Selected Handgun Detail

Manufacturer
	Bersa SA More Info

About the Gun

The Bersa Model 23 is a compact all-steel DA/SA blowback pistol chambered in .22 LR. It uses an external hammer, slide-mounted safety/decock lever, walnut grips, and a fixed front sight with a windage-adjustable rear. The steel frame makes it heavier than the later alloy-frame Thunder 22 that followed it.

Production

Production ran from 1988 through 1995.

Market value

MSRP at production was around $250–$300. Current used market value for examples in good to very good condition ranges $150–$300.

Cartridge Specifications
Cartridge:	.22 LR
Alias:	.22 Long Rifle
More Info

Analysis

The Model 23 (frequently referenced in Argentine sources as the 23DA) was the all-steel DA/SA version of Bersa’s compact .22 LR line in the late 1980s. It continued the Walther-inspired layout of earlier Bersa rimfire pistols while adding double-action capability and a slide-mounted decock lever. Production overlapped the final years of the earlier single-action 22-series guns and ended as Bersa introduced the lighter aluminum-frame Thunder 22 in the mid-1990s. The Model 23 was aimed at civilian training, plinking, and recreational use in Argentina and export markets. Its heavier steel construction distinguishes it from the Thunder 22 that replaced it; magazines are generally compatible between the two. Surviving examples remain available on the used market as affordable older trainers.