Evolution E911 GBB Pistol; Special Operations

John Moses Browning's 1911 pistol design is now over a century old, but thanks to the unnatural attachment Americans have to the platform, and its excellent reputation for reliability and accuracy, the old pistol just keeps getting reinvented for the modern world, giving more recent designs a run for their money! The Evolution Airsoft E911 Special Operations is styled after modernised 1911 variants, and sports all the prerequisite features of such a platform; a threaded outer barrel for adding tracers or suppressors, fixed high-vis green dot sights, a 20mm Picatinny frame rail for mounting a tactical flashlight, and modern tactical styling thanks to its forward slide serrations and "night warrior" style textured grip panels.

Starting at the tip of the outer barrel we can find a knurled thread protector, hiding a 14mm CCW male thread beneath. This thread adapter attaches to the 11mm CW threads on the outer barrel itself, allowing you to remove the protruding threaded section of the outer barrel for a more compact and traditional 1911 look. The outer barrel, thread protector and thread adapter are all made from robust alloy with the Evolution Airsoft Duralite™ finish applied for added scratch resistance and long term durability. The 14mm CCW threads allow the vast majority of Airsoft tracer units and suppressors to be mounted, meaning if you prefer a sneaky look or like to light up the CQB site and the enemy, you are equipped to do it with the E911.

Moving on to the slide of the E911, we are treated to a dynamic and modern looking MEU style slide, complete with  "Novak" style iron sights with painted in high-visibility green dots for rapid target acquisition. The slide features front and rear serrations to help you cock the pistol and operate the slide from the front or the back, a helpful feature for those with lower grip strength. The finish applied to the slide is beautifully flat and smooth whilst retaining the detailed angles of the slide. This is the Evolution Airsoft Duralite™ finish and is present on all the metal components of the pistol. The mock ejection port is present on the right side of the pistol, and we are treated to crisp ".45 ACP" markings engraved into the chamber, adding a touch of realism by denoting the chambering of the real 1911 pistol.

Moving down to the frame of the pistol, we can find a 20mm Picatinny pistol rail machined into the lower frame, allowing tactical pistol flashlights and aiming lasers to be added if the mission requires it. This rail is a skeletonised design with weight-reducing cuts present down the centre which is part of what gives the E911 Special Operations its superb feel and perfect balance. The trigger guard of the E911 is a classic 1911 style design with a rounded front face. At either side of the trigger, the frame has been bevelled for additional comfort, preventing a "hot point" from occurring and causing discomfort during extended firing sessions.

The E911's trigger has been skeletonised with three holes, matching modern tactical 1911 designs in aesthetics as well as further reducing the weight of the pistol. The front face of the trigger is curved to encourage a natural and accurate finger position and has linear texture machined in to prevent your finger from slipping off when firing rapidly. The slide release catch can be found on the left side of the pistol's frame, directly above the trigger, and allows you to lock the slide back manually by pushing up on the control and to release the slide by pushing downwards on the textured surface on the top. This slide release is an extended design, making it easier to reach for those with smaller hands, and allowing fast access to the control for a faster reload process.

The magazine release button can be found on the left side of the pistol and is a standard low profile design. Many modernised 1911s use an extended magazine release button, which can help speed up reloads, but comes at the price of potentially dropping your magazine when drawing the pistol from a holster. Evolution Airsoft has decided to stick with a standard textured release, which works just fine without risking sending your magazine on a trip to the ground! This sits very much in line with what is expected of a combat pistol and is a very sensible choice from Evolution Airsoft.

The hammer of the E911 can be found at the rear of the frame, and as with most GBB pistols, will be actuated by the slide and fall when the trigger is pulled. It is this type of realistic action that makes gas blowback pistols so popular; you can't get much more realistic than this! The hammer is also skeletonised, matching the other lightweight and forward-thinking modifications applied to the venerable 1911 platform, and tying the whole pistol together as a completed piece. On the upper surface of the hammer, we can note the linear texture which allows the hammer to be cocked manually with the thumb, for those movie style stand-off moments. This isn't necessary to operate the pistol but it sure is cool, and also allows you to decock the action of the pistol (though we advise you remove the magazine first in case your thumb slips!).

The E911 comes with two safety systems built-in; the ambidextrous manual safety, and the beavertail grip safety. The manual safety can be found at the rear of the frame, on either side of the pistol, and sits comfortably beneath the shooter's thumb for fast access. When not in use, this safety can also be used as a "gas pedal" style thumb rest to help control the muzzle climb and assist in rapidly aiming at multiple targets. This safety can be activated whether the pistol is cocked or not by flipping it up with the thumb into the recess on the left side of the slide. With the safety on, both the trigger and slide will be locked. The secondary safety, known as the "beavertail grip safety" is a hallmark 1911/Hi-capa feature, and disables the pistol from firing unless the safety is depressed and the pistol is gripped properly. This prevents negligent discharges during drawing from a holster and encourages an efficient and effective shooting grip. The beavertail safety can be found at the rear of the grip and can be deactivated by holding the pistol with the protrusion pressed in.

The grip panels of the E911 are a modern design, with added texturing to ensure you have a good grip on the pistol in any weather condition, either with or without gloves. These grip panels are styled after "night warrior" grips, and fit in well with the overall aggressive combat styling of the E911 Special Operations. The hammer spring housing at the rear of the grip has diamond checkering machined into its surface for additional purchase on the handgun, and has an integrated magazine well flare. This part helps guide your magazine into the mag well thanks to its wide bevel, making the task of inserting a fresh magazine in the heat of battle that bit easier. This magazine well flare is low profile in design, keeping the pistol slim whilst adding functionality usually reserved for high speed competition pistols.

From a performance stand point the E911 packs a punch, with strong recoil and immersive blowback and an adjustable HOP-up system to allow you to tune the pistol for different ammo weights. The HOP-up's gear adjuster is accessible when the slide is removed for a field strip and can be found on the bottom of the outer barrel. Evolution Airsoft have paid particular attention to the trigger of the E911, and this is noticeable when firing. The trigger has very little take-up before reaching the "wall", and very little overtravel, making the E911 supreme in the double-tap department. The trigger resets quickly, and has a tactile feel that with practice, the shooter can adjust to and pull the trigger without releasing it all the way for faster follow up shots.

If you are looking for a 1911 platform pistol with a menacing, modern look, the E911 fits the bill perfectly! The E911 is constructed entirely from strong alloys, other than the grip panels, and is finished in Evolution Airsoft's excellent new hard-wearing finish, known as the Duralite™ finish, meaning the pistol should retain its smooth and perfect exterior for far longer than others. Whether its role is to fill a holster and help you get out of a sticky situation, or it is being used as a primary, hooked up to an HPA rig, the E911 Special Operations is ready to be equipped for anything with its threaded barrel and 20mm Picatinny frame rail!

Features

• Full metal construction
• Evolution Airsoft Duralite™ finish
• Impressive recoil and blowback action
• "Night warrior" style polymer grip panels
• Gear adjustable HOP-up unit
• Beavertail grip safety
• Ambidextrous manual safety
• Skeletonised hammer, trigger and frame rail
• Slide serrations at the front and rear
• "Novak" style sights with high-vis green dots
• Aggressive, modernised 1911 looks
• Textured hammer spring housing with magazine well flare
• 20mm Picatinny frame rail - Perfect for a tactical flashlight
• 11mm CW threaded barrel with pre-installed 14mm CCW male thread adapter

Package Includes

• Evolution Airsoft E911 GBB Pistol; Special Operations
• 25rnd Magazine
• Hard pistol case