Browning 1911-380 .380 Auto
Model: 051904492
Browning 1911-380 .380 Auto
Model: 051904492
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The Browning 1911-380 is a full-size single-action .380 built for range shooting and belt carry. It has an MSRP of $820. Browning builds the frame at 85 percent of original 1911 size and makes it from composite, which is how a 7.5-inch pistol with a 4.25-inch barrel weighs 18 oz.
Controls are the 1911 set, with an extended ambidextrous thumb safety, a grip safety and a skeletonized hammer, so anyone who has run a 1911 already knows the sequence. Fixed combat sights come front and rear and nothing on them moves. The magazine is a single stack holding eight rounds, and spares are a separate order from Browning. A pistol rug comes in the box.
If you're cross-shopping, the Kimber Micro shrinks the same single-action idea to a 2.75-inch barrel and 13.4 oz with seven rounds, tritium night sights and an MSRP of $735, so it carries in a pocket the Browning cannot use. The Smith & Wesson M&P Shield EZ matches the eight-round magazine at 18.3 oz with an MSRP of $469, and its internal hammer and grip safety leave nothing to sweep off.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- The frame is 85 percent of a 1911’s size instead of a cut-down micro, so all three fingers find a place on the grip.
- Browning puts a machined steel slide on a composite frame, so the parts that wear are metal even though the frame is not.
- The hammer is skeletonized and the trigger and trigger guard are finished matte black, so a bright frame does not catch light at the sights.
- Spare magazines are an extra order, and they come from Browning alone, so there is no common single-stack .380 magazine to fall back on.
- Carrying it means a cocked hammer under a thumb safety, which is a method some buyers will not use.
- The grip safety and thumb safety both have to be handled correctly under stress, which is two more steps than a striker-fired .380 asks for.
Category Rankings
How the Browning 1911-380 .380 Auto ranks among compact .380 Auto handguns.
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Alternatives to Consider
Similar compact .380 Auto handguns ranked by similarity.
| NAME | BEST PRICE |
|---|---|
|
Smith & Wesson M&P Shield EZ .380 Auto
Smith & Wesson
|
$406.99 |
|
Walther CCP M2 .380 Auto
Walther
|
$429.99 |
|
Ruger Security-380 .380 Auto
Ruger
|
$320.99 |
|
Beretta 80X Cheetah .380 Auto
Beretta
|
$599.00 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do full-size 1911 parts fit it?
No. Browning builds the pistol at 85 percent of 1911 dimensions, so parts cut for a full-size gun are the wrong size.
Can a light or a red dot be added?
Neither. There is no accessory rail on the frame and no optic cut in the slide, so the pistol is aimed with its fixed combat sights.
Is there a .22 version of the same pistol?
Yes. Browning builds the 1911-22 on the same pattern and covers both guns in one owner’s manual.
