Build Guide – EVO

Start by selecting the base material for your custom handgun.

Most popular is BASE-EVO-SS, stainless frame, stainless slide. This material can be left “bare” and provides a light grey, satin look. It is rust resistant, wears well, and can be refinished inexpensively. It also is the ideal base material if you plan to Gen4 coat either the entire gun, or just the upper for a “two-tone” look.

Light rail frames have an integrated rail for attaching a flashlight, or other device intended for use on a rail. They are available only in stainless (but of course can be coated).

Aluminum (lightweight) frames must be coated with Gen4, and cannot be left “bare”. As such, a stainless slide is the logical choice to go with an aluminum frame, since the slide can be coated with Gen4 to match the frame, or the slide can be left “bare” stainless for a reverse “two-tone” look.

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The frame texture is the pattern cut into the metal on the forestrap of the firearm, and the mainspring housing. Choice is primarily a matter of personal preference. All of them provide a secure grip without being too coarse. Snakeskin has the unique property of providing more grip in the direction you need it, but smoother in the opposite direction, which makes for an ideal carry gun.

Chainlink I looks like scallops. View Chainlink I (opens in a new tab)

Chainlink III looks like small golf balls. View Chainlink III (opens in a new tab)

Snakeskin looks like scales. View Snakeskin (opens in a new tab)

25 lpi checkering is checkering cut at 25 lines per inch. View 25 LPI checkering (opens in a new tab)
25 lpi checkering is the most traditional, and is considered more coarse than Chainlink I, Chainlink III, or Snakeskin.

Unlike standard checkering, where every line is cut, skip-line checkering omits every fifth line. The result is a flatter-topped, wider pattern that provides a secure, non-slip grip while being noticeably more comfortable against the hand, clothing, and skin. View Skip-Line checkering (opens in a new tab)

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The EVO Series includes a unique 7-top slide.

With the serrate top option, the top flat is serrated at 40 lines per inch, providing the eye with a natural line to the front sights, as well as a visually appealing cosmetic option.

Serrate back of slide (above hammer) is serrations on the back of the slide. The extractor is not serrated.

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“No Gen4” means no coating. A stainless gun will have matte glass bead finish, which is silver in color.

“Black Gen4 upper only” means the slide and upper components will be coated with Black Gen4, except for the barrel and sights.

“Black Gen4 upper and lower” means the slide and upper components are coated black as above, and also the frame and lower components are coated with Black Gen4, with the exception of the trigger, grips, and magazine. The trigger can be coated black by checking the option shown. If you prefer a black magazine, certain Ed Brown magazines are available in Black Nitride versions.

Stealth Grey, Battle Bronze, OD Green, and Flat Dark Earth are different Gen4 colors available for the lower. The upper remains Black Gen4. With any of these color packages, we recommend also choosing the Gen4 coat trigger (black) option. View Stealth Grey package (opens in a new tab) | Battle Bronze package (opens in a new tab) | OD Green package (opens in a new tab) | Flat Dark Earth package (opens in a new tab)

Dirty Olive Gen4 upper/lower is a full gun color scheme that incorporates the use of two colors, some splattering, and gives a worn look. We recommend also choosing the Gen4 coat trigger (black) option. View Dirty Olive Gen4 (opens in a new tab)

Industrial stainless gives a rubbed stainless look, with shading and highlights providing a worn look, with more depth and contrast. We recommend also choosing the Gen4 coat trigger (black) option. View Industrial stainless (opens in a new tab)

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We offer three profiles of thumb safety to suit any need. The Carry profile is the slimmest and contoured especially for carry. The Tactical profile is the most common and suitable for most uses. The Match profile is the widest, better suited for match use than carry, and typically preferred by those who shoot with their thumb on top of the thumb safety lever. View Thumb safety profiles (opens in a new tab)

The single side has the safety on one side only, while the ambi has levers on both sides, for those who shoot left handed, or want to be able to activate the thumb safety with either hand, for shooting matches or self-defense purposes. For carry, most right-handed people who carry the gun on their right-hand side, do not want an ambi as the lever sticks out, and could be inadvertently deactivated by brushing against objects.

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The standard mainspring housing is like the standard 1911 design (as in, not an Ed Brown Bobtail®, Round butt, or magwell). The mainspring housing will match the frame in material, and frame treatment.

The Ed Brown Bobtail® is a concealed carry modification to your frame that transforms it into a Round-Butt pistol, still capable of using full size magazines. The Bobtail® removes a full ½" of excess metal from the bottom rear of the gun, where the mainspring housing pin is located. This not only reduces the weight, but solves two well-known problems of carrying a 1911. First, it drastically increases comfort during carry. There is no sharp butt to poke you in the ribs. Second, it increases concealment during carry, because the hardest thing to conceal on a 1911 style pistol has always been the sharp, projecting butt. The Bobtail® uses an Officer’s model mainspring and internals, which are included and installed. View Ed Brown Bobtail® (opens in a new tab)

The Round butt option is a slight rounding of the mainspring housing, intended for carry, and can be done on full size frames, as a more mild alternative to the Bobtail®. View Round butt (opens in a new tab)

The blended one-piece magwell is the ideal choice for a blended magwell. It is not available on an aluminum frame, as the Chen Magwell is a better option for those configurations. View Blended one-piece magwell (opens in a new tab)

The two-piece magwell housing with standard magwell is the choice to make if you want a removable magwell. Not recommended for an aluminum frame, as the Chen Magwell is a better option in that case.

The Chen Magwell Gen2 is the ideal choice for adding a magwell with a full 360 degree funnel, which also does not increase the height of the frame. The frame is cut equal to the height of the magwell to accomplish this. View Chen Gen2 magwell (opens in a new tab)

If you have an aluminum frame and desire a magwell, the Chen Magwell is the only magwell option we recommend for an aluminum frame. This is because of the 360 degree funnel, which provides full steel protection to the bottom of your aluminum frame, something a horseshoe-shaped magwell cannot provide.

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The standard magazine release conforms closely to the original design, while the extended magazine release is extended by 0.060".

The standard magazine release with oversize button is drilled and tapped for our 0.375" diameter oversize button.

All versions are checkered at 40 lines per inch.

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The recessed slide stop has the pin shortened, and the frame recessed, so that the pin does not protrude from the frame, and cannot be inadvertently pressed out with the index finger while manipulating the firearm. View Recessed slide stop (opens in a new tab)

The recessed slide stop with serrated pin adds some serrations to the end of the slide stop pin, providing an additional index point and an attractive cosmetic appearance. View Recessed slide stop with serrated pin (opens in a new tab)

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The standard is the 3-hole long aluminum trigger. The solid version has no holes. The short version is shorter, for those with smaller hands, and also has no holes. The flat version has a straight vertical pressing surface, as opposed to a contour, theoretically allowing for an identical press regardless of grip imperfections. View Trigger options (opens in a new tab)

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The standard trigger pull is a clean break at 3.5 – 4.5 pounds of pressure, with no obviously perceptible creep after the inherent trigger take-up.

Those who are particularly sensitive about their trigger pull weight may wish to choose one of the narrower ranges of pull weights.

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The “Tactical Edge” style sights are curved on the front part of the sight blade to allow the slide to be manipulated with one hand by catching the ledge on a belt, heel, or other object. The U-Notch is a U-shaped sight notch in 0.140" notch width.

With the Holosun 320 SCS ready slide option, the slide is cut for the Holosun 320 SCS, but no optic is included. No coverplate is included – an optic must be mounted to cover the cut in the slide.

The Holosun 320 SCS setup includes the optic. The SCS-320-GR (Solar Charging Sight) is designed for P320 optics ready handguns or other DPP footprint applications. It is designed to attach directly to the slide without an adapter plate and uses our innovative solar charging system with multi-directional light sensors to automatically adjust brightness in dynamic situations. The SCS can potentially operate indefinitely using an internal, rechargeable 20,000-hour battery meaning under even moderate exposure to bright light, you will never need to change batteries again. The SCS also includes an intensity override function which locks the optic into a high brightness mode for 30 minutes and a low power indicator which warns of low battery days before charging is needed.

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The Ed Brown EVO series pistols allow the user to change the front sight, much more easily than the traditional dovetail setup.

The standard front sight is a black sight.

The HD XR Front Night Sight was specifically created to address the needs of tactical shooters who need a precise sight picture with high visibility in any light condition. The green tritium night sight is ringed in bright orange photo-luminescent paint. This is the ideal combination for high visibility day or night. Combined with any style of plain black rear sight, this unique combination increases visibility and quickens front sight acquisition—even in transitional lighting.

The front sights are also available with a fiber optic rod installed, either in red or green.

Also available is a gold bead front sight.

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View Grip Options (opens in a new tab)

Grip options are primarily a matter of personal preference, and there are many materials, colors, and textures to choose from. Two of the best materials are wood and G10.

The traditional material is wood, and we offer double diamond checkered Cocobolo wood and our innovative Labyrinth texture grips in both Cocobolo wood, and Corinto Blackwood.

G10 is a modern material, made in layers, and is a durable choice that provides a more consistent appearance than wood.

Slim grips are thinner and a good choice for carry guns, or those with smaller hands. Slim grips require thinner grip screw bushings, and thinner grip screws. G10 is the only choice for slim grips, as it is much stronger than wood.

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Choose the Concealed carry version of the beavertail grip safety when overall compactness is a priority. The tail protrusion has been reduced by approximately 0.100". View Concealed carry beavertail (opens in a new tab)

The ejector is normally black, but can be ordered in stainless if you prefer. View stainless ejector (opens in a new tab)

The external extractor is normally black, but can be ordered in stainless if you prefer.

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