:: Bersa Talk ::

My wife has the 380, and it has a failure to feed issue. I believe it is the same issue that pops up on the forum every few weeks or so. Once (and only once) there are between 2 and 4 rounds left in the mag, the new round that is meant to feed into the chamber instead is stuck at a 45 degree angle nose first into the area between the top of the barrel and the inside of the slide. Most of the time the end of the bullet is slightly cut in from the force of slamming into the top corner of the barrel.

Here is the odd part. She has two magazines, hereinafter black and sliver after their follower colors. It happens when she shoots the pistol 50% of the time per mag load with the black mag, almost never with the silver mag--with FMJ. With gold dot it does not happen at all.

She is five feet tall and I do have to remind her to extend her elbows the whole way, but even when she is death gripping the pistol the black mag and FMJ rounds will jam about that 50% rate per mag.

When I use the pistol and the black mag and FMJ, it is more like a 25% jam rate, with the silver mag it does not happen.

Looking at the feed lips by my untrained eye, they appear slightly different. I am not sure how to describe it.

Should I just shop for a new mag? Which ones are better? Why does it happen with FMJ and not JHP? Does the gun need to come in or is this just a mag issue?

Have the same problem with my BT new 380. Twill be interesting.  I keep hearing the limp wrist thing?  Navet

It is partly limp wristing I think because it happens more with my smaller wife, but it happens some with me and I choke down on the pistol. I think it is more the magazine and the sharp corner on the top of the barrel. (Note the second sentence is an uninformed guess)

I'm sure you'll hear this if you haven't already. The "silver" (actually chrome) follower magazine is almost certainly the original Bersa factory mag. It should be stamped on the side of the mag. The black follower mag is most likely a Pro-Mag. Many people have problems with them in T380s, although I have 3 Pro-Mags and have had no issues, except with Fiocchi FMJ ammo. The factory mags are more expensive, but well worth it to many of the members here. 

Good luck and safe shooting,

Craig 

I would not reliy on the stamping thing anymore, we are having fake mags show up with the correct stamping now.

The mags could be factory, maybe not. My best suggestion would be to send it in and let us check it out. Please let us know what you decide.

Thanks,

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C. Royce Honeycutt
Master Gunsmith
Master Firearms Instructor
Bersa Warranty Center

Send you the whole pistol or just the mag?

The whole thing with the magazine.

Thanks,

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C. Royce Honeycutt
Master Gunsmith
Master Firearms Instructor
Bersa Warranty Center

Will do.

Can I ask for gold dot on the try out as well as some FMJ?

Warranty covers FMJ testing, if you want hollow point testing I can see what I can do, but I cannot make any promises.

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C. Royce Honeycutt
Master Gunsmith
Master Firearms Instructor
Bersa Warranty Center

Thanks.

It was shipped today. Have fun with it.

We got it back today. Did you get a chance to try it with gold dot? What sort of FMJ did you use?

We got the pistol back, and got a VM that the main issue was the non-factory mag we sent with the pistol for service.

Using the mag that came with the pistol, and a new factory nickle mag, we went to the range.

Gold dot and magtech FMJ round nose design shot 100%. With the factory mag that came with the pistol, winchester wal mart FMJ flatish nose would jam 25% of the time in one of the last three rounds that were in the mag. The jam was the exact same FTF jam described above. The new nickel mag did not so jam.

Avoid the flat nosed rounds. Let us know what we can do for you if you need anything else.

Thanks,

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C. Royce Honeycutt
Master Gunsmith
Master Firearms Instructor
Bersa Warranty Center