PPK or Bersa Thunder

[IVC]

Realistically, a 380 of that size and weight will be more of a novelty/fun gun than anything else, so it's more about what floats your boat than any objective criterion.

[BHPFan]

Or Sig P232...
tritium sights, CA legal version in brushed steel. No real safety on it. Mag release on the bottom by base of the magazine. Incredibly reliable assuming you are using the true factory German magazines.
Doing a SSE for the sake of doing one while you still can though: of course I would choose a Walther PPK.
Had a bersa and loved it though! Sold it right before it fell off the safe pistol list though. Only went with the Sig Sauer P232 because that's whats available and hard to find SSE friendly FFL where I am to get a bersa back or a walther ppk.
To me, the Sig Sauer P232 is the most refined version of the PPK design. I trust my life very confidently with mine. The P232 will cost you though, especially the stainless steel version being double what a Bersa costs retail.

The SIG P232 is very nice too and arguably more reliable and accurate than the PPK, but it's kinda bigger than either the PPK or the Bersa. There are 9mm Parabellum handguns for about the same size as the P232 (Shield, Kahr, XDS).

[Rob7.62]

Sig P232 feels amazing in the hand a natural pointer IMO and looks amazing. It is however a bit large but damn I want one. Go to the store and at least check it out you at least owe yourself that for a fair comparison of the type.

[Old4eyes]

The Bersa fell off the list. Its barrel is fixed to the frame. How does one do a SSE on that type of gun?

The Firestorm (kissing cousin of the Thunder) is still on the list. Different grip panels, sights and a different contour on the trigger guard. Other than that it is the same gun.

The Thunder is a bargain and I'll choose it over the PPK but for the OP's idea of HD there are guns in 9mm of that size that would be better suited for that purpose. The recoil on my Thunder stings. It's not a big recoil but of all the pistols and revolvers I own, it's the one gun I'll put on a glove to shoot a box of ammo.

While the Sig 238 is priced much higher it has the advantage of being much smaller so it wins in concealment. It is also not a blowback design and the recoil is quite small. But it still is a .380 and in my mind that's not the first choice I'd make for a self defense scenario.

Finally, choose the Bersa for Range/Fun time over the PPK and use the savings for the ammo.

[kajvid]

I own on or have owned the PPK/S, Bersa and 232. The 232 is by far the best built and best shooting. It is also expensive. The Bersa is bang for the buck #1. I bought it for my wife and the LOP was just too long for her hand. Now that they have fallen of the roster people are trying to jack the price up. The PPK/S is great but you want to stick to,the Interarms import.

[Che762x39]

PPK of course. Bersa first came onto the market with junk. So I remember their bad reputation. Now they may have cleaned up their act recently but ...

PPK = class
Bersa = junk

But saying all that, today's PPK may not be as good as your grandpa's PPK

[Zedrek]

I love my Bersa Thunder. I haven't had any issues with it at all. I have always wanted a PPK just for the James Bond in me.

[tsoiky]

Sigh still couldn't make up my mind.
Well since this is for fun and little bit 007 in me. May be also consider PPK 22lr?? The 22lr is not made by S&W. It is truly a Walther.
Hope there is FFL to do SSE on the 22lr


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[I Swan]

Buy both.

[MustangSteveGT]

The SIG P232 is very nice too and arguably more reliable and accurate than the PPK, but it's kinda bigger than either the PPK or the Bersa. There are 9mm Parabellum handguns for about the same size as the P232 (Shield, Kahr, XDS).

It was a few years for me between owning my original Bersa thunder and later on buying my current Sig Sauer p232 but the dimensions seem pretty close. I use the same 2 holsters I had for the bersa, for the current Sig p232. Even with the laser grips on my Sig Sauer, it still fits the pocket holster and fobus holster I had from the Bersa. Weight though? I cant tell off hand cause they're both metal, not-so-lightweight material in either.

One of you guys was talking about recoil for a .380 namely out of a PPK, which i have next to no experience with but has used the Bersa and Sig .380's. The recoil impulse of the .380 on either the bersa or Sig p232 seems to have a lot to do with what ammo is used. The more expensive .380 "self defense" ammo that typically comes in hollow point I practice with from Hornady, Liberty Arms, PMC Starfire ect has the lower recoil but the Aguila .380 I buy in bulk for target practice has a way more poppy recoil impulse and wants to throw that little gun all over the place before follow up shots. I buy the Aguila in bulk online because it cycles 100% of the time and is good for practice ammo even though its messy and emits excessive recoil. It also makes the more expensive stuff feel easier to shoot.

[liljhonsmith]

You can also get a$500 RIA 1911..... but do you really want one?

[TMB 1]

You can also get a$500 RIA 1911..... but do you really want one?

Are they as good as the Bersa Thunder? If they are yes I want one.

[liljhonsmith]

Are they as good as the Bersa Thunder? If they are yes I want one.

To each their own.... To me its a cheap copy of a 1911. RIA/Armscor products are rough around the edges to say the least. Bersas are nice guns for the money. PPK has a better feel and is just more quality. Theres a difference between value and cheap

[Tiberius]

I generally steer clear of South American guns - but the Bersa is apparently made in Argentina by a bunch of escaped Nazis.

Relax! I'm (half) kidding!

[Gottmituns]