NAACO Brigadier

NAACO Brigadier
Type	Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin	Canada
Production history
Manufacturer	North American Arms Corporation (NAACO)
Specifications
Weight	1896 g (66.9 oz)
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 North American Arms Corporation (NAACO) Brigadier 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. 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.

Collapse and aftermath

In the end, the project fell victim to NATO standardization, and the company folded in 1952. Only prototypes were built, and the weapon never entered service; the Brigadier's rarity makes it pricey on the gun market. It is unlikely that it would have seen much success in any event, as military doctrine of the day would have roundly criticized the adoption of such a heavy service sidearm. However, given the success of the Desert Eagle in recent years, it may be that the Brigadier was simply before its time, and presented to the wrong market (besides, the heavy recoil would have made impractical as a military side arm).

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

• List of handgun cartridges
• List of firearms

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.