Bersa Thunder 380 Instruction Manual

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SPARE PARTS:
Model Thunder 380, Thunder 32 and Thunder 22
1.Slide
2.Rear sight
3.Rear sight blade
4.Rear sight spring
5.Rear sight screw
6.Extractor
7.Extractor spring
8.Extractor pin
9.Firing pin
10.Firing pin spring
11.Safety
12.Safety spring
13.Safety stop
14.Slide catch spring
15.Slide catch
16.Barrel pin
17.Ejector
18.Frame
19.Slide stop
20.Slide stop spring
21.Disassembly bar
22.Trigger spring23.Trigger
24.Trigger pin
25.Firing pin stop spring
26.Firing pin stop
27.Grip pin
28.Disconnector
29.Disconnector spring
30.Magazine catch
31.Magazine catch spring
32.Magazine catch pin
33.Hammer
34.Hammer spring guide
35.Hammer spring
36.Cocking piece
37.Cocking piece pin
38.Hammer release
39.Hammer pin
40.Hammer release bush
41.Hammer release pin
42.Magazine safety
43.Magazine safety spring
44.Magazine tube45.Feeder platform
46.Feeder platform spring
47.Magazine bottom holder
48.Magazine bottom
49.Grip screw
60.Barrel 
						

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SAFETY WARNINGSEar and eye protection: Use ear plugs or earmuff-type protectors to guard you against cumulative,
permanent hearing loss as a result of continuous exposure to shooting noise.
Shooting glasses will guard you against powder, gas, carbon residue, lubricant, metallic particles or
similar debris that may emanate occasionally from any firearm in normal use
Always make sure that anyone near you is also wearing ear and eye protection.
Safety mechanism:
1.Your firearm has an effective, well-designed safety mechanism. However, there’s no safety mecha
nism capable of substituting your common sense and good safety procedures. No safety can
guard you against horseplay, carelessness, or improper use. It may become ineffective by break
age or malfunction due to abusive use, incorrect assembly, or unauthorized adjustments.
2.While handling any firearm, never allow it to point at any part of your body or at another person.
No harm should result if you obey this rule, even if an accidental discharge occurs.
3.The safety mechanism should be on until you are actually aiming at the target ready to shoot
4.When turning the safety ON or OFF, point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off
the trigger.
5.Be sure to put the safety in the correct position or it will not be effective. Some firearms have a red
warning dot next to the safety which should be totally covered when the safety is on.
6.Do not carry the firearm loaded without the safety on (Double action revolvers and some double
action pistols have an automatic internal safety mechanism instead of a manual one). 
						

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Loading:
1.Be sure the muzzle is pointing in a safe direction when loading the firearm
2.Do not load or unload a firearm in a confined space such as a vehicle or building other than a
well-constructed shooting range. In an enclosed area there is not usually a safe direction in which
to point the firearm, and if accidentally fired, there is a great risk of causing personal injury or
property damage.
3.Clean all oil and grease from the chamber before loading, and be sure nothing is obstructing the
barrel. Any obstruction in the barrel may cause the barrel to bulge or burst when firing it, or
otherwise damage the firearm or injure the shooter and bystanders.
Firing:
1.When cocking a firearm, keep your finger off the trigger and point the muzzle in a safe direction.
2.Never carry a cocked firearm around or leave it unattended! A cocked firearm will fire with the
slightest pressure on the trigger. If you fall or the firearm is dropped, or someone hits it, an acci
dental firing may occur.
3.When firing a semi-automatic gun, keep your fingers, hand, face and all other parts of your body
away from the ejection port, or any other part of the slide (or bolt) when it is moving. The shooter
will not be injured if the firearm is held and fired at arm’s length.
4.Be sure no one is standing where they may be struck by an empty cartridge case. Ejected cases
are hot and may cause burns, cuts or eye injuries (if no eye protection is worn). Be sure there is 
						

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a clear, safe, unobstructed path for fire cases to be ejected. And also be sure they will not bounce
off a hard object and hit someone.
5.If your firearm has a mechanical malfunction while shooting, or if powder or gas emanates from it,
or if a cartridge case is bulged or ruptured, or if the sound of the fire is not quite right, DO NOT
CONTINUE SHOOTING. STOP IMMEDIATELY AND UNLOAD THE FIREARM. Then take the
firearm and ammunition to your gunsmith.
6.A loaded cartridge case that becomes jammed in a semiautomatic gun between the slide (or bolt)
and the barrel may be removed as follows: Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. First,
remove the magazine, and then pull the slide or bolt back. Hold it or lock it to the rear. Remove
the jammed case by shaking the firearm or pick it out with your fingers.
Unloading:
1.Be sure the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction.
2.After removing the magazine, be sure to clear the chamber
3.Do not assume a firearm is unloaded until you have visually checked it.
Transporting and storing your firearm:
1.Always keep your firearm unloaded when transporting it to and from shooting activities.
2.Store firearms and ammunition separately, preferably locked and secured. Keep firearms and
ammunition out of reach of children, untrained individuals or careless, unauthorized adults. 
						

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Semi-automatic pistols:
1.Carrying a semi-automatic pistol with a cartridge in the chamber greatly increases the chances of
accidental firing. Doing so may only be justified in cases of clear and present danger. For in
stance, in cases of self-defense you may have to fire your pistol instantly, however this is not
recommended. The safest way to carry a loaded pistol is to have the chamber empty.
2.If you MUST carry a semi-automatic pistol with a cartridge in the chamber, be sure the hammer is
decocked. If your pistol has a hammer lowering lever, use this lever instead of the trigger to lower
the hammer. And also, if your pistol has a manual safety, always leave it on when carrying the
pistol with a cartridge in the chamber until the firearm is aimed at the target ready to shoot.
Ammunition:
1.Use high-quality, original, factory-manufactured ammunition in your firearm. Never use
ammunition that is wet, dirty, corroded or damaged. Never oil or lubricate ammunition or let
excess aerosol lubricants, preservatives, or cleaners come into contact with cartridges. This
may cause dangerous malfunction problems. Be sure your ammunition has the proper caliber,
which is engraved on the firearm. Do not use ammunition of any other caliber.
2.Reloading ammunition is a science. Improperly loaded ammunition may cause severe damage
to your firearm and serious injuries to both the shooter and other individuals. Use ammunition
approved by the U.S. Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc. (SAAMI). 
						

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All warranties are void if you use reloaded, “remanufactured”, handloaded, or other
non standard ammunition.
3.Excessive pressure inside the chamber or the barrel may cause severe damage to the firearm
and/or serious injury to the shooter. This may be caused by obstructions in the barrel,
propellant powder overloads, or the use of incorrect, wrongly assembled, dirty, corroded or
damaged cartridges.
4.Stop shooting IMMEDIATELY and check the barrel for obstructions if:
-you have difficulties in chambering a cartridge or feel unusual resistance
-a cartridge misfires
-a fired cartridge case is not extracted
-you see unburned grains of powder in the mechanism
-a shot sounds abnormal or weak
These obstructions may be caused by a bullet lodged way down the barrel. Do not fire another
bullet in the obstructed barrel as this may damage the firearm and cause serious injury to both
the shooter and bystanders.
5.Bullets lodged in the barrel may be caused by:
-a cartridge loaded without propellant powder, or with powder failing to ignite (ignition of the
cartridge primer without powder will push the bullet out of the cartridge case, but it is usually
not enough to eject the bullet from the gun barrel) 
						

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-a bullet that is not sealed tightly in its cartridge case. If a cartridge with a loose bullet is
removed from the chamber without being fired, the bullet may remain in the barrel.
Putting another cartridge in the chamber may push the first bullet further into the barrel.
6.If you suspect the bullet is obstructing the barrel, unload the firearm immediately and look
through the bore. Do not simply look inside the chamber as the bullet may be loaded further
down the barrel where it cannot be seen easily. IF A BULLET IS OBSTRUCTING THE BAR
REL, DO NOT TRY TO SHOOT IT OUT WITH ANOTHER CARTRIDGE, A BLANK
CARTRIDGE, OR A CARTRIDGE WITH THE BULLET REMOVED. THIS MAY CAUSE
EXCESSIVE PRESSURE AND CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE FIREARM AND
INJURY TO THE SHOOTER OR OTHERS.
Dislodge the bullet by tapping it with a cleaning rod. Then clean any unburned powder grains in
the chamber, mechanism and bore before firing again. If tapping with a cleaning rod does not
dislodge the bullet, it will be necessary to have a gunsmith remove it.
7.Dirty, corroded, oily, damaged or deformed cartridges may not be chambered completely, and
the cartridge case may burst when firing.
8.Wipe any oil preservative from the chamber before shooting and do not lubricate the car
tridges. Lubricants interfere with the required friction between the cartridge case and the cham
ber wall. This causes stress similar to excessive pressure.
9.Do not use too much lubricant on your gun’s moving parts. Do not spray gun care aerosol 
						

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products where they may come into contact with ammunition. Do not overspray. Lubricants,
especially aerosol sprays, may penetrate cartridge primers and cause the ammunition to
misfire. Some lubricants may get inside cartridge cases and prevent powder from igniting. If
only the primer ignites, the bullet may become lodged in the barrel.
Firearm care:
1.When your firearm is delivered it comes in a factory package and has a light coating of protective
grease and oil. Clear all this grease and oil from the bore and exposed mechanism before
loading.
2.Double-check your firearm is unloaded before disassembling it for cleaning.
3.After cleaning, make sure you have not left a cleaning patch or any other obstruction in the bore
or chamber.
Parts:
BERSA’s distributor has a complete supply of replacement parts. Even though most gunsmiths are highly
qualified to make the necessary repairs to your firearm, the workmanship of any particular gunsmith, other
than those in our Service Department, is totally beyond our control. Should your firearm ever require
service, we strongly recommend that you return it to BERSA. Unauthorized adjustments or parts
replacement can void your warranty. 
						

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It is the responsibility of the purchaser to be absolutely certain that any parts ordered from BERSA are of
the correct type and are properly fitted and installed by a competent person. THE IMPROPER
FITTING OF PARTS OR IMPROPER MECHANICAL ADJUSTMENT MAY RESULT IN A DANGEROUS
MALFUNCTION, DAMAGE TO THE FIREARM, AND POSSIBLE SEVERE INJURY TO THE SHOOTER
OR TO OTHERS. Therefore, the purchaser and/or installer of parts must accept full responsibility for the
correct adjustment and function of the firearm after such installation has been made or attempted.
Service policy:
Your firearm has been carefully inspected and tested before being shipped to ensure it meets our
specifications and standards. If your firearm needs adjustments, refinishing or repairs, we highly
recommend that you obtain factory service from BERSA.
If you have any questions about your firearm’s performance, write to our Service Department and
accurately describe the situation. If the Service Department feels your firearm may need factory service,
they will let you know and give you all the instructions for shipping the firearm adequately.
BERSA’s distributor will inspect your firearm thoroughly and evaluate the problem or problems you
mentioned in your letter. If the repairs needed are not covered by the warranty (copy enclosed), we will
send you a quotation of the actual cost of the repairs, not an estimate. You must authorize all repairs. No
repairs will be made without your express approval. 
						

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Returning firearms for service:
1.Federal Licensed dealers may ship handguns via U.S. Mail. The Post Office confiscates hand
guns mailed by private individuals.
2.Under Federal Law, you may return rifles by U.S. Mail. Other firearms may be returned by
common carriers such as United Parcel Services (UPS). State and local gun laws vary greatly.
Consult your local prosecuting attorney about any laws in your area that may restrict shipping
or receiving firearms. Taking all these facts into account, we strongly recommend that you send
your firearm for repairs to our distributor through a Federal Licensed dealer.
3.All firearms must be sent out by prepaid shipment. WE DO NOT ACCEPT COLLECT
SHIPMENTS.
4.The address to return your firearm for repairs is: BOLSA GUNSMITHING – 7404 Bolsa Av.,
Westminster, C.A. 92683 – Tel.: 714-894-9100 – WALKER ARMS COMPANY – 499 Dallas
Road 820 Selma, Alabama 36701 – Tel.: 205-872-6231 / 205-875-8056 PARTS.
5.Together with the firearm, enclose a letter indicating the serial number, caliber and barrel
length, and also the work that is needed or the problem you have experienced with the firearm.
Be specific. Do not simply write the words “defective” or “repairs needed”. In addition, enclose
copies of any previous letters dealing with the repairs.  There will be a minimum service charge
for repair works that is not covered by the warranty.
6.YOUR FIREARM MUST BE SHIPPED UNLOADED. Before shipping, double-check the