The Browning Arms Company − the north American subsidiary of the Belgian FN Herstal - Browning International S.A. group, headquartered in Morgan (Utah, U.S.A.) − first launched the 1911-22 line of semi-automatic pistols in the year 2011.
Conceived for collectors and everyday shooters alike, the Browning's 1911-22 pistol design is based upon the lines of the quintessential American pistol conceived now well over one Century ago by John Moses Browning himself.
Of course the Browning 1911-22 pistols have their little but significant differences: the guns are merely blowback-operated and their overall size is reduced from the original − more specifically, a Browning 1911-22 is 85% the size of an average 1911 type pistol in .45, 9mm or any other centerfire caliber. Despite these peculiar features, the Browning Arms Company decided to maintain the look and feel of its 1911-22 pistols as much as possible along the lines of the original.
The Browning 1911-22 pistols feed through single-stack magazines, holding ten rounds of .22 Long Rifle ammunition; they may lack the stopping power required to a viable defensive pistol − although their compact size and light weight makes them excellent for concealed carry − but they're nonetheless perfect for informal plinking, shooting practice at the range, and even for propedeutic purposes − that is, to introduce the younger generations and first-time shooters at large to the basics of marksmanship and safe handling of firearms.
As .22-caliber pistols remain extremely popular worldwide, the Browning 1911-22 line enjoyed an immediate market success, and the Company decided to introduce more variants as the time went by. The latest versions of the platform were first seen at the 2014 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, last January, and are now being distributed in the United States − and included by the Guns and Ammo network of magazines between the best 1911 pistol variants of the year. We are talking of course about the Browning 1911-22 A1 Black Label Laminate pistols.
These four new variants − two full-sized pistols and two compacts − further refine the aesthetics and functionality of the earlier baseline models, remaining along the lines of the latest trends set by the bulk of modern 1911-type pistols.
All the 1911-22 A1 "Black Label Laminate" pistols are built around a black polymer frame and a black hard anodized machined aluminium slide. Other features include a skeletonized trigger and a lightweight "Commander" style hammer, and laminate wooden grip panels. Sights are fixed, and controls configuration remains the same as found on most modern 1911 variants: this includes an ambidextrous safety switch, Beavertail grip safety and extended slide release.
The full-size version is 19cm./7.½" long overall, sports a 10,79cm./4.¼" barrel and weighs just a little bit less than 400 grams (14oz.) unloaded; same goes for the railed frame variant, which also sports a "Combat" style squared front trigger guard.
The compact version is 17,46cm./6.875" long overall, sports a 9,2cm./3.625" long barrel and weighs around 370 grams (13oz.) unloaded; once again, same goes for its railed frame variant.
Currently the Browning 1911-22 A1 "Black Label Laminate" rimfire semi-automatic pistols are sold in the United States at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $639.99 for the non-railed versions and $699.99 for both railed versions.
At the current change rate, that would be respectively 497,83€ and 544,50€ − but price can and will vary on the export market due to a plethora of variants applying in different Countries. Prospective non-US buyers may thus want to inquire about local availability and pricing with their national authorized/official importers and distributors of Browning products, or with their local retailers; the Browning International website is a good place to start.
