A while back, Phil handled and drooled over the Ruger LCP. They can’t be imported into California for sale to civvies, because they don’t have the required safety lock. If someone (say, a cop or an out-of-state owner who moves to Cali) has one in the state legally, you can buy it from them in a private-party transfer. But FFLs can’t import ’em directly to sell to the civilian market. So they’re rare as hen’s teeth around here.
A while ago I was browsing in the gun shop and the Ruger LCP came up in the discussion.
“Wanna see one?” Joe the FFL grinned.
These things are SMALL. Here’s a couple of comparison pics with a Bersa Thunder .380.
Grip is a lot thinner, too.
Here’s the thing: a cop buddy of Joe’s bought it (cops in Cali are exempt from most civilian restrictions, don’t’cha know), tried it and hated it, so he sold it to Joe. Joe played with it a while, disliked it intensely, and was in the process of selling it off. The gripe seemed to be that beyond 7 yards or so it grouped like a scattergun.
Well, I can make 2″ groups all day with Remington ball out of my Bersa .380 at 25 yards if I’m careful. No thanks, Ruger.
(Yeah, there’s just a little bit of sour grapes in that statement. Well, maybe more than just a little.)
Any LCP owners wanna chime in, feel free. Ya lucky bastards.
Small is beautiful, but only in bellyguns. Beyond bellygun range (7 feet or so), any .380 with a 2″ barrel will be inaccurate. I carry my Kel-Tec P3AT everywhere in the summer, and as a second gun in the winter, but I am realistic enough to know that if I ever need to use it, I will have to be almost within fist range of the bad guy.
If you can’t change your tactical thinking to such short-range tactics, don’t carry (or even own) a bellygun.
The Bersa pistols are a good choice, because the ultra-smooth Bersa double-action pull is the lightest and smoothest available (without an expensive action job on a Walther, for example). I can group small at “aiming range” with mine, but I need to solve the hitch in the action which sometimes leaves the pistol slightly out of battery after it is fired. I can’t figure out where it is hanging up.
I have similar smooth action, but more power with my 9X19 Kel-Tec P-11. It is about the same size as the Bersa. I get my best results with point-fire, not even looking at the sights, but observing the fall of shot. I can “walk” the pistol’s fire onto any target within 35 yards in 3 shots, leaving 8 do do the damage with. Using 124-gr NATO FMJ, I get ultimate reliability in feeding AND decent penetration and power.
I recently qualified with this $195 (used) pistol in a police multistage NIGHT course of fire. It’s 3-dot sights are useful to just before total darkness, but it’s handiness in point-fire would likely win the day in a gunfight.
Don’t care much for the copy of the Kel Tec .380, have had one of those for years and never a problem. Can hit a playing card at 7 yards all day long.
The little 380’s are good at what they’re for – a gun when you absolutely can’t carry anything bigger. If you can carry something as big as a Bersa, why not go with a 9mm?
If I take the time and really concentrate I can hit fairly well with my LCP past 10 yards, but it really is more of a bellygun than a target pistol.
With my little KelTec P3AT I can (and just did on Friday) shoot two 7 round strings into 3-4″ at 7 yards without really trying.
Haven’t even handled the LCP, but since it’s virtually identical in size (I think a teeny tiny bit bigger, actually) to the P3AT but weighs an ounce more, which is big on a percentage basis, I don’t see any reason to switch.
2 inch groups “all day” from a Bersa .380 huh Dave?
I’m not calling you a liar Dave but, you’re full of shit.
From 25 yards offhand that is…
Hey, come to the Gunblogger Rendezvous and you can shoot it yourself and see. Dang little thing outshoots every other semi-auto pistol I own.
I’m just busting your chops a little. I’ve got a mischievous streak in me.
I actually have a Bersa 380 and to be honest, I like it better than the Sig 239 or the Beretta Cheetah. And it IS accurate. I personally couldn’t group 2″ from 25 yds with it offhand. With a rest maybe. But the gun IS that accurate – I’ve seen others more skilled than myself prove it. Now, if you were to say you could do that with a mirror over your shoulder at 25 yds, then my doubt meter would start beeping.
Your calm reply to my comment tells me you are indeed a gentleman sir. You have me at a distinct disadvantage 😉
PS – It outshoots every semi-auto I have too – EXCEPT the Kimber Custom.
Sorry to step in here, but maybe I’ll have to bring my CZ83 and youze guys can shoot a .380 with the same design as the Bersa but with real sights and a good trigger.
I’ve not held or shot a CZ, but I’ve heard good stuff about them. With all things considered though – especially price – the Bersa is still awfully hard to beat.