Next Bersa Project - opinions welcome

[srhembree]

I would like to see more reversable magazine release and safety/decocker controls for left handed shooters, I think this can be done on other Thunder models? I know I cannot on my .380. My wife liked the Bersa Thunder .380 but ended up buying a different brand because it was more lefty friendly. Also have found it is hard to find accessories for this gun which may not be within Bersa's control. I just know there is a ton of upgrades that can be done on Glock pistols and others, little to nothing out there for Bersa.

[Moodsman]

Given that you can't go physically smaller than the 380 CC, it seems that the 380 CC has just about everything that can be asked for, except for some cosmetic tweaks.
One thing that seems to be lacking is built in lasers that are more integral to the handgun. Making it available as part of the original design from the factory would really drop the price of the expensive accessory and make the gun more attractive to its major market.
Drop the price and improve the quality of magazines.
Enclose in the frame the rather fragile and fidgety looking trigger safety thing that is outside the frame of the regular 380T.
Make the manual safety ambidextrous on all the Thunders.
Offer interchangeable sights.
Reshape the trigger guard and add rail.
Ship it with 2 magazines and your inexpensive storage box.
In other words, combine all the best features of a variety of guns into a smaller BP CC 9, but with a manual safety and a more attractive sales package.

[Bmo.Brian]

IMHO, if you can extend the thunder plus line to include the 22LR, you wouldn't be able to keep them on the shelves.
You have the reputation of bersa, in a VERY high capacity cheap-to-shoot plinker, with the familiarity and sexiness of a PPK clone.
And with the price point Bersa competes at, new shooters and old would be stumbling over each other to snatch them up.

Cheers

[RudeDog]

I'm afraid recent political setbacks in Argentina are going to make things difficult for Bersa fans in the US.

[woodhound]

RE: different magazines. A cheaper way would be interchangeable base plates as in the Ruger SR series. My SR 40c came with 2 mags, and a finger rest and flat base plate for the low cap mag., which takes a minute or less to change. I concur in getting rid of the hooked trigger guard. Apparently this is a European thing, with a shooting style where the offhand index finger is placed on the front of the trigger guard. This is not a method I have ever seen recommended on this side of the pond, and not one I or anyone I know uses.

[sailnick]

I have owned the 380 for years and would love to get the 22. But it is not on the California approved gun list and I know that there would be a huge buyers market if it was approved. Please get it approved for California sale. Thanks

[ballcoach16]

How about some pistol caliber carbines?

[Ratbag]

Well - I think Bersa has done a fine job with Walther designs.
I vote for a clone of the Walther P38. And I'm all in for a Luger/Walther P08 copy and a Mauser C96 sorta piece.
Hey, - I can dream ...

[valent]

First suggestion would be to first improve existing products and decrease percentage of failures.

Sharp edges on the UC9 trigger guard is an issue that forces shooter to alter grip to one that does not feel natural. I have to alter the comfortable grip to have a good trigger finger placement. On bersachat forum someone recomended to grow a callas as a solution. What a grand add for Bersa!

For slightly bigger than medium hand, like mine, UC9 grip is tad short, even with magazine lip. Having an option with 15 rounds mag would be welcome by many. After handling HC9, idea of HC9 mag. with 17 rounds seems to be realativly easy upgrade. Smaller cary and bigger capacity mag would be an attractive combo.

Sights! Mayor improvement is in order. Why not offer option to buy ready made upgrade, instead of making customer to go through process of discovery and runaround of searching for replacement, visiting gunsmith and so on. There should be provision for various options based on customers preferences. Some people don't want combat sights, for instance, why not provide an option. People with lesser eyesight prefer fiber optic, why not provide an option.

Another suggestion is altering UC9 for better concealability and ease of carying. UC9 slide width is under an inch, what makes it fat is safety and slide release levers that dig into the body and could / should be slimed down quite some more. Further more, they could be installed optionally on one side only, just like mag. release.

I have a 380cc also. Sweet little pistola with one thing to improve. The bottom of the trigger is digging into forfinger. There is just not enough space between guard and trigger. I do not have soft skin, but do have slightly larger hand. I
I can live with it, but it would not be a bad upgrade.

Generally, Bersa should maintain reliability and improve existing products, before making any new. Technical improvement and some variety of options within existing models would be my wish..........if I may. Carbines and everything else later.

I can not generelize, but in my experiance, while researching Bersa at gunstores and shooting ranges, was not the good one. There were none to rent at shooting ranges, sales people were not knowledgable, or enthusiastic about it. Even when I requested "left hand" handgun, name Bersa would not come in play, even though, being ambidextrious model, that is a big Bersa sales point. UC9 slide is easy to rack, compared to many other guns, which could be attractive to women with weaker hands. All the selling points missing in Bersa presentation. New owners could and should be informed about ammo issues, not everybody will go through hundreds of forum threads to find out that WWB is a no-no ammo.

Bersa has at least 40 year lead over XD and should be ahead of it, not behind. With that in mind, Bersa should closely read customer's evaluations and wishes. All being said, this is not a bash and good luck to Bersa and it's customers.