East Crane EC-909 LR OBR DMR AEG; Semi-Automatic Only

The East Crane EC-909 is based on a real world DMR rifle some may remember from a few years ago when it was sighted doing its dirty work down range in the hands of the one and only Chris Costa. If that isn't enough to convince you, read on!

The EC-909 is set up from the factory locked to semi-automatic, meaning converting this AEG for DMR use is as simple as dropping in your preferred spring via the quick change spring system. To facilitate its role as a DMR, the EC-909 comes equipped with a 6.04mm tightbore inner barrel coupled with a rotary HOP-up unit, boasting full TM compatibility for the upgrade fiends with respectable parts installed straight out of the box. 

On the outside, things are equally special. The EC-909 carries through a very unique feature from the real rifle; the ability to quickly release the handguard to access the barrel and gas system. This isn't an awful lot of use to us Airsofters, but for those who appreciate going above and beyond for realism, nothing else would do. With full metal construction, M4 stock and pistol grip compatibility and an absolutely unique front end, if you want a DMR that makes people double-take, wondering how you did that with an SR-25, get yourself an EC-909!

Starting at the front we can find a meaty 7.62x51mm muzzle brake concealing 14mm CCW male threads on the outer barrel beneath. The brake looks fantastic and gives the EC-909 an aggressive look but it can easily be replaced with any 14mm CCW threaded muzzle device such as tracer units or suppressors if you prefer. 

Following the barrel rearwards by around an inch, we come to the handguard which is one of the most unique attributes of the EC-909. This handguard is patterned after the LR OBR style handguard, boasting a 20mm Picatinny rail at the 12 o'clock position and proprietory negative space attachment slots at the 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions. If you see the word proprietory and get bad vibes, there is no need to! The EX-909 comes with 3 20mm Picatinny rail sections and a whopping 16 slot cover sections, meaning you will never struggle to mount your preferred 20mm grip, laser or tactical flashlight, with enough rail covers included that you can cover the entire handguard. 

The handguard also has a neat trick up its sleeve to which we already alluded. Just like the real rifle, the handguard can be quickly removed by turning the rotary locking lugs on either side by 90 degrees, after which the spring loaded levers can be pulled back and the handguard pulled off the front of the rifle. This was designed into the real rifle to allow the gas system and barrel to be easily accessed without needing an armourer or to tighten the rail back down to the precise torque levels it needs. For Airsofters, this means very little other than another super realistic feature to drool over!

Through the weight-reducing ports on either side of the handguard we are treated to a glimpse of the very realistic mock gas tube and gas block, something often missed by other manufacturers. Seeing a realistic gas tube and block always makes us smile, and if you are the type who notices the details this should please you!

The receiver follows the M4/AR-15 layout, meaning good news for those already accustomed to M4s and an easy transition over to the new rifle. The fire selector is located on the left side, just above the pistol grip, and offers 2 modes of fire; Safe and semi-automatic, with a 90-degree throw between each mode. The selector does not stop at semi-auto, but if you push it into what is normally the full auto position you will simply get another semi-auto mode. The 90-degree throw means the selector is quick to use but without the risk of accidentally bumping it out of place at an inopportune moment. 

The magazine release is located on the right side, on the magazine well, and is a push-button design, just like an M4. The magazines of the EC-909 are much larger than an M4, being patterned after real steel 7.62x51mm mags, so while the layout is about the same, M4 mags are not compatible. The pistol grip, however, is M4 compatible, meaning you can swap it out for your preferred grip if you don't like the "A2" finger-ridged grip which comes pre-installed. 

 The charging handle can be found at the top rear of the receiver and when pulled back, allows access to the rotary HOP-up unit through the ejection port on the right side by retracting the detailed mock bolt carrier. With the HOP-up adjuster exposed, you can tune the EC-909 for different ammo weights and extend your range, looking for the flattest possible trajectory. The rotary HOP-up design is known to be the best option for M4/AR-15 style AEG platforms, offering improved setting retention and finer increments of adjustment when compared to the older "gear" adjuster design. With your HOP-up adjustment complete, you can hit the realistic mock bolt catch on the left side of the receiver to send the mock bolt home with a satisfying metal-on-metal "clank". 

The receiver itself looks similar to an SR-25 platform, with dynamic angled surfaces, protected controls and weight reduction throughout. Where the receiver differs is in the upper receiver design, which includes part of the locking interface for the QR handguard. The trigger guard is also built into the receiver, being an enlarged design to allow easy access to the trigger with full-finger gloves. Having a trigger guard machined into the receiver improves the overall strength of the piece, a hallmark of more modern, high-end real steel ARs. 

As we arrive at the rear of the rifle we can see a familiar sight; the M4/AR-15 buffer tube. This means stock compatibility with M4/AR-15 stocks is a go, giving you access to the widest stock aftermarket known to man. The buffer tube is constructed from alloy with a steel castle nut and provides 6 positions of adjustment for the pre-installed Crane stock. The Crane stock has a comfortable sloped cheekpiece, a textured adjustment lever and built-in QD sling sockets on either side, with additional sling mounting slots for conventional strap slings. 

The stock also functions as the battery compartment for the EC-909, giving you plenty of room to install a 7.4V 1450mAh stick battery in either the stock itself or the buffer tube. The stock is also compatible with nunchuck/crane configuration batteries but we advise being careful not to squash the cell groups if you are using LiPo batteries. To access the battery compartment, simply squeeze the two tabs protruding through the butt plate together, after which the butt plate and battery compartment plug can be removed. Inside, you will find a Deans battery connector to which you mount your choice of battery. The Deans connector is credited with offering lower resistance and being stronger than the older mini-Tamiya connector, meaning no need to break out the soldering iron if you prefer the more modern Deans connector. 

When it comes to internals, East Crane is taking no prisoners with the EC-909! The gearbox is a Version 2 long (sometimes known as version 2.5) gearbox with Tokyo Marui compatible steel gears and a long cylinder and piston, offering greater air volume than a standard V2 which lends itself well to DMR setups with long inner barrels. 

The inner barrel is a 6.04mm tightbore, giving you a bit more accuracy and FPS than a standard bore would, and the trigger is set by default to semi-auto only, giving you a fantastic DMR base gun with the prerequisite 7.62x51 styling and all the hard parts of the tuning process done already. The quick change spring system makes converting this AEG into a true DMR super slick and easy, requiring minimal technical skill and no need to open the gearbox shell. 

If you want to join the DMR gang but want something a little different, the EC-909 LR OBR would be a great choice. With pre-upgraded internals practically begging for a stronger spring, pre-locked fire controls to keep the marshalls happy and absolutely beastly 7.62x51mm style looks, the EC-909 is the DMR many of us have dreamed of, and now it's here!

Features

• Full metal construction
• 6.04mm Tightbore inner barrel - Improved accuracy 
• Locked to Semi-automatic only - Ready for DMR duty
• 14mm CCW male threaded outer barrel - Tracer/suppressor ready
• In-Line MOSFET pre-installed - Improved electrical efficiency = Improved trigger response
• Proprietory LR style negative space attachment system - 3 x 20mm Rail sections & 16 x covers included
• Quick Release handguard via spring-loaded throw levers on each side - Matches the real rifle perfectly
• Mock gas block & gas tube visible through handguard ports - Very realistic, will please the sticklers!
• Troy-style flip-up iron sights pre-installed - Fully adjustable & removable
• 20mm Picatinny railed receiver - Ready for a red dot sight or scope to be mounted
• 20mm Picatinny railed handguard - Lengthy 20mm rail at the 12 o'clock position, perfect for lasers & flashlights
• Modernised receiver design - Angled surfaces, weight reduction, enlarged trigger guard built in
• Finger ridged "A2" pistol grip - Familiar and comfortable for most users, diamond gripping texture on each side
• 6-Position M4/AR-15 buffer tube - Standard M4 AEG spec, fit aftermarket M4 AEG stocks easily
• Crane stock pre-installed - Plenty of battery space, QD sling sockets & sling slots on either side
• Rotary adjustable HOP-up unit - Accessible through the ejection port when the charging handle is pulled
• Rear wired - Deans battery connector (Deans to mini-Tamiya adapter included)
• Spare Magazines: 550rnd High-cap W-MAG | 130rnd Mid-cap W-MAG
• Compatible with Classic Army/A&K/CYMA SR-25 mags - Not compatible with G&G

Package Includes

• East Crane EC-909 LR OBR DMR AEG; Semi-Automatic Only
• 130rnd Mid-cap magazine
• User manual
• Deans to mini-Tamiya adapter