EMG · GBB pistol · Gas

EMG Salient Arms 2011 4.3 DS

Name: EMG Salient Arms 2011 4.3 DS
Brand: EMG

Badger Score

8.1/10

3 creator reviews · medium confidence · read them

Tested by Ed

6/10

His verdict · watch the video

Where to buy Ed’s verdict Creator reviews

Is the EMG Salient Arms 2011 4.3 DS good?

Ed tested it on camera in May 2025 and rated it 6/10.

Other creators rate it 8.1/10 across 3 reviews the index has read, with medium confidence.

Liked: “I would definitely recommend running this gun just by itself” DesertFoxAirsoft

Problem raised: “performance was so disappointing that it kind of just took away everything else” Airsoft GunsnGear

Key facts

Maker: EMG
Power: Gas
Type: GBB pistol
Price from: $181 at RedWolf Airsoft

What other creators say

Badger Score 8.1/10 from 3 reviews read by the index (medium confidence). Hands-on tests weigh more than unboxings; stated scores beat inferred ones. Each line links to the creator’s video.

A Century of Updates | Straight Outta the Box EMG SAI DS 2011

DesertFoxAirsoft · hands-on · positive · 8/10 (inferred from stance)

“I would definitely recommend running this gun just by itself”

The reviewer tested the EMG Salient Arms 2011 DS, praising its crisp firing and unique look while noting the bulky grip.

Salient Arms/EMG 2011 DS HiCapa Airsoft Overview

Booligan Shooting Sports · hands-on · positive · 9/10

“the salian arms 2011 DS is an excellent excellent pistol”

The reviewer tests the EMG Salient Arms 2011 DS, praising its build quality and performance while noting the high price point for a boutique item.

Here's why you SHOULDN'T buy the EMG 2011 DS!

Airsoft GunsnGear · hands-on · negative · 7/10

“performance was so disappointing that it kind of just took away everything else”

The reviewer found the EMG Salient Arms 2011 DS visually appealing but criticized its poor performance, mushy trigger, and excessive slide wobble, ultimately giving it a mediocre score.

Also covering it:

EMG / Salient Arms International 2011 4.3 DS Full Auto Select Fire GBB Pistol Review · Otrain23
EMG/Salient Arms 2011 Training Weapon Review · RQ Airsoft

Also covering it (not yet read by the index):

Still worth it?: EMG SAI 2011 DS. Feels like a 1911, feeds like a Hicapa - TorontoAirsoft.com · TorontoAirsoft
Overview - (EMG) Salient Arms International Limited Edition Full Steel 4.3 2011 DS Airsoft Pistol · Grubandtherangerz
EMG SAI 2011 DS Review (Airsoft Pistol) · B&E Productions

Tested by Ed

I think it's pretty great - for a $200 pistol you get something different with a big brand name on it, and it's a hi-capa so you can upgrade it as much as you want. On green gas it was super consistent around 293-298 FPS at 17 rounds a second; on CO2 it starts around 400 FPS and drops off, with a slightly slower rate of fire. The kick is snappy, the recoil feels really good, and I like the silver and gold with the deep SAI trademarks. But my mag base plate won't click in properly, a mag dropped out on its own, and I got a slide lock when I shouldn't have, so I don't think there's Tokyo Marui magic sprinkled in here. I don't know how well it lasts, but it's different and it looks and feels pretty cool.

From FULL AUTO 2011?! | EMG x Salient Arms 4.3 DS GBB Pistol Review · 2025-05-08 · review · rated 6/10

What he said, by aspect

build	“it feels pretty solid in the hand. Like the actual build of it, I do quite like” at 02:34	8
gas power consistency	“Green gas: 'that was super consistent'; CO2: 'going to start around 400 and it's going to drop off from there'” at 17:36	7
chrono consistency	“298 297 293 295... that on those last four were very consistent” at 17:30	7
accuracy range	“did seem like it was just laser beaming the actual BBs” at 20:43	—
reliability failures	“That mag just dropped out... I don't think I actually hit the mag release on that” at 15:03	4
ergonomics	“The kick's pretty nice. Snappy... it's quite nice little reset” at 13:06	7
value	“for $200 you're getting something that's different. You're getting something that's a high capper” at 21:36	8
parts support	“It's obviously a high capper so you can upgrade it as much as you want” at 21:02	8
externals fidelity	“deep crisp salient arms trademarks... put in there pretty deeply. Fully licensed and engraved” at 10:24	8

From FULL AUTO 2011?! | EMG x Salient Arms 4.3 DS GBB Pistol Review. Aspect numbers are extracted from what Ed said on camera; “—” means he described it but gave no number.

Problems he hit

Dropped CO2 mag cracked the plastic base plate rail, so the bottom kept falling off · 06:57

Replacement metal base plate does not click in fully and stays movable; Ed calls it a quality control issue · 07:31

CO2 cartridge very hard to pierce by hand; needed pliers to tighten · 14:19

Magazine dropped out of the gun on its own during the CO2 test · 15:03

Full-auto vibration knocked the mag base plate off · 15:37

Unexpected slide lock mid-mag on CO2 with BBs remaining · 19:12

Out of the box

397FPS

0.2BB weight (g)

30Mag capacity

200Price quoted

0.2g BBs. Green gas: 268/279 then 298/297/293/295 ('super consistent'), 17 rps. CO2: 397/396/392/391/388, later 388/383 - 'a 400 FPS replica basically', 'start around 400 and drop off', 15.6 rps. Box claims 320-350 FPS on CO2. Mag '30 plus 1'. Prices: silver CO2 '$29' (likely $209; reload package $269 = '+$60' with 2 extra mags); green gas $199 base / $285 carry package; Ed twice calls it 'a $200 pistol'.

Caveats

Transcription garbles names/numbers: '$29' is almost certainly $209 (fits the '+$60 = $269 reload package' math); 'Evite Machine Group' = EMG; 'Tokimurray' = Tokyo Marui.
Ed received the pistol free in a mystery box and uses an Evike referral link.
Several failures trace to Ed having dropped the CO2 mag earlier; he says it 'hopefully won't be the same with yours'.
No real accuracy or range test; 'laser beaming' was a casual aside, so accuracy is unscored.
Manufacturer claims (320-350 FPS, CNC aluminium, upgrade potential) are read from the listing, not independently verified.
Ed is unsure who actually manufactures the pistol and guesses AW Custom/WE only for the magazines.

His videos

FULL AUTO 2011?! | EMG x Salient Arms 4.3 DS GBB Pistol Review

2025-05-08 · review · full auto GBB, silver/gold, CO2 version (green-gas compatible) · Ed 6/10

Every claim here links to the moment Ed said it. His scores are his alone and are never for sale.

Where to buy

Evike · Ed’s affiliate link
RedWolf Airsoft · from $181

Evike and partner links are referral links: the channel may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Retailer links are plain listings and prices are theirs at crawl time. No link changes a verdict or a score.

From the manufacturer

In production · Maker ref GP-SAI-SA-DS0230 · RRP $189.00 · EMG page

Community builds

Loading member builds…

Add your build Your own airsoft replica, photographed by you. Ed checks every photo before it goes live; adding and thumbs-up need a Badger app account.