.
* Pachmayr Signature have outstanding "gripability" but add girth. If you have a large hand these are the grips.
* Farrer rubber panel, (Hogue like) are the best ever made, out of production and rare.

The smooth wood came on my first Beretta 84f.

The checkered grips were purchased after I bought a Beretta 85 that came with with plastic grips.

I bought the Signature grips at a gun show.

The Farrer grips came with another 84 I bought.

Farrer grips

Signature and Checkered

Smooth wood

 

[TennJed]

Thanks PSP! You can't ask for a better detailed post

 

[aarondhgraham]

Hello TennJed,,,

The Bersa has always intrigued me. Do you have the 15 round or the 8?

I have the 8 round Thunder 380.

I handled one of the high capacity guns,,,
While the grip wasn't too thick,,,
I preferred the thinner one.

Aarond

.

 

[Sparks1957]

I own the 8-round Bersa, but have held the 15-round Plus and thought it compared to the CZ 83 in terms of size.

I like the guns that are chambered for .380 perhaps more than the round itself.

That Beretta 84 sure is pretty, may have to get one of those one day.

 

[lcpiper]

I have the Beretta 85B and she is a beauty. I like her alot and keep her just because she is so classicly pretty.

 

[ShipWreck]

Cant tell ya how many times I have been tempted to buy a 380 Beretta... The ammo cost is what always makes me change my mind, though. At Wal-Mart, its about the same cost as 45 ACP

 

[aarondhgraham]

The down side of a Beretta Cheetah,,,

Cant tell ya how many times I have been tempted to buy a 380 Beretta...

I only purchased my 85BB because I'm a sucker for rimfire/centerfire pairs of pistols,,,
I had a windfall of cash back in March 2011 and purchased a model 87,,,
Not even one week after I picked it up at the Evil Pawn Shop,,,
The Evil Pawn Shop Guy got a used 85BB in his shop.

He offered me a buy-back deal if I found the 85BB had issues,,,
I bought it and it performed flawlessly with FMJ and HP,,,
Then he discounted it down to $400.00 plus tax,,,
The deal was too good to let pass me by.

The point of this ramble is that I love my 380 Beretta,,,
But in reality I do consider all of the Cheetah models to be overpriced.

Take the Model 87 in .22 LR,,,
I paid $666.66 (Really!) for it a year ago,,,
Just a few weeks later I paid $265.00 for a Bersa Thunder 22.

Beretta = 8+1 rounds
Bersa = 10+1 rounds

Beretta = DA/SA ambidextrous safety
Bersa = DA/SA with decocker

Beretta = Absolute reliability with CCI Mini Mags
Bersa = Absolute reliability with CCI Mini Mags

Beretta = One of the prettiest pistols ever made
Bersa = Pretty gun but not like the Beretta

Beretta costs 2.5 times as much as the Bersa

I guess what I'm saying is that there doesn't seem to be any real advantage gained,,,
By buying the Beretta over any of the other good 380 pistols out there.

I bought my Cheetahs because I simply wanted the guns,,,
I have a difficult time recommending them to anyone else because of their overly high price.

Aarond

.

 

[TennJed]

I like the guns that are chambered for .380 perhaps more than the round itself.

.

I can absolutely see where you are coming from with that. The only reason I am such a big fan of the round is it is so cheap to reload.

I like small guns and there are some really cool 380 handguns out there

 

[Sparks1957]

Yes, indeed. Not that I think the .380 round is trash, just a little on the light side