:: Bersa Talk ::

Anyone out there have a Bersa Thunder 40?
I'm looking at purchasing one but I haven't heard any reviews on it.
Anyone have one and how do you like it?
I held one and it seems to have a very short trigger reset.
Sounds pretty good to me for the price.
What about the double-action trigger pull, can a gunsmith do anything to it to lighten the pull?

Thanks,

Tim

I think one reason the BT40 isn't as popular as some of the other Bersa models has more to do with the .40 S&W cartridge than the gun itself. Many consider .40 S&W to be kind of a "tweener" round. It gets you into the "caliber that begins with a 4" category, but a lot of people figure if you're going that far, you might as well go on up to .45, so they do. And the .45 doesn't seem to produce as much felt recoil, which some people find downright unpleasant in the .40 S&W.

The BT40 is built on the same frame as the BT9, so there's nothing wrong with the gun design.

Now about that trigger: Personally, I don't know. You might want to PM Royce and see what a trigger job would cost, and how getting one would affect your warranty. Or post your question in the Tech Talk Forum. 

---

p-t-max

I'm no expert, I'm just, well---opinionated!

http://blog648.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the response.  The reason I'm looking at the .40 is because it is a better stopping round than the 9mm and it is cheaper ammo than the .45.  The .40 should be closer to the .45 in stopping power. 

My opinon, but I think the .45 ACP  in some of the modern ammo configurations like the Federal  HST, the Winchester T, the Cor-Bon DPX, etc will prove a MORE effective man stopper than the .40 S&W  aka .40 short & weak.  It is, in essence, a 10mm short.  It has proven itself time and time again, so don't get me wrong there.  I would carry it as a SD weapon, than either the 9mm or the .380 (9mm short). Given I had to pick up 1 of 3 pistols for battle.   I carried a Glock in .40 cal when I was a Deputy in Nebraska a few years ago.   However, before the department went to .40 S&W, AND they bought our guns and mandated we carry all the same ammo, my own personal duty gun was a Ruger .45 ACP double action.  I carried Black Talons then so it would not over penetrate.

 

I have a .380 Bersa Thunder and tues, the 15th it will be one week old for use.  I've had it all apart and polished the safety/decocker, and the magazine eject button so they work a lot better.  I worked on the safety decocker lever last night and now it moves out of safe a lot better but still has positive, lock/control.  Just made it a lot smoother for my thumb to move the lever off safe.

I am SERIOUSLY looking at the 9mm  high capacity (17 round) and would have liked to see a .45, but that's another thread. *S*

 

---

Vern
http://vernsdidj.com Didgeridoo info and pictures
NRA member
Bersa Duo-Tone Thunder 380
Bersa MiniFireStorm .45ACP in Nickel

"There are 10 kinds of people in the world. those that understand binary and those that do not."

I have one and I love it. You, don't have to worry about being under gunned with a 40 cal. Its the 9mm that I question.

bobc:

I have one and I love it. You, don't have to worry about being under gunned with a 40 cal. Its the 9mm that I question.

Somebody has to drink the kool-aid.

---

By now your name and particulars have been fed into every laptop, desktop, mainframe and supermarket scanner that collectively make up the global information conspiracy, otherwise known as "The Beast." - Dale

bobc:

I have one and I love it. You, don't have to worry about being under gunned with a 40 cal. Its the 9mm that I question.

would you like to hold the target for me?

---

If you do not know what your rights are, you do not have them.

I still just can't see why the 9mm is looked at as sub par.  Even giant calabers have failed to stop an attacker, bigger is not always better.  Alot of people here would trust themselves to .380, I only picked 9mm because it is more common.  I'm not knocking the .45 but if you can't hit the target it will not create a tornado ripping apart the BG.  I like more rounds vs biger rounds, but that's my pref....unless your talking about going after tanks.

---

If you do not know what your rights are, you do not have them.

I would have to concur with Maverick88.  I have no time with the Bersa Thunder 40 so I really cant answer your question but, I would like to throw in my two cents about the cal. debate that seems to be going on here.  My friend and I had this same debate and just settled it at the range.  He had his eye on a S&W 40 cal (Sigma to be exact, I am not a fan) and was a little put off when I purchased my Thunder 380 over a 45 that I had my eye on. The debate raged for about a week over the best self defense weapon until we got to the range.  After a bit of practice with the gun I was able to deliver the entire clip into a 5" pattern at 15 yards very easily and even able to remain on target one handed. Needless to say his gun didn't fare as well.  Now I know we are comparing apples to oranges here on guns.. fixed vs. floating barrel and what not, but I would certainly feel much safer knowing I could put one shot where I wanted vs. lobbing one and hoping for the best.

Again not knocking anyone with a larger cal. and I am sure there are many many MANY people that are a better shot then me with a .40 and .45.. Its just my opinion.

My problem with the 9mm comes from my military back ground (U S Army retired). I could Have died when they got rid of the 45 auto and went to 9mm. Sure the 9mm with the right loads are better than the 40 cal. But the 40 cal with the right loads is still better. Why take a 9mm and try to turn it into a 40 cal or a 40 cal and turn it into a 45 auto?  If you want a 45 just buy it. P.S. I would not hold your target if you had a 22cal. Is this the way way to get your post count up?

bobc:

 Is this the way way to get your post count up?

Best way to do that is to start "bantering" with the Bersa Girls..

'mornin Ladies....

---

Whining is for little girls, babies, mommy’s boys and girly men.
SNIVELING? Now that’s an art form!

BT .45 UC
BT .380CC
BT .380 dlx
P3AT
PPK
Beretta 92FS
FS 1911 DLX
Colt M1991A1
Taurus .38 UL
CZ fnh Modell 27 WWII Luftwaffe issued to Hauptman Jaeduvel
+ old family guns

I would like to hear more about your experience with the .40.  How long have you had it?
What kind of shooting do you do with it?  Reading the other posts to this question I will have to add that although you can get effective rounds in 9mm, I understand that hitting steel targets may or may not knock them over whereas if it was a .40 or .45 it will probably knock them over every time.  Has anyone here have that experience?  What do you think of the quality of the the Bersa Thunder 40?  Have you disassembled it and cleaned?  What is the recommendation on breaking the gun in?  Clean after every shot for the first 10 shots or what?  Is it particular to the type and brand of ammo you put in it?

Thanks,

tim

I'm with P-T Max, I think the unpopularity of the Bersa .40 is directly due to the .40 caliber in general. I, overall, am not a big fan of the .40 S&W, in my opinion if you want the "stopping power", get a .45 acp, it's a fine, battle tested round. If you want capacity, get the 9mm cause you'll fit more 9s in a gun than you will .40 S&W and the 9s cost a great deal less than .40 S&W (although no caliber is cheap anymore).

I had a self proclaimed know it all proceed to tell me all about all I needed to dump my 9mm and move up a real "man's" caliber....40S&W.  I had to refrain from laughing. It's placement, not size.

EDIT: I meant to say that I  decided to use 9mm because it is much more affordable (overall) than the other calibers. .380, .40S&W, even .45 ACP are all more expensive comparatively.

 

 

---

"If you have someone by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow." - John Wayne

I don't think that the 9mm is subpar, just doesn't deliver the same energy as 45 or have as large or diameter of a wound channel.  There is a bad misconception that 45.s lack accuracy, another myth is that the recoil is too strong and to be accurate you need a 39 ounce pistol.  I have a second generation DAO Pro Milinium Taurus that weighs 23 ounces and I shoot as well with it as some 1911's I have shot, (maybe that means I don't shoot 1911's too well) but anyhow, I felt like the PT145 busted a couple of myths about 45's that I had always believed.  I have small hands, and am  getting to be an old man, but have no problems shooting the 45.  I did try out a Kahr compact 45 that I could only stand to shoot 10 rounds, and that was it.  Just have to find one that shoots comfortably for you and you can hit with and trust; that is why there isn't just one company making hand guns.

---

"How do you have a Civil war? george carlin
"Although I've never killed a man, I've read some obituaries with great delight." mark twain

Don't care for the snap of a .40 vs a .45.  When carrying a 9mm I never feel like I'm gonna be outgunned carrying this load from www.doubletapammo.com

 

9mm+P 115gr Speer Gold Dot JHP 50rds. $27.95

Click to enlarge'); //--> Click to enlarge These loads are low flash and really move. All three loadings are +p rated and deliver quite a punch! The 9 is just fine! Now available! Caliber : 9mm+P Bullet : Speer Gold Dot JHP Ballistics : 115gr @ 1415fps / 511ft. lbs. from a G17. Glock 19 velocity - 1395fps. Box of 50rds.

Current Reviews: 3

This product was added to our catalog on Monday 15 August, 2005.