I spent part of my afternoon playing hookey at Crossfire in Independence, MO. The people there are nice (they're Texans, what can I say?) and the prices are reasonable. I just acquired a Bersa Thunder .380 and wanted to try it out. I also have my wife's Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380, which I had sent in to S&W to have the laser replaced.
I like the Bersa Thunder because it's solid metal. Even though it's heavier than a polymer-framed pocket pistol, the extra heft helps control the recoil. Shooting it today was an absolute pleasure. It fits my hand very well, despite my loooong fingers. Once I got used to it, I was able to get some very nice groups. For an inexpensive pistol, it has a lot of features--it's got a safety; the safety is a de-cocking lever; it has an external hammer; and it has windage-adjustable rear sights. It holds 7+1, and I feel comfortable carrying it with a round in the chamber because the safety is solid. Here's the Bersa:
The Bodyguard .380 is a polymer-frame pocket pistol. It has a safety, so that's good. It also has a built-in laser with a continuous or flashing beam, easily activated with the index finger by pressing a button on either side. It's very small, lightweight, and concealable, which is also the root of its problem. My hands are way too big to get a comfortable grip on it, and the felt recoil is quite sharp. Six rounds out of it left the web of my hand feeling some pain. It's one of the few semi-auto's my wife can rack the slide on, which is good for her, but I don't think she's going to like shooting it. Here's the Bodyguard .380:
On my first target, at five yards, the first seven rounds I fired from the Bersa are center mass. They are all in the 9 and 10 ring. Next, I tried six rounds from the Bodyguard, using the laser. I found out quickly that the laser is aimed about six or seven inches high. The lowest holes in the paper all came from the Bodyguard. The final seven shots, to the head, were from the Bersa. They were pretty good, except for the last shot, which strayed down south.
The very first round I fired from the Bersa was a Federal Hydra-Shok, and it failed to eject. I used a mixture of Hydra-Shoks, some FMJ reloads I bought from the range, and another box of FMJ I brought with me. I never had another failure of any kind after that first round. I put about 90 rounds through the Bersa, and 24 rounds through the Bodyguard.
After poking holes in a few other targets, I used a zombie target, at 25 feet, as my final target. I put 14 rounds in the head with the Bersa fairly rapidly, then six rounds in the brain with the Bodyguard, and finally eight more rounds center mass with the Bersa. That last group is pretty nice.
I've blown up the brain to show the hits with the Bodyguard. I left the laser off for these. Three were well within the kill zone, one was on the border, and two were low.
Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.
