Cleaning and Lubricating the Thunder 380
by Horge

Cleaning
The firearm can get very dirty over the course of firing.
Carbon deposits and other debris from the ignition of cartridge propellant can litter the internals of the firearm, particularly in nooks and crannies like the slide rails, between the frame and trigger bar, between the frame and slide catch lever, and even the firing pin channel. If allowed to build up, this dirt can impede normal, reliable function of the firearm. The barrel can certainly wind up with carbon deposits and other debris, plus copper and lead deposits from the bullet.

The Bersa Thunder 380 seems to need more frequent cleaning than other, larger-caliber handguns, in order to retain its accuracy and reliable function. A field strip and cleaning every 150 or so rounds fired is ideal, depending on how 'clean' the ammunition used is. Even without firing the weapon, it is subject to dirt and dust infiltration, such particles as can become trapped in lubricant, to the point where proper mechanical function is impeded.

Disassembling the firearm to further extent, is dealt with in detail here, and the basic idea is to clean the firearm each step of the way, as more and more areas are exposed.

A dirty extractor claw can produce failures to eject spent casings, and a grotty trigger bar produces uneven trigger-travel, affecting accuracy. The magazine has to be periodically cleaned to allow free mechanical function, or else the weapon's cycle can become mistimed 

For quick access to a magazine tube's interior, the feed platform (a.k.a. follower) can be depressed fully with a small dowel, and then held down by another dowel passed laterally through the magazine tube's 'witness holes' --the holes in the sides of the magazine that let you know how many rounds are inside.

Cloth rags and swatches can be used for most cleaning, and cue-tips can be useful for cleaning the firing pin channel and other constricted areas. A bronze-bristle bore brush 
( 9mm and .380 are the same diameter ) is required for proper cleaning of the barrel, and while we're at it, a tapping rod is vital for contingencies like a weakly-fired bullet trapped in the barrel. Pushing or pulling cleaner/solvent-soaked cloth swabs through the barrel is a great way to clean up after any harder deposits have been loosened up.

There are numerous firearm cleaning solutions available on the market today, primarily geared towards the loosening and removal of carbon-based and/or copper-based foreign matter. Any product containing copper solvent must be viewed with caution by those cleaning Thunder 380's in satin nickel finish, as the solvent may undermine the nickel and cause it to peel, although there haven't been reports of such damage to the electroless nickel finish that BERSA uses. Thus far there haven't been reports of any commercial solvents adversely affecting the polymer grip stocks on Thunder 380's. Ordinary lighter fluid (naphtha) has proven itself a reasonably effective carbon solvent and rinse, up to a point.

WARNING: naphtha (lighter fluid) and many other cleaning fluids are highly flammable. Take the appropriate safety measures when working with flammable material and its fumes.

It might sound silly, but make sure you don't leave any cleaning implements like swabs or small pieces of rag inside the pistol. Double check before reassembling, because such debris left inside the firearm can lead to extremely dangerous malfunctions

Lubrication:
A proper cleaning necessarily strips a firearm of all lubricant. Lubrication is however vital to preserve the firearm from undue wear, as well as to improve the mechanical function of the firearm. Lubricants come in many viscosities and there are many products specifically designed, or at least approved, for use with firearms. There are even lubricating treatments that remain as a dry coat upon the firearm surfaces.

A good general principle is to lubricate where metal moves against metal, to facilitate ease of said movement and to reduce the wear it causes. However, over-lubrication can be detrimental and can be hazardous.

Excess liquid lubricant is not only wasted, but attracts dust and dirt, potentially thickening into a gum or tar that can affect critical areas like the firing pin channel. Stray lubricant can make it more difficult to grip and rack the slide, or to operate the controls, and in a defense situation this can be fatal to the user. Furthermore, excess liquid lubricant (particularly "penetrating oil") stands a chance of infiltrating live cartridges, ruining the propellant with dangerously-unpredictable results during firing.

Priority areas for lubrication

--the rails on the slide and on the frame (with a denser lube)
--the recoil spring about the barrel
--the disassembly lever pivot
--the trigger pin
--the trigger bar pivot and fork
--the magazine catch button (sparingly, from the disassembly/right side)
--the fire control mechanism (sparingly, with a light lube)
--the manual safety pivot (very sparingly)
--the firing pin channel (very sparingly, with a light lube)

Inexpensive fully-synthetic automotive engine oils have proven acceptable for use in firearms, and personally, both Mobil-1 SAE 5W50 and Shell Helix Ultra SAE 5W40 have provided excellent service. They have enough viscosity to resist excessive running and spreading, and yet are fluid enough to flow back after displacement by mechanical movement. The heaviest oil I have found useful is Shell Spirax A SAE 140, a petroleum-based axle lube (unlike synthetics, it smells pretty bad up close) that stops short of excessive viscosity. Inelastic grease of any kind is not recommended, as it is quickly displaced into nooks and crannies of irrelevance or even detriment, and are much more difficult to clean than oils. 

There are many commercial lubricants specifically intended for use with firearms, and some of these provide the best performance of all.

I've had good results with Outer's Gun Oil for light-lubrication requirements, and it smells good too. Possibly the best all-around lube out there for firearms is Muscle Products' FP-10, although it's hard to find where I live, and having now run out, I am quite content with synthetic motor oils and occasionally, BreakFree CLP.



Protection
To extend their usefulness, firearms must be protected from wear and corrosion.
While Thunder 380's come with factory finishes that go a long way towards protecting the metal underneath, these finishes will wear over time, and in certain nooks and crannies faster than in others. A light film of oil on the surface of the firearm is the simplest and oldest form of protection from the elements.

Protectant solutions aim to form either a liquid or dry barrier between the subject surface and any harmful elements in the environment, from oxygen, acids and salts (such as human sweat, deposited by mere handling) and even against the erosive friction of plain contact. 

Many commercial cleaners are also advertised as lubricants and protectants, all in one package, hence the generic classification CLP, for "cleaning, lubrication and preservative".

There are many brands and formulations of CLP available today.

The Bersa Thunder 380 has an aluminium alloy frame that is naturally resistant to corrosion. The factory finish aside, exposed aluminium quickly forms a hard patina of aluminium oxide, protecting the metal beneath it from exposure to most harmful elements (this is in fact the natural protective mechanism that anodizing seeks to mimic). The slide, barrel and many internal components are steel, however, and potentially vulnerable to rust.

Leather holsters carry the taint of tannic acid, which can hasten corrosion, and are a poor choice for long term storage of a firearm. Any holster will wear a firearm's finish due to friction of the draw and re-holstering of said firearm, thus it is best to select holsters with the softest available inside linings.

Friction, while inducing wear, also heads off deep-setting corrosion through constant disturbance of the surface. In that sense, a good way to protect your firearm from corrosion is to keep shooting it, coupled with regular cleaning and lubrication, of course!

>-o-<

 
© 2003 Horge 
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