Buying a Bersa 380 for my Daughter (Buyer Beware)

[gglass]

Originally Posted by bush13

I am a Bersa 9 owner and love it. I am also a member from Bersatalk.com. It's my understanding from reading there if you need something done to it and send to the colorado gun works they will fix anything without question to ownership. They are the most recommended gunsmith on bersatalk as well. Hope this helps.

I suppose that makes me feel a little better about the purchase of a used Bersa. This is the kind of thing that I never gave a thought to with my S&W's, Glocks, SA's, Walthers or Sigs.

Maybe the cheap price is making me overly cautious.

I still can't believe the asking price for the used models I'm seeing. But for under $300.00, my little girl is getting brand new.

[mettle]

there is one for sale by a member here... you may save some cash that way.

[gglass]

Originally Posted by mettle

there is one for sale by a member here... you may save some cash that way.

Yea, I saw 2 of them and they were in the $275 to $300 range. For that price, I would rather run over to Midwest Gun Exchange tomorrow and get her a shiny one for $283.55 out the door.

Just think... I can share my LCP's .380 ammo with my daughter. It jut brings a tear to my eye.

[mettle]

Originally Posted by gglass

Yea, I saw 2 of them and they were in the $275 to $300 range. For that price, I would rather run over to Midwest Gun Exchange tomorrow and get her a shiny one for $283.55 out the door.

Just think... I can share my LCP's .380 ammo with my daughter. It jut brings a tear to my eye.

Yeah, I did say may... lol. I understand, some think blued steel is somehow solid gold.

[Shoots4Fun]

I have a Bersa 380 that I picked up used from Gander for $200. It has been great so far with no problems. I've only put a few hundred rounds through it but I am very pleased. They give you a year of their warranty, which is better than nothing.

I have also shot the Walther 380 and it had a little better feel to me, but for the money, I am so pleased with my Bersa. I did a lot of research first.

I haven't found many "deals" on magazines for it though.

Just my $0.02

[BloodEclipse]

Originally Posted by gglass

I suppose that makes me feel a little better about the purchase of a used Bersa. This is the kind of thing that I never gave a thought to with my S&W's, Glocks, SA's, Walthers or Sigs.

Maybe the cheap price is making me overly cautious.

I still can't believe the asking price for the used models I'm seeing. But for under $300.00, my little girl is getting brand new.

It could be the used ones have more than one magazine.
Bersa is in love with the magazines. I think I paid $37 for 1.

[Tommy2Tone]

I just bought one from Plainfield Shooting Supplies for 219, and the test shoot was done less than 4 weeks ago.

[kludge]

$229-$249 is the range I normally see at the 1500 for new. $299 for the CC.

$219 from Bob (Plainfield Shooters Supply) is a good price, the best I've seen for a new gun (not surprised though, it is Bob).

I bought one slightly used (one box of ammo through it) with an extra CC mag (~$35)and two boxes of ammo (~$35), so I figure I got a pretty good deal at $220.

I like it. It shoots great, is quite accurate, easy takedown, and recoil is much lighter than my P-11 9mm (similar size).

It's not quite a "pocket gun" like the P-3AT or the LCP, and I've not shot either of them, so I can't compare the subjective recoil.

If it were my CC gun (my CCW is a XD-40), I would definitely spring for the Bersa CC model. The magazine holds one more round and the "beavertail" is trimmed down so as not to poke your side or belly, smoother contours overall, and a bobbed hammer.

What I don't like is the safety (not a sweep down with your thumb like a 1911). You have to push it up; the motion is not natural to me and I can't do it without altering my grip. This type of safety is why I sold my S&W 911 and bought an XD.

I suppose a tactical instructor might have another option for taking off the safety, like pushing the safety off while you take your grip in the holster.

I choose to carry it with the safety off and the hammer on the "safety notch". I don't know if that's what it's really called since there is no mention of it in the owners manual. I will have to investigate further to figure out if it has a firing pin safety... can't look now, my brother has it.

[Tommy2Tone]

i believe it has three safeties.
1) Magazine must be inserted.
2) The "key lock" must be on fire.
3) The "firing pin block" it simply decocks and puts a metal plate that stops the hammer short of the firing pin.

[kludge]

That's what I was thinking.