Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Thunder in a Small Package

For my second handgun review, I bring you the Bersa Thunder 45 Pro Ultra Compact.  I don't know how much you guys know about Bersa, but they are an Argentinian firearms manufacturer imported by Eagle Imports here in the US.  Many are already familiar with their .380 pistol, which has garnered an almost cult-like following.  Bersa typically replicates other firearms, although I believe this model (the Thunder Ultra Compact; also available in 9mm and .40 S&W) is a unique Bersa design.

Let me start by saying that this pistol will not become your show gun, a safe queen, or anything that you show off to your friends.  However, if you want a .45 that gets the job done, one you don't have to worry about scratching, and most importantly, one that is reliable while being affordable, this may just be your gun. 



The frame is alloy, with a steel slide and polymer grips.  Standard features for the Ultra Compact include ambidextrous safety (switching to safe employs a decocker) and slide release, ambidextrous mag release (can be switched to either side), loaded chamber indicator, polygonal rifling, lifetime customer service, and interchangeable front and rear sights (interchangeable with sig sauer-type sights).  Not listed as a feature, but something I enjoyed was a simple takedown lever, whereby you lock the slide back, flip the lever down, and pull the slide right off the gun (ala Sig).

The finish on it is labeled as "matte," but it looks more "unfinished" to my eye than any particular purposeful finish.  I can't speak to the longevity of the finish, as the model I reviewed is relatively new, and I did not attempt to abuse it.  As I mentioned earlier, you don't have to worry about scratching this one!  It's about as ugly as it will get when it is brand new out of the box.  However, the finish is where you will save a good amount of money.  Without a beautiful finish, the price comes down.  I will try to keep you guys updated on other finish problems (such as rust) as time goes on.  There are also some unexplained "holes" on the top of the slide, which also detract from the overall look, but do not impact performance.

Capacity is good for a compact .45.  The Bersa employs a double-stack magazine, capable of holding 7 rounds.  Therefore, the total capacity for the pistol is 7+1.  As I did not unbox the gun, I'm not sure of how many magazines it comes with, but I do know that new mags are fairly expensive (~$37) and can be hard to get (not carried everywhere).

The action is a DA/SA style, and I found the initial trigger pull to be quite smooth.  I was expecting it to be much more gritty due to the inexpensive nature of the pistol, but was pleasantly surprised.  Followup SA shots were even smoother, with no problems there.

The sights are what I would call "Glock style," with the U-shaped white outline in the back, and a white dot front sight.  Accuracy was very good: the target pictured was only at 7 yards, but I did not get any wild patterns (ignore the 2 down low-I flinched) with it, and I did not get to test it at further distances.  Although I think the pistol would be quite capable at further distances, I would label it as "combat accurate" for purposes of this review.

Recoil was also very manageable.  The pistol is labeled as weighing 27 ounces, which is average to light weight.  I had no trouble managing the recoil, and with the easy-visibility sights, followup shots were a breeze.

Where this gun really stood out to me was in reliability.  That is my first consideration for any gun; I need it to go bang every time, especially if my life (or the lives of my loved ones) depend on it.  I was able to run about 100 rounds through this gun.  Hardly a torture test.  However, considering that these rounds were the first fired through the gun, I would expect any failures to have shown up during this timeframe.  This gun was 100% reliable with approximately 50 rounds of FMJ (230 grain) and 50 rounds of hollow points.  I was especially impressed that it had no problems with the hollow points, as that is where many guns hiccup.  Granted, I would not call this reliability test conclusive, but it definitely caught my attention having had cheap guns before that were not as reliable.


One final way this gun was outstanding was in the price department.  I know I said earlier that magazines can be expensive, but that's more than made up for with the initial cost of the gun.  Budsgunshop.com last had it for $348, which is unbelievable for a reliable compact .45.  They do not have it in stock right now, but impactguns.com does have it in stock for approximately $400, which is still pretty good.  So with the savings over a more expensive gun, you can afford a couple more mags and some ammo.

To sum it up, Straight recommends this gun to those who are looking for a reliable, compact .45 which can be subject to some abuse.  Throw this one in a toolbox, a glove box, or a backpack, and it will remain unharmed.  You wouldn't do that to your $1k Sig/H&K/1911 (at least, I wouldn't!), but with this gun, you never have to worry about getting that first scratch.  It comes from the factory that way! ;~)  I highly recommend it for the low price, high reliability, and good accuracy.  I will be checking out more Bersa products in the future!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Announcing The Art of the Dynamic Shotgun

My review of the Dynamic Handgun inspired to me post this trailer for the upcoming "Art of the Dynamic Shotgun."  I may not get this one since I don't have a tactical shotgun, but I think it would be great for someone who does.  Of course, the trailer gets you fired up.  Enjoy!

DVD Review - The Art of the Dynamic Handgun

I think I promised a while back that this review would be forthcoming. Well, here it is....finally. Guys, this four DVD set is some of the best stuff I've ever seen for gun training. I considered myself to be an "experienced" handgun shooter until I watched this DVD set. There were *so* many things I learned from Chris Costa and Travis Haley, the two instructors. Make no mistake, this video is extremely well done, with professional shots for instruction and application.

Let me start off my listing the contents (something difficult to find online in my experience!), then I'll go over some of the things I found to be most applicable.

Disc One: The Dynamic Handgun
Grip
Seven Fundamentals of Shooting
The Draw
Tactical & Speed Reloads
Balance of Speed and Accuracy
Malfunctions
Accuracy
Kneeling & Supine Positions
Prone & Urban Prone

Disc Two: The Dynamic Handgun Part II
Off Line of Attack
Shooting on the Move
Reflexive Firing
Combat Mindset
Reality Check
Scenarios: LEO, Military, Civilian, Student & Concealment
Special Features

Disc Three: Concealed Carry
Concealed Carry Lifestyle
Positions
Drawing from Concealment
Off Line of Attack
Single Hand Operation
Special Features

Disc Four: Drills and Special Features
Handgun Accessories (Belts, Holsters, Lights and Lasers)
Suppressors
Ammo
48 Quick Reference Drills
Outtakes

I can't possibly go over everything I learned or thought was good, but suffice it to say, I do not regret paying approximately $50 for this DVD set. I discovered after many years of shooting that I was not gripping the gun in the best possible way that I could. As a result, my patterns have gotten better, followup shots are faster, and I have more control over the muzzle of the gun in general. Further, they pointed out that for reloads, malfunction clearing, etc., the gun should be in your "workspace" (up at chest/face level instead of down at the waist) to ensure you are keeping an eye on your target area. When I saw that, it was one of those "duh" moments; it made sense, but I had never actually thought through it (all my work to that point had been done at waist level with my head down....dumb). There were so many moments like this during the series, I couldn't possibly list them all.

I promise you, if you apply what you see on these DVDs, you *will* end up a better/more knowledgeable shooter because of it. The people being recorded on the DVDs are cops/military/shooting industry people/regular civilians. If they can learn something from the course, of course most of us average Joe's will as well.

You really have to watch these DVDs several times to get even 50% of what they're teaching you. But, there's good news: on disc four, all of the drills that you can practice are demonstrated in full speed, 50%, and 30%. You can jump or select chapters to go over the drills on which you need to work. This is VERY helpful to master the various aspects of using your handgun.

Overall, I recommend this DVD set to beginners, amateurs, and experienced shooters alike. EVERYONE that wants to become proficient with a handgun should buy this course! Chris and Travis are never arrogant, but they are extremely experienced. They know what they're talking about, and they are very likable to boot. You will want to learn from them. That's the magic of the series, and has kept me coming back over and over again. Don't make a bad decision: buy this DVD set NOW!