This year the European American Armory (EAA) jumped into the 2011 market with both feet! Working with Girsan of Turkey, EAA is importing an impressively diverse selection of Witness2311 semi-automatic pistols. The options for these double-stack capacity, 1911-pattern pistols range from the competition-grade 9 mm Match to the 6" barrel 10 mm Hunter with models chambered in .45 ACP as well.
When EAA pulled together its Girsan Witness2311 catalog, they made sure to address a growing niche in the defensive-pistol market, namely the hybrid or crossover pistol designs. These semi-automatics, often intended for concealed carry and home defense, mix and match slides and frames from different pistol sizes. A good example of this is the Glock 19X, a 9 mm which pairs a G19 (Compact) size slide with a G17 (Standard, or duty-size) frame. The goal of the design is to shorten the slide for more comfortable wear in a holster while maintaining the full-size grip and ammunition capacity of a duty-sized gun.
The new BRATS blend a full-size 2011 style frame with a subcompact-size slide assembly.
EAA and Girsan's answer to the crossover design is the new subcompact BRAT series. Available chambered in 9 mm or .45 ACP, these pistols are fitted with a 1911 officers-size slide, which is cropped down to fit a subcompact 3.4" barrel. The grip frame is lifted from the standard-size, competition-style 2311 models that accept 17-round 9 mm magazines or 11-round .45 ACP magazines. This evaluation takes a closer look at the two BRAT models chambered in 9 mm.
These pistols are 2011 pattern, single-action semi-automatics with an action based on that of the venerable 1911A1.
The Girsan Witness2311SC BRAT (or BRAT for short), is based on the 2011 pistol design patented by gunsmith Virgil Tripp and engineer Sandy Strayer in 1994. Their intention was to develop a pistol with the best-of features of the classic 1911 design while incorporating the reduced weight and increased ammunition capacity of modern polymer-framed, double-stack pistols. Dubbed the 2011, they became a favorite of competition shooters. In the last couple of years, they have captured the interest of general shooting sports enthusiasts, including those looking for defensive-pistol options.
The all-black BRAT is the least expensive member of the 2311 series with a suggested retail price of $719.
The 2011’s lighter single-action 1911 trigger, paired with a double-stack ammunition capacity, make for an enjoyable and shootable platform. But most makes and models of the 2011 tend to be relatively expensive with price tags in the $1,500 to $3,000 range. The Girsan 2311 series is more competitively priced with models currently listed for $719 to $1,149, depending on the features selected. In the all-black finish, the BRAT is the least expensive of the bunch ($719), so I wanted to give it a try to see how it compares to the notably more expensive competing 2011 models currently on the market.
The 1911-style controls include an extended ambidextrous thumb safety lever.
While we were working out the details for the review, EAA launched what they have cheekily dubbed “The Spoiled BRAT.” Mechanically speaking, it’s the same gun as the all-black version. But the slide, the controls and the magazine well extension pin have been treated with a gold-tone titanium nitride finish which has been polished to a mirror shine! And if that was not quite enough bling for you, a gold-plated neck chain is included with the pistol's accessories. The nitride finish and the high-polish work shift the price of the Spoiled BRAT up to $1,059. But there's no doubt that it's going to get noticed at the shooting range. I asked EAA which one should I work with, the budget-friendly black BRAT or the wholly eye-catching Spoiled version? Rather than making me flip a coin, EAA kindly sent both.
The Spoiled BRATS controls are finished in gold titanium nitride and polished to match the shiny slide.
Let's take a closer look at the basic black version of the BRAT. It has a few notable cost-cutting measures in place to keep it at a lower price point. Thankfully, they do not involve cut corners or changes that would reduce the quality or reliability of the pistol. Some Turkish handguns ship in large storage cases festooned with accessories. The BRAT arrives in a standard foam-lined carry case with a small set of support gear which include just one high quality 17-round Check-Mate stainless steel magazine, a bronze bore brush and a cable lock. Next, this model does not ship with an optics-ready slide. Instead, it arrives with a useful set of low profile metallic 3-dot sights which are dovetailed into the carbon steel of the round-top slide. The ejection port is beveled for improved function but there is just one set of canted cocking serrations located below the rear sight.
EAA embraced the bling of this Spoiled BRAT by including a gold colored neck chain with the gun.
The BRAT's 3.4" linked barrel has a belled muzzle that takes the place of a barrel bushing. The full-length steel guide rod supports a single flat-wire recoil spring. The rod is supported by a small collar set into the slide. Some of the Girsan 2311 models require a small guide rod take down tool for disassembly, but the BRAT does not. The upper portion of the frame is made from a lightweight aluminum alloy treated with a black anodized finish. The dust cover has a milled-in 1.75" long, 4-slot Picatinny accessory rail for light and laser modules.
The square profile trigger guard, an extension of the one-piece textured black polymer grip module, houses the vented, smooth-faced aluminum trigger. The configuration of the external controls is typical for modern pistols based on the 1911 design. They include a checkered left-side slide stop, an extended ambidextrous thumb safety lever, a serrated commander-style hammer and an extended beavertail grip safety with memory bump.
Each BRAT arrives with one durable competition style Checkmate 17-round stainless steel magazine.
On the EAA website, the BRATs are listed as having a trigger pull weight range between 5 lbs. to 7 lbs. Although the trigger of the all-black model was certainly serviceable for its intended uses, it lacks the refinement found with tuned competition triggers. It exhibited a bit of take-up before breaking cleanly with 6 lbs. 12 oz. of pressure. For comparison, the Match version of the Witness2311 is listed as having
a maximum trigger pull of 4 lbs. 8 oz. The gun I worked with weighed in at 4 lbs. 5 oz. It should be noted that the Spoiled BRAT's trigger measured 4 lbs. 6 oz. right out of the box. Is the lighter trigger on this particular golden sample just the luck of the draw, or is it part of the $340 increase in price? I can't say for certain, but my best guess is that it’s an upgrade included in the package.
The BRATs were well-behaved at the shooting range exhibiting reliable operations and moderate levels of felt recoil.
Because of the shorter slide and the full-size grip, some folks may get the impression that the BRATs may feel heavy or chunky. This is not the case. These pistols weigh 29.3 oz. with an empty magazine. For comparison, an unloaded Compact-size Glock G19 weighs 23.6 oz., about 5.7 oz. less, while an all-steel G.I. style 1911A1 has a heft of 38.6 oz., or 9.3 oz. more. Despite my somewhat smaller hands, I've found the relatively wide Girsan Witness2311 series’ grip frames to be a surprisingly comfortable fit. The all-sides texturing certainly contributes to a positive purchase. The relatively light weight of these guns, along with the hand-filling grips and shorter slide, gives them a secure and quick handling feel. The wide grip also works to distribute the recoil impulse across the web of the shooting hand thumb which in turn curbs the snappiness that some loads can produce in short-barreled 9 mm pistols. Having evaluated several modern semi-automatics intended for concealed carry, it's safe to say that the BRATs are among the most comfortable to shoot and practice with that I've worked with so far.
Both pistols operated reliably with all ammunition tested, including the three loads used for formal performance testing.
For the accuracy and bullet velocity testing, the Spoiled BRAT, with its lighter trigger pull, was put to work. A Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph was on hand to calculate the bullet muzzle velocity averages for 10-shot strings. The ammunition used for this portion of the testing included imported Belom practice-grade rounds along with two defensive hollow points from Hornady and Winchester.
The BRAT may have a subcompact 3.4” barrel but it still shoots like a competition pistol.
Here's the rule of thumb I follow for evaluating defensive accuracy. If a given gun and ammunition combination can keep 5-shot group averages to around 3" to 3.5" at a given distance, then the gun, ammunition and the person pulling the trigger are all performing well enough to get the job done. For this pistol, the formal bench rested accuracy testing was conducted at 7 yards. At this close range I would anticipate groups around 3", hopefully smaller. In this case, the Spoiled BRAT kept the 5-shot groups hovering around 1" to 1.5" with a best individual group (just shy of a ragged hole) with a side-to-side measurement of 0.96". Even though the BRAT has been trimmed down and configured for concealed carry, its race gun heritage is still evident down range. Here are the rest of the test results:
The new EAA Girsan Witness2311 series is breaking the pricing mold for 2011 pistol platforms. The guns I've worked with so far have been well made, accurate and feature rich for the price. At first glance, the BRATS can look a bit oddly proportioned with their snubby barrels and big competition-style grips. But once you have one in hand, the features come together oh-so nicely. They provide for an enjoyable and reliable shooting experience which will encourage more training sessions at the shooting range.
And for those who want a bit more flash, the Spoiled BRAT will certainly do the trick! When I showed it to the manager of a gun store I frequent, we agreed that EAA should consider additional high-polish titanium nitride color options in addition to the gold, including silver (polished nickel), bronze and perhaps a rose gold. And whether a bit more bling is your style, it’s good to see that some gun makers can take a step or two out of the utilitarian pistol box while still taking their products seriously. For more information about the BRATs and other Girsan pistol models imported by EAA, visit eaacorp.com.
