Browning 1911-380 Handgun troubleshooting

Discussion in 'Browning 1911 - 380 Handgun' started by Billythekid, Jun 29, 2015.

  1. Texas-Mark

    Texas-Mark .22LR

    Did they say what they supposedly did to it? Seems to me like the only way to fix the rounds popping out is to fix the mag. It sucks that they scratched up your gun, and even more that you have to wait until April to get it replaced. I hope the new one does not have the same problems.
  2. TRR

    TRR .22LR

    I call about every two weeks. They tell me its on tne gunsmiths desk. They never provide me with any specific details. Once I talked to someone who seemed to care. He did tell me that they are goingvto replace the pistol, although he could not say why.

    When it was there for the ftf issues, I never got any information about what they were doing to my pistol. When I received it back there was no information about what the gunsmith did to fix the problem. The person you talk to in customer service only checks their database and will go no further to assist you. The gunsmiths document almost nothing.

    I am looking forward to having my pistol back. I can only be hopeful that it will never be sent back to Browning again.
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2016
  3. SHOOTER13

    SHOOTER13 Guest

    Welcome to the Browning Owners Forum TRR !!

    Please introduce yourself to our community via the New Member Welcome Area...

    Enjoy the forum.
  4. Packer

    Packer Copper BB

    Great Stuff!!
    Just got my 380 and need to do all the 'stuff' before heading to the range.
    The correct allen wrench is a .032?
    Seems that is the number that sticks in my mind.
    Got 6 mags in the works at $37.00+/-.
    Store in Casper had 10 in stock!

    Haven't even fired the thing and seems the forum has solved all my issues before I had them.
    Thanks Guys!
    SHOOTER13 likes this.
  5. SHOOTER13

    SHOOTER13 Guest

    Welcome to the Browning Owners Forum Packer !!

    Please introduce yourself to our community via the New Member Welcome Area...

    Enjoy the forum !!
  6. Packer

    Packer Copper BB

    Just a quick up-date.
    Allen wrenches come in fractional sizes EXCEPT that little one.

    That is decimal!
  7. TRR

    TRR .22LR

    I just received my pistol back from browning today. I took it to the range and ran several hundred rounds through it without a problem. I guess waiting several months for a new production run has cured the problem. I did not have any failure to feeds or live rounds ejecting out through the ejection port.
    SHOOTER13 likes this.
  8. Packer

    Packer Copper BB

    Caught the up-date from TRR and thought I would correct an earlier post of mine.
    That allen wrench is '.050' not .032.

    Sorry!
  9. TRR

    TRR .22LR

    Since my last post I have shot several hundred rounds through my 1911-380. I really have not experienced any problems and the gun and shooting very nicely. It looks like Remington fixed whatever problem they had with the current production run.

    I have had some experiences similar to Texas Mark where Live rounds will flip out of the end of the magazine when the magazine is not in the pistol. It doesn't happen very often but if I find if I make sure all of the rounds were seated as far back in the magazine as I can that helps solve that issue.
    SHOOTER13 likes this.
  10. SHOOTER13

    SHOOTER13 Guest

    Good news TRR...!!

    Now...Please take the time to introduce yourself to our community via the New Member Welcome Area...

    Thank you...
  11. SJTang

    SJTang Copper BB

    I've fired 1100 rounds through my 1911-380. I've never had the problem of live rounds being tossed, and I've got 2 replacement mags plus the original. The problem I have been having of late is that when I release the slide on a new mag, the slide isn't moving all the way forward. It doesn't matter whether I release the slide manually or use the slide release lever. I usually have to push it forward just a hair until the slide seats all the way forward. I'm ordering a couple of new recoil springs, but if anyone has any suggestions, it would be appreciated.
    SHOOTER13 likes this.
  12. SHOOTER13

    SHOOTER13 Guest

    Welcome to the Browning Owners Forum SJ !!

    Please introduce yourself to our community via the New Member Welcome Area...

    Enjoy the forum.
  13. SHOOTER13

    SHOOTER13 Guest

    SJ...It could be the feed lips are slightly bent...or that the gun is a little dirty.
  14. TRR

    TRR .22LR

    Are you shooting factory loads or reloaded ammunition?

    If you are shooting reloads, there may be a problem with your sizing die.

    If shooting factory loads pull your barrel out and see if your ammunition will load in the chamber without problems.

    A good thorough cleaning might also help.
  15. SJTang

    SJTang Copper BB

    I clean the gun after every range session and I only use factory ammo, so unless it's fouling from the ammo, I don't think dirt is the issue. I'll check the feed lips.
  16. SJTang

    SJTang Copper BB

    The ammo is PMC. It liked the PMC better than Blazer Brass. The rounds all load and eject fine after the first shot. I am OC when cleaning my guns, and I usually do a final wipedown with a white cloth looking for anything I might have missed.
  17. SHOOTER13

    SHOOTER13 Guest

    All we can do is offer suggestions based on what you tell us...

    Did it happen with the original Browning provided mag...?

    Who makes the replacement mags...?

    Are they the only ones causing the problem...?
  18. Socrates

    Socrates Copper BB

    Thank everyone who has provided troubleshooting info for the 1911-380. As I read older posts, the pain of trying to find these firearms may be easing. Went to my local Sportsman's Warehouse and they had exactly the model I wanted ... Black Label Pro with 3-dot sights. I really need dots these days. Another wonderful surprise ... it came with two mags!

    First 150 rounds were just fine. By the time I was up to 200, I was needing to bob-and-weave to prevent being hit in the face or head with ejected casings ... factory or reloads. That really doesn't help accuracy ;)

    Ran into your forum, found the fix ... loose ejector and went to the desert today. I also worked on mag lips but not quite as much as recommended ... only moved them in to 0.312". Ran 350 rounds today, combination of reloads and factory loads, 88 gr HP, 90 gr HP, 95 gr FMJ and 100 gr plated flat points. EVERY round fed and fired perfectly. No FTFs. No stovepipes. And no ejected casings in the face.

    Checked the ejector after 350 and it was starting to loosen up. I normally use non-chlorinated brake cleaners on my 1911's to clean and degrease. Haven't put Loctite on the ejector screw yet and I'm not sure about using brake cleaner with this gun. Don't know how it affects finish. Grips and guide rod come off easily so not worried there but I don't know what other parts are just hiding and waiting to melt away due to brake cleaner.

    Suggestions for degreasing ejector hole and screw?
  19. TRR

    TRR .22LR

    I wish I had watied. I jumped on the 1911-380 bandwagon during the first production run, and I paid the price for it. Basic sights, only one mag, and about 6 months of having the pistol sit in Browning's warranty repair shop. I have put small drops of paint on my sights, purchased more magazines, and had Browning solve the cartridge feeding issues by replacing my pistol with a newer model.

    For the price of the 1911-380, I was expecting more than I received. Overall I'm happy with this pistol now, but if I was really wise, I would never purchase the first production run of anything, especially a firearm.
  20. Socrates

    Socrates Copper BB

    Sorry I don't really know how to post. I tried creating a post titled detail stripping a 1911-380.

    I regularly detail strip my full size 1911 match guns at least once a year. None of my 1911s have an ambi safety. I quickly realized I needed to figure out how to remove the roll pin without damaging the safety shaft or frame. I ground the blade of an old chef's knife into a tool I can slide between the left safety lever and frame. I put a notch in the blade closely approximating the diameter of the shaft and placed the blade in vice. I slid the frame down until the shaft rested in the notch.

    The roll pin came out after a few taps with a drill bit ground down to just under the diameter of roll pin. Once the safety lever was removed, detail stripping the trigger group, hammer and grip safety was the same process as a 1911. I was pleased to see all the internal parts closely matched John Browning's design. I was relieved at that point because I knew I could reassemble the gun and not need to send a box of parts back to Browning.

    I'm attaching two photos, one stripped including my special tool and the other showing how I positioned shaft in the knife blade notch (thank you PhotoShop).
    IMG_9647.jpg tool usage.jpg
    Now that I know I can do this, I probably won't do it again unless it gets REALLY dirty.

    A few notes:
    1) don't allow the tool to go so far forward as to damage the frame's grip screw nubby (how's that for technical).
    2) Do this at your own risk. Had it not been for that ambi safety, I would have no problem doing this.
    3) This is not a FULL detail strip. I didn't bother removing the ejector because I Loctited the screw holding the plate. I also didn't bother removing other parts that would be removed if I was trying to fit a slide to a frame or do real gun work.

    If I do it again, I'll try to order a new roll pin before I disassemble. I'm not worried about the shaft of the safety lever but next time it may not come out and go back in as easily.

    Soc

    IMG_9647.jpg tool usage.jpg
    drewzter, wchancey and Ken. like this.

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