Browning BDA-380

[Bertfish]

Coworker was given one by his dad to do with what he chooses.

FN and Browning marked. Blued finish. Couple of magazines. Date code puts it ad 1990 production. Vintage Pacmayr grips (spelling?)

Looks a hell of a lot like my Beretta 81 and 85. Google seems to indicate it was a close copy.

Are these anything special?

 

[John from MD]

Coworker was given one by his dad to do with what he chooses.

FN and Browning marked. Blued finish. Couple of magazines. Date code puts it ad 1990 production. Vintage Pacmayr grips (spelling?)

Looks a hell of a lot like my Beretta 81 and 85. Google seems to indicate it was a close copy.

Are these anything special?

As far as I recall, Beretta made them for Browning.

 

[Kman]

I had one for a while a long time ago.
Finish was nice. Comfortable to shoot. Sights were kind of pitiful.

 

[Bertfish]

As far as I recall, Beretta made them for Browning.

Huge FN roll mark on the slide

 

[teratos]

Huge FN roll mark on the slide

No need for profanity.

 

[John from MD]

Browning BDA 380 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

"It was available in .32 ACP and .380 ACP, with .32 ACP variant manufactured by FN Herstal for European markets and Beretta manufactured the .380 ACP variants at own factories by themselves on behalf of the FN Herstal.

However, Beretta did not sell this pistols under its own brand. Instead, the .380 variants by Beretta were sold as Browning BDA 380 by Browning Arms Company for the North American markets. The Beretta/Browning models are distinguished by its markings, with right side of the slide being marked "Fabrique National Herstal" with the FN logo followed by "Made in Italy", and the left side of the slide has markings "Browning Arms Co. Morgan Utah & Montreal, P.Q."

 

[Bertfish]

Browning BDA 380 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

"It was available in .32 ACP and .380 ACP, with .32 ACP variant manufactured by FN Herstal for European markets and Beretta manufactured the .380 ACP variants at own factories by themselves on behalf of the FN Herstal.

However, Beretta did not sell this pistols under its own brand. Instead, the .380 variants by Beretta were sold as Browning BDA 380 by Browning Arms Company for the North American markets. The Beretta/Browning models are distinguished by its markings, with right side of the slide being marked "Fabrique National Herstal" with the FN logo followed by "Made in Italy", and the left side of the slide has markings "Browning Arms Co. Morgan Utah & Montreal, P.Q."

So odd to mark it that way

Has a 92-esque safety which seems to be the major difference between it and the Cheetah

 

[beretta_maven]

I purchased a new Browning BDA 380 back in 1982. When I was originally looking at it, I was torn between the BDA and a Beretta 84, but the Browning had nice wood grips and the Beretta had plastic grips, so I ended up picking the BDA (yes, a stupid reason to make a decision like that, but hey, I was only 25 at the time). And I really loved the BDA, but for some reason I always regretted not picking up the Beretta. Flash forward about 35 years and I decided to sell the BDA and pick up not one, but two Beretta 84s and a Beretta 85. Sold one of the 84s but kept the other two (I also love the Berettas!) but really missed the BDA. So several years ago I was able to pick up a very nice nickle BDA and I've decided to keep it forever. Both the BDA and Beretta 84 share some common parts (mags are even interchangeable) and both are very close in size and appearance, with the main difference being that the BDA has a closed slide and the 84 has the famous Beretta open slide. Both are very nice shooters, especially for a 380.

For me, the downside to both the BDA and the Beretta 84/85 is that the sights absolutely suck! I have been thinking about checking to see if it is possible to have the sights milled off and replaced with Novak style sights (I did this with a couple of Colt Govt 380s, a Walther PPK/S and a Polish Makarov). In my opinion, sights aside, you can't go wrong with the BDA (or Beretta 84).

 

[John from MD]

I purchased a new Browning BDA 380 back in 1982. When I was originally looking at it, I was torn between the BDA and a Beretta 84, but the Browning had nice wood grips and the Beretta had plastic grips, so I ended up picking the BDA (yes, a stupid reason to make a decision like that, but hey, I was only 25 at the time). And I really loved the BDA, but for some reason I always regretted not picking up the Beretta. Flash forward about 35 years and I decided to sell the BDA and pick up not one, but two Beretta 84s and a Beretta 85. Sold one of the 84s but kept the other two (I also love the Berettas!) but really missed the BDA. So several years ago I was able to pick up a very nice nickle BDA and I've decided to keep it forever. Both the BDA and Beretta 84 share some common parts (mags are even interchangeable) and both are very close in size and appearance, with the main difference being that the BDA has a closed slide and the 84 has the famous Beretta open slide. Both are very nice shooters, especially for a 380.

For me, the downside to both the BDA and the Beretta 84/85 is that the sights absolutely suck! I have been thinking about checking to see if it is possible to have the sights milled off and replaced with Novak style sights (I did this with a couple of Colt Govt 380s, a Walther PPK/S and a Polish Makarov). In my opinion, sights aside, you can't go wrong with the BDA (or Beretta 84).

I feel for you as far as the sights go. Many years ago a company that made sights developed one for the Beretta open slide pistols. I don't remember exactly how they attached but it was installed over the existing sight with two legs that may have had to be screwed into the slide. I never got around to buying one before they went out of business

I decided to see how strong JB Weld really was then. I roughed up the existing nub on my Beretta and built up the epoxy until it was about a 1/4 inch. I then filed it and shot it and filed it and shot it until it shot to POA. A little flat black model paint finished the job and it lasted as long as I owned it.

You might want to give it a try.

 

[beretta_maven]

Thanks for the info. I do like to do a little gunsmithing but at my age, my fingers don't work well with small parts, but I will still do a little research.