Browning bdm

Question
hi, i'm writing an espionage book and my protagonist needs a handgun. i was thinking about the Browning bdm, but i'm not very sure about it, since i found out it is out of production and maybe a bit old. would you please suggest me a better gun for my agent? thanks

Answer
Giuila,

Oliver Winchester, founder of the Winchester Repeating Arms company, summed it up well when he said, 揂 gun is a device for throwing balls.? If it does this accurately and reliably, you have a winner, and there are many handguns out there that will fit the bill.

The Browning BDM (揃rowning Double Mode? works fine, but it came late to the party and never caught on.  Today, it is bigger, more cumbersome, and heavier than the most popular guns.  Regarding believability, anyone who knew anything about guns would probably be asking, 揥hy does a professional spy carry a BDM??br>
The US Govn抰 issues numerous handguns, among them:

1) The SIG Sauer in various models and calibers (you can search their website for the various models).  The US Secret Service carry these.  Assets are reliability and accuracy.  Drawbacks are weight, bulk (which makes concealability harder; the US SS doesn抰 really care if you see their guns ?if you look, you can see some of the agents who guard the President with small sub-machine guns under their suit jackets); and because the bore axis is high above the hand, it has considerable muzzle flip, making it slower to get back on target for a follow up shot.

2) Beretta M9 ?this is the armed forces handgun.  No spy would carry this ?much too large, heavy, and bulky.

3)  The Glock compact or subcompact (model numbers change depending on caliber ?speaking of which, your spy will probably want a 9mm NATO chambering, not because it is the king of stoppers, but because ammunition is readily available the world over ?this will not be so for something chambered in .45 ACP, or .40 S&W ?both are popular American cartridges, but are hard to get in certain segments of the world, i.e. any place that does not allow its people ready access to firearms).  Assets of the Glock are light weight, absolute reliability, accuracy, and ruggedness.  Drawbacks?  I can抰 think of any.  In 9mm the compact would be the model 19, and the subcompact the model 26 ?visit their website to see them.

4) If you want something smaller and lighter than the Glock 26, A Kahr P9, or even smaller, PM9 is an excellent gun.  You can see them at the Kahr Arms website.  This gun is every bit as good as the Glock, with the exception that the rounds in the magazine are somewhat precarious until the magazine is actually seated in the gun.  Trying to rapidly reload this gun with a fresh magazine often results is three to five rounds flying out of the magazine.  Though it has a lower capacity than the Glock it is smaller and lighter, and has somewhat of an 揺xotic factor?because it is pricy.  Those who know guns know about them, but few own them, unless they have a real reason to, or money to burn.

5) Though not as 搒exy?as an auto pistol, you might consider an S&W titanium or scandium revolver.  These exotic metals make the revolver light weight.  Drawback is the capacity (usually 5 shots), BUT nor does a revolver spray spent casings around like an auto pistol.  However, getting hold of .38 Special or .357 Magnum ammunition out of the country can be tricky.

I hope this helps some ?good luck with your book.