Bersa Model 90
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 108 mm
- Weight, empty
- 850 g
- Introduced
- 1989
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Bersa Model 90 is a full-size semi-automatic pistol chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum, introduced in 1989 by the Argentine manufacturer Bersa. It was the company's first full-size combat handgun, departing from its earlier blowback .22 and .380 designs in favor of a locked-breech, short-recoil Browning-type mechanism suited to the more powerful 9mm cartridge. The Model 90 used a traditional double-action/single-action trigger with a frame-mounted ambidextrous safety and a 13-round double-stack magazine. In 1994 the entire Bersa pistol range was rebranded under the Thunder name, and the Model 90 was reworked with a relocated fire-control group, match barrel, improved sights and ergonomics, and increased capacity, evolving into the Bersa Thunder 9 that continues in South American police and military service.
Bersa built its reputation on compact blowback pistols, but the Model 90 marked its leap into the full-size service-pistol market. Its locked-breech 9mm action laid the groundwork for the long-running Thunder 9, which became one of Argentina's most widely issued domestic handguns.
Bersa's first full-size 9mm; the direct predecessor of the Thunder 9 line. Renamed and redesigned as the Thunder 9 in 1994.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Bersa
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- Argentina
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1989 to 1994
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 108 mm
- Overall length
- 200 mm
- Height
- 140 mm
- Width
- 38 mm
- Weight, empty
- 850 g
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Short recoil
- Firing mechanism
- Double action single action
- Trigger
- Da sa
- Capacity
- 13
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum alloy
- Slide
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 360 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 481 J
- Effective range
- 50 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Ambidextrous safety
Double stack magazine
Fixed sights
Alloy frame
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 560 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 850 g | 765 g | Heavier than about 60% |
| Overall lengthAmong 559 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 200 mm | 191 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 569 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 108 mm | 105 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 571 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 13 | 15 | Holds fewer rounds than about 70% |
Answers
Questions about the Bersa Model 90
How much does the Bersa Model 90 weigh?
The Bersa Model 90 weighs 850 g (1.87 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Bersa Model 90?
The Bersa Model 90 is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the Bersa Model 90 hold?
The Bersa Model 90 holds 13 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Bersa Model 90?
The Bersa Model 90 is 200 mm (7.87 in) long overall, with a 108 mm (4.25 in) barrel.
Who makes the Bersa Model 90?
The Bersa Model 90 is made by Bersa (Argentina). It was designed by Bersa S.A..
When was the Bersa Model 90 introduced?
The Bersa Model 90 was introduced in 1989 and discontinued in 1994.
How does the Bersa Model 90 operate?
The Bersa Model 90 uses a short recoil action, and its firing mechanism is double action single action.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
55%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/bersa-model-90' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "bersa-model-90", "name": "Bersa Model 90", "manufacturer": { "id": "bersa", "name": "Bersa", "countryCode": "AR", "foundedYear": 1958, "website": "https://www.bersa.com.ar", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:42", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:40", "version": "0b801c165a1a562d23bce60c6f1829cd67c37fdf83ddc1682887ace1fdd39dff" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "AR", "year_introduced": 1989, "barrel_length_mm": 108, "weight_empty_g": 850, "action_type": "short_recoil"}