USED Browning BDM: What to look for?

[kbr80]

Found a used BDM in a local pawnshop today. Comes with 1 15 round mag and 2 10 rounders. Price $350 out the door. It has some serious holster wear on it. Took it apart, could not find any rust anywhere. It rattles like an old colt 1911. Trigger seems pretty decent.

Are there any things that I should look out for before deciding to purchase this. Any red flags, places to look at for damage, soon to be broked items and such on the BDM?

Thanks in advance.

 

[RON in PA]

For what it's worth and I don't have any personal experience with the BDM. They were not a successful pistol for FN, only on the market for a few years. They were adopted by the Finns and there were reports of problems. You might have problems getting one fixed.

 

[Caseless]

Bought one NIB 2 years ago. Put 1.500 rounds of USA white box thru it. Perfect operation. Mine has subpar accuracy beyond 15 yards, loose rear sight (used Loctite to fix), and a too-tight safety/decock lever. Someone on Firingline mentioned a weak firing block because it is made of aluminum?
Others claim the BDM had been designed to digest 10,000 rounds of +P+ ammo w/o a problem. All I can say is it is a great carry pistol if 15 rounders come with the gun. You may also want to check out the simplified version-Browning BPM (traditional DA) if you see one.

 

[WonderNine]

Crimony, it has holster wear and they still want $350???

The 15 round mags rattle like a gumball machine and the 10 rounders aren't much better.

I'd leave it there and not even think twice about it.

They didn't call it "Breaks Down Mainly" for nothing.

 

[minnesota oldie]

Love mine. Just shot it today. At 20 yards I ate up the head of a torso target. If you do your part right it is a very good gun at 25 yards. If you just want to use the 15 round mags to spray bullets it will do that to. You may want to replace the recoil spring as the factory ones seem to give out at about 1500 rounds. I now have a wolf 16 lb spring. I have ordered an Alessi holster for it and plan to make it my main carry gun replacing my glock 36. I wonder how many of the "experts" who are commenting on it actually have one?

 

[Hal]

USED Browning BDM: What to look for?

www.thefiringline.com

search for BDM

~ 150 or so hits.

 

[WonderNine]

I wonder how many of the "experts" who are commenting on it actually have one?

Caseless apparently has one. I had one.

You can read the comments about the one I owned in other BDM threads here.

 

[Tamara]

I've owned two.

They're skinny, they point well, extended use of hot ammo cracks frames, the little "Pistol mode/Revolver mode" gimmick is cool (but pointless), the safety/decocker is upside down, lockwork on early ones was fragile, they're really skinny, full-cap mags are hard to find and neutered mags don't grow on trees either, the trigger is mediocre at best, they may be the skinniest double-stack nine around.

 

[SouthpawShootr]

I think you should be able to find a pristine one for around $350. You won't, however, find the pre-ban mag cheap (figure on paying $125 IF you can find one). If you're committed to getting a BDM, see if they'll sell you the pre-ban mag separately, then look around on line for one that is nearly new. I bought mine new 2 years after production ceased for under $300 (with 2 post ban neutered mags). They've gone up a little, but you should be able to find one that's tight for that money.

 

[hillbilly]

I owned a BDM for a year.

Sold it to get another Hi-Power to replace a stolen Hi-Power.

BDM was good, just not a Hi-Power.

Biggest problem was the firing pin. It broke. Two gunsmiths told me that brittle firing pins were common on BDMs.

Other than that, just fine.

Firing pin was about $20 for smith to replace...part and labor.

hillbilly