The Bersa TPR handguns were released in February, and the changes they made from the long-standing Bersa Pro Thunder series of pistols are substantial.
Bersa produced their TPR (Thunder Pro Redesign) pistols to be more sleek in the slide and the grip, while shortening the single action trigger pull to the shortest reset I have ever experienced on a semi-auto handgun. They also added additional slide work that most shooters will find advantageous.
I was able to review the Bersa TPR 45c (the “c” stands for compact) and the full-size Bersa TPR 9, and after a couple sessions of range time with the TPR 9, I believe this model is Bersa’s finest handgun yet. To top it off, the Bersa TPR 9 is a budget-priced handgun with an MSRP of $465, but the standard gun store is selling it between $360 and $370.
The Bersa TPR 9 features a slimmer polymer grip, an ambidextrous thumb safety/decocker and slide stop, serrated memory pads for the weak-side thumb, three-dot sights with the rear being drift adjustable, a fore-end pictinny rail for accessories, front slide serrations, a raised loaded chamber bar on the top of the slide and a wide trigger guard that allows for additional finger space to reach the trigger. It also sports a 4.25-inch barrel, a steel guide rod, ships with two 17-round magazines and with the alloy aluminum frame, it weighs just 31 ounces unloaded. The Bersa TPR models continue to use the disassemble lever from the Thunder Pro series that I believe is the quickest and easiest field strip of any gun in today’s market. A simple downward push of the take-down lever, and the slide releases from the frame for cleaning and maintenance.
The Bersa TPR 9 models’ (both the full-size and compact size with a 3.25-inch barrel) most significant improvement is the single action trigger. Upon the initial trigger pull, the trigger reset for the following shot is incredibly short. I consider the single action trigger reset equivalent to, if not shorter than, the Sig Sauer STR (short trigger reset). The advantage to a short trigger reset is for quicker and more accurate follow-up shots, which will allow the shooter to remain on target easier.
At the range, the Bersa TPR 9 performed just as I had expected. I shot approximately 250 rounds of Magtech 115 gr. 9mm target loads and a couple magazines of Remington Golden Sabre Black Belt 124 gr. hollow points. The Bersa TPR 9 fed, fired and ejected every round without any failures. It was also incredibly accurate. While shooting from various distances, both two-handed and one, I was able to hit my steel targets with ease and with confidence. I did not need a “learning curve” with this handgun. Straight out of the box, the Bersa TPR 9 performed excellently for me.
This review features the full-size Bersa TPR 9, but Bersa also produces a compact-size TPR 9c that is smaller, lighter and more conducive to carry on an everyday basis. Check out the tabletop and range reviews, and let us know your experiences with Bersa handguns along with your interest in their new TPR models.
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