Guns & Ammo gives detailed look at the Browning 1911-380 pistol.
Guns & Ammo gives detailed look at the Browning 1911-380 pistol.
Review of article in Guns & Ammo Magazine and Guns & Ammo online written by Eric Poole, September/October 2014. Review of article by Browning.
Dissecting the Browning 1911-380 Pistol.
The Browning 380 ACP pistol is based on the popular 1911-22 platform that is built in the USA.
Like its grandfather, the original Model 1911 in 45 ACP, the 1911-380 is a single-action autoloader with a single stack magazine, manual thumb safety and an external hammer. All of the operations on the original 1911 are present with the 1911-380. It loads, shoots, unloads and fieldstrips in the same manner. (Quite simply, it’s like a full-sized 1911 only 15% smaller.)
“Because it’s a Browning design, and not a cosmetic look-alike, this pistol is superbly reliable,”
The first media outlet to break the 1911-380 story was Guns & Ammo.com. G&A Editor Eric Poole spent a couple of days at Browning’s headquarters in Morgan, Utah, learning the ins and outs of the 1911-380, including a daylong shooting session with five samples of the 1911-380 and a couple of cases of Winchester Train and Defend ammo ammunition. Poole returned from Utah with two takeaways: these pistols are highly reliable and they are very accurate. No malfunctions were observed and after a full day of hammering paper and steel, Poole broke several clay targets placed on the berms out at 100 yards.
". . . this new Browning 1911 is deserving of your attention."
“Because it’s a Browning design, and not a cosmetic look-alike, this pistol is superbly reliable,” noted Poole. “Unlike most 1911-styled .380 pistols currently on the market, the new Black Label 1911-380 is a scaled-down pistol that’s 85 percent the size of the Model 1911A1 in .45 ACP. Most significantly different from other .380-caliber 1911-style pistols are that Browning’s small parts mechanically function like a full-size .45.”
". . . superbly reliable"
As Guns & Ammo’s editors noted, “If you’re in the market for a deep-concealment backup pistol or carrying a .380 doesn’t bother you, the Browning 1911 is deserving of your attention. It’s extremely light, shoots fast, accurate and is simple to keep follow-up shots on target.”
The Black Label 1911-380 has all the popular upgrades that have long been considered custom add-ons for generations of 1911 shooters. Fixed combat sights, extended operating controls, a humpback beavertail grip safety, flat mainspring housing and a long skeletonized trigger are all standard equipment on the Black Label 1911-380. The steel slide has angled cocking serrations and the rust-resistant steel barrel sports a recessed target crown.
You can learn more about the 1911-380 at browning.com and you can read the full G&A online feature by clicking here or going to http://www.gunsandammo.com/first-look/first-look-browning-1911-380-2/
NOTE: Size seems to be one of the most asked questions. The 1911-380 is an 85% reduced-size version of the original 1911. For the full story on the reasons for this exact size and for all other features click to go to the 1911-380 page.
Original article by Eric Poole is copyright Guns & Ammo, October 2014. For subscription information go to: www.gunsandammo.com. Review by Browning staff writer Scott Engen.