Joined
·
42 Posts

Talk about fun, I believe this may be it in metallic form!
I was wondering if anyone has seen, and is feeling any interest in, the new pistol being manufactured and released in 2011 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of John M. Browning's design of the Model 1911 that has been so popular for only the past century. It is known as the 1911-22-A1.
I've watched a video or two, one featuring a Browning design engineer at the 2011 Shot Show taking down the pistol, that seem to give strong indication that the pistol design is genuinely based upon original Browning specifications. In spite of the fact that the pistol is a scaled-down (80%) replica of the standard 1911-A1 .45 ACP version, I was surprised to see that pistol is taken down exactly like my 1911s. It is not based upon a 1911 conversion unit, and the only difference apparent to me, per the video, is the modification of the recoil system to include a recoil buffer rod component, that is typically optional in the .45 ACP version.
I've called around to many of the gun shops in my area and thus far no one has one in stock for me to handle and inspect. It would appear that authorized Browning dealers will be the first to take shipment and they will be priced at $500-525, in spite of an MSRP of $600. I've got my name on the top of several lists to get a call when first shipments arrive.
Although it is not a target pistol, nor is it of standard 1911 size, it is a cheap-to-shoot plinker (.22 LR) with a very familiar feel, and it's made in the USA by a company with an impeccable reputation. Furthermore, assuming that Browning sticks to its present plan to make this a limited production pistol, I believe that this gun has great potential to be a collectible of the future.
Your thoughts and/or discussion?