Browning BDA 380 Gun Review

Performance: 8.4

The BDA was shorthand for Browning Double Action which easily gives a description of the handgun can and cannot do. It has a different name in other countries especially in Europe as it is marketed has HP-DA.

Features: 9.3

At first glance, Browning BDA 380 is very simple handgun. But a closer look and the BDA 380 somehow shows a distinctive feature especially on the barrel and its handle. The barrel is only 118mm and weights nearly 1kg (920g). The ratio of barrel length to weight actually shows that the gun is on the lighter side. Being light, it is expected that the double action would have a strong recoil for the user. But the manufacturer compensated with a delayed camming action. This allows the users to easily control the recoil.

Appeal: 9.5

There are two colors available for civilian use; black and silver. The black is very good for concealment and the silver is perfect for display. The silver finish also has a wooden handle which added beauty on the pistol. The only difference is actually on the handle since the silver only features a wooden grip while the black color comes with a rugged handle. Either way the handle quality is almost the same. However, the silver version is a little bit harder to clean because it will always end up having fingerprints. But aside from the fingerprints, the gun is perfect for personal protection and even for a few rounds in the range.

Overall:

Performance: 

The BDA was shorthand for Browning Double Action which easily gives a description of the handgun can and cannot do. It has a different name in other countries especially in Europe as it is marketed has HP-DA.

Performance Rating: 

8.4

Features: 

At first glance, Browning BDA 380 is very simple handgun. But a closer look and the BDA 380 somehow shows a distinctive feature especially on the barrel and its handle. The barrel is only 118mm and weights nearly 1kg (920g). The ratio of barrel length to weight actually shows that the gun is on the lighter side. Being light, it is expected that the double action would have a strong recoil for the user. But the manufacturer compensated with a delayed camming action. This allows the users to easily control the recoil.

Features Rating: 

9.3

Appeal: 

There are two colors available for civilian use; black and silver. The black is very good for concealment and the silver is perfect for display. The silver finish also has a wooden handle which added beauty on the pistol. The only difference is actually on the handle since the silver only features a wooden grip while the black color comes with a rugged handle. Either way the handle quality is almost the same. However, the silver version is a little bit harder to clean because it will always end up having fingerprints. But aside from the fingerprints, the gun is perfect for personal protection and even for a few rounds in the range.

Appeal Rating: 

9.5

The best feature of the pistol is the ergonomic design. The handle has a great looking rugged edge and tilted a little bit so that users should be able to have a perfect angle. The upper barrel should give you more grip when cocking the gun. This is expected but this was paired with a relatively spacious trigger. Imagine having a gun with a good grip, spacious trigger and equally easy cocking action. What you'll have a very easy to handle handgun.

Performance wise, the pistol is very easy to operate. Developed specifically for civilian defense, the BDA 380 has the ability to provide short rate shots with maximum effectivity. The gun was specially manufactured for those who will rarely use the pistols. Users can easily store the handgun for months and expect the gun to work as expected. The key to this feature is the extensive safety feature. The double action allows the pistol to work with maximum firepower for double action but immediately places the gun on single actions. No accidental fire should also be expected since the firing pin is automatically blocked during safety.

The pistol can be used with two types of cartridges. The regular 9mm should be able to handle 12 rounds while the smaller 7.65mm was can provide an extra round. The military version of the gun can load up to 14 rounds.