When shooters look for a personal-defense firearm, they are sometimes swayed by reports of what are basically range pistols, those with a light trigger, no safety, and a heavy frame. But a practical personal-defense pistol is easy to carry, might have a heavier trigger than a Bullseye gun, and it might be quickly shoved into the waistband or pocket without tearing fabric or skin. Also, a practical pistol might be carried in the hand as you travel to a vehicle or placed safely at home ready. The handier practical pistol may be more desirable than a big, heavy pistol that homes every round into the X-ring at 25 yards.

We recently tested a trio of practical medium-sized 380 ACP handguns that offer light recoil, good accuracy, and generous magazine capacity, the last characteristic being an advantage over old-style double-action-first-shot 380 pistols, such as the Walther PPK or SIG P232.

We tested the Tisas Fatih, a straight-up clone of the Beretta 84 Cheetah. The second modern test gun is the Bersa Thunder Plus, a high-capacity version of the long serving Bersa Thunder 380. Because there are not a lot of affordable high-capacity 380 ACP pistols around, we also obtained a used CZ 83 in 380 ACP. The Model 83 has gotten very good grades in the past.

All three are simple blowback-action handguns. Each has a double-action first-shot trigger. After the first shot, the slide recoils and cocks the hammer for subsequent single-action shots. Two of the pistols are selective double-action pistols with manual safeties, allowing cocked-and-locked carry, and the other is a decocker-type with a manual safety.

For test ammo, we used Remington and Aguila loads of the 95-grain FMJ type, Fiocchi’s 90-grain XTP, Hornady’s 90-grain XTP, and the SIG 90-grain V-Crown. We fired 45 rounds in each pistol in combat firing off hand. We used the three hollow-point loads in accuracy testing.

Let’s look at the differences in performance.

Gun Tests Grade: A- (BEST BUY)

$352

The Bersa Thunder Plus offers no surprises. This pistol is the Bersa Thunder with a high-capacity magazine. The Bersa line has consistently proven reliable, useful, and a good buy for those on a budget. We prefer the Bersa to several high-priced double-action first-shot pistols.

The slide was well machined and finished. Anodizing was good on the aluminum frame. The pistol featured a Pachmayr-like grip that offers an excellent balance of abrasion and adhesion. Part of the rubber grip covered the front strap. The trigger action was smooth enough and allowed good double-action first-shot hits. In combat shooting, the pistol fell slightly behind the other two pistols, but the score was close. In bench accuracy, the Bersa was accurate, with a best 2.2-inch 15-yard group. The 15-round magazine offers the highest capacity of any of the handguns tested. We suspect most buyers will not carry a spare magazine as a result. Because spares, when obtainable, are around 40 bucks, high capacity is a good thing if you rely on the load in the gun to get the job done.

Performance between the Fatih and the Bersa was similar. The primary difference will be a preference in safety systems. The Fatih and the CZ require that the pistol be loaded, and the hammer lowered manually by controlling the hammer as you press the trigger. The Bersa features a Beretta 92-type hammer-drop safety. Apply the safety, and the hammer is safely lowered without touching the hammer or trigger. The handgun may be carried on Fire or Safe as preferred. For most shooters, the Bersa is the preferred safety, but then many shooters do well with the Beretta 84/Fatih type.

We suffered a single malfunction. During firing, the slide locked open during a string. Perhaps the shooter allowed his thumb to bump into the slide lock. The slightly wider frame of the Bersa Thunder Plus compared to the standard Bersa may account for this.

Our Team Said: We rated the Bersa down a half grade due to the malfunction. A plus for some is that the Bersa featured a key-activated action lock that rendered the pistol inert if activated. If you own and carry the original Bersa Thunder, this pistol is a nice upgrade. It is also the Best Buy of the test.

380 ACP Range Data

Value Guide: 380 ACP Semi-Auto Pistols