RAVEN R9 GBB Pistol

The R9 from Raven is the latest pistol from Ravens line of affordable full metal GBB pistols, now in the form of a B9 pistol. This classic design has a very recognisable shape, appearing in the hands of Solid Snake, the US Army, John Mclain and many other real and fictional heroes. The R9 is a replica of a modernised B9, but not the latest variant, giving us the best compromise between the original looks of the B9 and the addition of a frame rail and shortened beaver tail at the rear of the grip. Whatever your loadout, the likelihood is that the R9 will fit right in!

Starting at the tip of the outer barrel we can find 12mm female threads, allowing a suppressor or tracer unit to be added with the Raven thread adapter. It's always nice to have this facility, especially as tracer units increase in popularity. Saves you the trouble of having to buy and install a threaded outer barrel! The alloy outer barrel is visible through to the chamber area on the R9, appropriately matching the look of the real B9 pistol, and helping keep the slide weight to a minimum for improved gas efficiency.

The sights of the R9 are high vis white dot iron sights, providing a simple and easy to align sighting system which can be operated at speed with some practice. The sights can be found atop the slide, and are standard combat style non-adjustable sights for added rigidity. The slide of the R9 features angled serrations on either side to promote a good grip when manipulating the pistol which comes in useful when operating in poor weather or when wearing gloves.

At the rear of the slide, we can find the pistol's ambidextrous decocking/safety lever, which can be operated when the action is cocked. When the pistol is ready to fire, the safety will sit horizontally, revealing a red enamel dot to indicate that the pistol is hot. With the action cocked, rotating the safety catch down will decock the hammer and disconnect the safety. The R9 can be carried in this condition, and immediately fired when the safety is disengaged thanks to its double-action/single-action trigger. The first shot will have a long trigger pull, and the following shots will be from a much shorter trigger pull for fast follow up shots. At the rear of the frame, we can see the hammer of the pistol, which is a low profile design. This hammer is not designed to be manipulated with the thumb due to the R9 being a double-action trigger pull, but you still can cock the hammer manually to engage the single-action trigger if you choose.

Moving down to the frame, we can see a lovely sight! The R9 has a 20mm Picatinny frame rail, allowing laser aiming modules and weapon mounted flashlights to be added. This is quickly becoming essential in the modern age of primary pistols in Airsoft and allows you to kit out your R9 however you like! The controls are found on the left side of the pistol, ideally set up for a right handed user but useable by a lefty with some practice. The magazine release is a simple button type, present where the trigger guard meets the frame and providing a familiar and instinctive magazine release for anyone who has used practically any American pistol out there. The slide release can be found just above and features an extended textured section to ensure it is within reach of the shooter's thumb, and that poor weather conditions do not affect how quickly the pistol can be operated. Ahead of the slide release, we can see the disassembly catch, which can be used to remove the slide of the pistol for lubrication, and for adjustment of the R9s HOP-up unit. To release the slide, first cock the pistol, and remove the magazine. Next, press in on the textured button just below the disassembly catch on the right side, and rotate the disassembly catch on the left side downwards, after which the slide will come off. The gear HOP adjuster can be found on the bottom of the outer barrel.

The grip panels of the R9 feature diamond checkering which works together with the texture on the front and back straps to ensure a perfect grip. At the bottom of the grip, we are treated to a lanyard loop, which can accept any pistol lanyard and prevent the pistol from hitting the floor if it takes a tumble from your holster. The trigger guard of the R9 is an enlarged design, ideal for use with gloves. The guard also features a flat front face which can serve as a secondary point of control for your support hand, facilitating modern shooting positions such as the "European grip". Such is the benefit of having a modernised classic design; you get all the classic ultra recognisable looks with modern ergonomic features to keep you ahead when skirmishing!

Performance-wise, the R9 sports a 6.03mm tight bore inner barrel and adjustable HOP, providing ample range and accuracy for a sidearm and has an awesome immersive firing experience with its full metal slide and realistic operation. So, if you are looking for a sidearm that is a bit less common but has the ultra recognisable look of a US Army service pistol that has featured in innumerable films and video games, the R9 should do the trick!

Features

• Full metal construction
• Ambidextrous safety/decocker
• 20mm Picatinny frame rail
• Gear adjustable HOP-up unit
• 6.03mm tight bore inner barrel
• Lanyard loop for extra secure carry
• Double-action/single-action trigger
• Textured pistol grip with Raven logo
• Enlarged trigger guard - great for gloved use
• 12mm female threaded barrel - suppressor ready with Raven adapter

Package Includes

• Raven R9 GBB Pistol
• Raven R9 GBB magazine
• Raven PVC patch
• Spare BBU/nozzle
• Spare O-rings