Redheaded Stepchild of the Gun Safe: Browning BDM

Here's another interesting design that never really caught on; I think it was designed by a Czech immigrant. So it has that going for it.

This was another impulse buy at the end of a Maryland waiting period. I had come to pick up my SiG P229 and now had the power of instant gratification granted to me by the Peoples Republic of Maryland. This was right before an impending tour to Korea, so hoplo-hedonism ((C) Copyright Cowboy Blob, 2005, all rights reserved) was the order of the day. I was enamored of a BHP "Practical" (two-tone High-Power with a big safety catch) and this gun, which feels better in my hand than almost anything, except the female breast. Apparently, I was the only one who thought so, because the model flopped in the States. Note that the safety lever flips up to fire, something counter-intuitive to most American shooters. Forward of the safety is a two-position switch which toggles you between pistol and revolver (DAO) mode.

That about does it for my redheaded stepchildren, besides the few that I sold away into adoption (BHP and Ruger P-85) or handed-down to my little brother (Taurus PT99AF). As a matter of fact, the only 9-mm handguns I own that aren't RHSC are my P-38s, a Glock 19, and the Chinese Tokarev that qualifies as a "museum piece." Some day I'll learn to be a good stepfather and take these brats out to the range. They're all fun in their own way, despite their power handicap or lack of a niche in my carry/competition rotation.