I have to admit that there are very few things that "surprise" me. It's not that my expectations are low; I've just grown to accept that few products are going to make you smile when you first use them. The Bersa Thunder 380 Plus makes me smile.
First of all, fit and finish on the Bersa is first class. It is a solidly made gun; no rough edges, no obvious machining marks. Our particular sample has an alloy frame with a matte nickel slide. The "Plus" designation signifies that the model sports a 15 round magazine instead of the 7 round found in the standard Thunder 380. Total capacity is 15+1.
The 380 is chambered for the 380ACP round. While there is a lot of discussion about the merits of this round, the Bersa handles the ammuntion with ease. We shot several boxes of JHP without a single failure.
Out of the box, this gun is extremely accurate. At 7 yards, we were putting rounds into a three inch circle. At 20 oz empty, it has plenty of weight to help dissipate the recoil of the 380 round and feels very comfortable in the hand.
The action is DA/SA with a thumb safety which acts as a decocker. The pull weight on SA is very low. The rear sight is drift adjustable, although we didn't think it needed any adjustment in the short time we shot it.
If you're looking for a well-built, economical handgun, in a relatively compact frame, put the Bersa Thunder series on your list. At less than $400 retail, it is well worth the money.
