13 months old and broken - help please

Something else just occured to me.
Shootergranny, do you use spacers with your grips to make them thicker/fatter?
If you do, and if the spacer on the right side has slipped slightly forward, it will obstruct the rightward motion of the button release assembly and prevent the trigger from releasing. I just tested this on one of my pistols to confirm it.

Check to see if the top right grip screw has loosened up.
If it has and the top of your right grip or spacer has shifted forward even a tiny amount, it will obstruct the mag release travel and can block the trigger.

I use spacers in the 1911-22 but not in the 380. I thought I had them in both, but they seem to be not in the 380 and I've been shooting it just fine - until last week. In fact, in June for my 85th 'birthday party' at the range I took both of my Brownings and had the best looking target I've shot in quite a while. Should have saved it, or at least taken a good picture.

It seems that I can't type anymore either!

Me neither.
What I was really trying to say, was check to see if the right grip or spacer has slipped forward.
BTW, if something is partially blocking the forward motion of the grip safety, it can also cause this problem.

Do your mags have any drag marks or scratches on the sides?

I checked all 6 and no scratches. The only marks were light fingerprints and fabric imprints from where they are stored and those came right off when I lightly buffed them with a soft cloth (my sweat pants). I very lightly oil the outside of the mags and even wipe that mostly off, but NO OIL on the mag insides ever.

Our friend John is going to give it a try. I printed all of Jim's ideas and suggestions for guidelines for him..

Further results will appear as they occur. Hopefully positive ones! I paid WAY too much money for that gun to not have it work properly and to not keep it, even though last Friday I was ready to just give it away.

OH, Jim: I do have one layer of spacers under the grips and tested the mag button to make sure that there is no interference. Since it is just one thin layer, I didn't see the until I really looked very close. I also wrote to John to tell him to watch for that issue if/when putting the grips back on.

When the mag release is working correctly - on the right side it will be depressed into the frame when the mag is removed, will protrude slightly when the mag is first inserted but not yet seated home, and will be flush when the mag is seated. I suspect yours is off by a couple of thousandths, which might not be visible. If you replace the mag release spring, be aware that it is different from the 1911-22.

Thanks, Jim. Our friend John has it right now. He will not totally detail strip it because there is one roll pin that is all but impossible to put back in and none to be found for sale anywhere.

Of interest: When hubby took it to the range Wed. he and John did the empty gun "slide forward, insert mag, pull trigger" and it worked perfectly. it did not do that at home when hubby was trying to get it to work. I don't think they loaded the mags to see if/how it worked when loaded. I'll keep you informed if/when I know anything else. Grrrr......