Beretta Mod 84BB vs. Browning BDA-380

I would keep the Beretta. I like the rowel hammer better than the spur hammer of the BDA, and I suspect parts might be more readily available as the gun is in far more recent production. Sights would also be a factor for me. The scalloped slide of the Beretta probably makes no difference (in terms of function), other than (to me) contributing to the classic Beretta look.

Don't know about the price … my Blue Book (39th Edition sadly) lists the BDA in 100% condition at $725 while the BB in same condition is $295! Appears the BDA is more collectible/desired (but the Beretta, is still in production).

I have the Browning, but I’m not biased. I just avoid autos with exposed barrels or the latest and greatest with slide cuts. To me, it’s just opening the door for Mr Murphy.

However, I do have a Beretta 92, after all, it’s. 92!

But being an old guy myself, I would go with the Beretta because the sights over shadow the slide.

The Beretta is prettier.

Aarond

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I’m partial to the BDA because I own one, to me it has more up side as a collectible but I don’t know what demand there is.

IIRC a BDA was in the Matrix moves but that’s been a long time now so it may not help with the hipster gun guys.

The 84 seems to have surplus competition so that and the fact the factory is still pumping them out will influence price.

I had a Beretta Model 84 many years ago and liked it over the Browning BDA mainly because the Beretta could be carried cocked and locked with it's frame mounted thumb safety. Thought that the gun itself was a little too wide in the grip area for concealed carry but felt it made for a great home defense gun. The Browning BDA would probably bring more money than the Beretta Model 84 most likely because there's quite a few surplus Berettas on the market nowadays.

Keep the Italian bird and sell off the other. Looks, sights, C&L carry.

The Beretta is a finely designed , sweet shooting pistol.

The BDA is just like the Beretta...but not quite..

roo_ster said:

Keep the Italian bird and sell off the other. Looks, sights, C&L carry.

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Yeah, I didn't even mention the sensible frame-mounted safety over the useless slide-mounted safety!

Good catch.

I’d keep the Beretta.

Checkout my user name. This is coming from a guy named Browning.

All animal are equal but some animals are more equal than others.

roo_ster said:

Keep the Italian bird and sell off the other. Looks, sights, C&L carry.

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Uhhh..............both are Italian and both manufactured by Beretta.

9mmepiphany said:

I'm not too fond of the badge engineered Browning.

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I don't know what that means...?

dogtown tom said:

Uhhh..............both are Italian and both manufactured by Beretta.

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Heh!

Sure, both were _born_ in Italy, but one is an expatriate and gotten a bit slovenly as she moved north. Sort of an Italian waffle, and that does not sound yummy.

I've owned both, for "collectibility" the BDA hands down. How often do you find a gun with three companies rollmarks? The BDA has Beretta, FN and Browning. That and far more 84's were produced than BDA's. Parts? Not an issue, they share almost all the same parts, including magazines.

For "shootability" the 84 hands down. Better sights, frame mounted safety, & ring hammer. As far as "larger ejection port"? Don't care as I've never had any problem with ejection.

A perfect 84/BDA would have the slide of the BDA, the ring hammer, sights and frame safety of the 84.

For carry? Neither. There are 9x19 pistols that recoil less.

OK , I was not familiar with the term- the concept yes , but not the term. I knew that the Beretta was the basis of the BDA , in fact I owned a nickel BDA a while back. I let it go because the sights were not satisfactory , and the grip seemed out of proportion to the rest of the frame.

I never felt that the Browning version has any advantage over the Beretta original. A Beretta is very much a Beretta. A watered down version thereof , lacking the distinctive open slide , is ... I don't know what.

Keep the one that floats your boat. Same gun. I have a pristine BDA 380 that works just fine. I would never carry it though, as it's about the same size as my HK USP in 9mm.... and a number of other 9mm pistols that are a bit more capable than the BDA. They're both pretty little guns though!

9mmepiphany

The closest gun example is the early Browning BDA, which was a SIG 220

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I had one of those BDAs; mine was the .45 model. The gun had very little in the way of felt recoil and had no problem keeping up accuracy-wise with a Colt Gold Cup, both using the same match ammo.

Should have bought the .38 Super and 9mm. versions as they just sat on dealer's shelves til they were sold at clearance prices.

9mmepiphany said:

I think it started as an automotive term, most for American cars. The most obvious imported example was the Porsche 914, which outside of the US was marketed as a VW.

The closest gun example is the early Browning BDA, which was a SIG 220

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Well, Browning is an importer of firearms manufactured by others. Whether it is Beretta, Sig, Fabrique Nationale or Miroku. Not so much "badging" as the required importers marking.

Croatian made HS2000 didn't sell worth squat......until Springfield Armory began importing them as the XD.

Once had a kid come pick up his brand new XD and his friend asked "Why didn't you get a Glock?" ....."'cause I wanted an American made gun".
When the friend pointed out the "Croatia" marked on the slide it was epic. Almost as funny as those who buy Browning shotguns because they are American made.

dogtown tom said:

Well, Browning is an importer of firearms manufactured by others. Whether it is Beretta, Sig, Fabrique Nationale or Miroku. Not so much "badging" as the required importers marking.

Croatian made HS2000 didn't sell worth squat......until Springfield Armory began importing them as the XD.

Once had a kid come pick up his brand new XD and his friend asked "Why didn't you get a Glock?" ....."'cause I wanted an American made gun".
When the friend pointed out the "Croatia" marked on the slide it was epic. Almost as funny as those who buy Browning shotguns because they are American made.

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And the Baby Browning was not made by Browning or designed by JMB and really had nothing to do with Browning except Badge Engineering.