The Thunder 380 is a lightweight, relatively small

semi-automatic pistol A semi-automatic pistol is a type of repeating single-chamber handgun ( pistol) that automatically cycles its action to insert the subsequent cartridge into the chamber (self-loading), but requires manual actuation of the trigger to actu ...

series chambered in the popular

.380 ACP The .380 ACP (9×17mm) ( Automatic Colt Pistol) is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Moses Browning. The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case.Wilson, R. K. ''Textbook of Automatic Pisto ...

caliber made by Argentine firearms manufacturer

Bersa Bersa is an Argentine arms manufacturer, located in the city of Ramos Mejía in Argentina.Bersa S.A. , Contact

, S.A. It is similar in design to the

Walther PPK The Walther PP (german: Polizeipistole, or police pistol) series pistols are blowback-operated semi-automatic pistols, developed by the German arms manufacturer Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen. It features an exposed hammer, a traditional double-a ...

, but also has design features vaguely in common with the compact

Beretta 70 The Beretta 70 is a magazine-fed, single-action semi-automatic pistol series designed and produced by Beretta of Italy, which replaced the earlier 7.65mm Beretta M1935 pistol. Some pistols in this series were also marketed as the Falcon, New Pu ...

pistol; although it sells for about half the price of a PPK.

Development

The Thunder 380 is part of the current Bersa product lineup that also includes the Thunder 32, Thunder 22, Thunder 22–6, Thunder 380 Deluxe,Thunder 380 Combat, Thunder 9, Mini Thunder 9, Mini Thunder 40, and Mini Thunder 45. A light variant of the Thunder 380, called the "

Concealed Carry Concealed carry, or carrying a concealed weapon (CCW), is the practice of carrying a weapon (usually a sidearm such as a handgun), either in proximity to or on one's person or in public places in a manner that hides or conceals the weapon's pr ...

" model (or 380CC), and a 15-round capable "Bersa Thunder 380 Plus" were released by Bersa in the United States, and variants "Firestorm 380" and "Firestorm 22" are sold by Firestorm SGS of

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

; assembled from parts manufactured by Bersa.

Intended market

The Thunder 380 is suited for concealed carry due to its small size and rounded trigger guard. One reviewer calls it "very easy to maintain". The Thunder 380 is quite popular in many South American countries, where the

is often the most powerful cartridge allowed for civilians. A number of military and law enforcement forces have included Bersa 380s in their inventory, including the

Ecuadorian Air Force The Ecuadorian Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana, FAE) is the Air arm of the Military of Ecuador and responsible for the protection of the Ecuadorian airspace. Mission To develop the military air wing, in order to execute institutional ...

Design advantages

The Thunder 380 has a light aluminum alloy frame that reduces weight for easier carry, yet the pistol still retains enough mass (weight) to help tame recoil. The magazines are designed with an extra section of grip, so that all fingers of the firing hand are accommodated. The blowback, fixed-barrel design theoretically aids accuracy, and it appears that the vast majority of Thunder 380 users report favorably on that issue. The nearly straight-in alignment of the chamber and the topmost cartridge in the magazine seems to be responsible for the pistol's reliable chambering and cycling. The frame features a long rearward tang over the grips, which effectively protects the shooter's thumb web from hammer-bite or slide-bite. There are several safety features built into the Thunder 380: a slide mounted manual safety and decocker that blocks the hammer, a magazine disconnect safety that prevents firing if a magazine is not inserted, a long

double-action Double action (or double-action) refers to one of two systems in firearms where the trigger both cocks and releases the hammer. *Double-action only (DAO) firearms trigger: The trigger both cocks and releases the hammer. There is no single-action f ...

(DA) first trigger pull, an inertial firing pin, and (in some models) an integral key-operated

trigger lock Gun safety is the study and practice of using, transporting, storing and disposing of firearms and ammunition, including the training of gun users, the design of weapons, and formal and informal regulation of gun production, distribution, and u ...

. Some versions also feature an automatic firing pin block. The pistol has a rear sight windage adjustment.

References

External links

Manual
{{.38 Caliber Semi-automatic pistols of Argentina .380 ACP semi-automatic pistols Bersa firearms