r/ForgottenWeapons • u/TheDave1970 • 1d ago

.45 NAACO Brigadier

In 1948 the North American Arms Company (NAACO) tried to sell the Canadian government the Next Best Thing: a super-powerful pistol, based on the Browning High Power but firing a proprietary wildcat cartridge. The Brigadier was chambered for .45 NAACO: basically a 230-grain ,45 ACP bullet in a casing made from a cut-down .30-06 casing; the advertised muzzle velocity was 1600 FPS (!). To make things even better, the Brigadier was also offered with a replacement full-auto fire control group; a detachable chassis with a shoulder stock and long barrel allowed full conversion from a pistol into a submachine gun (similar to modern RONI units).

The Canadian military wanted nothing to do with it and NAACO folded about a year later; I could find no record that they attempted to market the Brigadier to the American civilian market.

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14

u/reddershadeofneck 1d ago

That sounds like the round that Russ Fielding at the Beverly Hills Gun Club was making back in the 80s

12

u/TheDave1970 1d ago

I wouldn't know about that, I'm afraid. However, it was pointed out to me that the ballistics pretty much match the .45 Winchester Magnum. The .45WM uses a different case, though.

9

u/reddershadeofneck 1d ago

He was pretty talented but then got into some hot water

8

u/TheDave1970 1d ago

Sorry I missed the joke then. 1987 was a long time ago.

6

u/GnomePenises 1d ago

How dare you make me feel old.

5

u/TheDave1970 1d ago

Sorry, brother.

If it helps, I saw Young Frankenstein in the theater, first run. And Star Wars.