ARMOURY: EVOLUTION RECON M EMR A ETS

EVOLUTION OF THE SBR

LAST MONTH BILL HAD A CLOSE LOOK AT THE LATEST CARBONTECH AR FROM OUR GOOD FRIENDS EVOLUTION AIRSOFT OVER IN ITALY. THIS TIME HE TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO THEIR VERY LATEST SHORT BARRELLED RIFLE (SBR) THAT ADDS A FULL METAL BODY AND SOME UNIQUE FEATURES TO SOME PRIMO INTERNALS, IN THE FORM OF THE RECON M EMR A ETS!

Ido so love getting new AEGs onto the range and, as we finally seem to be having some actual, honest-to-goodness “summer” weather, it’s even more of a joy! Gone are the layers and layers of clothing, winter gloves and beanies and in are shorts, t-shirts and ballcaps! Even the woodland range is looking at its most welcoming, with the trees and undergrowth in all their full burgeoning glory… I’ve even had to take the chainsaw up to clear back an

area around the targets but it’s oh, so worth it when it means that there are wind-still, long summer sessions to look forward to!

Last month, along with my good friend Bjorn, I had the great privilege of being able to take a very close look at the Evolution Ghost L EMR Carbontech ETU and bring you our evaluation of this excellent new AEG. However, this month sees me “flying solo” as I get to grips with yet another new “SBR-length” model from the Italian manufacturer, the RECON M EMR A ETS and give it a hammering on the range - and I’m pleased to say that it will soon get used “in game” too, when Red Cell meet up to play together on 20th June!

As I’ve noted before, developments in doctrine and tactics mean that the carbine (and especially the SBR (Short Barrelled Rifle)) has become the weapon of choice for CQB/CQC, as, in this type of scenario, a shorter rifle or carbine is easier to manipulate in buildings and vehicles and get into action more quickly! Shorter rifles can also be lighter and better balanced if they’re well set up. In the “real world”, barrel length pretty much makes an SBR a mediumrange weapon at best or close quarters one for most but in trained hands with the correct “bolt-ons”, the SBR comes into its own as a short-range platform that will defeat (or at least seriously hinder those wearing) body armour whilst still maintaining the ability to reach out further. Of course, in the “airsoft world” where barrel length (and engagement ranges of course) are less important, a good SBR is easy and quick to transition from target to target. When I looked at the GHOST I made the comment about the Carbontech body, that “many airsofters look at AEGs and insist it’s got to be full metal or nothing” and as good and strong as the Carbontech body may be, Evolution have also taken the step to offer new models of full metal construction for those that want it. The new RECON is full, glorious, high-quality alloy throughout, from the back of the buffer tube to the very front of the “amp” at the sharp end!

The RECON sits proudly as a part of the Evolution Airsoft Hardcore Series and, as such, benefits from the very best build, with the very best parts that Evolution can offer! This is a line of AEGS that combines state of the art manufacturing solutions, excellent external finishing and cutting-edge internals, all wrapped up in one sweet, short little package that’s designed from the ground up to perform from the get go, plus put up with all the abuse you can give it!

TAKING A CLOSER LOOK

What none of this really addresses though, is what you really get for your money as there’s a lot going on here if you look closely. Yes, Evolution ensure that any replica bearing their logo should be made to the very highest level of quality in their build and when you lift the RECON from the box you are immediately aware that you’re holding onto something that is built to last!

The upper and lower receivers, finished in a matt black, are extremely solid with no movement or gaps discernible between them. All of the other parts are finished in the same, uniform matt black, which gives the carbine a visually stunning look and pulls it together as a “quality item”. All logos and trades are simple and tidily achieved, enough that you know that this is one of Evolution’s own but not so much as to detract from the overall appeal. The alloy rail system is a really cool M-LOK affair which brings the RECON right up to current spec, and at 255mm/10” it’s just about the perfect size that I would choose if I were building a CQB/CQC carbine myself. The rail is also attractively cut away at the muzzle

end,

making the most of the

“soundhog” style amp that comes fitted as standard.

The last components (which make the RECON look a little different) are the comfortable and positive ergonomic pistol grip which is again of Evolution’s own design, a shallowangled M-LOKcompatible

foregrip and a set of polymer flip-up “irons”. To finish off there’s an enhanced cocking handle, a singlepoint sling-plate and a VERY neat, bladed flat trigger. Overall, the RECON measures 690mm (775mm stock fully extended) and weighs in at approx. 2,200g, so this is a tight little carbine you could run and gun with all

day long. Internally, Evolution continue to impress me and the RECON is no exception. It benefits from top of the range internals such as 8mm bearings, a milled CNC cylinder, reinforced cylinder head, steel gear set and a reinforced gearbox with an integrated slot for the Mosfet and the E.T.S III Programmable

Electronic Trigger Unit. The

E.T.S III is easy to work with needing no external “extras” to carry out programming and what

you get… is a lot!

I won’t go to detail on each one again but the main functions of the ETS III are: • Configurable firing selector • Adjustable trigger response • Burst Mode • Adjustable Pre-cocking • Adjustable Ramping • Adjustable Active Brake • Full Cycle Control • PWM ROF Control • Smart Trigger with Auto-Boost • Automatic LiPo, LiFE and Voltage recognition • Programmable low battery warning • Programmable battery failsafe

The High Torque motor and reinforced steel gears keeps the gearbox rolling at its peak level and, as with the GHOST, I’m told that the reinforced gearbox can handle up to an M120 Spring. A quick-change feature makes it easy (and fast) to change springs without the need to take things apart fully. Add to this highflow wiring throughout, a fine-tune rotary Hop unit and what you have in essence is a solidly built carbine with some super, state-of-the-art internals and some eye catching externals. But how does this all come together in relation to your weekend skirmish? In a nutshell… excellently!

DOWNRANGE

The RECON comes with a 130BB polymer HiCap magazine which works very well. I tried various other magazines and all of them functioned perfectly, so if you like your Hi or real-caps you’ll have no issues with this AEG. Fitting a battery is simplicity itself,

as the AEG is rear-wired with a CRANE-style stock (therefore easily changed if you wish) and there is sufficient space in the buffer tube to run a stick-type LiPo. With the stock set at position five (of six) the carbine works well for me even when wearing a plate carrier, shouldering easily and quickly. The front and rear sights are easily acquired and the Hop is easy to access; pulling back the charging handle moves the “bolt cover” to the rear and the hop wheel is exposed.

Testing with RZR .20g BBs resulted in a respectable and immediately usable average of 0.94 Joule/319fps through the chrono, which means this AEG is usable straight out of the box for most sites and is going to be a little more “CQB engagement friendly” than some! Once the hop is set though, this little SBR was ranging accurately out to the 30m extent of the woodland range, so it will be great for CQB where engagement distances are lower, though eminently usable in a woodland setting. I fitted an EoTECH XP S2 sight to the top rail which in my opinion is the perfect “close in” optic and a Klarus XT11 taclite in an Element mount and oh boy, the RECON sure is fun to use!

I’ve had the RECON for a while now and over the course of many a day on the range in the woods or on the Attack Sense setup on the Short Range, I’ve experienced no issues with it whatsoever. At no point has it stuttered or misfed, each and every BB leaving the barrel with a satisfying “crack” courtesy of the

sound amplifier. If you don’t fancy this, then the outer barrel is threaded 14mm CCW which means that any suppressor or flash hider could be easily substituted. The flat trigger is crisp with minimal take-up, so getting off swift semi-auto shots is easy, again perfect for CQB work.

All in all, my time with the RECON M EMR A ETS thus far has been a very positive experience. I have a number of SBRs which are pretty heavily upgraded and the RECON gives them a run for their money as a stock gun, so I can’t really say anything negative at all about this super little AEG. I will though, say again a big WELL DONE to Evolution Airsoft, as the growing reputation they have for building quality AEGs has been hard won and is certainly very well deserved!

As always my thanks go to Sergio and Francesca at Evolution for providing the test sample. Expect to pay iro UK£260.00 for the RECON M EMR A ETS and for more information on this model and others in the Evolution Airsoft Range please visit https://store. evolutioninternational.it AA

“THIS IS A LINE OF AEGS THAT COMBINES STATE OF THE ART MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS, EXCELLENT EXTERNAL FINISHING AND CUTTING-EDGE INTERNALS, ALL WRAPPED UP IN ONE SWEET, SHORT LITTLE PACKAGE THAT’S DESIGNED FROM THE GROUND UP TO PERFORM FROM THE GET GO, PLUS PUT UP WITH ALL THE ABUSE YOU CAN GIVE IT!”