[Nodpete]

I've been looking at these pistols but I've read a lot of folks are having problems with them. Seems feeding is the biggest problem. They say that FMJ's feed well but how about HP's ? Also, other than capacity, what is the difference between the Thunder and the Thunder Plus ?

 

[60942]

My wife has a Duo-Tone Bersa Thunder .380 and absolutely loves it more than her Mod 66 or her .22 revolver. She has had it about five years and it has been trouble-free firing FMJ and HP ammo.
They are well made pistols of top quality and surprisingly accurate for a hip-pocket gun. They are made of steel and are not what I used to call a cheap "pot metal" pistol. Of course these are for close protection and not a gun-fighting

I highly recommend these but I know nothing about the Thunder Plus.

 

[Jaison]

Had a Bersa Thunder Combat for awhile. It was a great gun. Not a single hiccup with FMJ or any brand of JHP. I did polish the feed ramp right off the bat, though.

 

[Cyrano]

The only thing wrong with the Bersa Thunder series is that freakin' lawyer lock built into the frame. It's the reason I won't own one. Bersa and S&W both use them, and both insist that there is absolutely no way the frame lock can engage without its key. However, as a firm believer in Murphy's Law, I'm not willing to risk my life on a mechanical lock I regard as completely unnecessary on a firearm.

Otherwise, they are fine pistols.

 

[Nodpete]

Did not know about that lock. Can't you just unlock it and leave it that way ?

 

[Cyrano]

Did not know about that lock. Can't you just unlock it and leave it that way ?

You can, and from what I understand many people do. But I am a firm believer in Murphy's Law, and Murphy's Law states that the allegedly foolproof lock will engage without using the key at the worst possible moment. Now, if you can find me some way to remove the frame lock without damaging the pistol, or some kind of stuff to pour into the keyhole that will perpetually jam the lawyer lock in the open position, I'll happily buy one of those neat little Bersas.

 

[60942]

My wife's Bersa Thunder doesn't have one of those locks, I supposed the earlier models missed out on them.
Also Nodpete, the Thunder magazine holds seven rounds.

 

[Bvhawk]

I loved mine so much I gave to my daughter when she moved to an apartment across town to play grown-up. I never had any kind of reliability issues and carried it for 3 years as my ccw. Now I get to shoot it once a year just to make sure there’s no issues with the gun itself.

The biggest problem with the Bersa Plus is the cost and availability of the magazines, there not cheap and it’s easiest just to order them online because finding one at your LGS would almost be finding treasures.

 

[Cyrano]

My wife's Bersa Thunder doesn't have one of those locks, I supposed the earlier models missed out on them.

There are a couple of Bersa pistols that predate the Bersa Thunder line, the Model 83 and the Model 95. The 83s have a steel frame, the 95s have an aluminum frame. They are almost identical in appearance to the Bersa Thunder. They don't have the frame lock, which is why I have been looking for one for a long time now. As I've said, I don't trust the frame locks to stay disengaged.

Wikipedia says that there were Bersa Thunders produced early in the production run that don't have the lawyer lock in the frame. Maybe your wife has one of those? I'm not sure how many were made without the lock. Any of the Fellers have any idea how many were made without the frame lock, and when Bersa changed the design to include it?

 

[60942]

I have no idea when my wifes pistol was manufactured. My mother-in-law bought it about 2005 and the wife had a .22 revolver she wanted so they traded!

 

[mitchr]

The Bersa Firestorm .380 does not have the lock. Some of the earlier Thunders apparently did come out without the lock, but I don't know the date. My wife bought hers late 2007 or maybe 2008 & it has it.

I have the Bersa .380 Plus & it has cycled anything I loaded in it, including Federal HST, 124 & 147 gr. HPs. It is in my carry rotation. Took it to a 'Meet & Greet' on another forum & a couple of the guys shot it. Thought I was gonna hafta fight them to get it back! They both have bought one.

My wife & I have several Bersas, among them, Thunder .380, (2) CC .380s, Thunder Plus, .380 Combat & Firestorm .380 & the locks on the THunders have never been turned on. I suppose the keys are still in the boxes & never a problem with any of them. Nor have I heard of anyone having an issue with them locking accidentally.

 

[60942]

Also Nodpete, the Thunder magazine holds seven rounds.

I just noticed the magazines hold eight rounds instead of seven, I need to pay attention! Those danged magazines are expensive also.

 

[mitchr]

I just noticed the magazines hold eight rounds instead of seven, I need to pay attention! Those danged magazines are expensive also.

Originally, they did hold 7. Sometime after coming out with the .380 CC, which featured an 8 round mag, they started shipping Thunder .380s with 8 round mags. The new mags will work in the old Thunders & if you prefer a flat bottom, the CC mags will also fit it. They used to make a "Deluxe" .380 which came with a 9 round mag. They would also work in the standard Thunder & when they discontinued the Deluxe, they continued offering the 9 round mag. It extends a bit lower than the standard mag, so may make it a little more difficult to conceal. Those that carry the CC or Thunder, often carry them with the standard mag & a 9 round mag for back up.

 

[Mikrboro]

Did not know about that lock. Can't you just unlock it and leave it that way ?

That is what everyone does. I can't find one instance of it locking on its own. it takes some force to turn it.

 

[reverendg]

The only thing wrong with the Bersa Thunder series is that freakin' lawyer lock built into the frame. It's the reason I won't own one. Bersa and S&W both use them, and both insist that there is absolutely no way the frame lock can engage without its key. However, as a firm believer in Murphy's Law, I'm not willing to risk my life on a mechanical lock I regard as completely unnecessary on a firearm.

Otherwise, they are fine pistols.

My coworker owns one, loves it, except for that lock. Years back, he approached me at work to ask if I could figure out what was wrong with his gun, it wouldn’t rack. We spent a bunch of time trying to figure out the problem, before he finally remembered the lock, and that he must have locked it. Did he? We can’t be sure, since he has never done so before.
My Taurus 357 has a lock too, but I never use it. Don’t think the wife even knows it has one. It’s her bed stand gun. Would hate it to be locked and useless if she ever came to needing it.

 

[mitchr]

The Bersa Firestorm 380, if you can find one, does not have the lock. Rounded trigger guard, rather than the Thunder's combat trigger guard & no lock are the only obvious differences between it & the Thunder. Oddly enough, the Firestorm is the only Bersa found on the California approved list, even though it has no lock. At least that was true a few years ago. The way they are attacking gun ownership, they may have removed it by now.