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The FN 140DA was a semi-automatic weapon manufactured by
The production of the FN 140DA pistol was discontinued in 1987, while the Browning version was discontinued in 1997. Special limited runs were produced after 1997, however data on the dates and quantity is anecdotal at best. Runs in 2006 and 2009 have also been reported on various internet forums.
Browning BDA 380 users manual
.380 ACP semi-automatic pistols Browning Arms Company BDA 380 Semi-automatic pistols of Belgium Semi-automatic pistols of Italy
Beretta
Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta (; "Pietro Beretta Weapons Factory") is a privately held Italian firearms manufacturing company operating in several countries. Its firearms are used worldwide for various civilian, law enforcement, and military p ...
of Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
on behalf of FN Herstal
, trading as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale, or simply FN, is a leading firearms manufacturer based in Herstal, Belgium, and former vehicle manufacturer. It was the largest exporter of military small arms in Europe .
FN ...
of Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
. The pistol was sold as the Browning BDA 380 in the United States and Canada.
Overview
The production of this pistol design started in 1976. The new model replaced the FN 1922/Browning 125 in the company's line-up. The pistol is a derivative of the Beretta Model 81 and 84, distinguished by an enclosed slide, a different safety system, and a different hammer. It was available in .32 ACP and .380 ACP calibers, with the .32 ACP version intended for only European markets. The .380 version was marketed as the Browning BDA 380 byBrowning Arms Company
Browning Arms Company (originally John Moses and Matthew Sandefur Browning Company) is an American marketer of firearms and fishing gear. The company was founded in Ogden, Utah, in 1878 by brothers John Moses Browning (1855–1926) and M ...
for North American markets. The Browning model is distinguished by its markings, with the right side of the slide being stamped with "Fabrique National Herstal" and the FN logo followed by "Made in Italy" and PB (for Pietro Beretta), and the left side of the slide bearing the marking "Browning Arms Co. Morgan, Utah & Montreal, P.Q."
The production of the FN 140DA pistol was discontinued in 1987, while the Browning version was discontinued in 1997. Special limited runs were produced after 1997, however data on the dates and quantity is anecdotal at best. Runs in 2006 and 2009 have also been reported on various internet forums.
Design
The FN 140DA/Browning BDA 380 is a semi-automatic, blowback-operated firearm with a DA/SA (double action/single action) trigger mechanism. The frame is aluminum, but the slide is steel. The FN 140DA had plastic grips with the FN logo, whereas the Browning BDA 380 had wood grips. The pistol is fed with double-stacked magazines of 13 (.380 ACP) or 12 (.32 ACP) cartridges, placed in the grip. The magazine release button is located behind the trigger guard. Some copies were made with a nickel-plated finish. Despite their mechanical similarities, slides and frames are not interchangeable between the FN 140DA/Browning BDA 380 and their Beretta counterparts. Beretta manufactured two different versions of the pistol. The Type 1 (or Type I) was produced from 1977 to 1983. The Type 2 (or Type II) was produced from 1983 onwards. The major differences between the two versions are: * The Type 2 has a wider recoil guide rod with a "bump" or "nub" at the end that engages against the slide release lever * The Type 2 has a wider/heavier slide to reduce the recoil force * The Type 2 has wood grips with contoured thumb reliefs at the top near the slide. (These changes were made roughly around the same time that Beretta replaced the "B" generation of Cheetahs with the "BB" generation.)Users
* : Belgian Judicial Police (for female officers) circa 1980.Ian Hogg & Rob Adam, Jane's Guns Recognition Guide, HarperCollins, 1996 ed., 512 p. ()See also
*Beretta Cheetah
The Beretta Cheetah, also known as the 80 Series and originally known as the Series 81, is a line of compact blowback operated semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy. They were introduced in 1976 and include models ...
Notes
:1.Production of Browning 125 ended in 1980References
{{ReflistExternal links
Browning BDA 380 users manual
.380 ACP semi-automatic pistols Browning Arms Company BDA 380 Semi-automatic pistols of Belgium Semi-automatic pistols of Italy