USMC MEU pistol
Primary function: Modified .45 caliber pistol
Length: 8.625 inches (21.91 centimeters)
Weight:
Magazine empty: 2.5 pounds (1.14 kilograms)
Magazine loaded: 3.0 pounds (1.36 kilograms)
Bore diameter: .45 caliber
Maximum effective range: 164 feet (50 meters)
Muzzle velocity: 830 feet/252 meters/second
Magazine capacity: 7 rounds

WA S.C.W. MEU pistol Limited Edition
Primary function: Airsoft
Length: 216mm
Weight: 1.01 kilograms
Bore diameter: .45 caliber, inner barrel 6mm
Maximum effective range: 66 feet (20 meters)
Muzzle velocity: about 231 feet/70 meters/second with 0.20g BB (WA’s data)
Magazine capacity: 15+1 rounds

Boxes titled ”MEU Pistol Limited Edition” were emptying off the Western Arms showroom rack with astonishing rate one per every few minutes (the time needed to cash a customer) the time I was there on release day - 9/15. Colt M1911 pistol really needs no introduction and is, as usual, going on strong as ever and in recent months its more obscure military versions have been receiving attention from Japanese airsoft media. Western Arms states that they have received many requests to make the Marine Corps Expeditionary Unit Colt M1911 pistol variant to which they duly obliged by creating custom limited edition version of their Shibuya Custom Works brand. It was great to see that WA was following the more sensible military direction in wake of their recent Colt M1911A1 releases and not going for another ”Gigant” monster or some daft movie variation.

Side profile view of the WA MEU pistol. Click to see the larger version.

MEU
MEU, Marine Expeditionary Unit. A highly compact and mobile United States Marine Corps (USMC) Land-Sea-Air combat unit with integral air assets and supported by United States Navy ships. MEU offers strategic force projection capabilities around the globe and is also classified as Special Operations capable. With strength of about 2,200 personnel, the MEU is normally built around a reinforced battalion, a composite aircraft squadron, and by a MEU Service Support group.

The ground combat element (GCE) is the battalion landing team (BLT), an infantry battalion reinforced with artillery, amphibious assault vehicles, light armored reconnaissance assets and other units as the mission and circumstances require.

The aviation combat element (ACE) is a Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron augmented with four types of helicopters into a composite squadron. These units include CH-53E "Super Stallions," CH-46E "Sea Knights," UH-1N "Hueys," and AH-1W "Super Cobras." Ace assets may also include the fixed-wing aircraft such as the AV-8B "Harrier" jet. United States currently maintains seven active MEUs, three on the East coast (Pacific Ocean), three on the West coast (Atlantic Ocean) and one in Okinawa, Japan.

Colt .45 for MEU special operations
Like rest of the US military the USMC was issued with Beretta M9s back in the day, but it didn’t go down well with the ranks thanks to the M9s relative unreliability, lack of stopping power and by some accounts, inaccuracy. Unofficially the Colt M1911s were still favored. Some of you might or might not remember the Tokyo Marui MP5 Navy electric gun that was sold many years ago. This was vaguely based on the MEU 9mm MP5-N Close Quarters Weapon, which comes handy on special operations that MEU is expected to carry out. The MEU pistol were ordered by USMC as a combat accuratized backup weapon for the MEU 9mm MP5-N. Officially the Corps states ”The M1911A1 was chosen for this role (and its modifications generated) because of its inherent reliability and lethality, and because the MEU(SOC) modifications make the M1911A1 design more "user friendly." These customized Colt M1911A1 were hand-built by specially trained armorers at the Rifle Team Equipment (RTE) shop, Quantico, Virginia. Only 500 were ever made suggesting that they were issued only to the special units of various MEUs.

Sergeant Joseph Ban from Force Reconnaissance Battalion Detachment, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and Cape Coral, Fla. native, fires the M1911 MEU (SOC) .45 cal. pistol. USMC official photo by Sergeant B. R. Kelsey.

The unique characteristics of the MEU(SOC) pistol are: commercial/competition grade ambidextrous safety, precision barrel, precise trigger, and rubber coated grips, rounded hammer spur, high profile combat sights, and an extra-wide grip safety for increased comfort and controllability (which aids in a quick follow-up second shot). The issue magazines are replaced with stainless steel competition-grade magazines with rounded plastic follower and extended floor plate.

WA MEU pistol features
The Western Arms MEU Pistol finish is dark grey, almost matt black, which gives it sleek tactical appearance all around. In fact WA has mixed the dark grey with matt black that gives it unique appearance color wise. It can’t hide the plastic build of the pistol, but the immaculate precision and fit of the parts and weight balance make up for the lack of metal parts. For instance in comparison with the Marui Hi-Capa 5.1, which we heavily praised in our earlier review, the weight balance of the MEU is noticeably better. WA MEU pistol is also somewhat more heavier (about 1,010g).

In WA MEU pistol most of the real MEU pistol features have been closely replicated. The rounded hammer spur with WA’s hammer transfer system is impressive and the hammer works quietly and without a glitch. The hammer itself is made of metal.

WA MEU Pistol hammer transfer system is three-phased.

Just next to the hammer is the commercial grade ambidextrous safety that sports unique thinnered lever only on the right side. Left side is of normal width. Extra-wide grip safety is located under the safety and this is made of plastic.

The custom trigger is of stainless color and made of metal. It works well enough and I found the trigger pull to be well adjusted, or more military typish when it comes to the Colt variations. For example, in Marui Hi-Capa 5.1 the trigger pull is in comparison sensitive. The grips are one of the fancy parts of this pistol as they are rubber coated (see the image on right inset) like in the real MEU pistol. This gives solid grip to the gun and increases the feel of the pistol to more realistic level.

The white-dotted combat sights are one of the highly useful features of MEU pistol that make the aiming process a whole lot more precise. The white dots prevent to some extend the blurring what happens when your brain is deprived of oxygen at the final aiming stage and allow you also to form the sight picture more precisely than with standard black sights.

Wilson Combat type magazine of WA MEU Pistol.

Magazine is of thin Wilson Combat type and has black magazine bottom and stainless body. Its otherwise typical WA R-type magazine, but doesn’t really compare with the real magazine.The real magazine is of different shape and has holes in the main body. As this is limited edition custom gun from WA it is, however, understandable that they haven’t invested into a completely new magazine.

Markings on WA MEU Pistol consist of Model 1911 and Cal .45 slide engravings (see the image on right inset) and the standard WA and ASGK markings in the frame. There is also serial number in the frame, but this is probably not a running one.

At the business end of MEU pistol you can notice the plastic muzzle end. In the disassembly process this is hooked to the disassembly tool’s spikes and turned clockwise to remove it from locking position.

Internals
Taking apart the WA MEU pistol reveals the body of the beast so to speak. Apart from the muzzle end that also works as a locking part there is recoil spring holder, recoil spring guide with rubber bearing, recoil spring, inner barrel covered with another barrel frame, chamber and hop up unit.

WA MEU Pistol in disassembled state. Note the recoil spring parts.

The internals appear to been reinforced by the use of recoil spring holder and rubber bearing. Inner barrel is the new WA 6.03mm accuracy standard one.

Recoil
Recoil of the gun is quite good (nothing spectacular in general GBB standard to avoid misunderstanding) and the mechanism cycles well. This becomes better when considering the overall weight of the gun (1,010g), which is from more heavier end when it comes to airsoft pistols.

Overall impressions
A definite must for airsofters who are into USMC impressions and spec ops. If you are hardcore about realistic impressions then WA MEU pistol offers you a possibility to create more complete USMC MEU outfit, but will not offer possibilities for other impressions. When it comes to the practical player, there are more long range and accurate gas blowback guns out there (out of the box). Regardless which player type you are it is a fact that unless WA decides to do "Wilson Combat CQB re-release" type of thing again (switching limited edition gun to regular production), MEU Pistol will be sold out in a month or so, if not faster.

Sources: USMC, Western Arms