I fell in love with this weapon back in 1986 at a shooting school. Great functionality, lots of ammo capacity, and it's just beautiful no matter what angle you look at. A true classic.
This is a lovely gun. If you were to inherit a Glock, you would just be getting a useful but blah pistol. If you inherited a Browning like this, you would be getting an heirloom. --Old Guy
Beautiful pistol. I had an older Hi-Power years ago, during a deep clean on the thing the magazine safety was "inadvertently" removed. It improved the trigger enough that I left it off.
Getting rid of that (Frog required) mag safety is orolly the best and cheapest way to improve the trigger of the BHP...it's a small 'shoe' that impinges on the trigger and causes drag...easy to remove by pushing our the shoe retention pin in the trigger.
I like these and cheetah pistols. Found one of these in near mint condition a while ago for 400. As soon as I saw it in the case case called the guy over and started the paper work. I happen to like these old 380 and 32 pistols that are all metal framed.
Roger that. I always wanted one of these Browning 380's. Back in the day, all the gun magazines did articles on them and highly recommended them. A friend of mine has the Berreta 380. He bought it from a retired State Cop. It has the Indiana State Police grips on it. I did have a Taurus 380 several years back. It was a pretty close copy of the Berreta. Wish I'd have kept that one
Beautiful Pistol. Love a full size .380 Pistol. Makes sense with recoil sensitive People and with the advancements in Bullet Technology and propellants, it's more than adequate.
As with these pistols, we love old cars, not because they're better than a modern car, but because they aren't disposable (made of plastic), they were made with craftsmanship and they have style and soul.
Me and my dad own the BDA .380 and the new 80x Cheetah, both are fantastic guns and great to shoot. the Mec-Gar mags work in both of em and they're both excellent guns.
You just gotta love the shot placement of these type of 380's due to their longer barrels. Practically no recoil and with modern ammo, their penetration is just enough to stop an aggressor or multiple aggressors. Mind you that I would recommend this only for warm weather climates . Because winter weather there is a thicker amount of clothing to contend with. Weapons are just like anything else! You take the tools 🛠 you need for the Job at hand. Rain ☔️ raincoat-- Beach 🏖 swimwear! Be safe, practice and stay alert wherever your travels. Also good for Home Defense! Excellent video sir
Roger that. I picked up the 45 ACP model several years ago at a local gunshow. It even had the factory wood grips on it. And came with an extra magazine and the box and paperwork. That's one I let get away that I wish I'd have kept. Just a great gun !
I own this exact make /model Browning BDA .380. It’s a great handgun. Purchased it new more than 13 years ago now. I kept the original wood grips, but recently replaced them on the gun with a rubber Pachmyer grip. These grips make even more pleasant to shoot. And the all black grip did NOT detract from the good looks if this firearm!!! 👍
I've always thought the BDA 380 was one of the most beautiful guns ever made. I never bought one I worked in a gun shop back in the '80s we were a Browning dealer I could about either a high power or the BDA 380 for dirt cheap.
I absolutely LOVE my BDA380!! From the moment I picked it up… it just felt perfect in my hand. Since 1983… I haven’t had one malfunction. Thanks to Barretta quality and craftsmanship.
I have the Beretta 84 in nickel with the wood grips. Bought new in the mid 80's. It was still my EDC up until a month ago, when I decided to join the 21st century and purchased an M&P 2.0 Compact. I had considered selling it to pay for the M&P purchase, but the post-pandemic offer wasn't enough to make me let go. Now, I'm glad that I didn't.
Very elegant pistol. I have an 85 BB. It has the hi grade wooden grips with Beretta medallions. Mine is a single stack. I carried it many years. It is beautiful as well, and is far easier for people to shoot extremely well with very fast and accurate follow up shots, than smaller, lighter, pistols. The 85 is to be carried cocked and locked with a frame mounted safety and second strike capability. The BDA in 380, especially with these longer barrels, and 13 rounds, is more than enough for any reasonable self defense scenario. Thanks for the video.
Love your Channel. You seem to review all the guns/gear I'm into, Your CZ reviews are my favorites. I've had one or these for 40+ years. I refer to it as my "Swiss Watch" of my collection. Such a beautiful piece of workmanship. So much fun to shoot. Taught both of my daughters to shoot with this gun because of the light recoil. Keep up the good work.
I bought the nickel model about 40 years ago, I carried it on my ankle for 15 years, and still have it today. I used it for so long, the nickel started to wear off. I Duracoated the frame and still carry it in a shoulder rig that it just as old. I did remove the mag safety but other than that shoot, clean, carry. O, I carry with the safety on, but train to disengage as I draw. Keep the great vids coming.
Had one a few years ago and sold it at the Myrtle Beach gun show when I was needing some extra funds due to medical issues. Miss that gun so much. Wish I still had it. Still have some mags and holsters for it hoping I will find another someday. Beautiful piece.
it's one of the most beautiful guns I've ever seen and the way it shoots looks excellent . it's unfair to compare it to Ruger Max or any plastic tool out there .
This was a great video. Just got my dads bda he carried as a back up gun in a shoulder strap when he was on duty back in the 80’s. Glad you showed the takedown, I was nervous about trying it. Thank you for all the info.
It's sad that today most Manufactures have moved away from the beautiful Blueing that used to be the standard finish both in European produced pistols as well as U.S. produced such as Colt and S & W ... IE the Python Reintroduction offered 1st in Stainless just like most of the Classics. That's why Sootch is Great to watch !
Cool gun, is a shame that it's not produced anymore, we should send some messages to Browning or FN to suggest a rerealise, like Colt did to the Python and the Anaconda.
I have that same pistol. I had to sell one in the 90s and got this one recently and it's mint. They are butter smooth and nice niche pistols. Youre right , my 19 is much edc and about the same size .
My First semi auto. Have had 3 of em, two blued and a nickled one. Got one sitting on my desk right now! Love em! Your Blued 84 Beretta black plastic grips WILL fit the Browning BDA. I have them on mine. There are lots of BDA's from F&N on GB right now. European Police trade ins.
I have a Browning bda 380 in nickle finish, that I bought in 1984. I went to the gun store to buy Walther and saw the gun and couldn't believe how beautiful it was. It was made in a bygone era when guns were designed to be passed down to family.
Just a tip for those who don't know ballistics that well: the difference between 9 and 380 really isn't much. Handguns in general suck as man stoppers, penetration is the most important thing. Find a 380 load that penetrates deep enough, the performance will be practically the same as 9mm.
Both are beautiful. Like The 84 a little bit more but both are old school cool..top shelf stuff!!!love them. Have a 81. Plain 81 not BB ect. Loved it enough to put LOK s on it. & I do carry it.
Girsan has come out with their MC14BDA. It's a Browning BDA 380 copy. Nicely made pistol available for budget minded shooters who would like to experience the BDA pistol. Mine is a good shooter as is my Tisas Fatih. Both pistols are very similar of course and Turkish made.
Sootch00 been eyeing one of these at my local gun shop…beautiful firearm in the upper range of price, but below $1K. Would be a good complement to my Walther PPK/S in stainless with Walnut grips and a similar DA/SA decocker action. And for a more modern solution if you like having milder recoil .380 ACP at times, I still have my P365-380 with Holosun 407k green dot with 12 round and 2x10 round mags. Thanks for doing this one sir!
Absolutely love my BDA its never failed to shoot its accurate the trigger guard is big so its easy to shoot with gloves (to a point) and the number of rounds it carries is a bonus...oh and a key feature,.. Its built like a tank and recoil is very small...I would recommend though to pull off the god awful wood grips, Not because they look bad, no its if you start sweating (or live in a hot climate like me) the gun slips around in your hand like crazy. I replaced my wood grips for a Hogue rubberized grip (far as I know they are/were the only aftermarket grips for this gun) 20 plus years ago and it still looks new, The Hogue grip is a game changer for the handling and control of this pistol. Never going to switch it back...installation is a breeze, 4 screws and maybe a trim of the rubber at the safety with a box cutter blade and poof your done
I bought one of the Browning bda 380 in 1983 and it’s the most beautiful guns I have . The polished finish on it is unbelievable it’s a work of art just to look at . Would never carry it , because it is a collection of guns that use don’t want to abuse, carry a beater Glock or something else, not this beautiful gun. I bought it for $230.00 then and it’s about $800 or more if you can find one. Wonderful to shot and very safe gun . Love the safety on it. I will never sell this gun. Thanks all.
the reason for the interest for the 380 because a long time ago some writers in the gun mag were saying a 380 was on a par with average 38 special load and with most guns at the time you had more rounds than a revolver
i bought mine back in the 90's. i have always loved this gun but i don't carry it anymore. it is a lot heaver than my 9 mm carry gun and more importantly if i have to use my gun in a self defense situation i know i will not get my gun back so the replacement cost is the main reason. i don't want to lose this gun and as mentioned in this video they are no longer made and very expensive to replace.
Wonderful job, as always Sootch! Really beautiful pistols by Berretta. Its good to see S&W and Ruger now making 380 pistols this larger size again. Ruger's Security is a 3.5" doublestack 15+1. I am always looking for one of these Cheetahs but I doubt I will find one, and be able to afford it. I almost forgot, Bersa's Thunder Max is a similar size, all metal, fixed barrel blowback design, doublestack and DA/SA as well. Not quite as nice as a Berretta, but if someone is shopping for larger frame 380s its definately worth a look too.
I have a 87 BDA in beautiful condition with 2 magazines. Im looking for 450 for it in the condition its in, it should not be difficult. Please let me know if you are interested.
I have one of these in my collection along with a Beretta 81. I discovered that the barrel from my BDA fit in my 32 caliber Beretta 81. So I bought a spare 380 BDA barrel for my Beretta 81 and now have a dual caliber Baby Beretta. I bought my BDA at my favorite local facilitator's for less than $400 because one the grips was missing the Browning medallion. After all the paperwork was done and I was ready to leave with my latest fix, the owner said ishould wait a moment, then he went to the rear of the store and returned with a zip lock baggie containing the missing medallion. When I got home a drop of Gorilla Glue and my little beauty was restored to her former greatness. Test all-out various magazines some do weird things across the2 calibers. I have one 380 mag that will lock open the 81 in 32 with the last round still in the magazine and one that won't lock open after the last round is fired.
Another pistol that is about the same size and capacity is the CZ 82/83. A little simpler design and I'm sure it was cheaper to manufacture. The biggest draw back I always found with these pistols was the thick grips made operation of the magazine release more difficult.
When I was a teenager, back in the late 1970s, I drooled over the BDA in Gun Digest, and was 100% sure that when I was old enough to be authorized to buy a handgun (where I lived, you had to have a permit just to buy one, and you had to be 18 to get a permit), the BDA would be the first handgun I bought. For one reason or another, I kept postponing it, and buying something else instead, and I just never got around to acquiring one. Still wish I had, though.
I think you’re right that there is a reason to use a polymer if you have to lug it around, say, for going to war. I’m no Glock fan boy, but if I had to slog around in the mud I’d bring that over my Staccato I think. If I was a street cop, then the Staccato. Different pistols for different scenarios. But I also see lots of people going back to hammer fired metal pistols, especially as metallurgy improves and lighter frames can be built. Case in point is the Wilson Combat SFX9. On the other hand, ergonomics is the most important to me. That’s why a CZ P-01 or PCR is my choice in cold weather. But when it’s hot out, I’m forced to go with the p365XL (not that I’m sad about that). Sometimes a Rami will fit in the pocket too. Now, I have to admit the Kahr are the most comfortable against my skin. I guess they are dehorned more. Man, if they would just make a double stack they would be a contender.
So it is basiclly a 84bb cheetah but looks a lot different. Fascinating, only saw picture of the BDA, never saw one in action like this, I mean there are a lot of cheetah out there in market, .22/.32/.380. But BDA feels rarer than cheetah. Great vedio, very interesting.
A future topic might be to explain " Blow Back " design. I assumed these were not blow back designs because it looks like a 92 clone in 380. When you have one you realize the difference. So you could compare them.
Wow Sootch! I just started looking at these brownings tonight and found your video (you are one of my favorite guntubers) and I see you just made this yesterday!? What are the odds? You must have made this video just for me and my mom! I'm trying to find a .380 for my mom with a safety that can be engaged in DA or SA.. I always liked the cheetah but was wondering: will these accept bursa thunder plus .380 magazines..?? I know they are 15rd but they look about the same size. Does anyone know?
My version of the cheetah is a 3 stage safety. It's FIRE/SAFE & DECOCK. I love these pistols. There's better .380's out there for carry. But these are just fine, BEAUTIFUL, sleek QUALITY, pistol
Nice collectable gun . Had a chance years ago to get one , the only thing I didn't like then was the mag disconnect. Wishing I had bought it anyway. Got a Colt government model .380 instead. . Love the bloopers at the end.🤣
This is my old service side arm. A fantastic pistol. I never had a jam....ever...and by the way, it was not only the Belgium female officers that carried these (I'm not sure where you got your information - and no disrespect) because we had these in Germany in the early to mid 90's when I was a British Ministry of Defence armed officer. Great review though. Subbed.
Love mine bought it in the 90's mint condition an awesome old school build.Gonna have to get mine out of the safe now and shoot it thanks to your vid forgot I had it.👍🏻👍🏻💯😁
I have a Bersa Thinder Plus (.380 acp 15+1) , although it looks like a Walter PPK , its safety mechanism is very alike to this Browning BDA and ither things to the Beretta. You have made a review if the this Bersa, maybe you do a comparission of both or three. Thanks SOOTCH for shareing your knowledge.. Regards from Guatemala.
Nice pistol won’t do anything better than my Ruger lcp max and cost a good bit more they are beautiful firearms though do like the double action I like that cheetah very nice as well thanks for all you do Sootch
I'm focusing on old school pistols these days. Not the cookie cutter polymer guns that I have enough of. Problem is if you carry it for SD it my get lost if taken as evidence during an investigation if you know what I mean. Carry a generic pistol for SD so it may be easily replaced.
I have a Beretta 84 but it has the decocker/safety mounted on the slide as well as having he magazine disconnect. Is there an early variation marked Beretta with this configuration? The serial number falls in the 1978-79 area. It also has the full slide with the Browning type fixed rear sight. I have a magazine that is identical to the Beretta mags that are original to my pistol that will not contact the magazine disconnect so though the magazine will cycle and chamber rounds manually it will not allow the trigger to operate. I figured it is for a different Beretta model. There is a little half moon piece raised on the right side of the magazines that were original to the pistol that capture the trigger disconnect spring upon clicking the mag in place. Otherwise the mags are identical. It is so cool with all ammunition which is rare for a .380. It is one favorites.
Please consider adding a comment about the option for women for particular carrying options in your reviews. I’ve watched many of your reviews and find them informative and interesting and I consider you very reliable, however, you make no particular notation of the positive/negative factors for each weapon for women users.
☠Warning: There is a Giveaway Scam posting in the comments using my thumbnail. I am not on Telegram. Please report them. Thanks.
I fell in love with this weapon back in 1986 at a shooting school. Great functionality, lots of ammo capacity, and it's just beautiful no matter what angle you look at. A true classic.
This is a lovely gun. If you were to inherit a Glock, you would just be getting a useful but blah pistol. If you inherited a Browning like this, you would be getting an heirloom. --Old Guy
Got one from my Dad as an heirloom! I love it.
Roger that ! I'm an old timer. I've got my share of modern handguns- but I sure like these old school works of art.
Got a 380 1910 Browning which is a sub compact.
Very true!
Fudds.
Beautiful pistol. I had an older Hi-Power years ago, during a deep clean on the thing the magazine safety was "inadvertently" removed. It improved the trigger enough that I left it off.
Getting rid of that (Frog required) mag safety is orolly the best and cheapest way to improve the trigger of the BHP...it's a small 'shoe' that impinges on the trigger and causes drag...easy to remove by pushing our the shoe retention pin in the trigger.
I have a ww2 hi power made in 1942 for the German army, because it was a war gun, they never installed the magazine safety, it's a very smooth gun
❤😊😊00😅is ¹
@@marvinsamples8236 you have a particularly collectible pistol...those with Waffenamt markings are very desirable among collectors
@@cbroz7492, what more I bought it for 400.00 about 10 years ago
.380 sometimes doesn’t get a lot of love, but it’s a great cartridge.
I like these and cheetah pistols. Found one of these in near mint condition a while ago for 400. As soon as I saw it in the case case called the guy over and started the paper work. I happen to like these old 380 and 32 pistols that are all metal framed.
Roger that. I always wanted one of these Browning 380's. Back in the day, all the gun magazines did articles on them and highly recommended them. A friend of mine has the Berreta 380. He bought it from a retired State Cop. It has the Indiana State Police grips on it. I did have a Taurus 380 several years back. It was a pretty close copy of the Berreta. Wish I'd have kept that one
I prefer the DA/SA triggers that these have
Beautiful Pistol. Love a full size .380 Pistol. Makes sense with recoil sensitive People and with the advancements in Bullet Technology and propellants, it's more than adequate.
One of the best weapons in .380,13 rounds, double action and never fails, beautiful weapon👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
As with these pistols, we love old cars, not because they're better than a modern car, but because they aren't disposable (made of plastic), they were made with craftsmanship and they have style and soul.
Me and my dad own the BDA .380 and the new 80x Cheetah, both are fantastic guns and great to shoot. the Mec-Gar mags work in both of em and they're both excellent guns.
You just gotta love the shot placement of these type of 380's due to their longer barrels. Practically no recoil and with modern ammo, their penetration is just enough to stop an aggressor or multiple aggressors. Mind you that I would recommend this only for warm weather climates . Because winter weather there is a thicker amount of clothing to contend with. Weapons are just like anything else! You take the tools 🛠 you need for the Job at hand. Rain ☔️ raincoat-- Beach 🏖 swimwear! Be safe, practice and stay alert wherever your travels. Also good for Home Defense! Excellent video sir
Great answer Toby !!!
Excellent post and good use of emojis 👍
just use higher performance ammo
Browning also imported another BDA in 9mm, .38 Super and .45 ACP with a heel release magazine from Sauer. More commonly known today as the SIG P220.
Roger that. I picked up the 45 ACP model several years ago at a local gunshow. It even had the factory wood grips on it. And came with an extra magazine and the box and paperwork. That's one I let get away that I wish I'd have kept. Just a great gun !
I own this exact make /model Browning BDA .380. It’s a great handgun. Purchased it new more than 13 years ago now. I kept the original wood grips, but recently replaced them on the gun with a rubber Pachmyer grip. These grips make even more pleasant to shoot. And the all black grip did NOT detract from the good looks if this firearm!!! 👍
Just picked one up for $400. Such a fun gun to shoot and the craftsmanship is excellent. Very happy to have this one in my collection
I've always thought the BDA 380 was one of the most beautiful guns ever made.
I never bought one I worked in a gun shop back in the '80s we were a Browning dealer I could about either a high power or the BDA 380 for dirt cheap.
I absolutely LOVE my BDA380!! From the moment I picked it up… it just felt perfect in my hand. Since 1983… I haven’t had one malfunction. Thanks to Barretta quality and craftsmanship.
I bought my Beretta .380 in 1997, for $425 total. Fired it "once!" One 50 rd box, that's all and put her away. she's been a safe queen ever since.
I have the Beretta 84 in nickel with the wood grips. Bought new in the mid 80's. It was still my EDC up until a month ago, when I decided to join the 21st century and purchased an M&P 2.0 Compact. I had considered selling it to pay for the M&P purchase, but the post-pandemic offer wasn't enough to make me let go. Now, I'm glad that I didn't.
Hang onto it ! I've let so many fine guns go and really regret it
Hey if you want to sell that nickel 84 I've been dying to find one and can't find one under a grand. I got 900 bucks on it if you want to let it go.
Browning also sold a BDA in 45 ACP. It was a Sig P220 with a heal release magazine. I have one!
I have the blues model and love. I’ve had it for years and it is one of my favorite guns. Plenty out there to carry so this one stays pristine
Very elegant pistol. I have an 85 BB. It has the hi grade wooden grips with Beretta medallions. Mine is a single stack. I carried it many years. It is beautiful as well, and is far easier for people to shoot extremely well with very fast and accurate follow up shots, than smaller, lighter, pistols. The 85 is to be carried cocked and locked with a frame mounted safety and second strike capability. The BDA in 380, especially with these longer barrels, and 13 rounds, is more than enough for any reasonable self defense scenario. Thanks for the video.
Congratulations on finding this one, Don. She's a beaut!
They don't make 'em like that any more! Handsome pistol.
Love your Channel. You seem to review all the guns/gear I'm into, Your CZ reviews are my favorites. I've had one or these for 40+ years. I refer to it as my "Swiss Watch" of my collection. Such a beautiful piece of workmanship. So much fun to shoot. Taught both of my daughters to shoot with this gun because of the light recoil. Keep up the good work.
A lovely example of old school craftsmanship.
I bought the nickel model about 40 years ago, I carried it on my ankle for 15 years, and still have it today. I used it for so long, the nickel started to wear off. I Duracoated the frame and still carry it in a shoulder rig that it just as old. I did remove the mag safety but other than that shoot, clean, carry. O, I carry with the safety on, but train to disengage as I draw. Keep the great vids coming.
17:36 - when shots are synced with birdcall 👍🏆🎉🤗
A beautiful gun. It is amazing how much it was modeled after the Beretta Cheetah. But they did make it, so.... That makes me want one even more, now!
Had one a few years ago and sold it at the Myrtle Beach gun show when I was needing some extra funds due to medical issues. Miss that gun so much. Wish I still had it. Still have some mags and holsters for it hoping I will find another someday. Beautiful piece.
it's one of the most beautiful guns I've ever seen and the way it shoots looks excellent .
it's unfair to compare it to Ruger Max or any plastic tool out there .
This was a great video. Just got my dads bda he carried as a back up gun in a shoulder strap when he was on duty back in the 80’s. Glad you showed the takedown, I was nervous about trying it. Thank you for all the info.
It's sad that today most Manufactures have moved away from the beautiful Blueing that used to be the standard finish both in European produced pistols as well as U.S. produced such as Colt and S & W ... IE the Python Reintroduction offered 1st in Stainless just like most of the Classics. That's why Sootch is Great to watch !
Cool gun, is a shame that it's not produced anymore, we should send some messages to Browning or FN to suggest a rerealise, like Colt did to the Python and the Anaconda.
Actually Beretta still makes the Cheetah in single or double stack! Not in American production. You have to order from the Mainland...lol
You can also take a look at the SDS Imports F380B Faith 380 ACP. It has the frame mounted safety like the Beretta.
A year later, Girsan is making a Browning BDA clone, very excited...always wanted a BDA.
I have that same pistol. I had to sell one in the 90s and got this one recently and it's mint. They are butter smooth and nice niche pistols. Youre right , my 19 is much edc and about the same size .
My First semi auto. Have had 3 of em, two blued and a nickled one. Got one sitting on my desk right now! Love em! Your Blued 84 Beretta black plastic grips WILL fit the Browning BDA. I have them on mine. There are lots of BDA's from F&N on GB right now. European Police trade ins.
I have a Browning bda 380 in nickle finish, that I bought in 1984. I went to the gun store to buy Walther and saw the gun and couldn't believe how beautiful it was. It was made in a bygone era when guns were designed to be passed down to family.
My grandpa gave me one of these when i was about 8, awesome gun
380 is a great defense gun. I carry a 14 shot CZ83 and feel very comfortable with it--low recoil and lots of firepower.
Just a tip for those who don't know ballistics that well: the difference between 9 and 380 really isn't much. Handguns in general suck as man stoppers, penetration is the most important thing. Find a 380 load that penetrates deep enough, the performance will be practically the same as 9mm.
380 out of a 4" barrel gets up to speed for penetration and even expansion. Its these super micro 380s that cant get enough velocity
Both are beautiful. Like The 84 a little bit more but both are old school cool..top shelf stuff!!!love them. Have a 81. Plain 81 not BB ect. Loved it enough to put LOK s on it. & I do carry it.
Girsan has come out with their MC14BDA. It's a Browning BDA 380 copy. Nicely made pistol available for budget minded shooters who would like to experience the BDA pistol. Mine is a good shooter as is my Tisas Fatih. Both pistols are very similar of course and Turkish made.
Sootch00 been eyeing one of these at my local gun shop…beautiful firearm in the upper range of price, but below $1K. Would be a good complement to my Walther PPK/S in stainless with Walnut grips and a similar DA/SA decocker action. And for a more modern solution if you like having milder recoil .380 ACP at times, I still have my P365-380 with Holosun 407k green dot with 12 round and 2x10 round mags. Thanks for doing this one sir!
The Browning BDA is a great gun, I own one as well as many Beretta Cheetah’s! Great video Sootch!
Absolutely love my BDA its never failed to shoot its accurate the trigger guard is big so its easy to shoot with gloves (to a point) and the number of rounds it carries is a bonus...oh and a key feature,.. Its built like a tank and recoil is very small...I would recommend though to pull off the god awful wood grips, Not because they look bad, no its if you start sweating (or live in a hot climate like me) the gun slips around in your hand like crazy. I replaced my wood grips for a Hogue rubberized grip (far as I know they are/were the only aftermarket grips for this gun) 20 plus years ago and it still looks new, The Hogue grip is a game changer for the handling and control of this pistol. Never going to switch it back...installation is a breeze, 4 screws and maybe a trim of the rubber at the safety with a box cutter blade and poof your done
Súper nice review,congratulations👌🏻
Thanks Don. I see why you like this little gun. Now I kind of want to get one too.
oh the bluing on these is just stunning
My first gun that I bought in 1983. Just like the Cheetah, but much prettier.
Agreed keep it Italian
I bought one of the Browning bda 380 in 1983 and it’s the most beautiful guns I have . The polished finish on it is unbelievable it’s a work of art just to look at . Would never carry it , because it is a collection of guns that use don’t want to abuse, carry a beater Glock or something else, not this beautiful gun. I bought it for $230.00 then and it’s about $800 or more if you can find one. Wonderful to shot and very safe gun . Love the safety on it. I will never sell this gun. Thanks all.
Sootch00 is the best gun enthusiast on TH-cam.
the reason for the interest for the 380 because a long time ago some writers in the gun mag were saying a 380 was on a par with average 38 special load and with most guns at the time you had more rounds than a revolver
Great review! Loved the looks of this gun and picked one up in stainless steel a few years ago.
The BDA .380 was never made in stainless steel. It was made in a nickeled version.
@@thomasholohan4090 I stand corrected!
i bought mine back in the 90's. i have always loved this gun but i don't carry it anymore. it is a lot heaver than my 9 mm carry gun and more importantly if i have to use my gun in a self defense situation i know i will not get my gun back so the replacement cost is the main reason. i don't want to lose this gun and as mentioned in this video they are no longer made and very expensive to replace.
Woah i was just searching for the BDA because i'm actually thinking of buying one and sootch just happened to post a video about it 4 days ago
My step son dad got a browning 7mag bar rifle I been collecting old guns of late old mouse guns carry a titan still.
Wonderful job, as always Sootch! Really beautiful pistols by Berretta. Its good to see S&W and Ruger now making 380 pistols this larger size again. Ruger's Security is a 3.5" doublestack 15+1. I am always looking for one of these Cheetahs but I doubt I will find one, and be able to afford it. I almost forgot, Bersa's Thunder Max is a similar size, all metal, fixed barrel blowback design, doublestack and DA/SA as well. Not quite as nice as a Berretta, but if someone is shopping for larger frame 380s its definately worth a look too.
I have a 87 BDA in beautiful condition with 2 magazines. Im looking for 450 for it in the condition its in, it should not be difficult. Please let me know if you are interested.
That is a great looking pistol. Thanks for the review.
I just saw one of these Saturday at Chuck’s in Warner Robins... it wasn’t cheap!
The old bda love that 380
Sara Mac rocking the Browning, while sporting her IV8888 T-Shirt was Epic! 👍🏼🤠
Go cowgirl shooters!
Love Your Presentations; This one is also "Top Shelf"! Thank You~
I have one of these in my collection along with a Beretta 81. I discovered that the barrel from my BDA fit in my 32 caliber Beretta 81. So I bought a spare 380 BDA barrel for my Beretta 81 and now have a dual caliber Baby Beretta. I bought my BDA at my favorite local facilitator's for less than $400 because one the grips was missing the Browning medallion. After all the paperwork was done and I was ready to leave with my latest fix, the owner said ishould wait a moment, then he went to the rear of the store and returned with a zip lock baggie containing the missing medallion. When I got home a drop of Gorilla Glue and my little beauty was restored to her former greatness. Test all-out various magazines some do weird things across the2 calibers. I have one 380 mag that will lock open the 81 in 32 with the last round still in the magazine and one that won't lock open after the last round is fired.
Another pistol that is about the same size and capacity is the CZ 82/83. A little simpler design and I'm sure it was cheaper to manufacture. The biggest draw back I always found with these pistols was the thick grips made operation of the magazine release more difficult.
Between sootch and hickock45 are go to channels pretty much for any gun ever lol
When I was a teenager, back in the late 1970s, I drooled over the BDA in Gun Digest, and was 100% sure that when I was old enough to be authorized to buy a handgun (where I lived, you had to have a permit just to buy one, and you had to be 18 to get a permit), the BDA would be the first handgun I bought. For one reason or another, I kept postponing it, and buying something else instead, and I just never got around to acquiring one. Still wish I had, though.
Im starting to feel that way about beretta 92s
I miss the days of quality fit and finish. Bead blast and plastic has its place, but high polish and precision will always win in my heart.
Same here
I think you’re right that there is a reason to use a polymer if you have to lug it around, say, for going to war. I’m no Glock fan boy, but if I had to slog around in the mud I’d bring that over my Staccato I think. If I was a street cop, then the Staccato. Different pistols for different scenarios. But I also see lots of people going back to hammer fired metal pistols, especially as metallurgy improves and lighter frames can be built. Case in point is the Wilson Combat SFX9. On the other hand, ergonomics is the most important to me. That’s why a CZ P-01 or PCR is my choice in cold weather. But when it’s hot out, I’m forced to go with the p365XL (not that I’m sad about that). Sometimes a Rami will fit in the pocket too. Now, I have to admit the Kahr are the most comfortable against my skin. I guess they are dehorned more. Man, if they would just make a double stack they would be a contender.
So it is basiclly a 84bb cheetah but looks a lot different. Fascinating, only saw picture of the BDA, never saw one in action like this, I mean there are a lot of cheetah out there in market, .22/.32/.380. But BDA feels rarer than cheetah. Great vedio, very interesting.
Thanks
A cool comparison test would be the BDA vs. the Sig 232 vs. the Walther PP/PPK. As well as the Cheetah, of course.
There's just something about an all metal gun with wood grips. Nice pistol Sootch, enjoy!
A future topic might be to explain " Blow Back " design.
I assumed these were not blow back designs because it looks like a 92 clone in 380. When you have one you realize the difference.
So you could compare them.
Wow Sootch! I just started looking at these brownings tonight and found your video (you are one of my favorite guntubers) and I see you just made this yesterday!? What are the odds? You must have made this video just for me and my mom!
I'm trying to find a .380 for my mom with a safety that can be engaged in DA or SA.. I always liked the cheetah but was wondering: will these accept bursa thunder plus .380 magazines..?? I know they are 15rd but they look about the same size. Does anyone know?
I'm not sure, but I highly doubt the mags will interchange.
Thanks, Sootch this brought back memories.
Browning 380! Excelente. Saludos Patagónicos 🍀
Just purchased one in SS with walnut grip last month. Fun pistol to shoot.
More likely Nickeled not Stainless Steel
@@chlebowg yes, NICKLE my mistake its in great shape
1 of the greatest looking guns ever,
Also this is the length of barrel 380 was designed for,
A decent 380 defence load in this this would be decent
Agreed
good looking pistol, looks alot like a Hi-power
What a beautiful handgun!!!
My version of the cheetah is a 3 stage safety. It's FIRE/SAFE & DECOCK.
I love these pistols. There's better .380's out there for carry. But these are just fine, BEAUTIFUL, sleek QUALITY, pistol
Beautiful piece Sootch! You want to sell it?
Although I have a Cheetah 84F baby M-9 and like the features better.
these guns being bigger offer more grip area and weight, making them easier to shoot . and you won't mind practicing with it.
Nice looking pistol,I just bought a Taurus pt 58 ss the other day.
Una de las mejores pistolas en calibre .380 sin duda alguna
Great gun, you are a talented man and the video is fun
I always like a classic gun :)
Nice collectable gun . Had a chance years ago to get one , the only thing I didn't like then was the mag disconnect. Wishing I had bought it anyway. Got a Colt government model .380 instead. . Love the bloopers at the end.🤣
This is my old service side arm. A fantastic pistol. I never had a jam....ever...and by the way, it was not only the Belgium female officers that carried these (I'm not sure where you got your information - and no disrespect) because we had these in Germany in the early to mid 90's when I was a British Ministry of Defence armed officer. Great review though. Subbed.
That's one heck of a good-looking gun.
Love mine bought it in the 90's mint condition an awesome old school build.Gonna have to get mine out of the safe now and shoot it thanks to your vid forgot I had it.👍🏻👍🏻💯😁
Thanks for this knowledge and must add your videos are truly helpful thanks!
Great review. Just a beautiful piece of history
Ne ero know that. This very adopted Beretta 84 , was made in a different way by Browning! Very interesting! Ciao from Italy
I have a Bersa Thinder Plus (.380 acp 15+1) , although it looks like a Walter PPK , its safety mechanism is very alike to this Browning BDA and ither things to the Beretta. You have made a review if the this Bersa, maybe you do a comparission of both or three. Thanks SOOTCH for shareing your knowledge.. Regards from Guatemala.
Nice pistol won’t do anything better than my Ruger lcp max and cost a good bit more they are beautiful firearms though do like the double action I like that cheetah very nice as well thanks for all you do Sootch
I'm focusing on old school pistols these days. Not the cookie cutter polymer guns that I have enough of.
Problem is if you carry it for SD it my get lost if taken as evidence during an investigation if you know what I mean.
Carry a generic pistol for SD so it may be easily replaced.
I really like that Sarah Mac has on an Iraq Veteran 8888 shirt in this video. I love when gun channels reference each other.😄
I have a Beretta 84 but it has the decocker/safety mounted on the slide as well as having he magazine disconnect. Is there an early variation marked Beretta with this configuration? The serial number falls in the 1978-79 area. It also has the full slide with the Browning type fixed rear sight. I have a magazine that is identical to the Beretta mags that are original to my pistol that will not contact the magazine disconnect so though the magazine will cycle and chamber rounds manually it will not allow the trigger to operate. I figured it is for a different Beretta model. There is a little half moon piece raised on the right side of the magazines that were original to the pistol that capture the trigger disconnect spring upon clicking the mag in place. Otherwise the mags are identical. It is so cool with all ammunition which is rare for a .380. It is one favorites.
Please consider adding a comment about the option for women for particular carrying options in your reviews. I’ve watched many of your reviews and find them informative and interesting and I consider you very reliable, however, you make no particular notation of the positive/negative factors for each weapon for women users.