ARCTURUS Advanced Tactical AK MOD1 Carbine AEG w/Optical MOSFET

If you're all about realistic AKs but want a more Westernised build, the ARCTURUS Advanced Tactical AK MOD1 Carbine AEG w/Optical MOSFET should be right up your street! An AK-105 length full metal build with plenty of stamped steel parts in the mix, the Tactical AK MOD 1 is dressed to impress on the outside with unique ARCTURUS furniture bristling with modern attachment interfaces and inside, things get even better!

The Tactical AK MOD 1 is based around a reinforced version 3 gearbox with 18:1 ratio CNC steel gears running on 8mm ball-bearing bushings, a CNC POM air nozzle and a steel quick-change spring guide equipped with ball bearings in its base to reduce wear and tear. Also inside is a 6.03mm stainless steel tightbore inner barrel paired with ARCTURUS' innovative AK rotary HOP-up unit, offering above-average accuracy and long-range performance. To provide the torque necessary for a truly frightening trigger response, a 25K High Torque Neodymium magnet motor drives this setup, and the result is very impressive indeed!

The icing on the cake is ARCTURUS' Optical MOSFET system, keeping the gearbox internals well timed and running at peak efficiency while providing programmable fire controls, adjustable pre-cocking and adjustable trigger sensitivity. If you're after a modern AK with a realistically hefty build, advanced internals and an equally advanced exterior, the ARCTURUS Advanced Tactical AK MOD1 Carbine AEG w/Optical MOSFET is the one!

Starting at the tip of the 12.4-inch outer barrel, we can find a seriously aggressive-looking multi-port hybrid muzzle brake design with a 3-prong flash hider style front end, mounted to the 14mm CCW male threads. This muzzle device looks fantastic at the tip of this menacing, modernised AK, but if you want to mount a tracer unit for the psychological warfare factor in CQB or you like to sneak around with a suppressor on your primary, this is easily done thanks to the common 14mm CCW threading. As with many AKs, removing the muzzle device requires that you hold the detent pin in the front sight inwards while unscrewing the pre-installed muzzle device.

In classic AK-105 style, the combination front sight/gas block follows immediately after the muzzle device and is constructed from steel to provide heft and the appropriate balance for a realistic feel. This front sight is a unique design from ARCTURUS with an adjustable front sight post, which is protected on each side with steel wings to avoid damage following a bump or scrape. The segment of the front sight with the sight blade inside can also be flipped down, an ARCTURUS-specific feature allowing you to use lower-mounted optics without obstructing your sight picture.

The finish applied to the front sight and several other parts mimics the anti-corrosion finish applied to real AKs almost perfectly, adding a nice bit of contrast and visual interest to make certain parts pop. Touches like these show that ARCTURUS is willing to go the extra mile to make their AK replicas look that much more real than rivals, avoiding completely the tell-tale signs of a replica gun by varying the finish across the piece, as is commonly the case with real firearms.

The gas tube of the Tactical AK MOD 1 is inspired by the real steel UltimAK railed gas tube with unique ARCTURUS aesthetic twists. The gas tube is constructed from Aluminium with a 20mm Picatinny rail machined into its upper surface, allowing for red dot optics to be mounted in a "scout" configuration. This makes the reticule faster to acquire and suits the AK's looks perfectly, especially if you are running a PMC-style loadout. This rail is approximately 15.5cm in length, which is plenty of space for a micro red dot sight and offset mounted Scout tactical flashlight, which is exactly how we would choose to run this beast!

Following the gas tube, we come to the trunnion block, which is another part inspired by the real steel market but redesigned by ARCTURUS to complete the overall look. The trunnion block is made from CNC-machined aluminium, with weight-reduction grooves machined on either side and a combination open rear sight/20mm Picatinny rail. The rear sight is a basic yet functional simplification of the original AK tangent rear sight, adjustable for windage via the Allen bolt on the right side. The 20mm Picatinny rail itself is in the ideal spot for a red dot sight, and is raised position over the gas tube rail means any accessories you have on the gas tube won't block your sight picture. While it has a lot of unique features, we can tell the Tactical AK MOD 1 is a very well thought-out design!

The handguard is an M-LOK example, boasting M-LOK attachment slots at the 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions, punctuated with weight-reducing ports and relief cuts to keep the front end relatively light and pointable and furnish the Tactical AK MOD 1 with its ultra-modern look. The rear of the handguard also features functional QD sling sockets, and the machining is precise and smooth, making it a true pleasure to hold.

Accessories-wise, you have the option of either directly mounting M-LOK accessories to the handguard or adding 20mm Picatinny rail adapters for M-LOK to mount more common 20mm Picatinny accessories. This handguard is longer than the usual AK handguard, granting more room for mission essentials and allowing for the modern, effective and most importantly, trendy c-clamp/thumb over bore grip!

Moving rearwards, we come to the receiver, which should definitely excite AK fans. This receiver type is the RPK reinforced receiver, complete with strengthening bulges on each side where the barrel and trunnion are mounted. This serves to improve the receiver's strength and allow for higher volumes of sustained fire with less effect on accuracy in the real RPK, the support gun variant of the AK. These receivers are prized in the US civilian tactical scene due to the inherent accuracy improvement they provide, and it is nice to see that ARCTURUS are staying current and paying attention to the small but essential details when designing its custom AK line.

The receiver is constructed from steel and has all the realistic rivets and pins in all the right places, as well as the Russian AK-style side rail mount over on the left side. The side rail allows for AK-type Russian optics to be mounted, but if you prefer a Western sight, you can use a 20mm Picatinny rail mount as long as it is the AK type (SVD mounts will not fit).

The right side is where we find the fire selector switch, which functions like any other AK but with an additional extension riveted on to allow the selector to be manipulated using the trigger finger without taking the strong hand off the grip. This is perfectly in line with modern Western-accessorised AKs and brings the old AK rifle into line with more modern platforms in how it is handled, making everything more natural and minimising unnecessary movement for extra speed.

As with the other parts of the receiver, the mock bolt carrier is constructed from steel and has a very realistic look and finish and can be pulled back and released for a satisfying metal-on-metal "clank". The HOP-up unit of the Tactical AK MOD 1 is located behind the bolt carrier and can be accessed when it is held in its rearmost position. This HOP-up unit is a unique ARCTURUS design and uses a rotary adjuster instead of the usual slider adjuster of the AK AEG platform. This has the benefit of holding its setting for longer under the vibrations of firing and provides a TDC-like effect, providing pressure directly to the top of the HOP-up nub and bucking for less side-to-side deviation downrange.

The magazine release assembly is located on the bottom of the receiver and is constructed from steel, just like a real AK. The mag release can be accessed from either side, making weak-side reloads easy and allowing for effective left-handed use. The pistol grip is yet another unique touch from ARCTURUS, an ergonomic design with textured panels on the front and rear, along with a built-in enlarged trigger guard. The grip feels fantastic in the hand, a massive improvement over the usual AK grip shape, with the added bonus that the enlarged trigger guard provides easy trigger access for shooters rocking full-finger gloves.

At the rear of the receiver, we are treated to an ultra-modern stock mounting interface, known as 1913/20mm Picatinny. This is essentially a vertically positioned 20mm Picatinny rail and has been used on the Sig MCX and MPX, along with several other platforms as an aftermarket add-on. By default, the Tactical AK MOD 1 is a rear-wired setup, which will limit your stock options, but nonetheless, it is great to see this cutting-edge stock system finding its way onto an AK!

A side-folding M4/AR-15 style buffer tube mounts to the 1913/20mm Picatinny interface, with a steel castle nut and aluminium buffer tube. Mounted to the tube, we can find an A-frame style stock with the adjustment lever protected from accidental presses within the A-frame shape, reducing the chances of snagging while keeping the adjustment lever easy to access. The butt plate and cheek rest are constructed from grey rubber, adding some discrete contrast to the build and providing superb gripping qualities, even in wet weather.

On either side, we are also treated to a QD sling socket, allowing you to make use of a QD sling whether you are left or right-handed. Also present are several loops which can be used for more conventional sling solutions. To fold the buffer tube assembly to the side, simply lift it up to defeat the locking mechanism and swing it to the left side, where it will be held in place. To redeploy the stock, lift it up again, and it can be folded back into place.

The battery compartment is located inside the buffer tube and accessible either by removing the stock or disconnecting the butt plate. To remove the stock, pull the adjustment lever out as far as it will go and slide the stock off to the rear. Alternatively, you can remove just the butt plate by squeezing the textured tabs on each side, after which it will lift free. Inside, you'll find a Deans battery connector to which you mount your choice of battery. We recommend a 7.4V 1000mAh LiPo battery in stick config for an easy fit and great performance.

On the inside, the Tactical AK MOD 1 has many of the premium parts from previous ARCTURUS Limited Edition releases with an 18:1 gear set at the heart of its Version 3 gearbox. The steel gears run on 8mm ball bearing bushings for reduced friction and reduced stress on the gearbox shell, and the quick change spring guide is also constructed from steel and mounted on ball bearings to prolong the life of the spring.

The pre-installed neodymium 25K High Torque motor combines perfectly with the optical MOSFET and CNC steel gearset to give you a performance that will make you smile, whilst bringing the adversaries to tears! The optical MOSFET is the star of the show, offering a wide variety of programmable options, including multiple alternative fire modes, a two-stage "progressive" trigger and trigger sensitivity adjustment, to name a few. This is an advanced MOSFET to find pre-installed in an AEG, and we love ARCTURUS for giving us such amazing internals straight out of the box.

The MOSFET can also be set for pre-cocking and active braking and is fully user-configurable via the fire controls of the AEG, meaning no need for aftermarket programmers, connecting to your PC or phone or any other faffing; simply program your preferred configuration using combinations of fire selector movement and trigger pulls (a programming card with instructions is included in the box).

If you love ARCTURUS AK build quality but prefer a Western-inspired design, the Advanced Tactical AK MOD 1 Carbine AEG w/Optical MOSFET will suit you perfectly! A flawless external build with high-end internals and a unique look with plenty of functional perks, this AK is ideal for the AK fan that doesn't want unashamedly Russian styling!

Features

• Full metal construction - Almost entirely steel
• 6.03mm Tightbore inner barrel - Great accuracy potential
• Aluminium Tri-prong hybrid muzzle device - Or, go loud, your choice!
• 14mm CCW Male threaded outer barrel - Ready for suppressors, tracers and other muzzle devices
• Optical MOSFET pre-installed - Programmable fire modes, super snappy trigger response
• Rotary HOP-up unit - Unique ARCTURUS design, TM compatible and very effective
• 20mm Picatinny railed gas tube - UltimAK style, 15.5cm of available rail
• M-LOK handguard - M-LOK slots at 3, 6, & 9 o'clock, ready for M-LOK accessories
• 20mm Picatinny railed rear sight block - Ideal for a red dot sight
• Ergonomic pistol grip - Unique ARCTURUS design with a built-in enlarged trigger guard
• RPK-style stamped steel receiver with markings - Very hefty and realistic, Cyrillic fire selector markings
• Ambidextrous magazine release - Centrally positioned, great for left or right-handed shooters
• Extended fire selector - Easy to switch modes using the trigger finger, thanks to the extra ledge
• 3-Position fire selector: SAFE - FULL AUTO - SEMI AUTO - Programmable fire modes via MOSFET
• 1913/20mm Picatinny stock interface - Modern modular stock mounting system
• Version 3 gearbox
  • 18:1 Reinforced steel gearset
  • 8mm Ball bearing bushings
  • High torque 25K motor with Neodymium magnets
  • MIM Steel pinion gear
  • CNC POM Air nozzle
  • Steel quick-change ball-bearing spring guide
• Programmable MOSFET functions:
  • Burst Modes - Various durations
  • Adjustable active braking - 8 Levels
  • Adjustable pre-cocking - 7 Levels
  • Binary trigger
  • Binary trigger with ramping full auto
  • Low battery protection
  • Electronic fuse
  • Adjustable trigger sensitivity
  • Adjustable trigger reset distance
• Compatible with AK-47/74 AEG magazines
• Top Wired: Deans connector - Recommended battery: 7.4V 1200mAh LiPo Slim Stick Battery

Package Includes

• ARCTURUS Advanced Tactical AK MOD1 Carbine AEG w/Optical MOSFET
  • 130/30 rnd Adjustable capacity magazine
  • ARCTURUS PVC Patch
  • Deans to mini-Tamiya Adapter
  • User manual

Special Instructions

Please note, due to the design of the Tactical AK MOD1, scratches will develop in certain areas from normal use. This is unavoidable, and many of our Tactical AK MOD1 AEGs already have these scratches from the factory due to the testing and QC process.

Examples include the AK "selector lever scratch", a similar scratch on the area beneath the handguard disassembly latch, and a scratch on the area of the hinged top cover which meets the receiver when hinged open.

These scratches are part of a realistic AK look and will develop over time regardless of whether they are present initially or not. Please consider carefully before making your purchase.