Actually Bersa chat isn't one -- I joined that just to read the posts - no real intent on engaging in discussion there. Most of the posts I've read don't seem to do anything but talk about the love affair with them without any meat or substance to them. I am looking for unbiased reviews. While I haven't found any "bad" reviews, everything seeming to be neutral/positive to totally positive.
The knowledge, information, etc., that I mentioned is on everything. I have made no bones about the fact that I am pretty clueless when it comes to various makes and models. Not quite as bad as the cartoon someone posted about the press -- everything is a Glock 17 and everything is an AR-15. But there are plenty of gun makers I never knew existed. I am not very confident that I will be able to tell makes/models/caliber from a distance like some of y'all do. But I could at least hold my own in a conversation.
Among the things that I have learned is what constitutes the media's idea of an "arsenal" and what an "arsenal" really is. There are media myths that are out there that are so damaging to the reputation of gun owners and I admit, I was taken in by some of them. I did not know that buying ammo in bulk is not unusual and that it changed the price per round bottom line, even though it makes sense because that theory applies in so many other areas of every day life, but when you hear about someone having 1000 rounds in their house it sounds like a crazy amount. Until you realize that you can buy ammo in bulk and a lot of people buy 1000 rounds once or twice a year. And with most ranges not allowing you to bring in outside ammo, you buy a 50 or 100 count brick for an afternoon. And you still have that 1000 rds at home. There are others, but you get the idea.
The whole .380 ammo thing is also making me think a little. Most people who have a comment about .380s -- including here -- that it is not a powerful round. It has little stopping power in a defensive situation. Yet, it is an expensive and short in supply. Why is that? Doesn't make sense. If it isn't a powerful caliber - not very effective in stopping power, who is hoarding it and why?
I am still keeping my options open - for obvious reasons - and we'll see what I land on.
Re: .380 ammo
51First of all, let's call it what it really is...It's not a gun buy-back, because the government never owned them. It's a gun turn in.