[markaf]

I went and picked up my new Bersa 380 Thunder at the local dealers store today and took it straight to the indoor range. I brought two hundred of Speer Law Man (95 gr TMJ) with me thinking that would be enough to warm it up and find my center point. Within two seven round clips it was very easy to keep the bullets grouped tight and centered. And then a round got stuck in the breach. Pulling the clip out, it was simple to clear it. And then it started miss loading several rounds a clip, each time I followed the remove the clip process which got old fast. When it finally would not accept a single round at all, I got a bit unhappy with it and wrapped up my range time, only 25 minutes into my paid hour. I went back into the store and told my dealer, he got his gunsmith to look at it right away. He needed to break out a few files, and wack it with a pin remover a few times when we both noticed that the safety button was sheared clean off!! We figured that it must have been shipped that way, because IT WAS NEW!!! Anyway the gunsmith, also being from Argentina, cannibalized a new 380 to replace my broken safety. Now at this point the range is closing down for the night and could not find out if the firing problem has been fixed. Maybe I was just unlucky enough to get the lemon, keep you eyes opened if your getting one.

Mark

[Righteous]

be interesting to see how this plays out, I'm betting that aint the problem

[markaf]

Well Righteous your right!! I took it back to the range this morning and it's a no go. It will chamber a round, but not fire. I had to leave it with the gunsmith. He will attempt to fix it or send it back to Bersa for repairs.

[tekarra]

markaf,

May I suggest you go to www.bersatalk.com as there is a chap named Royce out of Colorado who has a Bersa repair shop. He frequently responds to trouble shooting queries in the Tech Talk forum.

[markaf]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[Righteous]

I hope Bersa dont shoot ya down since you let a gun smith work on it and not them, if its under warrenty I bet ya it just went Void, I have quick turn around with them on repairs, might should have let them have it first.

[markaf]

I hear you!! I got in touch with their Authorized Repair Center in Colorado. He will take it if needed. Let's see.

[markaf]

Just thought I would give an update on my little Bersa. As of 8/29/08 I still don't know if the gunsmith out in Colorado received it. He is a Bersa authorized repair center, their biggest according to the owner. Just can't get him to let me know if he got it.

[Mark F]

I wouldn't wipe my butt with a Bersa 380 Thunder... With all the GREAT choices there are, I can't imagine why anyone would settle for that half-witted pissy pea shooter...

The best scenario would be to give all the bad guys Bersa's then you'd have ample opportunity to take them out while they piddle with their Bersa's.

[jeepcreep927]

Does anyone know about when Bersa added the "Thunder" label to their pistols?

I had an older (early 90's maybe?) Bersa .380. No where on it or the box did it say "Thunder". Appears to be the same dimensions as the newer and looks the same though. I got it for dirt cheap on a whim in as new condition. It was very accurate and reliable but I didn't put more than 25 rounds through it.

Just curious if something changed in design, quality control or both. Maybe I just didn't shoot it enough to bring out the problems?