By Jace Bauserman
I’m a handgun snob. Sure, I get excited about new releases and styles, but unless it’s a 1911 design, I typically don’t add it to my growing collection.
Legendary gunmaker John Moses Browning breathed the M1911 to life. Its purpose was to replace faulty revolver-style handguns used by the U.S. Military.
Immediately praised by troops for its reliability, accuracy, and easy-to-field strip design, the popularity of the M1911 exploded. The 1911 design is legendary, still impacting and influencing modern-day pistol design.
Browning 1911-380 Black Label Medallion Pro Details
A sexy, stylish handgun with Rosewood grips with checking, and the iconic Buckmark, Browning 1911-380 Black Label Medallion Pro jumps out at you. You can’t see it in a dealer’s case—the blackened stainless-steel finish with silver brushed polished flats and three-dot combat sights—and not want to handle it.
Regarding handling, the Browning 380 Medallion Pro is scaled to 85 percent the size of the original. The single-action 1911-380 sports a weight-reducing composite frame that promises easy handling and shooting control.
“I want it,” my bride of 22 years told me seconds after I unzipped the included Buckmark-branded soft case. She didn’t care that she’d never shot it. The 1911’s smaller-frame style and overall look appealed to her. “It will fit my hand,” she concluded before I could get a word in.
On The Range
The eight-round magazine ejects smoothly. It doesn’t shoot out of the gun but does come out strongly enough that it doesn’t hang up. The single-stack magazine loads easily, and throughout testing, which included 250 rounds, I had zero magazine malfunctions.
The trigger is clean and smooth. It’s not heavy or light, but it hits a sweet spot. At the shot, the 1911-380 sits like a well-trained retriever. Jump on the 4-1/2-inch matte barrel was ridiculously minimal. I could send it, reacquire my target quickly, and send it again. This is one advantage of shooting an ergonomic handgun with skeletonized controls in a caliber that doesn’t produce excessive recoil. I quickly discovered that I could put eight rounds on target in less than 15 seconds. Time is of the essence in a self-defense situation, and I appreciate how easy the Browning 1911-380 is to operate.
The 1911-380 Black Label Medallion Pro is an excellent handgun for any shooter. Whether you want to punch paper or bang steel at the range or use it as an EDC, it will serve you well. The handgun’s size is manageable for any shooter to control; however, even those with larger hands should find it comfortable.
Will It Work For Self-Defense?
I won’t blow smoke; the .380 isn’t a hammer. However, Browning’s 1911-380 will be in a holster below my bino harness when I roam the woods for elk this fall. No, it’s not enough for grizzly, but paired with Hornady’s 380 Auto 90-grain FTX Critical Defense or Browning’s 380 Automatic 95-grain X-Point Defense, this handgun will handful a black bear in a foul mood.
I know if a threat—human or non-human—needs to be neutralized, I can do it with this handgun. I can quickly put a lot of lead on target, and when the patented Flex Tip of FTX Critical Defense hits home, it hits with a wallop.
Another hat-tipper of Browning’s 1911-380 is that you can carry it anywhere. From 12 o’clock and appendix to the kidney and side, this firearm is easy to conceal. It fits perfectly into a concealed-carry purse, and holster options are many.
Browning’s 1911-380 is available in 15 different models. There is a model for every shooter, from the 1911-380 Medallion Stainless Engraved Compact to the 1911-380 Black Label Full Size – Cerakote to the 1911-380 Stainless Compact With Rail.
Cost: $979.99-$1,119.99
Pro: A handgun that checks the handling, accuracy, durability boxes, and sports racy eye appeal.
Cons: Make one up if you need one, but I won’t.
