My impression of my new 1911 380.

Update -
Got the pistol back from the gunsmith and took it to the range this AM.
Shot 100 rounds. Shot great and was accurate. No stove pipes or FTFs.
He cleaned up and polished the ramp and cleaned up a couple of other parts.
The 4 magazines are stock.
It is now the pistol I thought it might be.
I'll put a couple of hundred rounds through it and see how it goes.
Scott

On second thought -
I am disappointed that I had to get this pistol to a gunsmith for attention, as it was a somewhat pricey purchase. I know I could have sent it back to Browning for work, but opted for an independent gunsmith. I am not really pleased with Browning right now.
My cost to the gunsmith was a 50 round box of 9mm ammo. He is a good friend of my Son.
My almost new Sig 365 shoots great as well as the 1911 .380. I am more accurate with the .380 than the 365, probably due to a longer barrel and better fit to my hand. The .380 is a handsome side arm and I am feeling better about it.
Scott

I am happy to hear that your Browning seems to be working properly now. They really are nice when they work right! I agree that it is a doggoned shame when you pay more for what should be a better gun and then have to pay even more to get it to wokrk properly. However, I am reading more and more quality problems with "major" manufacturers - mostly S&W and Ruger, but those are the forums I frequent.

I know I was totally bummed when my Ruger Mark IV Lite absolutely would not work in spite of doing everything that the real experts on the Ruger forum recommended - most to "fix" magazine problems. And that included two trips back to Ruger on their dime. Finaly I gave in and ordered the Volquartsen Accurizing kit, plus a "halo" for the end of the bolt to prevent the seriously pinched finger syndrome that is part of the original design. So that was close to another $200 but the gun works great now. This is just not right.

I divorced the thing for "irreconcilable differences" and my Hubby adopted it. Now he is greatly enjoying shooting it. At least I didn't have to sell it for less than half of what I paid.

I had my Browning 1911-22 back out again today. It is SUCH a fun gun to shoot in every way. I thought I was going nuts, though: On one new course of fire I was demonstrating to my friend........or trying to...I chambered a round, holstered, then drew and pulled the trigger and NOTHING. Dropped the mag, ejected the round, put it back in the mag, and the same thing. The second time that round would not fire or eject, so we had to my my "pusher" stick to get it back out. YEP - two dents, no Pop. Bad round.

The joys of shooting never end.

I sold mine. I was a little disappointed with its accuracy.


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Try Numrich Corp. I have ordered from them before and they carry many parts for the 380 and 22 parts.

I use the full length recoil spring guide. Not sure I notice any difference but I make that mod on all my semi 1911's. OK here is the latest update on the mags. I shot 75 rounds yesterday with a prototype mag mod. Note one FTF or stove pipe. I now have two mags fully modified. Once way I do some dry testing is to put a round in the mag, with the slide locked to see if the nose is on the ramp. So far perfect. The exposed spring coil is now totally gone and the mag loads like they should. These are the ones I filled the inside of the follower with resin making sure it is level. I'll go back up to the range in a few days but I am totally confident this is a fix that makes the 1911-380 operate like it should. The follower moves like it should, nice and smooth.

Encouraging about the mags…I went to the range today and put 170 rounds thru my 380. It was not trouble free but significant improvement. I’ll post a detailed write up on the thread I been adding to about mis-feeds.

You migt consider G10 grips. I put them on every seni that I own including the Browning.

I have G10 grips on one gun and they are much too harsh for my "delicate old hands." They do provide a great grip when I'm wearing shooting gloves, though. I put layers of plastic for "shims" under the grips of my 1911-22 and it fits my hands nicely now. I do the layers of plastic first because that is FREE, and have done 4 guns that way.

And beside that the grip panels on the gun are pretty. I like them.

Of my two, one is great, the other is slowly getting there.