Florida Shooters Network

Went to the range yesterday for the first time in a few years. Shot pretty much everything in the safe. Every weapon fired and cycled normally without problems EXCEPT for the Bersa. It shot well for about 10 magazines then jammed up solidly. The slide is about 1/8" open and I can see a brass casing. What I don't know is 1) is it a live round or an empty casing, and 2) I'm concerned that I may have an empty casing that didn't eject AND a live round in the chamber - both jammed in there.

I was able to lower the hammer and put the safety on, but no amount of pressure will allow the slide to move at all. I also attempted to remove the slide using the slide release but no luck. I don't want to mess with it further due to it's unknown state.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a gunsmith who has experience working on the Bersa 380 Thunder Plus in SW Florida?

Thanks.

Not a lot of options open to you, the best obviously is a gunsmith, I've got a Bersa Thunder combat, yours is the plus 15 rounds if memory serves me. There are two good Bersa forums that I frequent, Bersa firearms, and Bersa chat, Google em up there are some learned people on these sites that may be able to help ya, what brand of ammo seized in the weapon?

you can have a live round in the chamber and a squib in the barrel, but you can't have an empty shell in the chamber and a live round at the same time,

remove the magazine

insert a cleaning rod down the barrel ( as a measuring stick ) , hold rod on outside of barrel, it the rod goes all the way back to the end of the barrel, you brass case cleared the bullet out of the barrel, if it stock half way, you have a squib, if it stops about 3/4 of an inch from the chamber end of the barrel there is still a live round in there.

either way, try pushing down on the top of the barrel hood as you force the slide to the rear, you can also use a smaller rod to pound back on an empty shell case ( only ) to free up the slide

more than likely, the brass has expanded too much in the chamber making it hard to extract

Rent, thanks for the idea.

OK, update. It's a live round that did not appear make it into the chamber. Using a flashlight and a mirror, I was able to look down the barrel and confirm that there is a copper-tipped bullet. I inserted a cleaning rod into the barrel and measured the distance from the end of the barrel to the obstruction. I then compared that length to the outside of the barrel/slide and can see where the bullet tip is. It measures perfectly with a similar round.

So I know that is a live round jammed in there.

1st pic shows cleaning rod inserted into barrel.

2nd pic shows how far cleaning rod went in (taped off where it stopped).

3rd pic shows where bullet is inside slide.

4th pic shows close up of how much slide is open.


@trouter3, I'm a member of bersaforum.com and have posted it over there as well.

Can anyone recommend a gunsmith in SWFL who could fix this? Thanks.

There is a good gunsmith at shooting straight in WPB off southern Blvd, I've used him couple of times and there is another at Gator guns in WPB both did good work for me .....had similar problem with a .223 in my AR15 didn't chamber round all the way, they took a cleaning rod and a hammer gave it a couple of good solid raps and it freed the round .....

trouter3 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 25, 2018 9:48 pm There is a good gunsmith at shooting straight in WPB off southern Blvd

Sid is no longer there, but Bob, who is an excellent gunsmith works at the Ft. Lauderdale Shoot Straight store. But the OP is looking for someone on the other side of the state. GARY.

N4KVE wrote: ↑Sun Nov 25, 2018 10:54 pm

trouter3 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 25, 2018 9:48 pm There is a good gunsmith at shooting straight in WPB off southern Blvd

Sid is no longer there, but Bob, who is an excellent gunsmith works at the Ft. Lauderdale Shoot Straight Store. But the OP is looking for someone on the other side of the state. GARY.

That sucks, Sid is a great guy. Why'd he leave?

We've got a Shoot Straight location here in Ft. Myers. I'll give them a try. Thanks for the responses.

I don’t know why SID left, but he is a great gun smith. I think Bob from the Ft. Lauderdale store comes to WPB a few days a week to help out. Hopefully they will find a permanent replacement soon. GARY.

Sid was a great guy, very friendly personable, he did great work, guess they worked his ass off and didn't compensate him accordingly, he was always back logged. I hear, this fellow Bob I believe is his name is also a good gunsmith .. Sorry wasn't paying attention re your location ..