E - 11 blaster rifle / Legends The BlasTech E - 11 blaster rifle , also referred to as the E - 11 BlasTech Standard Imperial Sidearm or the Stormtrooper Armament Blaster Rifle ( BlasTech E - 11 ) , was a blaster rifle used during the time of the Galactic Republic , and manufactured by BlasTech Industries during the Galactic Civil War . It was the standard blaster rifle of the Imperial stormtroopers . A powerful , light and compact weapon , the E - 11 was used widely through the galaxy . Description . Standard - issue for Imperial stormtroopers after the Declaration of a New Order , the E - 11 could alternate between semiautomatic , fully automatic and pulse - fire settings , and was designed to use a variety of ammunition , including grenades , darts , and flares . A computer enhanced scope compensated for dark , hazy , or smoky conditions , while a supplementary computer enabled the scope to display data specific to the weapon ' s current operating mode . The E - 11 ' s long barrel produced a tightly focused and very powerful particle beam , and had a maximum range of three hundred meters and an optimum range of one hundred meters . Because of this , it was considered best suited for close - quarters firefights , in particular the narrow confines of enemy installations and starship corridors . The E - 11 rifle proved to be a highly versatile design , spawning a wide number of variations . To make up for the high demand for these weapons , BlasTech authorized SoroSuub and Merr - Sonn to manufacture them under license . These three manufacturers were found mixed indiscriminately across the Empire in Imperial stocks . Stormtroopers carried E - 11 rifles throughout the Galactic Civil War . The design was based on that of the DC - 15 series of blaster rifles , carbines , and pistols which were once favored by the Galactic Republic ' s clone troopers . Some stormtroopers were known to complain that the original E - 11 had excessive recoil , leading to diminished accuracy in firefights , and preferred the carbine model instead . The basic E - 11 was 438 mm long when folded and weighed 2 . 6 kilograms . The power cell housing opened on the left side of the action housing , above the trigger , giving the E - 11 a very low profile ( useful when shooting prone or from a barricade ) . The E - 11 ' s plasma gas cartridges allowed for over 500 shots , while the power cells lasted for about 100 shots , depending on the setting . All moving and / or metal parts were fitted with a corrosion - proof , vacuum - rated , dry lubricant , and required regular cleaning . The top of the receiver had a universal , quick - detach sight rail , which came from the factory , mounted with a ring reticle 2x optical scope . This scope also was capable of interfacing with the tactical HUD within a stormtrooper ' s helmet . The basic three piece folding stock rode along the left side , under the power cell . When the stock was collapsed , the weapon could be fired one - handed . Alternatively , when the stock was folded , it could be used as a grip to increase accuracy . The power settings ranged from stun to kill . The rifle also had a rapid - fire mode with an expanded fire area , at the cost of poor accuracy . The stun settings could also be set to varying levels , including humanoid , depending on the target . When in stun setting , the blaster fires a blue concircular ring of energy , a product of the stun setting ' s wasted photonic energy byproducts . However , the stun bolts have a larger aperture than standard explosive bolts . The rifle could be clipped onto the utility belt of a stormtrooper ' s uniform , for ease of carrying . Modified versions of the rifle had also been produced . The E - 11b was capable of higher rates of fire , but was prone to overheating . A carbine version of this weapon was also produced — the E - 11 carbine , as well as the smaller E - 11A and E - 11A1 , capable of fitting a pistol holster , largely because the extendable stock had been removed . There also was an additional scope that could be added on to make the E - 11 into a small scale sniper rifle , with a maximum range of about 8x zoom . While effective , it was not as effective as the E - 11s sniper rifle . The EZ Strike E - 11 rifle was a variant favored by novice commandos . The E - 11 itself also featured a modification outfitted with a projectile launcher , capable of shooting grenades and grappling hooks . By 14 ABY they had been succeeded by the E - 15 and E - 19 blaster rifle s in some Imperial Remnant forces . Around 130 ABY , the ARC - 9965 blaster rifle , another product of BlasTech and advertised as an upgrade over the E - 11 , had become the new standard issue firearm for the Imperial stormtroopers , although the rifle is still in use by a small number of stormtroopers . Behind the scenes . The E - 11 blaster rifle props used in " " and " " were built from a - made . The Sterling used in both productions were provided by British film armorers Bapty & Co . For the filming of " " , ILM used Sterling copies manufactured by MGC ( Model Gun Corporation ) . The scopes used on E - 11 props were actually World War II tank scopes , most notably the M - 38 ( but also M40 and M19 ) , used in " A New Hope " . Next , a Hengstler Corporation industrial mechanical counter was then added to the side of the gun close behind the magazine receiver . There are at least two variations of the Hengstler boxes known to have been used on the props . The only visual difference between the two boxes is in the logos on their sides , one actually says Hengstler with a small Eagle , where others merely have the " Eagle " logo . The counters were crudely glued on the body of the blaster and on the scope , and thus some of them fell off during filming , residual glue remaining in place . To give the actors something to react to and to give artists timing reference when animating blaster bolts , the E - 11 rifle props in the original trilogy — which were still fully operational firearms — were loaded with blank cartridges that were then fired to provide a practical effect . Because of this , expended 9mm casings can be seen ejecting from the props in several scenes in " A New Hope " , particularly during the assault on the Death Star ' s detention level . This can also be seen briefly in a closeup of Lando firing one in " The Empire Strikes Back " . Kenner produced a full - size toy version of this rifle as part of its first " Star Wars " toy line in 1977 . The toy was called a " 3 position laser rifle . " Kenner ( and later , Hasbro ) re - released this blaster rifle ( without the folding stock on the original 1977 toy and in different color plastic / paintjobs due to changing laws in the United States dealing with toy and imitation firearms ) on numerous occasions throughout the " Star Wars " toy line ' s history . The game " " has several classes and at least one character who use the E - 11 . The four Imperial classes that use the E - 11 as their primary weapon are the stormtrooper , the Imperial Marine , the Imperial Engineer , and the Dark trooper , but the Imperial Engineer ' s model serves as a shotgun - type weapon and the Dark Trooper ' s model is the Arc Caster , which fires bolts of electricity . The other character in the game to use this weapon is Boba Fett , but like the Imperial Engineer and the Dark Trooper , the E - 11 is not used as a standard blaster rifle ( the game refers to the blaster as the EE - 3 Blaster Rifle , but uses the E - 11 model to save disk space ) . In " " and its subsequent sequels , the E - 11 is presented as having two firing modes : a slower , more accurate mode and a faster , inaccurate mode for use in close quarters . It is also typically depicted as being somewhat inefficient in terms of energy consumption , burning 2 - 3 times the energy per shot of other weapons . In " " , while sneaking through a ceiling , the player can overhear two stormtroopers discussing the E - 11 . One complains of its excessive recoil seriously hampering accuracy . This dialog may have been included in the game to explain the stormtroopers ' general failure to hit primary characters in the films .