Cleaning grease from new BT 380

[Browning Short Guy]

Anyone with any experience cleaning grease from a new BT 380? I bought my 2nd BT 2 days ago at Academy and the salesman told me to be sure to clean the grease out.

Also, this BT is a little different from my other one in that the new pistol has rubber grips that wrap around front with finger grooves. My first BT has the black plastic factory grip panels. Is the finger groove version formally called the Firestorm, or is it still the basic BT?

This new pistol appears to be blued, but it's more similar to paint or something similar. Blued steel has its own special appearance which this does not. What does Bersa use as black finish for the overall black BT's?

Thanks for any info.
Browning Short Guy

[bersatoter]

I don't think mine is a blueing or paint of some sort. It is probably Bersas own proprietary finish like Glock's Tennifer or Beretta's Melonite finish. It is pretty tough though, my black colored Bersa Thunder is about seven years old and is holding up well.

[mitchr]

I use M-Pro-7 for cleaning because it's easy on the plastic grips & I don't have to take them off. I suppose it'd be okay on the rubber grips, but check it for warnings. It is good for the 'easy to get to' places. Then I spray it real good with a Non- Chlorinated Brake Cleaner for the same reason, easy on plastic. This gets into the 'hard to get to' places. Takes a few minutes for it to dry & then you can lube. If you have it, you can help the drying process with compressed air & may get some particles out that the spray didn't force out. The brake cleaner comes out with pretty good pressure, so wear safety glasses/goggles.

[Browning Short Guy]

Thanks for the info! I thinking along the lines of an ordinary solvent like 409, Fantastic, etc., but those would allow water down into the moving parts, which isn't wise. What would happen if I used cleaning patches (w/o any degreaser or anything) to just scrub out the grease? I'd use the fine pointy end of a narrow leather punch, with patch, to get down into the hard-to-get-to places.

[mitchr]

I have heard of cleaning firearms with soap & water, something like a good grease cutting dishwashing soap, then rinsing real well with warm/hot water which is supposed to air dry pretty quickly. Don't know as I'd try it myself & if I did, I'd certainly crank up the air compressor & give it some help. Then, soak the whole pistol in a good penetrating gun oil. Of course, all that would be more troublesome & expensive that the method I use now with the M-Pro-7 & Brake Cleaner.

Your idea of using dry cleaning patches may get the bulk of it, but there will be places you can't reach well enough. I for one, believe in a 'cleaner' to clean & a 'lubricant' to lubricate & when you use a product to do both, you don't get the best end result of either. However, you might try Break-Free CLP on your patches. It is a combination, Cleaner, Lubricant & Protector (CLP). I use it in my barrel AFTER I have cleaned it with Hoppes #9, let it set while I clean the rest of the pistol, then swab out the excess. And, it'll help you get some of the stubborn goo out that a dry patch will not get.

[Americangirl01]

Anyone with any experience cleaning grease from a new BT 380? I bought my 2nd BT 2 days ago at Academy and the salesman told me to be sure to clean the grease out.

Also, this BT is a little different from my other one in that the new pistol has rubber grips that wrap around front with finger grooves. My first BT has the black plastic factory grip panels. Is the finger groove version formally called the Firestorm, or is it still the basic BT?

This new pistol appears to be blued, but it's more similar to paint or something similar. Blued steel has its own special appearance which this does not. What does Bersa use as black finish for the overall black BT's?

Thanks for any info.
Browning Short Guy

Hello, BSG...
It sounds like you have an Academy exclusive Bersa Thunder matte pistol. The one that I have came with rubber wrap around grips and fixed U-outline sights, like the Firestorms. It has the Bersa trigger guard and is roll marked Bersa Thunder.