There's another way to recognize the right end of the spring because the difference in size is minor. One end is wide open and the other has at least a whole turn tightly packed. The closed end goes to the back of the barrel.

The same rule applies to other guns, not only blowbacks. I've seen a lot of 1911 with the spring mounted backwards. If one end goes into a guide (spring guide or the barrel itself), it's the closed end. Ends that go inside a cap, the spring plug on a 1911 or the inside of the slide on a blowback, are the open ones.

The ppk & ppk/s are the same way.

Originally Posted by tabdog

Hi Folks,

Maybe this is old hat, but I learned something. Two days ago, I got
a new Bersa Thunder 380 Duo Tone and cleaned it real quick so I
could go out to shoot it,



With the first box, I had 5 miss-feeds. So I cleaned better than the
first time and used better ball ammo. Then I had 6 miss-feeds in
a 50 round box. The third box was not much better.

Then, I read somewhere that the recoil spring is a little bigger on
one end. That end must be at the muzzle. The smaller end must
be toward the breach.

I found that if I take the slide off and tilt the barrel down at about
45 degrees, it will fall off if it is wrong. Turn the spring around and
it should stay when tilted.

I also found I had it in backwards the whole time!!!

Today I got some flat nose Winchester and three different kind of
hollow points. I used the worst ammo I could find.

I shot three boxes today without a single problem.

I am so glad I learned this lesson because I just love my BT 380.

It is very accurate, it fits my big hand tight so that it always points
in the same direction. The ease of use and light recoil does not hurt
my arthritis much.

This is one of the best deals I have made on a firearm.

Happy Shootin,

Tabdog

Tapdog----Thanks for the info. I have a Bersa Firestorm .380 and cleaned it a while ago. After reading your (this) post, I checked the spring and mine was in backwards also so I corrected it. Thanks again.

I love mine. When they are right, they are oh so right!!

Yeah...If the spring goes back over the barrel loose, then it is probably backwards. This is really hard on the spring and gun. The spring should fit snugly around the barrel.

Give you another tip...when you strip it to clean it and go to put it back together...ir you put the cut end of the spring facing up at the 12 o'clock position out at the end of the barrel the barrel will slip into the slide much more easily making the reassembly process easier....just rotate the spring before you slip the slide over the barrel and spring so that the tag end of the spring is on top. Here is a link that has a video as part of it...the video is from a Bersa warranty station and is about as good as you will find...not some kid that thinks he's a Bersa expert and makes a video...this is the real deal and he explains the recoil spring situation in detail... http://www.reynersons.com/bersa-thunder-380-firearm/