Browning BDA

The Browning BDA is a 9mm semi-automatic pistol developed in the early 1980s at the Belgian Fabrique Nationale arms factory in Herstal. The pistol was conceived in 1983 to compete in the U.S. bid for a new sidearm chambered for the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge that would equip all the branches of the United States armed forces (ultimately, the Italian Beretta 92F would emerge as the winner). The weapon was however accepted into service with the Finnish Defence Forces as their general service pistol under the designation 9.00 PIST 80 and 9.00 PIST 80-91.

The overall design layout of all versions of the pistol is based on the Browning Hi-Power, but the firearm features significant ergonomic changes designed to update the weapon to modern military requirements. The most notable is a shortening of the hammer spur, which would tend to cut into the web between the thumb and fingers of the grip hand if an original Hi-Power was held incautiously. The BDA’s name is an abbreviation for "Browning Double Action ". The pistol was marketed in Europe as the HP-DA.