ShadowCatcher Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Greetings all, This isn’t cowboy, not even Wild Bunch (although it comes real near to it!), and after watching the urination contest about shooting .22’s in SASS I’m almost afraid to speak about it, but here in the Saloon a little Dutch courage can make the difference! It’s OT for most, but what the heck. I just got my hands on a new Browning 1911-22, a 7/8th scale copy of the 1911. It’s a darling little plinker that weighs around 16 ounces, and operates exactly like its' big brother. My Toy! Family Picture. Overlay. It's cute! Out of the box it came with a rough 7-8 pound trigger, but some judicious polishing of surfaces, and adjusting of the springs has it down around 4.5 pounds now, with just a touch of grit that will wear in soon enough. The sights are vintage early Colt, that is – tiny. Opening up the rear sight for depth and width lets in enough light to allow you to see the front sight . . . just barely. Might have to put a drop of gold paint on that. Because it’s tinier than it’s siblings, it has a VERY short trigger, so I will someday fabricate a longer one for it. Additionally, it has a traditional spur hammer and it will bite you at times if you’re not careful. I’ve tested it over sandbags at 15 yds twice now, utilizing every brand of ammo I can find (at least 12 different types so far) and have concluded that it will feed anything I throw at it. It seems to group best for me using standard velocity ammo, the high speed stuff not so much. My favorite is either CCI or Remington at 1085f/s, they give 1-1.25" ten shot groups reliably. Others open up to 2" pretty quick, or even bigger. Not a target pistol, but if you want to bust clay pigeons at 50 yds, or chase tin cans at 15 yds, or just have safe fun with a .22 for plinking - it will do the job and put a smile on your face! It has a rather deviously designed magazine that allows the ten rounds to stack slightly staggered at the rims, reducing total height. Those magazines are neigh on impossible to find anywhere. I stumbled upon a small trove of them and bought them out, so now I have four, the one it came with and the three I found! There is no question that at over $500 it is spendy, and there are 1911 clones in .22 that are more accurate for a lot less money. The only excuse I can make is that it just has the “cuteness” factor down to perfection. It feels and functions like a 1911, and it takes down like one. Most internal parts are steel and are exactly the same as the full size, only tiny! I’ve met a few gun fans who are already starting to think about making an IPSC style race gun conversion for it, or at least a few aftermarket accessories, like beavertail grips safeties. One 1911 forum member already has custom Novak sights on his! If they’d take this concept and extend it to .25 or .32 they’d have the best of all worlds in a new design pocket pistol. I know of a few folks who are ready to carry this one as a personal protection gun, but I think that’s taking the cuteness factor too far into the real world. Browning also makes one in a commander configuration, ½ inch shorter. The trick set up will be to get that one, add the barrel from the Gov’t version, thread it and put a suppressor on it. IF you are a dyed in the wool fan of the Colt 1911, this Browning gun is worth thinking seriously about. I have two 7/8 scale Peacemaker SAA’s from Colt, along with a Winchester 9422, which make a wonderful rimfire version of the SASS outfit, now if someone can make a Ruger 10/22 look like an M-14 or M-1 carbine, or better yet, clone the M-1 or M-14 in mini-me form, we can add this to it and have a rimfire version of a WW2 rig! So far it is more fun than kittens! If you can find one, take a good look at it, it's worth thinking about. Shadow Catcher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trigger Mike Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I have been thinking of buying one of those for my daughter. My sig 1911-22 has a grip safety and she lacks strength and grip to pull the trigger. She can pull the trigger on the chiappa since it does not have a grip safety but it is still too big for her hands. I wonder how she would do with the browning. PS chiappa makes a 22 m1 carbien clone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowCatcher Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 I have been thinking of buying one of those for my daughter. My sig 1911-22 has a grip safety and she lacks strength and grip to pull the trigger. She can pull the trigger on the chiappa since it does not have a grip safety but it is still too big for her hands. I wonder how she would do with the browning. PS chiappa makes a 22 m1 carbien clone Yesterday I was at the range watching a guy teach his two children (ages around 7-9) to shoot using his .45 Colt. I gave him my Colt Peacemaker and a box of .22's and those two kids were in heaven. Just like Daddy only sized for them. They got their hands on the 1911-22 and loved it! Just like Uncle Bill, only sized for them! The thing to deal with is the trigger - it's heavy and gritty out of the box. Open the gun up and clean the surfaces, and adjust the sear spring as shown in the Brownells tech tips page - and Bob's your uncle! Thanks for the heads up about Chiappa - gotta go web surfing and check it out! SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Dave Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Nice lookin little piece. Just right for Mild Bunch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 :lol: Grizz, you are such a clown. Mild bunch! :lol: Nice toy, Shadow Catcher. How about we go out the range one day and bust some caps? Shoot me an e mule when you are free to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowCatcher Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 :lol: Grizz, you are such a clown. Mild bunch! :lol: Nice toy, Shadow Catcher. How about we go out the range one day and bust some caps? Shoot me an e mule when you are free to do so. Planning to be at Renton next Saturday am. Bringing this toy, plus my Colt's Peacemakers and Win 9422. Gonna be a rimfire day - plan to get there around 10:00 . . . see if'n you can join us! SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Jake1001 Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I gotz lots of .22's, maybe 25 of 'em, rifles and handguns. I want to come to, but alas I'm down here in 'Sunny SoCal. Got plans next weekend too. But, I sure would have fun if I was up there in my old stomping grounds. Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Curly Cole and I saw one a few weeks back and Curly's increased his water intake about 400% to compensate for drooling so much. Nice little gun, though, I will admit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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