BIG PROBLEMS... New Bersa Thunder .40 Pro Nickel 13+1 Full size HELP!!!

[HisSoldier]

(glock) the top 1% of all pistols ever made.

In one narrow sense maybe. Besides being ugly they look like a cheap garden tool.

[Don P]

As a side note WELCOME BACK WILDALASKA. Your wit and wisdom has been missed.

[41mag10mm]

I purchased a Bersa 9UC last weekend and put 200 rounds through it trouble free. I bought it for several reasons. First, I've had a Thunder .380 for 2 years with over 1000 rounds and it has yet to experience a failure of any kind. Second and more importantly, the Bersa felt really good when I picked it up. The ambi safety and slide release are within easy reach. I like a rounded slide top, has good sights and a nice heft. With the aliminum frame and steel slide, the gun feels very well balanced compared to some of the polymer frame guns I've held. I am well aware of Glocks dependability, it's just not for me. I've shot them many times and can't get used to the feel and I don't like the flat top of the slide. This is NOT a negative about Glocks in any way shape or form. It just means that I, me, myself don't like them for the 2 reasons mentioned.

[lee n. field]

he chamber over the trigger link there is already a chunk of metal broken out of it. The end of the barrel is worn and looks like it has been scraped against concrete. And about every 4 out of 13 rounds jammed. There is a corner of the chamber side of the barrel that is bent. I'm taking it back to the dealer first thing tomorrow to see what the heck is going on

Taking it back to the dealer ASAP is the best first step. After 100 rounds it should be anything more than dirty.

And, $400-ish gets you into the range where there are a lot of choices.

[B18C5-EH2]

First of all I'm a Glock owner, and I'm by no means anti-Glock, BUT!

Why would anyone jump into this topic and immediately start spewing about Glock? All one has to do is do a very quick internet search and post a few of the 50+ pictures of blown-up Glocks after hitting "Glock KB" on a Google image search.

His Bersa is a .40 caliber - just so happens that the Glocks that KB are almost always...*gasp*....40 caliber!!!

I didn't see this asked of the OP yet:

What type of ammo were you shooting???

[FALshootist]

Call me a gun snob. I am a gun snob, no doubt about it. In 45 I like Colt (1911), Sig (220), and S&W (1911).

In 9mm and 40 I like Glock (27/27, 23/19/, 17/22), SIG (239/ 229) and Beretta (92).

In 380 I like Browning (BDA, Beretta 84/85, Walther PPK/s, SIG 230 and CZ 83).

As far as cheap hand guns go I like the surplus CZ 82 in 9x18.

I don't own examples of all of the above, but if I don't, family members and close friends do and I've shot examples of every one with good results. And I do own many and have used them with confidence as on and off duty or back up guns over the years as various department policies have changed.

As far as Taurus and Bersa go there are some that work fine (we've all read the threads) and they are propably better than no gun at all (maybe you'll get lucky with the first shot because everything thereafter is iffy). By the way neither was ever an approved gun for my department (one of the largest in the SE and if I remember correctly home of Tuarus USA).

But I will say this. I would rather use a surplus CZ 82 in 9x18 than a Taurus or bersa in any caliber brand new.

All I can say is good luck with Bersa's warranty repair. Taurus has a lifetime warranty and I found it next to useless. Consequently I haven't wasted money on one in close to 20 years.

[daferg2]

Having great success (or luck) with the Bersa Thunder 380, I picked up a 45UC in stainless thinking it would be just as good. WRONG. It would not make it through an entire magazine without jamming two or three times (Yes, I cleaned it first. Yes, I tried more than one mag and different ammo types), and to top it off, bit and bloodied the web of my hand when it did fire. That just won't fly.
I traded it off after the first outing. I'll keep my trusty 380, but I'll be passing on the rest of the Bersa line, at least for now.

[FALshootist]

I've read good things about the P64 but I've never had the opertunity to try one so I won't recommend one until I do.

[HisSoldier]

I have had one save my butt many times in Vietnam so I know they will work ALL OF THE TIME from real life experiences not internet experts.

Wow, sounds like some interesting stories. How did you acquire one back then? I have a P-64, people talk about the miserable trigger in DA but I never shoot DA anyway so that's irrelevant to me. It's the only gun I have in 9MM Mak.

And, thank you for your service!

[michael t]

This thread from Jan 2009 and pistol was fixed and last I heard he was a happy camper
WHY is this old thread being drug up and treated like was today, OVER A YEAR AGO FOLKS

The worst offender being the Colorado Gun Works that has only one policy, "send it to us by taking the gun apart" violating FFL Mail Regulation to receive a secret repair that can not be discussed.

I have reported this to the BATF after a go around with them. When I called another

BULL If was against law the BATF would have jumped on it long ago. He would not endanger his business and FFL just to save a customer a few dollars on shipping. They love to go after dealers <<<See my note and the link in my closing post below. JohnKSa>>>Oh I forgot you were suppose to have been a Federal LEO and a expert witness in you last life here before you were ban. Also a custom 1911 builder who 1911's starts a $5000. By way insuring a singer 1911 valued at you say 100K for 2 times that. Might be considered a little crooked . But in another post you said was insures for a 100K need to keep story right.
have a good day I have already reported you to the staff.

Like I said this thread over a year old Pistol was fixed

Quote:
Hey I put 400 more rounds through it today and not one jam.

That was from owner last time I heard from him.

[FALshootist]

Damn, you are so correct sir. Another thread brought back from the dead.

Too bad there are no wooden stake smiley faces so those of us observant enough can put one though the heart of these dead (vampire?) threads that keep coming back.

Nice observatition Michael, Doesn't change any of my comments though. (apparently my posts have beeen dosed with Holy water and crosses)

[CRUE CAB]

I handled a few of them today a gun show.
Some new some used and didnt find any glaring problems with them.
My local gun shop sells a few a month and has told me of no real issues.
I have bought a bunch of stuff from there and feel he is straight up with me.
In fact that may be my next purchace next month, after paying that pesky rent.

[N.H. Yankee]

Any gun can be a POS, I bought a NIB S&W M&P 9mm that was total junk and went back twice and still wasn't right. A couple PD's took the M&P off their approved carry list because of multiple failures same as mine. I USED to have total faith in S&W, still do in the revolvers I own, but the last two out of three semi's I bought had severe problems. Yet again there are people who feel the M&P is the new holy grail.

I have a P-11 9mm that has hundreds of rounds through it and never a problem just keeps shooting nice tight groups especially for a gun with a DAO trigger that seems like 14 lbs and just might be! Having owned over 100 handguns I have found name, looks and $$$$$$ doesn't always equal a good gun. I too have heard many good things about Bersa, and have thought about buying one. Some of the communist block countries have the ugliest, and most crude looking weapons, yet they are reliable. Just like woman, pretty ain't always perfect.

I hear Taurus is junk, I've owned at least 5 still do own a couple, sold 2 to my best friend, after he shot them he had to have them. I NEVER had a problem with a Taurus, though I have only bought one in the last 5 years most were about 10 years ago. yet again, I read what seems to be valid complaints about Taurus Q/C being a joke nowadays. I do feel though there are a few trolls out there that claim to own certain guns when they don't and post problems when they just want to bash a gun.

Perhaps Bersa was once a POS, from what I understand Bersa isn't a manufacturer but more a middle man out sourcing to a contractor to make their guns. Perhaps throughout the years they have changed contractors or denanded better quality, I really don't know Sort of Springfield Armory, their 1911's are mostly manufactured by Imbrel ( Brazilian company ) and their XD's are basically HS2000's Croation. It wasn't that many years ago S/A 1911's were not all that good.

[michael t]

N.H. Yankee

from what I understand Bersa isn't a manufacturer but more a middle man out sourcing to a contractor to make their guns.

No bersa is the factory they make DA/SA pistols . Firestorms is a contracted pistol that is made by Bersa . Bersa of course like most company sub contracts some small parts springs being one .
1911 Firestorms for last 3 years made in Philippines by metroarms Here again some believe Bersa makes 1911's they don't

[JohnKSa]

Ok, as pointed out, this thread is over a year old. There's no point in trying to continue the discussion now.

For what it is worth (which could be quite a lot), it is NOT legal to ship a gun that is disassembled as if it is not a firearm.

Federal law clearly states that the serial numbered receiver is the firearm, even if it has no other parts assembled to it.

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/gene...firearms-parts

No, except that frames or receivers of firearms are “firearms” as defined in the law and subject to the same controls as complete firearms. Silencer parts are also firearms under the GCA, as well as under the National Firearms Act (NFA). Certain machine gun parts, such as conversion parts or kits, are also subject to the NFA.

[18 U.S.C. 921(a)(3) and (24), 26 U.S.C. 5845, 27 CFR 478.11 and 479.11]

Disassembling a firearm does not allow you to mail all the pieces as if those pieces are not a firearm. You can mail all the parts EXCEPT the serial numbered receiver, but if you mail the serial numbered receiver you are mailing a firearm. Even if there are no other parts in the package. Even if it is damaged and non-functional.

If an FFL holder is telling you otherwise they are telling you to violate Federal law. They should be reported and you should definitely NOT take their advice.