Bersa Thunder .380
- Thread starter TPAW
- Start date
ElectricHellfire
New member
Great gun for the price. I've had mine for about 7 years and it's performed very well. Mine doesn't like flat nosed Wal Mart ammo but everything else feeds fine. Good carry piece. I hear that Bersa is coming out with a slim 9 soon. 
I just picked mine up last week. For the $$$ it is the least expensive current production hand gun you could stake your life on ( Some would say Hi Point which is a "pot metal gun") that is made with quality materials. Simple design, easy to field strip and with a 100 grain Buffalo Bore standard pressure hard cast FP, it will shoot a decent hole right through any man on earth. We are talking two feet of straight line penetration and the FP meplat will cause much destruction on the way in and out. So for me it is the equal of a 9mm as I'm old school - hard cast standard pressure FPs with a good size meplat that will shoot right through the traget. Low recoil, decent accuracy and great straight line penetration in an inexpensive quality gun. Works for me. Here is quote from Gun Blast review linked below:
"Overall, I am very impressed with the Thunder .380. It is a better gun than some costing three times its price. I have seen these for sale in gun shops for around two hundred bucks. That is a great price for a gun of this quality. The Thunder .380 is a reliable auto pistol with great ergonomics, controllable power, a perfect trigger pull, and an exceptional price."
http://www.gunblast.com/Bersa_Thunder380.htm
"Overall, I am very impressed with the Thunder .380. It is a better gun than some costing three times its price. I have seen these for sale in gun shops for around two hundred bucks. That is a great price for a gun of this quality. The Thunder .380 is a reliable auto pistol with great ergonomics, controllable power, a perfect trigger pull, and an exceptional price."
http://www.gunblast.com/Bersa_Thunder380.htm
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Jbar4Ranch
New member
I've owned two, still have one of 'em. $218.50, new, early in 2008. A great gun, for any price, and I carry it far more than anything else.
I love mine..
Nine years old and it has eaten everything I've fed it. From gun show reloads to the flavor of the day.
I would recomend the Bersa .380 thunder CC over its slightly bigger brother. Go with blued over stainless for conceled carry.
In any case, get what you like.
I carry mine with DPX loads.
Peachy
Nine years old and it has eaten everything I've fed it. From gun show reloads to the flavor of the day.
I would recomend the Bersa .380 thunder CC over its slightly bigger brother. Go with blued over stainless for conceled carry.
In any case, get what you like.
I carry mine with DPX loads.
Peachy
JiminTexas
New member
http://www.bersachat.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/4-Bersa-Chat
Here you will find the answers to all of your Bersa questions.
Here you will find the answers to all of your Bersa questions.
I loved my so much created a board for them .http://bersachat.com
. I have 2 in the family at present and one of those is on my hip. Loaded with Corbon DPX
. I have 2 in the family at present and one of those is on my hip. Loaded with Corbon DPX
I like the regular Thunder .380, it shoots accurately and nicely. I made the mistake of getting the 380 CC version, which I would avoid if I were you. The reduction of the grip tang makes recoil bite a painful surprise, and they somehow deleted the sights on the CC. But the regular one seems pretty good from the ones I have rented.
If you you get the thunder .380, I highly recommend getting the firestorm .22 as well. The firestorm .22 is the same frame as the bersa thunder, but it shoots .22 which makes for some cheap practice.
Have you looked at the bersa thunder plus? It's a double stack version of the thunder.380 that holds 15 rounds. Something to think about.
Have you looked at the bersa thunder plus? It's a double stack version of the thunder.380 that holds 15 rounds. Something to think about.
You won't go wrong with a Bersa.
For CC check out the Bersa Thunder 380 Concealed Carry, it's smaller lighter and easier to conceal than the Thunder FS.
http://www.bersa.com/bersa-firearms/thunder-380-concealed-carry.html
For CC check out the Bersa Thunder 380 Concealed Carry, it's smaller lighter and easier to conceal than the Thunder FS.
http://www.bersa.com/bersa-firearms/thunder-380-concealed-carry.html
Right now they go for around $260.00. As for "Bersa Chat" my short visit to the site was my first and last based on the political comments by the site owner. The same information is out there with a simple search or a visit to You Tube without anti-Second Amendment political commentary.
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TPAW - I'm on my second Bersa Thunder 380 (first one was stolen) and it's a great shooting, accurate, reliable gun. The current one I own is the all-nickel finish model which I prefer over the matte black finish I had originally.
It's a little bit too big for pocket carry. Well depending on your pockets, I suppose. I sometimes carry mine in a pocket holster but it's a bit bigger and heavier than I'd want if I were going to pocket carry all the time.
It does fine with a good IWB holster though.
It's a little bit too big for pocket carry. Well depending on your pockets, I suppose. I sometimes carry mine in a pocket holster but it's a bit bigger and heavier than I'd want if I were going to pocket carry all the time.
It does fine with a good IWB holster though.
I have the 380 Thunder with the crimson trace. I love the thing even if I dont carry it often because I prefer my 45. That said, the thunder 380 is a competent little gun and shoots very well.
I probably wouldn't recommend using it for a range gun as I would be concerned about long term durability shooting tons of rounds but who knows it could be fine.
For myself I shoot it now and then but I limit the rounds because I do use it for CCW. The only problem I have ever had carrying it is the beavertail sometimes can be painful if you hip carry it but I think its more a function of body shape than the pistol. Once I found the right holster even the beavertail problem solved itself.
Great little gun!
I probably wouldn't recommend using it for a range gun as I would be concerned about long term durability shooting tons of rounds but who knows it could be fine.
For myself I shoot it now and then but I limit the rounds because I do use it for CCW. The only problem I have ever had carrying it is the beavertail sometimes can be painful if you hip carry it but I think its more a function of body shape than the pistol. Once I found the right holster even the beavertail problem solved itself.
Great little gun!
blueridgerunner
New member
Just got mine this week. 15+ years in law enforcement, now retired. I went to the gun shop to look at a Kel-Tec .380 but they had the Bersa for $1 cheaper. Not to disparage the little KT, but it was too small for my liking. I would think that any SD round would be like holding a 1 1/2" firecracker and setting it off. Anyway, I liked the fit & feel of the Bersa Thunder .380. Really nice to carry especially after CCW with a Hi-Point C9 reliable as a brick and just as heavy. Carried a 1911 for years as a duty weapon but had to give it back.
reliable as a brick and just as heavy. Carried a 1911 for years as a duty weapon but had to give it back.