Browning Sneaks in New Photos and Videos of Their 1911-22

After getting everyone excited/pissed off at this year’s SHOT Show by introducing their first 1911, an aluminum-alloy-framed, reduced-scale .22, Browning went all mum about it.  It got delayed, although rumor has it that August’s the month.

First, a few details for those of you that don’t know.  Even though Browning, the company, started by John Moses Browning, was and is a great arms company, and Browning, the man, designed the 1911, Browning, both of them, never actually made and sold a single 1911 under their name, not until now.

So it was a huge surprise when they announced the 1911-22.  While most people were expecting either a premium .45 or a molecular clone of the very first design, Browning came out the gate with… a plinker?  But that’s just it, everyone and their mother’s making great big ol’ .45s in full dress for the Year of the 1911, and .22 lookalikes and conversion uppers are everywhere.  Browning took the original design and re-designed it.

Naturally, this, and we’re being polite here, had people shitting up the wall.  All the way up it.  It will take time for an 85%-scale, all-aluminum (even the slide, although the slide internals, extractor, and breech face are all steel) “toy” 1911 to gain acceptance, and even some people will never deign touch one.

And it’s expensive.  For a .22.  It’ll cost you at least $500 to get one this year.  Maybe in a while the price will go down.  It’s not like the machinery to make a brand-new pistol was just boxed up in the basement of the Browning mansion, they had some serious investments to make.  But for some, it’s already worth it.  Especially when you hear it weighs just 15.5oz dry.

The 1911-22 is, size aside, almost identical to the original design.  The trigger and trigger guard is larger and the mag release lower.  The ejection port is flared.  The barrel doesn’t used locking lugs, it’s a .22, it doesn’t need any.  And the barrel is target-crowned.  But aside from that, they’re like long-lost brothers.  They even have the same injection-molded plastic grips.

But what are we doing, telling you all this.  Go check out Browning’s interactive tour of the 1911-22.  Would you like to know why 85%?  Would you like to know how it’s been tested?  Just wanna watch a few videos?  If you’re already on board, it’ll ease the pain of waiting.  If you’re thoroughly against this pistol… maybe it’ll change your mind.