ARCTURUS AK-12K AEG Rifle; 2rnd Burst Mode Ready w/Perun MOSFET

The Real AK-12

The AK-12 rifle was conceived by the IZHMASH factory, which later became a part of Kalashnikov Concern as a private venture. The original AK-12, based on the AK-200 prototype was a response to the "Ratnik" program initiated by the Russian military in search of a new rifle as well as other infantry equipment to issue to their soldiers in the 21st century.

The original AK-200 based AK-12 was withdrawn from the running for the new rifle after it was found to have a range of defects, and a new prototype, known as the AK-400, began testing. The AK-400 was much closer to the original Kalashnikov design and was seen as a "safe bet" when compared to the AK-200.

The controls are positioned for familiarity to AK users, though the new AK-12 now sports a receiver rail and railed handguard, a 2 round burst mode and a side-folding and retractable stock using a buffer tube like system to allow for comfortable use when wearing body armour, something AK74 variants lacked. The AK12K is the short-barrelled variant of the full sized AK12, intended for issue to mechanised infantry, special forces, and those with a need for a shorter rifle.

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The Arcturus AK-12K follows in the footsteps of the highly successful Arcturus AK line, offering authentically replicated Airsoft AK designs constructed almost entirely from steel, just like the real thing. Following on from their original AK12 release, Arcturus has answered our prayers and now offers the short-barrelled AK-12K for those who prefer a more compact weapon or those looking to create an authentic Russian "motorised rifle" unit loadout. This version of the AK12K has also been considerably upgraded internally, boasting a high speed gearset, a high torque motor and a Perun MOSFET to provide its realistic 2-round burst mode. This is probably the ultimate AK-12K Airsoft AEG!

Starting at the tip of the outer barrel we can find an AK-12K style muzzle device, which follows a similar design to the M4/AR15 birdcage in function with a series of ports around the circumference, but with the classic Russian aesthetic which fits the AK-12K perfectly. If you are a bit more of a Spetsnaz type of player you may be thinking of mounting one of those lovely new PBS or PUTNIK style tracers or suppressors, the good news is this won't be a problem thanks to the 14mm CCW male threading concealed beneath the flash hider. The outer barrel is constructed from steel, which is a great start, though there is a lot more steel to come on this rifle!

Moving rearwards we come to the front sight/gas block, which is constructed from steel with a textured surface finish matching the hard-wearing paint used for Russian manufactured AK rifles. This is a nice touch for realism, as nothing gives the game away quite like an AK front sight looking a bit too smooth and "Airsoft-y". The front sight blade can be adjusted up and down to set the elevation and is protected on either side by protective wings built into the front sight/gas block. At the bottom of the gas block, we can see a bayonet lug which is another nice added touch for realism, but we doubt you'll need this for skirmishing!

Following the front sight we come to the gas tube, which runs parallel with the barrel all the way back to the receiver, with the handguards surrounding it. The gas tube has a slightly different finish to the front sight, which is another awesome detail Arcturus included to distinguish the stamped steel construction of the gas tube from the milled steel of the front sight. Details like this are what separate an Arcturus AK from others, and will really please realism fans!

As we reach the handguard we can take note of something very un-AK-like. The handguards no longer have handguard caps, as they are now free-floated! This may not mean much for Airsofters but it sure makes the difference in the real world, as many blame the handguard design for the AK platform's lower inherent accuracy. Now the AK plays catch up!

The handguard includes a 20mm Picatinny rail built into both the top and bottom, allowing for a vertical or angled foregrip to be installed, and saving space for a PEQ laser or tactical flashlight on the top. Either side of the handguard also includes removable 20mm Picatinny rail sections, which can provide extra space for more mission essential kit, or be removed for a slick handguard and some minor weight savings.

The receiver of the AK-12K is closely based on the original AK design, but with some notable modernisations which equip the AK-12K for 21st-century combat. The receiver and top cover are both constructed from steel, and sport realistic markings on either side. The left side of the receiver includes mock rivets and pins in all the correct places, together with "6 Л70" and 5.45x39 engraved below.

Over on the right side, we can find the 4-position fire selector, appropriately marked with Cyrillic lettering for each mode and a "2" for the 2-round burst position. In this version of the ARCTURUS AK-12K, the extra selector position provides a functional 2-round burst mode thanks to the pre-installed Perun MOSFET which is very satisfying to use and has the benefit of increasing hit probability while remaining economical when it comes to ammo. As with the original AK rifle, the lowermost position is semi-automatic and the first position is full auto, with 2-round burst being in between.

The top cover is a more modern hinged design, which allows a repeatable and reliable zero with any optical sight mounted to the 20mm Picatinny rail running along its length. This top cover really is rock solid, and feels more like the monolithic receiver of a SCAR than the top cover of an old school AK. The top cover rail is riveted tightly to the top cover itself, guaranteeing no wobble will develop and your optic will sit straight and true.

This rail is one of the best things about the new AK-12 design, and saves you messing around with side rails and various other aftermarket solutions to give your AK some nice glass to aid your goal of sending the enemy back to respawn! Included in the box is a rail mounted rear tangent iron sight, which can be installed if you aren't using an optical sight, or as a backup in case your main sight goes down mid battle. This sight functions exactly the same way as the original AK tangent sight, with the added benefit that it can be positioned wherever you need it on the rail.

The battery compartment of the AK-12K is located beneath the receiver top cover of the AEG and can be accessed by removing the receiver retention pin and pulling the top cover off to the rear. The retention pin can be found at the front of the top cover, and requires the lever on the right side to be rotated 90 degrees counter clockwise when looking at the rifle with the right side facing you.

With the lever rotated and pointing upwards, you can now pull the pin out to the right where it will remain captive in the trunnion block. Following this, the top cover can be pulled backwards and removed towards the rear of the rifle. Inside you will find a Deans battery connector to which you connect your battery of choice. We recommend a 11.1V 1450mAh LiPo battery for the best fit in the Arcturus AK-12K. To reinstall the top cover you must index the pins found inside the cover at the rear inside the hooks at the rear of the receiver, after which the pinholes can be realigned and the pin pushed back through and rotated to lock inside its recess in the handguard.

The HOP-up unit of the Arcturus AK-12K can be found inside the ejection port, behind the mock bolt carrier, and is accessible when the bolt carrier is pulled and held to the rear. This unit is a newly designed rotary style HOP-up for the AK platform, replacing the original slider adjuster design to provide more direct force on the top of the HOP bucking, eliminating lateral movement for improved shot-to-shot consistency, and less side-to-side deviation when more HOP-up is applied.

This device allows you to vary the amount of backspin applied to your BBs and tune the AK-12K for your ammo weight of choice, and the new design shows that Arcturus are not content to leave things as they are and seek to innovate rather than making sticking with the tried and tested but potentially less effective slider HOP. Following your adjustment, you can release the mock bolt carrier and let it fly home and enjoy the satisfying metallic "clank" you can only get from a steel AK bolt carrier.

When it comes to the controls of the AK-12K, not much has changed for the latest AK variant which still sports the familiar AK selector position and ambidextrous magazine release located at the bottom of the receiver. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! The selector lever is an extended design featuring an additional tab which allows the shooter to control the selector with the trigger finger, allowing for the AK to be quickly switched from "safe" to "semi" without removing your hand from the pistol grip.

Like the selector lever, the mag release is constructed from steel and follows the standard AK form allowing for left and right-handed use, and the dynamic mag-flip emergency reload if you don't mind damaging a magazine from time to time. The pistol grip is another notable improvement over the original AK. and is an ergonomic design with comfortable finger grooves and a slightly straighter grip angle to allow for more comfortable use when the stock is collapsed all the way.

As we arrive at the rear of the receiver we come to the folding mechanism for the stock of the AK-12K. This stock offers 5 positions of length adjustment, allowing the rifle to be set up for any body type or loadout, and can also be folded to the left side for storage, transportation or close quarters work.

The button to fold the stock can be found on the left rear of the receiver, in the same location as the folding stock button of an AKS-74, and when this button is pressed the stock can be folded to the left where it will automatically lock under spring tension. To deploy the stock from the folded position, all you need to do is grab it and fold it open, avoiding the additional catch of the AKS-74 series and allowing for faster stock deployment with less fine motor movement needed.

The stock can be adjusted in a similar manner to that of an M4/AR-15, by pressing down the adjustment lever found within the A-frame of the stock. Locating the adjustment lever here means there is no chance of it snagging on your gear and inhibiting your movement in-game. At the front of the stock, we are treated to a QD sling socket which can be used with a QD sling swivel (not included) and the front sling mount to set your rifle up for a two-point sling.

At the rear of the stock, we can find a rubber butt plate for additional comfort, complete with linear texture to ensure the stock grips your shoulder perfectly for optimal control over the rifle. This butt plate can be removed by pulling the spring retained pin found near the toe of the stock and sliding the butt plate off its dovetail. Beneath you will find a handy storage compartment within the stock tube of the AK-12K, which is well suited to storing a spare battery, maintenance equipment, or a tactical emergency snack to keep you fuelled on to victory.

On the inside, this AK-12 is even more well equipped than the previous model! Inside you will find a pre-upgraded version 3 gearbox with 13:1 high speed CNC steel gears running on 8mm ball bearing bushings, with a high torque motor to deliver the power. Like other ARCTURUS AEGs, the gearbox is filled with low friction parts to increase the lifespan and efficiency of the system. The AK-12 also uses ARCTURUS's rotary AK HOP-up unit which shows incredible potential as the newest HOP-up unit design for the AK platform, coupled with a 6.01mm tightbore inner barrel constructed from hardened steel for enhanced accuracy through its high quality internal finish and extra rigidity.

The most notable enhancement of the new AK-12 is its Perun optical MOSFET which facilitates the 2-round burst function while also providing improved rate of fire, trigger response and battery protection through its "smart fuse" functionality. The Perun MOSFET also provides many functions, similar to a Gate TITAN or ASTER, including adjustable rate of fire, pre-cocking, binary trigger, programmable fire modes, adjustable trigger travel and full diagnostics. There is literally nothing left to upgrade on this AK-12!

Included with the AK-12K are two AK-12 style magazines, complete with a modern design aesthetics matching the updated rifle and sporting ribs on the exterior for additional grip to make the mags either to draw from pouches. The rifle includes one wheel wound high capacity mag which holds 500 BBs, and a 30/130 BB adjustable capacity magazine. To adjust the capacity of your adjustable magazine, simply slide the baseplate of the magazine off to the rear by pressing the button at the centre. The magazine internals should then be removable through the bottom of the mag.

With the mag internals removed, you'll find the capacity selection button on the right side, which requires a push inwards, and then sliding into the capacity position of choice. The magazines also have a reprofiled base to allow for "mag podding", a modern technique which uses the magazine of the rifle as an additional point of control, in a similar manner to a bipod.

Whether you run a Russian loadout or you are an AK platform fan, the Arcturus AK-12K would be a fine addition to your kit, made even better with this iteration's inclusion of a Perun MOSFET. This rifle takes the old-school AK design and keeps the good bits, but adds some nice ergonomic enhancements to make the rifle more functional on the modern battlefield.

Unlike most AK derivatives, the AK-12K is equipped with a plethora of 20mm rails to allow optics, lights and lasers to be mounted without needing any of the bolt-on solutions needed for the original AK to be fully kitted out. The hefty weight and feel of this AEG make it a great choice if you like a realistic feel for your primary weapon, or if you appreciate authentic steel construction, made even better by the seriously impressive performance of this upgraded version!

Features

• Full metal construction
• 6.01mm Steel tightbore inner barrel
• Rotary HOP-up unit - Unique ARCTURUS design, very impressive
• Version 3 gearbox - Compatible with Gate TITAN/ASTER ETU
• Almost entirely steel construction - Hefty and very realistic
• Perun optical MOSFET pre-installed - Pre-cocking, programmable fire modes & more!
• 20mm Picatinny railed handguard - Two removable side rails, full length top and bottom rail
• 20mm Picatinny railed receiver - Ready for red dot sights and scopes!
• 14mm CCW Male threaded outer barrel - Tracer/suppressor ready
• Ambidextrous magazine release - Easy mag changes for left and right-handed users
• Extended fire selector lever - Change fire modes with the trigger finger!
• Real world accurate AK12K birdcage muzzle device
• 5-Position sliding stock - Similar to M4/AR15, but not compatible
• Side folding stock hinge - Fold the stock to the side for easier transportation and clearing corners
• 2-Round burst pre-programmed - Between full auto and semi-auto on the fire selector
• 4 Position selector switch - All the fire modes!
• High torque neodymium magnet motor - Super fast trigger response and ROF
• 13:1 CNC Steel high speed gearset - Really, really quick!
• Detailed mock rivets and realistic stamped receiver markings
• Compatible with AK AEG magazines - 5.45 style mags ideal, but 7.62/5.56 should also work
• Supplied with 2 magazines - 500rnd High-cap and 30/130 Adjustable mid-cap
• Ideal AK-12 style spare magazines are available here

Package Includes

• ARCTURUS AK-12K AEG Rifle; 2rnd Burst Mode Ready w/Perun MOSFET
• 30/130rnd Adjustable capacity magazine
• 500rnd High capacity magazine
• Deans to mini-Tamiya adapter
• Perun programming card
• User manual