Handguns

[Garrett]

I fired off a few rounds this morning while it was still cool out, great way to start the day!

75'.....I will have to my glasses tuned up and purchase some bigger targets!

Looks like you have a nice place to shoot!

 

[saddlebum]

wish I had two of those hats.......one to **** in and one to cover it up with

 

[Junior Bonner]

I fired off a few rounds this morning while it was still cool out, great way to start the day!

75'.....I will have to my glasses tuned up and purchase some bigger targets!

Looks like you have a nice place to shoot!

Well, I shot so bad with Luger that I'm not even posting the pic. I went back and put a box of NATO through it just now - minutes ago.

 

[Junior Bonner]

wish I had two of those hats.......one to **** in and one to cover it up with

They come in handy.

 

[Junior Bonner]

So, now to the Circle 10 Bulgarian Mililtary Makarov. These were taken after I ran the Luger through the Beretta, but before I went back and ran NATO through it.

Despite ergonomics and all that, the Makarov has some whack.

 

[Junior Bonner]

And now for the results. I am not posting the results of the Luger ammo. The 1st pic is the target of the Makarov. One of my mags was short. At 75 feet, I just aim center mass and try to hit the target. If I shoot closer - like 35 feet, then I use paper plates or sheets of paper.

This is the target of the NATO rounds from the Beretta.

Edit: I think it is pretty darned close. Maybe too close to call. OSA, you be the Judge.

 

[Junior Bonner]

Picked up the Bersa Thunder .380 Plus today. Will put 50 through it in the morning. I had ordered .380 in bulk before I ordered the Bersa, but it hasn't gotten here yet. So I bought a box of 50 off the shelf out of necessity. My impression of the Bersa was how close in size it is to the Makarov, and the grip notwithstanding, it is smaller. A pocket .380 with 15+1.

I have had trepidation from the get go about buying another South American, but I couldn't resist having a Makarov size pistol that carried 15+1. What I don't like about the Bersa right off the bat is the finish, but that's not make or break because if it's a shooter it is going to be Cerakoted.

I have been guilty of running .380s through my 9x18 Maks - lots of'em. But have never had a pistol dedicated to the .380 caliber. I hope for the best in the morning, and hope that it can compete in accuracy with the Makarov. Will be shooting from the standing - distance to target will be 75 feet.

Now, the slide of the Makarov is beefier, but inside it is scored with rough machine marks, whereas the Bersa appears smooth, without these rough imperfections.

The high capacity Bersa's strengths and weaknesses will be revealed here, late tomorrow morning. I only have 50 rounds to put through it though - unless UPS gets out here in the nitch of time with the bulk ammo.

 

[Junior Bonner]

I put 50 through it just now. My feelings about the Bersa are reserved; neither pro nor con. I compare it to the Makarov and see advantages in only two areas - 15+1, and zero felt recoil. I came out an enthusiastic proponent of the .380 cartridge, however.

My first bad impression was with the safety. Engaging the decocker is a two handed operation. With the Makarov I do it with my right thumb - easy. With the Bersa, I was pressing down forcefully with a thumb and an additional finger to get it to decock. Maybe after my bulk ammo gets here and I run 5 - 6 hundred rounds through it, the decocker will smooth out.

50 rounds was a teaser and not a pleaser, but there were no malfunctions. The recoil was like shooting a .22, and after 50 rounds there was still no whack to the hand like with the 9x18. Shooting the Bersa was pleasant, and when it just kept going and going after the initial 9 rounds it caught me a little by surprise - being so used to the Makarov.

I have a .380 Makarov barrel and I am sorely tempted to have it put on one of my 9x18 Maks after having shot the Bersa.

So, I am still on the fence with the Bersa, but I love the .380 cartridge.

 

[Junior Bonner]

I never did get over not having any felt recoil, and I wasn't sure if I was hitting the target - as I could not see the bullet holes from the .380 at 75 feet. I never know, sometimes I can be sure they're all in there and then find that I am badly wrong.

 

[Junior Bonner]

One of the other things I didn't like was the anemic ejection of the spent rounds - they just barely cleared the ejection port, whereas the Makarov will hurl them high and right. But the Bersa holds 15+1, there is no getting around that.

The Bersa Thunder Plus has 61 parts, the Makarov only 27.

I also felt that the accuracy was acceptable - I am not a good shot and I got them all on the target. I was shooting center mass, without aiming high or to the right or left to drift the impact.

It is the decocker that stops me short of carrying the Bersa as a BUG. Maybe the decocker will smooth out over the course of time.

Edit: I have been cocking the pistol and working the decocker, it is beginning to smooth out and has gotten to the point that I can (with force) decock it using my right thumb. I will not Cerakote, purchase additional magazines, nor install Trijicons until I shoot it a lot more.