A cool blast from the (not so distant) past! The BDM

[S&Wfan]

REMEMBER JUST BEFORE THE BRADY BILL OUTLAWED HI CAP PISTOL MAGS?

I had one of these unique, full-size BDM Practical pistols back "in the day" before trading it off for something else. Still . . . the grip of this high cap 9mm is one of the smallest ever and I always loved how it pointed and shot. I missed the gun and had been looking for a NICE replacement for years.

LAST FRIDAY I was out of town for a son's wedding and stopped by a nice LGS and wow . . . a real nice BDM Practical, complete with box and all papers was staring at me. It even had the 15 round magazine included, not a 10-rounder. I couldn't pass up having another of this unique but failed gun. Too bad the Clinton/Brady Assault Weapons law kicked in not long after the BDM was introduced. With no deep inventory of high cap mags to "grandfather in" a 10-round only, full-size 9mm automatic was NOT on people's radar screens to say the least.

Alas, these neat pistols were permanently discontinued about 15 years ago now . . . but it was a great idea . . . but with terrible luck of being introduced before they could ramp up production of lots of pre-ban high cap mags. This unique pistol will probably never return to production again, and that's too bad. I'd love one with that grip profile and a 3 1/2" barrel. It would make one heck of a CCW automatic!!!

Here she is, complete with powder and oil smudges after an afternoon at the range. No hickups whatsoever!

 

[S&Wfan]

With a narrower slide than a 1911, and an amazingly narrow + small diameter grip (ESPECIALLY for a high capacity pistol), the BDM has arguably the most "shootable," comfortable, and slimmest grip and profile of any serious caliber pistol ever made!

The shooter's grip is higher on the bore axis to, in order to reduce muzzle flip vs. the 1911 design . . . not that the 9mm has much kick anyway . . . another plus for fast shooting and returning onto the target faster.

The screw knob on the left side of the slide instantly changed the pistol from DAO to conventional Double Action pistol modes with the turn of the screw . . . and the baseplate of the magazines had the correct sized polymer "screwdriver blade!"

The trigger pull is smooth and light for a double action pistol . . . very much like the Para Ordinance LDA pistols, including my 14.45 LDA "Practical" model.

And with today's advanced 9mm hollowpoint ammunition . . . oh, what could have been if the Brady Bill and the bad timing hadn't killed the BDM!!!

Here it is pictured alongside my well-carried 1st generation Kimber Ultra CDP, a lightweight Officer's sized, single stack .45 Auto. I once used my first BDM Practical for CCW . . . and looks like I might just have to do it again . . . and the BDM fits just fine in my little leather Bianchi 105 "Minimalist" belt slide holster designed for 1911 and Hi-Powers!

Yep . . . I like the idea!!!

 

[bdb benzino]

Very nice! I am jealous.

 

[Mad Magyar]

Nice pistol. I really liked the thinness and the balance. However, I noticed that I found myself adjusting the rear sight for better accuracy, or I never could hit the sight picture just right.
Also, parts for the BDM are not that plentiful.....If you have a good source, buy the normal one's, like recoil-firing pin springs, firing pin, etc while you can.
Enjoy it....

 

[goste]

That's pretty cool..I almost bought one when they came out.. Can you explain how the safety works? Is it a decocker, or can it be carried cocked and locked? What does the saftey do, in DAO mode..Thanks

 

[tekarra]

Kind of regret selling mine a few years back. The "revolver" trigger will always remain in my memory though.

 

[S&Wfan]

Hi goste,

Browning calls the safety lever by the term "Combination Lever." It serves THREE purposes:

1. AMBIDEXTROUS SLIDE RELEASE
Lowering the lever serves as an ambidextrous SLIDE RELEASE when the slide is ready to be closed.

2. DECOCKER
When the BDM is in the "P" (for "Pistol") mode, the BDM is a conventional Double Action pistol. In other words, the first shot is accomplished via a long trigger pull, but after the first shot the hammer cocks back like a single action pistol for a very short trigger stroke for rounds #2 and after.

Thus, when it is time to uncock the pistol after firing, one simply decocks the cocked hammer safely by pushing down on Decocking . . . em . . the Combination Lever.

3. SAFETY
In EITHER MODE, pushing the combination all the way down will put the gun on SAFE AND the trigger becomes disengaged completely from the firing mechanism!

This means that even if the gun is loaded and ready to fire, it will NOT fire but the trigger will be able to be very easily pulled backwards with no way to fire at all . . . until the knowledgeable OWNER of the weapon simply wipes the lever UP to put it in the "fire position. This could save the owner's life if a bad guy got control of the gun!

Once one wipes UP on the lever, the trigger instantly becomes connected to the firing mechanism to the trigger can be pulled normally to fire the pistol as usual. A red dot appears on each side of the frame too, so you know it is able to fire . . . as in this photo . . .

NOTE: Because the "safety" lever works "bass-ackwards" from a 1911-type safety (safe is DOWN and fire is UP) this may confuse some new owners . . . and a lot of bad guys. With the lever wiped DOWN, the red dot disappears and the gun will NOT fire . . . as in this photo . . .

HOW I carry mine . . .

The BDM has both a HAMMER BLOCK and a FIRING PIN BLOCK, so it is quite safe against accidents. I generally carry mine with one in the chamber and the COMBINATION LEVEL wiped UP into the "Fire" position. In this manner, a smooth, fairly light and long trigger pull (much like a Glock) will fire the pistol. Unlike a Glock, you'll see and feel the hammer as it moves during the long stroke backwards before it will fire. Thus, IMHO, it is safer than a striker-fired Glock while having the same quality of trigger pull.

HOWEVER . . . if one wants even more assurance, simply push the lever DOWN and the lever becomes a SAFETY LEVER and the gun cannot be fired until one draws the weapon AND wipes the safety UP to allow the trigger to become active to fire the gun.

Hope this helps!

PS: No, the pistol cannot be carried cocked AND locked. You CAN thumb-cock the pistol in the "R" mode and the hammer will lock back for taking a single action first shot. HOWEVER . . . there's no way to lock the safety on with the hammer cocked. When you try, the combination lever becomes the "Decocker" lever instead, safely lowering the hammer and de-cocking the pistol.

I don't consider this a problem at all. I leave the "safety" off and take my first shot as if it were either a Glock OR a nice double action revolver . . . the only thing necessary is a nice, smooth/long double action type pull.

BTW, the BDM trigger pull is very smooth and light . . . like a Glock or a fine double action revolver trigger.

Again, if one wipes the lever up to make the trigger and the gun "hot" again, the owner can ALSO thumb cock the hammer (in "R" mode only), to take the 1st shot with the hammer cocked back.

IN SUMMATION . . .
The BDM was an all-new and revolutionary design when it was introduced, and it had some great ideas incorporated. But . . . with not a single 15 round magazine left at the maker to include in new guns . . . and with the switch by a lot of departments away from the 9mm cartridge . . . AND with the eventual adoption of the Glock as THE standard, this unique pistol was discontinued . . . probably never to return.

IRONICALLY . . .
1. Today, the pistol COULD be sold with new 15 round magazines.
2. It is incredibly easy to grip, shoot and conceal
3. I feel there would be a market for the pistol today too . . . with a 3 1/2" barrel compact version (with the full size grip being so small offering a 15+1 9mm package!

 

[ldsgeek]

I wonder how much af the mechanism was adopted/copied into the Bulgarian Arcus 98DA(C for compact) pistol. It is a DA/SA with no decocker that allows cocked and locked carry that closely follows the BHP for looks and handling.

 

[goste]

S&Wfan, Thanks for the detailed reply....I wish I would have bought one, back in the day.

 

[nwilliams]

Wish I still had my BDM, they are neat pistols.

 

[frank c]

Very nice indeed!Wish I had one

 

[gc70]

Who actually made the BDM? Browning has never had production facilities for pistols, FN did not have a manufacturing presence in the US when the BDM was produced, and the slides are prominently marked "Made in the U.S.A."

 

[browneu]

Browning made the BDM. Nice pistol, I have one whom I purchased of a fellow member. These pistols are great for conceal carry and with anyone with small hands, like me.

A little off topic. The S&W 547 is another great gun for its innovation. Nothing like a 9mm revolver that doesn't take moon clips.

 

[gc70]

I did some more research. It looks like the BDM was manufactured for Browning by Arms Technology, Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah. ATI makes the Buckmark pistols for Browning. It also appears that ATI may be manufacturing the new Browning 1911-22.