Bell EG723 Full Metal M1911A1 review

Ok, so this is my first review especially on a gas blowback gun..Let me tell you that I am still a newbie when it comes to GBB so feel free to post misinformation and mistakes. I tried to look for a review made by airsofters here but I only saw the review of EG720,the renowned plastic counterpart of the EG723 so I tried to make one for the benefit of those who want to learn some info regarding this china made GBB.

Another thing, I only used my fone’s camera so bear with me for the pics..ok let’s get down with the review.

First Impressions

This is my first GBB and I decided to buy Bell’s EG723 M1911A1 for 3 reasons, 1st, I love 1911s, 2nd, its cheap for a full metal unit (around 3,8k, I got mine for 4,3k bnew unit plus 1L canister of Top green gas), and lastly, I read very good review here in FAS regarding the EG720 plastic counterpart of this gun so I assumed the full metal is the improved version.

On the net, it is said that this is an exact replica of TM 1911s so assumingly, magazines and parts are compatible with the gun, but I cannot confirm this since I do not own a TM 1911.

The unit comes with a plastic case with foam to secure the unit inside the casing. The package includes the unit itself, 1 magazine, BB loader, cleaning rod, manual, a plastic of spare parts(hmm..) and a pack of 0.2g BBs.

Everything was inside in a sealed plastic like the EG720. Upon opening, I can’t help myself saying “wow, this is really a nice looking gun..”

Upon lifting the gun, it really feels heavy, the unit is quite comfortable to hold and its really in fact a full metal pistol. Externally, as far as I observed, the slide, frame and other parts is made up of metal (looks quite sturdy).

The hand grips are made of ABS plastic.

The gun’s finish is quite good, and it almost look like the real steel..what im a bit disappointed was that my unit has an irregularly painted patch on the right side of the unit that may due to the manufacturing. And I think its not present on all units, it might be im just unfortunate to get one..well aside from that, the unit comes with cool looking markings that are almost accurate with the real steel 1911 including serial numbers and everything else is really good looking without mold marks or obvious seams.

The unit comes with a chromed outer barrel and brass inner barrel. Upon cocking the gun (wow it sounds realistic too!!) the slide lock catch lock the metal slide back exposing some of the inner part of the gun thru the ejection port (cool!!)

What I observed upon cocking the gun is there is too much grease inside the unit that it leaks out thru the grooves of the slide and hammer, but I don’t think t will hinder the guns performance, what I did is wipe off the excess grease.

Releasing the slide catch make the slide go to its original position..and again I heard that sweet sound of realism.. really cool!!

The controls are the same for the real steel. They are placed on the left side of the gun which is quite comfortable for right handed people. These are the slide lock, magazine release button, thumb safety and grip safety.

Nothing to take note about here since it’s the same with WE 1911 in terms of controls.

The sights are the default non-adjustable sights at the front and rear of the slide. The rear sight on the slide is not in one with the slide and you will notice a little wobble..hope this will not come off later in time.

Disassembly

Disassembly is done the same for the real steel, again another cool feature for me but I know most 1911 GBBs are disassembled the same, hehe. All you need to do is pull back the slide until the slide lock is aligned with a small circular notch, then pull the slide lock. You can now pull the slide off exposing the GBBs internals.

Upon looking at the internals, there is really so much grease inside and for me it’s kind of messy.

What I did is wipe off the excess grease and lubricated the parts with silicone oil. Looking at the metal frame, the gun looks sturdy and most parts of it are made of metal.

Going to the slide, you will see the gas chamber, recoil spring, hop up and spring guide. I noticed that the gas chamber where the gas comes in from the magazine during a cycle is made up of plastic (that’s why it came with a spare part!)and the hop dial is also made of plastic, which is also a little bit tight, but not too tight for adjustment, this is great for it will not easily lose adjustment while playing.

Then most of the parts, including the spring guide, inner barrel, outer barrel, hop up and loading chamber is metal (pls confirm with this). I didn’t disassembled the gas chamber since im scared I could not put it back (hehe) so if anyone here in FAS already opened the gas chamber feel free to share its internals for our Airsofters here.

Magazine

I don’t have anything about to say with the magazine, it’s the same with the EG720 released magazine, it carries 24 rounds and if charged with green gas correctly, it could fire 2-3 magazines in one fill. I immersed the magazine in water and it didn’t have any leaks. Just as any other magazines, since this is the heart of a GBB, taking care of it is essential including proper lubrication and following precautions posted here in FAS (I think its posted by sir renegadecow).

And another thing, the magazine comes of effortlessly when the mag release button is pressed.

Realism

I already mentioned most of its realistic features above, but most of us grade its realism on how hard is its “kick”, well here is a simple video I recorded using my fone, for me this gun rocks with its nice blowback action, the slide cycles very smoothly and you will hear the sound of metal blowback! But its up for you to judge.

Performance

Ok, so even if the gun looks quite good and has a nice hard kick blowback action, a typical GBB is useless if you can’t hit a designated target. So here ill try to describe the EG723 in terms of performance.
FPS

Sadly, I don’t own a chronograph so ill just describe its fps based on the
“Poor Man’s Chronograph”. The test is done using a standard sprite can and shot from at least an inch from the freestanding can using green gas and 0.2 ICS BB. Three shots were made. The result was, it penetrated the side of the can but did not came through the other side. So this means its fps is roughly on about 290-320 fps. For me, its quite good since pistols are usually used as a side arm or for CQB.

Accuracy

The test was done using another sprite can and a gas filled magazine with 8 rounds of 0.2 ICS BB. Sorry my printer gave up on me last week so I can’t print a target and describe it in terms of groupings, sorry guys..huhu..Well anyway I chose the sprite can as a test subject based on the fact that if you can hit a can-sized target, you’ll definitely hit a head size or torso sized target.

First test was 25 feet (measured using a carpenter’s meter) away from the can..All I can say is I hit the can 8 out of 8 rounds!! Wow, I thought I might be just lucky, so I repeated the same test, fired 8 rounds and..ok I hit 5 out of 8 rounds. That was good enough for me.

Second test, I moved away to the max distance of our yard, 45 feet. Again fired 8 rounds, and I hit 4 out of 8. 2nd trial, 3 out of 8. Well I was a bit disappointed but I think it was just my aim! Besides I am new to GBB and not used to a gun with strong recoil, and I am aiming for can-sized target.

So its still depends on the user but one thing I noticed is at 25 feet, it still has the energy to puncture one side of the can. But at 45 feet, the BBs are just bouncing off the can giving it only small dents. I am not used to GBB but in my opinion EG723 are good at close range shooting only, Great for a side arm or CQB.

Gas Efficiency

Well another concern is if it is efficient in gas consumption. My unit arrived last Saturday and until now im using it every afternoon after work for plinking. I consume at least 3-5 magazines a day. I give the mags 3 to 5 second burst of gas and it can shoot at least 2 to 3 magazines depending on the way you shoot it. For me I shoot with intervals of 2-3 seconds before firing another shot.

The magazine, sadly, also suffers from cool down effect like other GBBs. So rapid firing will usually increase gas usage of 80% or 1 to 1 ½ mag per gas refill.

But still note that these situation happened for me,it might happen or not happen to you and besides, im a newbie on gas blow back pistols.

Reliability

Well Im using the gun everyday for plinking. Its only been 2 days since I got the gun so I still cannot say something about it. But all I can say is the full metal construction is quite sturdy and will withstand green gas for a long time.

But again since this is still a china made gun, simple precautions and regular cleaning and lubing is really essential for it to last. And still one factor that may affect its reliability is the user of the gun. It still depends on how the user uses the gun.

Still in general, this unit can be a reliable side arm and for CQB.
Summary

Pros

Full metal constructionHard kick Blow backCool and almost accurate trademarksCheapComes with spare partsGas efficient (depends on the user and temp)Realistic Sounds (Cocking and Slide catch)Comfortable to heldAccurate up to about 30 feetTM parts and magazine compatible (says on the net)Comes with a hard plastic case with foamit’s a Colt M1911A1!

Cons

Loose rear sightSusceptible to cool down effectOnly 1 mag included (unlike WE,hehe)Uneven paint job (might not be present on other units)
Paint will chip easily

Conclusion

Overall I liked the Bell EG723 M1911A1. Well for its price, you’ll get a fairly sturdy full metal GBB construction, with trademarks, hard kick blowback, realistic sounds, a nice heavy feel, and for a china GBB, fairly good accuracy.

Although there are some flaws in the unit, still it will serve as a great sidearm or a nice piece to add to your collection. Info on the net also tells us that the EG723 is a TM m1911 replica so TM parts may be compatible. Its only fair to line this up with its predecessor, EG720, which is actually had really good reviews.

And even it’s a China made gun, with proper maintenance and care, this will serve you well. So to those airsofters or collectors who are tight on the budget, I highly recommend this gun, you’ll get a decent gun with a decent price.

Ok, so this is my first review especially on a gas blowback gun..Let me tell you that I am still a newbie when it comes to GBB so feel free to post misinformation and mistakes.

I tried to look for a review made by airsofters here but I only saw the review of EG720,the renowned plastic counterpart of the EG723 so I tried to make one for the benefit of those who want to learn some info regarding this china made GBB.

Another thing, I only used my fone’s camera so bear with me for the pics..ok let’s get down with the review.

First Impressions

This is my first GBB and I decided to buy Bell’s EG723 M1911A1 for 3 reasons, 1st, I love 1911s, 2nd, its cheap for a full metal unit (around 3,8k, I got mine for 4,3k bnew unit plus 1L canister of Top green gas), and lastly, I read very good review here in FAS regarding the EG720 plastic counterpart of this gun so I assumed the full metal is the improved version.

On the net, it is said that this is an exact replica of TM 1911s so assumingly, magazines and parts are compatible with the gun, but I cannot confirm this since I do not own a TM 1911.

The unit comes with a plastic case with foam to secure the unit inside the casing. The package includes the unit itself, 1 magazine, BB loader, cleaning rod, manual, a plastic of spare parts(hmm..) and a pack of 0.2g BBs. Everything was inside in a sealed plastic like the EG720. Upon opening, I can’t help myself saying “wow, this is really a nice looking gun..”

Upon lifting the gun, it really feels heavy, the unit is quite comfortable to hold and its really in fact a full metal pistol. Externally, as far as I observed, the slide, frame and other parts is made up of metal (looks quite sturdy). The hand grips are made of ABS plastic.

The gun’s finish is quite good, and it almost look like the real steel..what im a bit disappointed was that my unit has an irregularly painted patch on the right side of the unit that may due to the manufacturing. And I think its not present on all units, it might be im just unfortunate to get one..well aside from that, the unit comes with cool looking markings that are almost accurate with the real steel 1911 including serial numbers and everything else is really good looking without mold marks or obvious seams.

The unit comes with a chromed outer barrel and brass inner barrel. Upon cocking the gun (wow it sounds realistic too!!) the slide lock catch lock the metal slide back exposing some of the inner part of the gun thru the ejection port (cool!!)

What I observed upon cocking the gun is there is too much grease inside the unit that it leaks out thru the grooves of the slide and hammer, but I don’t think t will hinder the guns performance, what I did is wipe off the excess grease.

Releasing the slide catch make the slide go to its original position..and again I heard that sweet sound of realism.. really cool!!

The controls are the same for the real steel. They are placed on the left side of the gun which is quite comfortable for right handed people. These are the slide lock, magazine release button, thumb safety and grip safety. Nothing to take note about here since it’s the same with WE 1911 in terms of controls.

The sights are the default non-adjustable sights at the front and rear of the slide. The rear sight on the slide is not in one with the slide and you will notice a little wobble..hope this will not come off later in time.

Disassembly

Disassembly is done the same for the real steel, again another cool feature for me but I know most 1911 GBBs are disassembled the same, hehe. All you need to do is pull back the slide until the slide lock is aligned with a small circular notch, then pull the slide lock. You can now pull the slide off exposing the GBBs internals.

Upon looking at the internals, there is really so much grease inside and for me it’s kind of messy. What I did is wipe off the excess grease and lubricated the parts with silicone oil. Looking at the metal frame, the gun looks sturdy and most parts of it are made of metal. Going to the slide, you will see the gas chamber, recoil spring, hop up and spring guide. I noticed that the gas chamber where the gas comes in from the magazine during a cycle is made up of plastic (that’s why it came with a spare part!)and the hop dial is also made of plastic, which is also a little bit tight, but not too tight for adjustment, this is great for it will not easily lose adjustment while playing. Then most of the parts, including the spring guide, inner barrel, outer barrel, hop up and loading chamber is metal (pls confirm with this).

I didn’t disassembled the gas chamber since im scared I could not put it back (hehe) so if anyone here in FAS already opened the gas chamber feel free to share its internals for our Airsofters here.

Magazine

I don’t have anything about to say with the magazine, it’s the same with the EG720 released magazine, it carries 24 rounds and if charged with green gas correctly, it could fire 2-3 magazines in one fill. I immersed the magazine in water and it didn’t have any leaks. Just as any other magazines, since this is the heart of a GBB, taking care of it is essential including proper lubrication and following precautions posted here in FAS (I think its posted by sir renegadecow). And another thing, the magazine comes of effortlessly when the mag release button is pressed.

Realism

I already mentioned most of its realistic features above, but most of us grade its realism on how hard is its “kick”, well here is a simple video I recorded using my fone, for me this gun rocks with its nice blowback action, the slide cycles very smoothly and you will hear the sound of metal blowback! But its up for you to judge.

Performance

Ok, so even if the gun looks quite good and has a nice hard kick blowback action, a typical GBB is useless if you can’t hit a designated target. So here ill try to describe the EG723 in terms of performance.
FPS

Sadly, I don’t own a chronograph so ill just describe its fps based on the “Poor Man’s Chronograph”. The test is done using a standard sprite can and shot from at least an inch from the freestanding can using green gas and 0.2 ICS BB. Three shots were made. The result was, it penetrated the side of the can but did not came through the other side. So this means its fps is roughly on about 290-320 fps. For me, its quite good since pistols are usually used as a side arm or for CQB.

Accuracy

The test was done using another sprite can and a gas filled magazine with 8 rounds of 0.2 ICS BB. Sorry my printer gave up on me last week so I can’t print a target and describe it in terms of groupings, sorry guys..huhu..Well anyway I chose the sprite can as a test subject based on the fact that if you can hit a can-sized target, you’ll definitely hit a head size or torso sized target. First test was 25 feet (measured using a carpenter’s meter) away from the can..All I can say is I hit the can 8 out of 8 rounds!!

Wow, I thought I might be just lucky, so I repeated the same test, fired 8 rounds and..ok I hit 5 out of 8 rounds. That was good enough for me. Second test, I moved away to the max distance of our yard, 45 feet. Again fired 8 rounds, and I hit 4 out of 8. 2nd trial, 3 out of 8. Well I was a bit disappointed but I think it was just my aim! Besides I am new to GBB and not used to a gun with strong recoil, and I am aiming for can-sized target.

So its still depends on the user but one thing I noticed is at 25 feet, it still has the energy to puncture one side of the can. But at 45 feet, the BBs are just bouncing off the can giving it only small dents. I am not used to GBB but in my opinion EG723 are good at close range shooting only, Great for a side arm or CQB.

Gas Efficiency

Well another concern is if it is efficient in gas consumption. My unit arrived last Saturday and until now im using it every afternoon after work for plinking. I consume at least 3-5 magazines a day. I give the mags 3 to 5 second burst of gas and it can shoot at least 2 to 3 magazines depending on the way you shoot it. For me I shoot with intervals of 2-3 seconds before firing another shot. The magazine, sadly, also suffers from cool down effect like other GBBs. So rapid firing will usually increase gas usage of 80% or 1 to 1 ½ mag per gas refill. But still note that these situation happened for me,it might happen or not happen to you and besides, im a newbie on gas blow back pistols.

Reliability

Well Im using the gun everyday for plinking. Its only been 2 days since I got the gun so I still cannot say something about it. But all I can say is the full metal construction is quite sturdy and will withstand green gas for a long time. But again since this is still a china made gun, simple precautions and regular cleaning and lubing is really essential for it to last. And still one factor that may affect its reliability is the user of the gun. It still depends on how the user uses the gun. Still in general, this unit can be a reliable side arm and for CQB.

Summary

Pros

Full metal constructionHard kick Blow backCool and almost accurate trademarksCheapComes with spare partsGas efficient (depends on the user and temp)Realistic Sounds (Cocking and Slide catch)Comfortable to heldAccurate up to about 30 feetTM parts and magazine compatible (says on the net)Comes with a hard plastic case with foamit’s a Colt M1911A1!

Cons

Loose rear sightSusceptible to cool down effectOnly 1 mag included (unlike WE,hehe)Uneven paint job (might not be present on other units)Paint will chip easily

Conclusion

Overall I liked the Bell EG723 M1911A1. Well for its price, you’ll get a fairly sturdy full metal GBB construction, with trademarks, hard kick blowback, realistic sounds, a nice heavy feel, and for a china GBB, fairly good accuracy. Although there are some flaws in the unit, still it will serve as a great sidearm or a nice piece to add to your collection. Info on the net also tells us that the EG723 is a TM m1911 replica so TM parts may be compatible. Its only fair to line this up with its predecessor, EG720, which is actually had really good reviews. And even it’s a China made gun, with proper maintenance and care, this will serve you well. So to those airsofters or collectors who are tight on the budget, I highly recommend this gun, you’ll get a decent gun with a decent price.