Questions: Bersa Thunder 9 Pro XT 5-17Rd

[doddg]

I'm home sick, missing work on Friday, w/too much time on my hands.
I found these guns for sale on Armslist and I recognized the profile from a member here that I bought a wonderful .22LR Ruger Mark 4 from.
We talked for awhile, I enjoyed his company so much b/c he had so much experience and didn't mind answering my "20 questions."

He was a big enthusiast of the Bursa 9mm guns and had "a few." He had one as a CC on him and another in the truck.
I was amazed of how they felt in hand (they reminded me of the CZ 75 and Rami that I had).
Also amazed b/c I had not heard anyone say anything positive about the Bersa.
I didn't know whether it was like the RIA 1911 that some have and love b/c of price and function, and others say, "Run!"

He even did competitions with the kind here (Pro XT), and never had an issue with them, and was quite the fan.
I told him my experience with the Bersa Thunder was limited with a small .22LR I had bought new that was finicky about ammo, and since it was so small I "outgrew" it and sold it.
He seemed to think that the Bersa 9mm was the greatest secret in the gun world, and had years of experience with them, therefore his opinion mattered to me.
When I did a search about them, they had the usual, "no problems in thousands of rounds and would shoot all kinds of ammo" to the "finicky, piece of crap" comments.
The one I held was smaller, not this bigger one, don't know whether it was the Compact or a different model (there are a few) but the one I held did have the work "Pro" in it's name.

Now, I'm not going to go out and sell my Shadow 2 or my Rami, but I didn't know whether to file these into long-term memory for future use.

Bersa Thunder 9 Pro XT 5-17Rd Mags Package $525

Bersa Thunder 9 Ultra Compact Pro Matte $325

 

[MCgrease08]

I have the Ultra Compact Pro. It was the first handgun I ever purchased.

I liked the set-up initially, hammer fired double-action single action with safety and de-cocker. I liken it to a poor man's Sig Sauer. But I outgrew the safety quickly.

The good: It's a good looking gun and it does feel great in my hand. It's accurate. The gun is solid and the slide is very smooth on the rails. It's easy to operate and take down for field stripping.

The bad: I had lots of issues with reliability. Most of those issues seem to be magazine related. Failures to feed, rounds getting caught up in the mag. Even when I replaced mag springs I had reliability issues. Enough that I didn't trust it for carry, which was the main reason I bought it.

Also, mags are expensive. Like $50 each and hard to find. Aftermarket support is very slim on this gun. Holsters, sights, grips all had to be special ordered.

The Bersa was one of the guns I had stolen in a burglary a few years ago. It's since been returned to me (with lots of hassle from Marion County. This experience was well documented in the IMPD, stolen gun thread.)

Since I've gotten it back, it hasn't fired. Not that I didn't try. It literally won't go bang. I think the firing pin may have been removed, but I have been too lazy to investigate and find out more. It's on my "to-do" list to send it back to Bersa.

 

[88E30M50]

I used to be big into Bersa. I’ve owned at least 4 of the Thunder 380s, the 9mm Ultra Compact, a full size Thunder 9 and a compact Thunder 45. They are decent guns but once I started to buy CZs, the Bersa magic was gone.

My Compact Thunder 9 worked perfectly for me but did seem to be susceptible to limp wristing when women shot it. The HD was decent enough and was actually pretty good after I did a trigger job on it. Doing the trigger guard was a PITA though and required a lot of slave pins to put back together. They are definitely not simple inside.

Like MC said above, aftermarket parts are far and few between as are holster choices for the larger framed pistols. Grips are tough to find because they use a wrap around style grip that would be expensive to make. You could probably cut a half dozen sets of grips from the same size block of G10 that it would require for a single Thunder 9 grip.

On early Thunder 9s, the dovetails are proprietary but later ones use a mix of dovetail types.

Overall, they are decent guns. Once you’ve shot higher end guns, they are much less satisfying to shoot. I would not feel under armed if I were carrying one again, but I would not seek one out as my choice in carry guns either.

 

[doddg]

That is the feedback I expected and glad to hear from guys who have been there and done that, but the CZs is are "the gun" for an all-metal heavy pistol.
If I need light and small I have the Sig 365 to comfort me.

 

[Mgderf]

I have owned, and gifted two Bersa Thunder .380's.
One to my mother and the other to my niece.
Never the first issue with either. and I put a couple thousand rounds through mom's.

I still have a Bersa Thunder in .32acp, which I've come to realize are a rarity in the U.S.) and it has been likewise, flawless.
I'm a fan of the Bersa Thunder line, but I've not dealt with the 9mm model.

 

[halfmileharry]

Bought my first Bersa .380 around '86 or so. Loved it. Felt great, shot great. I'm guessing maybe 2K round count and I don't remember the first boo boo out of it.
I bought a Thunder a couple of years ago and it too has been perfect in function. It sits in the barn next to my work bench.

 

[ru44mag]

I bought a Bersa Thunder .380 as a range toy and for new shooters to try. I was amazed at it's accuracy, reliability and how soft it shoots. Two quirks are, I have cut a finger/thumb multiple times racking the slide and can't figure out how I am doing it, and the other is, when you slap the bottom of the grip after loading a fresh mag the slide releases and chambers a round. Might not be safe, but for some strange reason, I think it's cool.

 

[Ggreen]

Your cz is better. If one came up and was silly cheap or cheap enough to resell without taking a beating and you had the extra cash to float it then you could try one on, but your CZ is better and I wouldn't sacrifice anything you like to get your hands on one. They are good guns but problem is they are direct competition to CZ and Tanfo, and that is just a battle they cannot win. They don't have the aftermarket support, which even if you don't get any aftermarket parts makes your gun better by the sheer volume they can sell due to the better from the factory and even better with a little work. A real interesting bersa look alike, but not alike, is the GrandPower Excaliber, now this is a wonderful gun that I would consider as equal competition to a shadow for limited class, it may fall in production but 10 rounds requires a belt full of magazines and that just isn't fun or affordable. The other awesome thing about the Excaliber is that it has an Ex 22lr companion for training, when the timing is right you can get both guns for under 1k.

 

[doddg]

Your cz is better. If one came up and was silly cheap or cheap enough to resell without taking a beating and you had the extra cash to float it then you could try one on, but your CZ is better and I wouldn't sacrifice anything you like to get your hands on one. They are good guns but problem is they are direct competition to CZ and Tanfo, and that is just a battle they cannot win. They don't have the aftermarket support, which even if you don't get any aftermarket parts makes your gun better by the sheer volume they can sell due to the better from the factory and even better with a little work. A real interesting bersa look alike, but not alike, is the GrandPower Excaliber, now this is a wonderful gun that I would consider as equal competition to a shadow for limited class, it may fall in production but 10 rounds requires a belt full of magazines and that just isn't fun or affordable. The other awesome thing about the Excaliber is that it has an Ex 22lr companion for training, when the timing is right you can get both guns for under 1k.

1. Great feedback!
2. Since I have the Rami and Shadow 2, I can't find an interest for other guns anymore since I have a light, small 9 (Sig 365) and my revolver (Ruger LCR), and also have my G26 nearby.
3. I can't help but look, but can't get interested in anything else, since I don't want to spend more, and I am definitely not selling what I have. (today, ha!)
4. If I retire I might have to sell the pure range toy (of which will remain unnamed so as not to invite condemnation ) but it's my favorite gun and I will hang on as long as I can to it.

 

[Ggreen]

1. Great feedback!
2. Since I have the Rami and Shadow 2, I can't find an interest for other guns anymore since I have a light, small 9 (Sig 365) and my revolver (Ruger LCR), and also have my G26 nearby.
3. I can't help but look, but can't get interested in anything else, since I don't want to spend more, and I am definitely not selling what I have. (today, ha!)
4. If I retire I might have to sell the pure range toy (of which will remain unnamed so as not to invite condemnation ) but it's my favorite gun and I will hang on as long as I can to it.

You have my number, I'll even offer regular visitation rights lol. I've had the Excalibur in and out of my cart multiple times, eventually it will just get bought and you're more than welcome to come shoot whatever I have.

 

[doddg]

You have my number, I'll even offer regular visitation rights lol. I've had the Excalibur in and out of my cart multiple times, eventually it will just get bought and you're more than welcome to come shoot whatever I have.

1. You have no idea how I appreciate that, especially since we have met.
2. You are near Columbus and that being a distance away (when I'm working) it will be a vacation time before that can happen, but hopefully it will, even if it has to be in the summer.
3. If I retire, I'll just put you on my "work" schedule of things to do.
4. Since you've met me, I know my eclectic sense of humor will be excused.