Browning BDA
Encyclopedia
The Browning BDA is a 9mm semi-automatic pistol developed in the early 1980s at the Belgian
Fabrique Nationale
arms factory in Herstal
. The pistol was conceived in 1983 to compete in the U.S.
bid for a new sidearm chambered for the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge
that would equip all the branches of the United States armed forces
(ultimately, the Italian
Beretta 92
F would emerge as the winner). The weapon was however accepted into service with the Finnish Defence Forces
as their general service pistol under the designation 9.00 PIST 80 and 9.00 PIST 80-91.
The overall design layout of all versions of the pistol is based on the Browning Hi-Power
, but the firearm features significant ergonomic changes designed to update the weapon to modern military requirements. The most notable is a shortening of the hammer spur, which would tend to cut into the web between the thumb and fingers of the grip hand if a original Hi-Power was held incautiously. The BDA’s name is an abbreviation for "Browning Double Action ". The pistol was marketed in Europe
as the HP-DA.
The BDA feeds from a dual-column box magazine with a 14-round cartridge capacity. The magazine release button, located aft of the trigger, can be configured for either right or left-hand users simply by swapping out the push-button. The BDA is fitted with a slide catch that holds the slide open after depleting the magazine. The slide can be released by pressing the slide release lever, placed on the left side of the frame. The pistol is aimed using fixed iron sight
s with contrasting dots – a front blade and dovetailed rear notch. As an option, tritium
-illuminated Meprolight night sights can also be fitted.
The BDA is chambered in the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge, but a 9x21mm version is also available for those countries where military calibers (such as the 9x19mm) are prohibited for civilian use.
A variant of the BDA is the BDAO pistol (short for "Browning Double Action Only"), which received a different trigger mechanism that cocks and then releases the hammer which is automatically decocked following each shot. Presently, Fabrique Nationale no longer advertises the pistols in their sales offerings.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Fabrique Nationale
Fabrique Nationale de Herstal
Fabrique Nationale d'Herstal — self identified as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN — is a firearms manufacturer located in Herstal, Belgium....
arms factory in Herstal
Herstal
Herstal, formerly known as Heristal, or Héristal, is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege along the Meuse river. Herstal is included in the "Greater Liège" agglomeration, which counts about 600,000 inhabitants...
. The pistol was conceived in 1983 to compete in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bid for a new sidearm chambered for the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
that would equip all the branches of the United States armed forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
(ultimately, the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Beretta 92
Beretta 92
The Beretta 92 is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy. The model 92 was designed in 1972 and production of many variants in different calibers continues today...
F would emerge as the winner). The weapon was however accepted into service with the Finnish Defence Forces
Finnish Defence Forces
The Finnish Defence Forces are responsible for the defence of Finland. It is a cadre army of 15,000, of which 8,900 are professional soldiers , extended with conscripts and reservists such that the standard readiness strength is 34,700 people in uniform...
as their general service pistol under the designation 9.00 PIST 80 and 9.00 PIST 80-91.
The overall design layout of all versions of the pistol is based on the Browning Hi-Power
Browning Hi-Power
The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. It is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized...
, but the firearm features significant ergonomic changes designed to update the weapon to modern military requirements. The most notable is a shortening of the hammer spur, which would tend to cut into the web between the thumb and fingers of the grip hand if a original Hi-Power was held incautiously. The BDA’s name is an abbreviation for "Browning Double Action ". The pistol was marketed in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as the HP-DA.
Design details
The BDA is a semi-automatic short recoil operated locked breech firearm. It has a vertically tilting delayed camming action. This locking mechanism was borrowed from the Browning Hi-Power. The handgun features a double action trigger which cocks and then releases the hammer. The recoil of the slide recocks the hammer, and all consecutive shots are fired from the single action mode. A disconnector ensures the pistol fires in semi-automatic mode only. The spring-loaded external claw extractor is mounted in the slide, while the fixed ejector – inside the pistol’s frame. The BDA is secured against unintentional firing with an automatic firing pin safety which blocks the firing pin and is released only when the trigger is pulled to fire. Immediately after a round is fired, the safety reengages itself even if the trigger is not released. The BDA also has a decocking safety that safely releases and captures the hammer in a safety notch. A decocking lever is mounted on each side of the pistol’s frame.The BDA feeds from a dual-column box magazine with a 14-round cartridge capacity. The magazine release button, located aft of the trigger, can be configured for either right or left-hand users simply by swapping out the push-button. The BDA is fitted with a slide catch that holds the slide open after depleting the magazine. The slide can be released by pressing the slide release lever, placed on the left side of the frame. The pistol is aimed using fixed iron sight
Iron sight
Iron sights are a system of shaped alignment markers used as a sighting device to assist in the aiming of a device such as a firearm, crossbow, or telescope, and exclude the use of optics as in telescopic sights or reflector sights...
s with contrasting dots – a front blade and dovetailed rear notch. As an option, tritium
Tritium
Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. The nucleus of tritium contains one proton and two neutrons, whereas the nucleus of protium contains one proton and no neutrons...
-illuminated Meprolight night sights can also be fitted.
The BDA is chambered in the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge, but a 9x21mm version is also available for those countries where military calibers (such as the 9x19mm) are prohibited for civilian use.
Variants
Apart from the standard version of the BDA (initially designated BDA-9S) two compact variants were also produced: the Medium (known interchangeably as the BDAM or BDA-9M) – aimed at the law enforcement market and the Compact model (called the BDAC or BDA-9C) – designed for air force personnel.A variant of the BDA is the BDAO pistol (short for "Browning Double Action Only"), which received a different trigger mechanism that cocks and then releases the hammer which is automatically decocked following each shot. Presently, Fabrique Nationale no longer advertises the pistols in their sales offerings.