european american armory Archives

Prologue

I speak to many folks in the firearms industry on a day to day basis. In one of those conversations somebody brought up Girsan 1911 pistols, and as the discussion continued my interest grew. So, when my opportunity to get one arose, I jumped on it. And that brings us to today’s review, and the model we are looking at is the EAA Girsan 2311 CMXX 9mm pistol. The CMXX is a double-stack 1911 style pistol chambered in 9mm, this style of pistol has colloquially become known as 2011 pistols. After the famed Staccato pistols that popularized the genre.

Girsan, witness 2311, 9mm, eaa, 2011, vortex, vortex optics, defender CCW, enclosed, red dot, zeroing, adjustment, — the Witness 2311 CMXX fitted with a Nightstick Weapon Light, you can read about that one here

European American Armory (EAA) is the company that imports these pistols and distributes them in the US. Girsan manufactures a variety of firearms at their factory in Turkey and has done for over thirty years.

The Girsan 2311 CMXX

I said we often call them 2011 pistols, but it appears Girsan wanted to skip that and called theirs a 2311. There are some reasons I suppose behind that, and the CMXX definitely has some progressive features. Let’s get into this pistol and see what makes it tick.

Specifications

Caliber	9mm, .45ACP or 10mm
Magazine	Standard Double Stack 1911
Action	Single Action
Barrel	Bull Barrel Lock-Up with Compensator
Finish	Cerakote® Black
Optic Ready	RMSc Footprint
Grips	Improved High Texture
Sights	Removable 3-Dot Sights, Fiber Optic Front Sight
Slide	Lightening-Cut Slide
Safety	Auto Firing Pin-Block (No Grip Safety)
Thumb Safety	Ambidextrous Lever
Accessory Rail	Full Accessory Rail

I must start out by stating something obvious. As a happy owner of a Staccato XC, I find the Girsan CMXX to be so similarly styled that its impossible to ignore. So much so that the boys in the office and I have taken to calling the CMXX “the Turkkato”. Obviously I don’t mind, as I like my Staccato very much. Though it would be somewhat unfair to compare the two. That said, keep in mind throughout this review that this is coming from a guy who also shoots a Staccato.

A Different Grip

The Girsan CMXX follows the same pattern as many other 2011 style pistols. Using a polymer grip mated to a steel frame. The grip has an aggressive texture that makes it stick to your hand very well. At the base of the frame, you’ll find a magwell flare to aid in guiding magazines into the magwell. Above the grip area you’ll also find the typical dual safety levers on either side of the grip.

Girsan, witness 2311, 9mm, eaa, 2011, vortex, vortex optics, defender CCW, enclosed, red dot, grip,

Standing out from the crowd of other 2011 pistols, the CMXX does not feature a grip safety. The traditional 1911 feature that is depressed by the hand when you grip the pistol has been swapped for a firing pin block. Much like striker fired pistols, the CMXX firing pin is blocked from protrusion unless the trigger is pulled. When disassembled, you can see the very same features under the slide as you would on a Glock.

Girsan, witness 2311, 9mm, eaa, 2011, optic, footprint, rmsc, firing pin safety, — here you can see the firing pin block safety that replaces the grip safety common on other 2011 pistols

Slide and Barrel

Moving our attention to the slide, it is more traditional 2011 design. Except for the firing pin block of course. The extractor is internal, and not visible when the slide is locked closed. Up front there is a compensator built into the 4.25-inch barrel, which also features the traditional link to attach to the frame. On the top of the frame there are some simple three-dot sights, the front one being a fiber optic orange.

Girsan, witness 2311, 9mm, eaa, 2011, rear sight, — I removed the rear sight because I’m a red dot nerd

The rear sight can be removed using a couple center-aligned screws. Underneath you’ll find an optics cut with lugs for the popular RMSc red dot pattern. I would for sure use that very soon, since I’m a sucker for pistols with red dots. In fact, such a sucker that I tried various options. I used the Vortex Defender CCW, and the Enclosed Solar version, as well as the Holosun SCS Carry enclosed red dot.

Girsan, witness 2311, 9mm, eaa, 2011, vortex, vortex optics, defender CCW, red dot, mounting, — installing one of the three red dots tested on the Girsan 2311

Range Preparations

Before I headed to the range with this pistol, I wanted to kit it out to my tastes of course. That would require a few accessories; the Vortex Defender would fit nicely on top for the initial trip, a Surefire X300 light, all tucked neatly into my Safariland ALS holster.

Girsan, witness 2311, 9mm, eaa, 2011, vortex, vortex optics, defender CCW, enclosed, red dot, safariland, als holster, — the Safariland ALS holster is my absolute favorite, and the CMXX fit perfectly

As I removed the rear sight, I found the firing pin block neatly tucked underneath. I had to carefully remove the sight and replace it with my red dot. It would be very easy to lose the pin-safety spring during this process so be careful.

the full picatinny accessory rail allows you to line up your weapon light where you choose

Under the front of the pistol there is a complete picatinny rail, giving you various positions to mount weapon lights. I like this feature as many other pistols don’t have it. I grabbed a few boxes of Magtech, Blaser, and Federal ammo before heading out to shoot the CMXX.

Girsan, witness 2311, 9mm, eaa, 2011, CCW, enclosed, red dot, holosun, scs carry, magtech, ammunition, — the CMXX worked great with my **Staccato 20-round magazines** too

Shooting the Girsan 2311 CMXX

My very first shots through the CMXX were at an indoor range, weather required me to do my shooting under a roof. This quickly made me aware of the concussion from the compensator of the pistol. Its louder than un-comped pistols, but certainly not a problem. And the reduction in muzzle-rise is well worth the racket.

Girsan, witness 2311, 9mm, eaa, 2011, muzzle, compensator,

I put several magazines through the 2311, and was quite happy with how it ran. In fact it seemed after just a box or so of shooting, the pistol seemed significantly smoother and softer. Over the course of several weeks, I spent several trips to the range and other places to pump ammo through the CMXX.

Girsan, witness 2311, 9mm, eaa, 2011, vortex, vortex optics, defender CCW, enclosed, red dot, — I ended up keeping the **Vortex Defender CCW Solar Micro red dot** on the gun, more on that later

I used both the 17-round magazines that came with the Girsan 2311, as well as some of the 20-round Staccato magazines. All of them functioned flawlessly, and the CMXX churned through ammo. I even took the liberty of removing the flared magwell, just to see how my reloads went. Perhaps if you were going to carry this gun that would be helpful, but I ended up putting it back.

Reliability

During the course of my shooting, we only experienced one malfunction. One failure to go into battery that I can’t be sure was the fault of the pistol or some of the remanufactured ammo I was shooting that day.

hard to see, but the Holosun SCS Carry red dot was also a great choice and fit

The ejection pattern of the pistol was slightly different than expected. It seemed like most of the time brass would eject more in the up direction than to the side. It would occasionally get scooped forward by the red dot and thrown forward. But it never caused any problems.

Shootability

Standing alone, this pistol shoots great. It is smoother and flatter-shooting than my striker-fired guns. Of course it is very hard not to compare it to my Staccato, being as they are so similar. But that would be an unfair comparison as the Staccato costs four times more.

Girsan, witness 2311, 9mm, eaa, 2011, vortex, vortex optics, defender CCW, enclosed, red dot, surefire x300, Staccato, staccato XC, holosun, 507comp, — not comparable at all! 😀

The trigger has smoothed up a bit since it came out of the box, but it still has a very slight gritty-ness to it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still nice, just not as nice as it could be. The gun feels fantastic in my hand but for the cross-pin that secures the flared magwell. The texture is very grippy, and the controls are crisp. The safety detent is stiffer than I anticipated, hopefully it wears in.

I love the texture on the slide, it makes for excellent purchase when grabbing the slide. The flat-coil recoil spring is stiffer than I expected too, I wouldn’t mind putting a softer spring in it if I could get it to work.

Shooting with the iron sights was fine, but I prefer using a red dot. Even so, using the red dot’s built-in notch as a rear sight was still perfectly usable with the front sight.

Quality

I’ve handled quite a few 2011 pistols in the last year or so. At SHOT Show alone I grabbed way too many. Generally they feel fantastic, as do their nineteenth-century counterparts. The Witness CMXX feels well built, smooth fitting, and not sloppy. Its a touch stiffer than other 2011 pistols, but it still has that quality feel. For a pistol at this price point I feel its quality is more than adequate.

holosun, scs, carry, holosun red dot, solar, Girsan, witness 2311, 9mm, eaa, 2011, — been using the **Walkers Game Ear Suppressor ear buds** too

Value

As the field of 2011 options continues to deepen, I see this as an excellent modest option. So many options are out there, and this isn’t even the cheapest one of them. But I can say it is certainly worth the price in my opinion. Girsan is no stranger to making 1911 style pistols, so I expect this gun will continue performing well into the future. I’m tempted to buy another in 10mm.

Continue Reading Here

Girsan, witness 2311, 9mm, eaa, 2011, vortex, vortex optics, defender CCW, enclosed, red dot, match x, streamlight, holosun, — also for comparison, the CMXX’s older brother, the **Girsan Match X** (5-inch) wearing a Holosun 407 and **Streamlight**

Preface

Admittedly I am more of a rifle junkie than a shotgun enthusiast, but I can appreciate a good shotgun when I need it. I grew up hunting waterfowl and upland game in the western US, and for the most part I could do everything I needed with any of the classic pump-shotguns. But with time, and more mature tastes, I’ve broadened my inventory of shotguns. Over under shotguns carry a little more attitude, they bring a little more class to the game. Almost like K-cans, sports cars, and expensive glasses, they tend to be more of a luxury item. You can do anything with an autoloader or pump-gun, but it takes a touch of shooter’s vanity to give up capacity and reloadability with an over under. In today’s review, we are taking a look at a new over under option from European American Arms, the EAA Balikli Blue Label over under shotgun.

European American Arms

EAA Corp is a firearm supplier that specializes in getting quality firearms at affordable prices. The company prides itself on importing firearms that are more about quality function than looks. This obviously has an appeal to many Americans who only care about putting holes through the X and meat on their table.

we tested the shotgun with a variety of ammo from **Remington** and **Winchester**

Browsing the lineup of EAA firearms you will find some very familiar looking firearms. This appears to be in part because EAA sources firearms very similar if not cloned from popular guns made by the best manufacturers. You’ll find models with great similarities to popular firearms made by companies like Beretta, Browning, and others.

By importing products like these from EAA’s european and other partners, American gun owners can get a great price on a firearm comparable to much more expensive names.

The Balikli Blue Label Shotgun

Turkey is famous for making shotguns, so it came as no surprise that EAA’s Balikli shotguns come from Turkish factories. The Balikli Blue Label over under is built in the very typical design, with a break-action and single trigger. The set of barrels are cut 28-inches long in the 12 gauge model, and bored for chokes at the muzzle. Its vented rib also features a fiber optic orange bead at the front to aid in aiming.

The stock is fashioned from walnut, another famous Turkish export. The Balikli Blue Label shotgun is more of an affordable option than typical over under guns, so the walnut is a little more mainstream. The checkered walnut is matched to a handsomely engraved aluminum receiver. The mechanical single trigger fires both barrels, and the safety functions like most over under guns, allowing you to preselect which barrel fires first.

Specifications

EAA Balikli Blue Level Over Under Shotgun
Finish	Walnut / Black
Caliber	12-Gauge
Capacity	2 Rounds
Barrel Length	28-inch (12g) 26-inch (28g, 20g, .410)
Length of pull	14.5-inches
Overall Length	45-inches
Weight	6.35-pounds
Included Chokes	Skeet, Imp Cyl, Mod, Imp Mod, Full

the assortment of **Mobile chokes** were easy to change with the included tool

Shooting the Blue Label

Our first outing with the Blue Label was into the ice cold Rocky Mountains. The kids and I ventured into the snow with a box of clays and some Fiocchi 1oz target loads. Perhaps a little different than a typical trap trip, but we enjoy the hand-thrown clays. Shooting the light loads in these open mountains barely even justified ear protection. We all had fun figuring out the lead to break the clays, and the seemingly antiquated process of opening the action to reload.

Quality

Break-action shotguns are almost as simple as you can get, which should make it pretty easy to manufacture. I guess what I mean is this simple design lends itself to be made right. During all of our testing, I never found any kind of malfunction or problem.

While this shotgun isn’t meant to be some high-grade beauty like many other over under shotguns, it is well made. The wood is finished handsomely and everything fits nicely without gaps or edges. The checkering while simple, is clean and grippy. And the rubber recoil pad softens the felt recoil while shooting.

The receiver finish looks like a bead-blasted finish, with a pheasant motif engraved as is typical. Smooth controls with robust lock-up came as no surprise due to the simple design. I guess if you are the guy who shoots Perazzi or Guerini you’d probably notice more difference than I. But for the average American shotgunner, this gun’s fit and function were as good as you could expect for this price. You can tell its a sub $500 gun from Turkey, and that’s fine by me.

Shootability

I do like the shorter feel of under over style shotguns. Since they don’t have an action designed to cycle shells from a magazine, and are basically a chamber and breach, you get a shorter length than a similar barreled pump or auto. Swinging the 28-inch barrels was very natural, and the textured rib and fiber optic bead looked excellent when chasing clays through the sky.

The light weight of the Balikli Blue Label make it easy to carry around. I’d love to take it on a pheasant or chukar hunt, but at this point in the year It’ll have to be ducks or geese. Even our youngest boy had no problem handling the feel and recoil from this gun.

EAA, european american arms, balikli, blue label, shotgun, 12 gauge, over under, youth, kids, trap, — the kids had a great time throwing clays for each other

Reliability

It’s hard to come up with something much more reliable than a break action. There are so few parts to malfunction, and the simple operation is nearly impossible to screw up. I know other over under shotguns have spring ejectors to pop spent shells from the chamber. The Balikli Blue Label pushes the spent shells out of the chamber, making them easy to grab, but it doesn’t eject them clear.