I have been scouring google for days now looking for information and reviews on Bersa Thunder 9 HC. I have always been interested in the Bersa Thunder 380 but always passed it up because they're so affordable and I have a soft spot for full size all metal handguns. I have a number of CZs and a couple 1911s. My experience isn't limited to only those but after shooting my cousin's Ruger P90 in 45acp I realized I am getting bored with the CZ/1911 platforms and need to broaden my horizons. I have never heard anything but praise regarding Bersas until stumbling upon this forum. Lol. I hope that's just a case of folks tending to take more time to stop and complain rather than compliment. Anyways, I'm looking for a full size high cpacity 9mm prefferably without the rails. I like the looks of the Bersa and obviously have questions. What is the grip like? Is it girthy like a Beretta 92? Is The barrel ramped? If so how far down does the ramp go below a round when the magazine is fully loaded and seated? Does it use a full length guide rod ? Is it stainless or polymer? Is the safety like a 3 position safety/decocker on a PT92? Are there after market grips? What's the deal with the polygonal barrel? What is it exactly and why is it dfferent than the rifling in any other gun? I have found few images and any reviews are brief and uninformative. I would appreciate as much information as I can possibly get and any pictures anyone is willing to provide. There also seems to be a lack of availability lately with all firearms but Bersa more than some others. I assume affordability may be a factor but hopefully quality is another. Even popular auction sites seem to lack them. Where would the best place to look be for an older model Thunder 9 without rails and perhaps in stainless?
Welcome to the forum. Wish I could help you with info on the 9 mil Bersa, but I have only had several of the .380s. All used. All worked perfectly well and very accurate. That is what I carry. I have a hangup for the metal guns too. Got the Ruger KP89 in 9 mil and the KP90 in .45. They are good range guns and holster guns. They are heavy, but I don't carry full sized autos even the poly ones. The shrunk down poly guns ain't really that easy to conceal. Well, for me anyway. Some have no problems with them. Don't care for the real tiny poly autos either. Tried them. Check the posts in the forum. There are some on the 9 mil Bersas.
Polygonal rifling is nothing more then smooth rifling without the sharp edges. Picture standard rifling with 90 degree corners forming cutting edges to cut into the bullet and control it's spin. Now just smooth out the corners. Now that's an overly simplified explanation but it's a barrel that uses its shape to control the bullet spin. Polygonal is supposed to give a little more velocity however some very good gun makers do not use it. It can be dangerous with lead bullets since there are no corners for the lead to hide in therefore can build up pressure over time.
Welcome to the forum, rlong32. Affordability and quality are not mutually exclusive. I don't have a Bersa yet, but it's definitely on the list. I do however, own a Hi-point C9 and a Sccy CPX2. They are both very affordable guns that do what they are supposed to do consistently. From what I see, Bersas are the same way, but with much better style than the Hi-Point - not that that's hard to do. Hopefully someone will be able to answer your questions.
Thanks. Yeah. Seems most everyone has a .380 or 9uc. I'm into full size duty weapons mostly. For carry I have a CZ P-01. Even with an aluminum frame it is in the same weight class as some poly carry arms . So are Bersa's won't have longevity and you shouldn't use soft lead bullets? . Thanks. I agree. There are many fine guns for $700 or less that I would say are as good if not better than more expensive guns. I bought a Ruger SR 1911 last year and a Dan Wesson Valor this year. I don't believe the Valor is any more accurate, reliable or durable but the parts and the attention to detail are a real treat. Not better, but nicer.
Your Bersa will outlive you and me. Actually you shouldn't use SOFT lead bullets in any weapon unless you really enjoy the smell of Hoppi's and the thrill of swabbing out barrels for hours on end. Most cast bullets (lead) are cast fairly hard to hold the rifling and will shoot fine in your Bersa. However, they are usually a hand loading proposition only in auto loading cartridges and realize anytime you are shooting lead you will need to clean more often and longer to get that lead out. If you plan on shooting both at the range, shoot the jacketed first and the lead second or take a few minutes to scrub your barrel between the two. It's not good to shoot jacketed bullets down a barrel that full of lead.
I was doing my homework on the polygonal barrels and saw CZ, HK, Glock all use this method of rifling. But not all share the same concerns about lead rounds being used. Looking down the barrels of my pistols they all look the same to me. For some reason I wasn't thinking all bullets were made of lead and not considering jacket-less rounds. I didn't realize it was so common and that forged barrels are another term for polygonal rifling.
Forged barrels can be polygonal or traditional rifling. The different concerns you will see only mean each company has different Lawyers writting out different discalimers. They all say; "Never shoot lead" when they have polygonal rifling. Your polygonal rifled pistol will not blow up if you shoot a lead bullet in it. Just realize that it is building up pressure a lot faster then when shooting jacketed bullets and will need to be cleaned sooner and keep cleaning it until the patches come out clean, then run a brass brush down it and start cleaning it all over again.
