[Dan G]

I have a Bersa 380 Thunder. Was at a range shooting in a small competition. The gun jammed & couldn’t get it freed up. Took to gun smith & they got it fixed but it cost me a new barrel. They said the gun will not handle steel cased ammo & should not be fired in that gun.
Only brass ammo for me from now on!

 

[Higgy Baby]

Welcome DAN-
yep....many folks have issues with steel ammo- pretty much any of the El-cheapo stuff. And not only in Bersa pistols.
Speer, Blazer, Federal- all work well.

 

[Donley]

welcome from northern Rockies. thanks for posting your experience. it may save others from having to take their gun to a gunsmith due to steel ammo. a guy has to know a little about lotsa things anymore just to survive.

 

[Beowulf]

I got this from Bersa a while back about ammo.

View attachment Ammo Recommendations.pdf

 

[C. Royce Honeycutt]

I have a Bersa 380 Thunder. Was at a range shooting in a small competition. The gun jammed & couldn’t get it freed up. Took to gun smith & they got it fixed but it cost me a new barrel. They said the gun will not handle steel cased ammo & should not be fired in that gun.
Only brass ammo for me from now on!

If you had sent it to us, it would not have cost you anything other than shipping to get it here.
Please keep us in mind for your future Bersa Service needs.

 

[9UC]

I have a Bersa 380 Thunder. Was at a range shooting in a small competition. The gun jammed & couldn’t get it freed up. Took to gun smith & they got it fixed but it cost me a new barrel. They said the gun will not handle steel cased ammo & should not be fired in that gun.
Only brass ammo for me from now on!

Welcome, and sorry to hear that it caused that big a problem. I come from the old Bersa Chat and Bersa Talk forums owned by the late Michael T and even the advice given back as early as 2007 was never to use steel-case ammo in a Bersa. The going rule was for the first 300 rounds, nothing but American-made, Brass-cased, round nose for break-in, then when adding self-defense rounds, stick with American-made, brass-cased JHPs.

 

[C. Royce Honeycutt]

Michael T did not own Bersa Talk, it belonged to Adam Cartright, and was shut down due to the cost of bandwidth at the time, and no one offering financial support to continue.

I was the Primary Technical Advisor for the site.

 

[9UC]

Michael T did not own Bersa Talk, it belonged to Adam Cartright, and was shut down due to the cost of bandwidth at the time, and no one offering financial support to continue.

I was the Primary Technical Advisor for the site.

Thanks, didn't know he was not the owner. But for what time before Bersa Chat, he seemed to play a major role.

 

[Rosario]

Good to know, Just got my Thunder 380 last week and thought about getting steel case. Sounds like you guys saved me a lot of heartache. Thanks !

 

[Higgy Baby]

Thanks, didn't know he was not the owner. But for what time before Bersa Chat, he seemed to play a major role.

@9UC- I kept thinking that name seemed a little familiar. I was on Bersa Chat for a few years- was Brojohn.
Never was on BersaTalk.

 

[bersafan65]

I have a Bersa 380 Thunder. Was at a range shooting in a small competition. The gun jammed & couldn’t get it freed up. Took to gun smith & they got it fixed but it cost me a new barrel. They said the gun will not handle steel cased ammo & should not be fired in that gun.
Only brass ammo for me from now on!

Late to this party, but yes, the last time I shot steel-cased ammo, was when I still owned an SKS and AK. Those guns are pretty much bullet proof when it comes to what ammo you shoot in them. I don't even own any steel-cased now, and certainly won't shoot it in any other type of gun, other than a ComBloc type.

 

[WarEagleEd]

Did they give you a more detailed explanation of why you needed a new barrel? What did the steel cased ammo do that required a barrel replacement? Your experience has piqued my curiosity.

 

[Javbike]

Yea I had nothing but problems with steel case never again it brass or nothing

 

[Higgy Baby]

I uncovered 2 boxes of 9mm steel case from long ago? I had written on the box 1/11-so they have been in the locker 12 years.
Was planning on shooting them down range next trip- just pulled them out to see name brand and its Monarch- BUT what I just noticed it said 9mm- Makarov on the box! So....don't think I'll shoot it. I have Mak in there somewhere, but I think I'll just dump it.