Semi-auto brand question.

[mh892]

Anyone have experience/opinion about the Bersa brand of semi-auto? I have fired a couple .380's that belonged to others and found them to be comfortable and accurate. I've not heard nor seen bad press about Bersa. I understand Bersa outfits the Argentine Police. There is a Bersa Thunder 9MHC 9mm DA that uses a 17 round magazine. I'm considering this piece and would like opinions and experience reports. Thanks.

[FireEMSPolice]

I love my Sig Sauer P226 .40

[Bill Warnock]

As with all semi-automatics, you have to ensure it will consistantly fire the type of ammunition you want or are required to use. Most fire hard ball with no problems. Some get odd results with certain kinds of jacketed hollow points.
Thus far with my Sig Sauer P220 .45 I've not had any problems with CCI Lawman, Winchester, etc. Surplus US Army ball .45 is neat when you can get it. Some target reloads, mostly solid lead, are problematic.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[N. A. Corbier]

The only thing bad I have heard about Bersa is their revolvers. A co-worker qualified with his $150 dollar Bersa .38 special, ran the G qualification course, and at the end of the 3 courses of fire, his barrel was hot enough that the barrel sagged a bit, putting a measurable sag into the barrel.

[Charger]

Anyone have experience/opinion about the Bersa brand of semi-auto? I have fired a couple .380's that belonged to others and found them to be comfortable and accurate. I've not heard nor seen bad press about Bersa. I understand Bersa outfits the Argentine Police. There is a Bersa Thunder 9MHC 9mm DA that uses a 17 round magazine. I'm considering this piece and would like opinions and experience reports. Thanks.

What you carry off-duty is entirely up to you, of course. I've always heard that it's best to stay away from the "off-brand" manufacturers when considering a duty weapon. Even though you may not have seen any bad press, there may be a reason they haven't become a 'major' brand yet. Not to mention, you'll have a hard time finding a decent double/triple retention holster for it. (My Walther, for example, IS a fairly well-known brand.. But I had a hell of a time finding stuff for it, until an 'in-the-know' gunsmith mentioned to me that it fits almost all the same stuff as a HK USP... lol)

On the flip side, however, Bill brings up a good point. If you have the chance to, rent one at a range, and run as many different kinds of ammo through it as you can. If it consistantly fires them with no problems, then it may very well be a capable weapon for duty.

I've heard bad things about the Hi-Points... But one of my co-workers SWEARS by his, and he hasn't had any problems shooting any ammo through it. So who knows?

[Hospital Security Dude]

I have a Bersa 83 in 380 that I bought as a play gun and it is accurate and has a smooth trigger pull. The only thing I found wrong with the pistol is that the rear sight blade could actually come out of the site assembly if you snag it just right and was held in by the tension of the spring. I thought about putting a drop of super glue on either side but decided that since I am not using it as a carry piece that I wouldn't worry about it.