bersa thunder pro ultra compact 9mm review

BERSA THUNDER PRO ULTRA COMPACT 9MM REVIEW PRO

A combination of good sights, a smooth trigger action, and good weight for the caliber gave good combat-shooting results. The pistol was as comfortable to fire as a 9mm handgun of this weight should be, we believe. The safety wasn’t difficult to manipulate as we came on target, we found. The safety and the slide lock were ambidextrous. Minor point: The frame had a busy look with so many controls on the left side - takedown lever, slide lock, and a safety. The grips featured a modest thumb swell that the raters find comfortable. The slide’s finish was even and not too worn, and the anodizing on the alloy frame was likewise smooth and even. A modest trigger stop is part of the trigger design. The single action trigger broke at a smooth 5.5 pounds. The double-action trigger broke at 12 pounds. The trigger action was smooth enough, with minimal stacking at the end of travel. Trigger reach or span was adequate for most hand sizes, our men and women shooters agreed. There was plenty of room to eject a spent case or to clear a loaded cartridge. The large ejection port made administrative handling simple. Also, the sights proved well regulated for 115-grain ammunition. The white-outline rear sight and white-dot post front made a good combination, we thought. The sights were good examples of combat sights, in which the rear sight was broad and easily picked up during speed drills. Elsewhere, the slide was well machined with generous cocking grooves. During this operation, no obvious tool marks were noted. The pistol was lubricated prior to firing. The trigger mechanism, with its exposed drawbar on the right side of the frame, owes much to the Beretta. The typical Browning locked-breech design uses an angled camming surface to unlock the action. The slide appears SIG like, and the pistol uses the SIG-type lockup, butting the barrel hood into the slide. Manufactured in Argentina, these pistols use a confluence of proven design features. Like many compact handguns, it appeared to have been carried more than fired. The Bersa tested was used, but seemed to have little wear.

BERSA THUNDER PRO ULTRA COMPACT 9MM REVIEW PRO

But we did have a preference, which we express below:īersa Thunder Pro Ultra Compact T9MP13 9mm Luger, ~$300 GUN TESTS GRADE: A It was not difficult to make center hits at 5, 7, and 10 yards with either handgun. We fired the first shot double action and transitioned, firing the remainder of the group single action. The drills began with a pistol fully loaded and hammer down with the safety on. Our shooters drew the pistols from a Rinehart Leather belt-slide holster ( ). To conduct combat firing, we loaded the Winchester 115-grain full-metal-jacket rounds. We paid $350 for our used 908, but we have seen them listed for $50 less. The stainless 908S was manufactured from 2003-2006. Our test gun here is the blued version, the 908, which we haven’t tested previously. The 908S earned an “Our Pick” rating in that test, which would translate to an A grade today. In the January 2005 issue, we reviewed a Smith & Wesson 908S Carry Combo against a Kahr TP9 and Kel-Tec P11. We paid $300 for our test gun, and a new matte-black 9mm Thunder Pro UC was listed for $402 at and $407 regular retail and $395 cash price at - so around $100 more. There are also 45 ACP and 40 S&W chamberings in both finishes. New, the 9mm comes in either a matte-black finish like our used test gun or a duotone version. The current iteration of this handgun has a slightly different trigger guard shape, and it has a rail slot for a light or laser, but is functionally similar to our used sample. The gun looked about as good inside as it did out, and that inspired confidence.” In that review, we also mentioned “a smaller overall version…,” which is the Thunder Pro Ultra Compact. Further, “If you want or need a good DA/SA nine that will shoot from dawn to dusk on one loading, this is an excellent choice, we thought. We previously had tested ( May 2006) a full-size Bersa Thunder 9 and said “Buy It.” We liked the workmanship, looks, feel, and performance of the 18-shot Bersa. The Bersa has been known as the Mini Firestorm or the Bersa Pro, and is currently named the Thunder Pro Ultra Compact. Two such handguns chambered in 9mm Luger we hoped would produce these qualities were a Smith & Wesson 908 and a Bersa 9mm. The handgun must exhibit good reliability, safe operation, and practical accuracy. While personal preferences are important and heft and feel mean a lot in concealed carry, the subjective cannot outweigh objective features. One of these preferences is for a double-action first-shot handgun, which some Gun Tests readers have mentioned in comments to the editor. Former peace officers may prefer a pistol similar to the service gun they carried at work, and soldiers often choose a Beretta because they got used to feel of an M9. When it comes to personal defense, handgun owners have many strong preferences - cultural, generational, or even institutional.

Bersa thunder pro ultra compact 9mm review