hayseed_theology
Senior Member
A couple of years ago, I picked up a Walther P22 for my wife to learn how to shoot. She is comfortable with the semi-auto controls and is a pretty good shot with it. I had eventually hoped to step her up to a .380 after a while. I started looking at the S&W Shield EZ since she would be the target audience for that gun - low recoil, easy to rack slide, added peace of mind of a grip safety, ambidextrous thumb safety(my wife is a lefty), larger and easier to shoot than a pocket .380, etc. It seemed like a good option, but I was not all that enthusiastic about the Shield EZ. Then I started looking at the Browning 1911-380 which shared a lot of features and dimensions with the Shield EZ but in a much more interesting package. For those not familiar with it, the 1911-380 is an 85% scaled down version of a standard 1911. Browning makes a standard model with a 4.25" barrel and a compact model with a 3.63" barrel. Another advantage was that the 1911-380 was available with factory night sights, and I'm not sure anyone is making front and rear night sights for the Shield EZ. I ended up finding a decent deal online for a compact model with rail and night sights. Picked it up yesterday. Man, it is a sweet little package! Wife said it felt good in her hands too. Can't wait to get it to the range. Just had to share a few pics.
