NAACO Brigadier
| NAACO Brigadier | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Place of origin |  Canada |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Russell Sutherland |
| Manufacturer | |
| Specifications | |
| Mass |
|
| Length | 245 mm (9.7 in) |
| Barrel length | 140 mm (5.5 in) |
| Cartridge | .45 NAACO (later renamed .45 Winchester Magnum) |
| Action | mechanically locked, recoil operated (DA/SA) |
| Muzzle velocity | 1600 ft/s (490 m/s) |
| Feed system | 8-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | Iron sights |
The Brigadier pistol was developed to meet Canadian requirements for a service handgun in the aftermath of World War II. It was based largely on the FN GP35 Hi-Power self-loading pistol of 1935, but scaled up significantly. Whereas the Hi-Power used the 9 mm Para cartridge, the NAACO Brigadier used a new long-case .45" round of much greater power than the then-standard .45 ACP. With a standard 230-grain (15 g) bullet, the .45 NAACO cartridge could produce muzzle velocities of up to 1,600 feet per second (490 m/s), or almost twice as fast as the .45 ACP. In order to keep weight down, the pistol used an aluminium slide, but still weighed more than four pounds, unloaded.[citation needed] Its box magazine could carry eight rounds of ammunition. A removable trigger module allowed for a fully automatic configuration, complete with an attachable butt-stock. This would produce a sub-machine gun configuration called the Borealis (never constructed). Gunsmith Robert Herman and Designer Russell Sutherland spent a year developing the prototype.
Collapse and aftermath[]
In the end, the Brigadier project fell victim to NATO standardization, and the company folded in 1962. Only one prototype was built, and the weapon never entered service; the Brigadier's rarity makes it pricey on the gun market.
The .45 NAACO cartridge sank into obscurity, but was revived in the 1970s by Winchester as a long-range target round. Ballistic performance was nearly identical to the original, and the cartridge was christened .45 Winchester Magnum. It has since been used in a number of handguns.
See also[]
Resources[]
- Hogg, Ian & John Weeks. Pistols of the World: The Definitive Illustrated Guide to the World's Pistols and Revolvers, 3rd Edition. DBI Books: Northbrook, IL, 1992. ISBN 0-87349-128-9.
- ".45 Winchester Magnum." Sierra Handloading Manual, 4th Edition. Sierra Bullets.
- Semi-automatic pistols of Canada
- Trial and research firearms of Canada