NRA Gun of the Week: Browning Black Label 1911 .380

NRA Staff

posted on November 7, 2015

Videos News Reviews Handguns Semi-Auto Handguns NRA Gun of the Week

Support NRA American Rifleman DONATE

** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Browning has taken the same basic platform as its M1911-22 85-percent size pistol to the next level by building it as a locked-breech center-fire pistol chambered in .380 ACP. The new 1911-380 is a marriage between classic form and modern engineering, incorporating a polymer frame and all the features of a full-size pistol. Bilateral safety levers, a beavertail grip safety with memory pad and a drift-adjustable rear sight are just a few of its standout features. Low recoil from the .380 ACP cartridge and a longer-than-typical sight radius make it an easy handgun to shoot well. Additionally, the longer barrel maximizes the little cartridge’s potential—especially when utilizing modern defensive loads. Check out this "NRA Gun of the Week" video as Senior Executive Editor Brian Sheetz walks through all of the features of the Browning M1911-380. For more information, visit browning.com.

Specifications
Manufacturer: Browning
Model: Black Label 1911-380
Action: recoil-operated, center-fire, semi-automatic pistol
Caliber: .380 ACP
Slide: steel, matte blue
Frame: aluminum-reinforced polymer
Sights: combat-style, post front, ramped rear
Barrel: 4.25”
Trigger: single-action; 5-lb., 10-oz. pull
Overall Length: 7.25”
Weight: 17.5 ozs., empty
Capacity: eight-round, detachable box
Accessories: owner’s manual, hard case, lock
MSRP: $670

For more on the Browning M1911-380, please enjoy the following articles:

New! Browning 1911 .380 ACP

Latest

I Have This Old Gun: Colt 1860 Army Revolver

For the Union Army during the American Civil War, its officers and cavalry troopers relied on one of Colt's most notable firearms: the 1860 Army revolver.

News, ARTV

An Affordable Micro-Compact: The Derya Arms DY9Z

The new Derya Arms DY9Z not only fits into the “micro-compact” class of defensive handguns, it adds another adjective: affordable.

News, Guns

Preview: Ballistol Anniversary Box

Ballistol is one of the most versatile cleaning solutions available on the market, and, in 2025, the company celebrated 120 years in business, with 30 of those years as Ballistol USA.

News, Gear

Review: Savage Stance XR

Savage Arms reworked its Stance pistol in 2025 to incorporate desirable features not available in the first iteration, resulting in the new Stance XR.

News, Semi-Auto Handguns

Preview: Die Free Kung Fu Grip

A replacement pistol grip for AR-10/15-pattern rifles, the Kung Fu Grip from Die Free Co. utilizes a reduced (12 degree) grip angle that makes shooting a gun with a short length of pull much more comfortable on the wrist—making it an ideal choice for practitioners of modern, squared-up shooting stances.

News, Gear

The Elusive Finnish Mausers

In the 1920s, the Finnish Shooting Sport Federation sought to replace the military’s venerable Mosin-Nagant. Its attempts to introduce Mauser target rifles as service rifles were eventually thwarted in the 1930s by design limitations and budgets.

News, Rifles