Does anyone here still own any Bersa pistols?

Seems like it's been quite a while since I've heard them mentioned around here. 8-10 years ago it seemed like they were more popular but have they stopped importing them?

I had a 380CC that was a fantastic little thing, a bit snappy but was a tack driver and always went bang. I got rid of it some years ago but wish I'd kept it.

Found some pics of it online:

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Bersa Pistols? Are They Still A Thing?

They were a thing?

Yeah they were a better alternative to something like a Keltec IMO.

Still plenty of places to buy them if it's your thing.

Bersa Handguns at Buds.

Me? I'm boring. Glock, S&W, Beretta, SIG, HK, Ruger, a Walther.

IE, stuff that works.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Yeah they were a better alternative to something like a Keltec IMO.

Still plenty of places to buy them if it's your thing.

Bersa Handguns at Buds.

Me? I'm boring. Glock, S&W, Beretta, SIG, HK, Ruger, a Walther.

IE, stuff that works.

Did you even bother to read my OP? I had one that I put hundreds of rounds through at a session many times and never a hiccup so not sure about your “stuff that works” line there

I think the new wave of uber-compact 380's, combined with the new wave of 9mm's as small or smaller than the Bersa, they really can't compete with today's market trends.

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but have they stopped importing them?

That was the line I was addressing. It seemed to be your big question, I found them online in less than 30 seconds.

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Originally posted by PASig:
Did you even bother to read my OP? I had one that I put hundreds of rounds through at a session many times and never a hiccup so not sure about your “stuff that works” line there

Yes I read it. My feelings are life is too short for cheap guns, cheap booze, or cheap wimmin (long term, that is. ).

Cheers!

I think better small guns have come to market at similar peices to Bersa and it has taken their market share.

I have a Bersa .380cc. It's a carry version (dehorned, low profile sights, etc.) I've always liked it, but as some have said there are others in the same size class that are preferred in my opinion.

For instance, it is similar in size and scope to my daily pocket carry gun; SIG 938.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
Does anyone here still own any Bersa pistols?

Seems like it's been quite a while since I've heard them mentioned around here.

That's because when you say "Bersa" you always get snarky comments from folks who have never actually shot one and think the price for a "decent" pistol must begin with a 5 or better.

I begged Mrs. 'Hook not to buy that Bersa UC9 as her first carry pistol, but it fit her hand and she shot it really well. But after lugging the weight around in her carry purse she retired it in favor of a 642. So I took it and played with it enough to know this particular model is a solid deal. Besides carrying it for awhile, I also enjoyed shooting it in IDPA for a few years and never had a problem with it. I have at least 3k trouble-free rounds though it, and while that's not a high round count, some will claim I've gone waaaay past the life-limit of the pistol.

But as others have mentioned, new technology and a reassessment of actual threats have relegated the Bersa to back-up duty. My much-lighter Walther PPS* is now my mainstay CCW unless the threat analysis (such as a reluctant trip to Walmart) has me wearing my PPQ M1. But I keep the UC9 because I like it, trust it and I'm accurate with it.


* Yes, the same pistol that went back to Arkansas on a trigger recall before I even shot it. And when I did two of the three white dots fell out of the front and rear sights on the first magazine. "But it's stuff that works, because Walther."

I recently shot a Bersa Thunder. After I made fun of it when my friend brought it out. It shot well, so I did some research on Bersa and found out there are quite few very good reviews on them.
I think they have improved their quality over years past.

I love my Bersa Thunder! I have had it for a while though I don’t keep a round count. It is a fun shooter. In the 90s I carried 380s; a Beretta 84, a Sig p230, or a Walther pp/PPK. Serveral years ago, I read good things about the Bersa, contrary to what I opined back then, I bought a Thunder. I am very pleased with it and it is as good as or better than the previously mentioned 380s. It is very well made and it’s price does not reflect its quality.

My poor man's PPK/S. It's the T380WGKIT from a few years ago. It's due for a range day.

A good friend of mine had a Bersa while I had a SIG 230.

His Bersa ran right along with my 230 and never missed a beat.

My LGS sells Bearsa .380s and the .22s, fairly steadily.

Our shop sells 'em from time to time. Since we don't buy direct, I'll bring them in whenever I can find decent pricing from a distributor.

I should say that I prefer shooting my mundane-looking Thunder 380 over my stainless P232. Much nicer DA trigger and for whatever reason, not quite as nasty on recoil. Who woulda thunk that?

Honestly of the smaller Bersa thunder guns the only one worth getting is the Bersa Thunder 22. It’s the closest thing to the older Beretta DA/SA 22 (Jaguar and Cheetah) guns you can find at a relatively affordable price. They are all metal with decent triggers. In my experience they do favor hotter loads.

Still have the Bersa Thunder 9 Ultra Compact I bought back in the mid90's. I loved the ergos and the price back then and still do. The gun was, and is, relatively accurate and has never faltered through 1000-1200 rounds and 20 years. Certainly I have many "better" more expensive firearms now and have bought/sold many over the years but I can't bring myself to let go of that Bersa. Bersa was a "value line" of relatively well made pistols back then (from Argentina) and you could find the 9mm's on most gun show tables for $250-$350ish. With the advent of Shields, Ruger LC9's, PPS', etc. Bersa's value proposition waned. They soldiered-on with updates of the 1990's models and a token polymer subcompact that never really caught on in the market. I guess I'm still kind of a fan - at least from a sentimental standpoint.

Eagle Imports is still Bersa's marketing arm in the U.S.

My wife used to carry the thunder combat model until she switched to a smaller, lighter .380. I still have it and I'll shoot it occasionally. It's been a reliable, accurate little pistol. Suprisingly, the best thing about it is its light, smooth DA trigger.

I've know a couple of folks who own them. from what i can recall, they are reliable when fed the right ammo and they aren't expensive. The folks I knew that had them, shot them occasionally, but weren't match shooters or taking them to classes. That said, they were confident in the Bersa enough to carry it. IIRC correctly Bersa would occasionally show up in the gun rags as a best buy pistol.

Bersas are still very popular at my house. I have one that I bought years ago(Thunderer 380) and it has never missed a beat.....unlike some of my more expensive brands.

Bersa 380 is a good deal for the price but it has suffered the same decline in popularity as the other hammer fired blow back 380s like the Walther PPK, Beretta 84/85, and Sig 232. They are just too big and have too much recoil compared to smaller 380s like the Ruger LCP, Kel-tec, and Glock 42. I believe that the Bersa is the only one of those classic blow backs still being sold in the US.