Selected Handgun Detail

Manufacturer
	Bersa SA More Info

About the Gun

The Bersa Model 83 is a compact all-steel DA/SA blowback pistol in .380 Auto. It uses an external hammer, a slide-mounted safety/decock lever, walnut grips, and low-profile fixed sights. The slide catch is internal; releasing a locked slide requires pulling the slide slightly farther rearward.

Production

Production ran from 1988 through 1994.

Market value

MSRP at production was around $300–$350. Current used market value for examples in good to very good condition ranges $180–$300.

Cartridge Specifications
Cartridge:	.380 Automatic
Alias:	9mm Browning Short
More Info

Analysis

The Model 83 replaced the 383 DA in the late 1980s as Bersa’s compact steel-frame .380 Auto. It retained the DA/SA blowback layout and slide-mounted decocker of the preceding model but eliminated the external slide catch in favor of an internal mechanism. Production continued into the mid-1990s, after which Bersa shifted to the lighter aluminum-frame Series 95 and then the Thunder 380. The Model 83 was a civilian defensive and export pistol, aimed at shooters who wanted a compact steel .380 Auto with double-action capability. Surviving examples remain on the used market as older carry and training guns from the final years of Bersa’s all-steel compact line.