Classic Army XM177E2 AEG

If you have a retro build planned, whether you're inspired by Blackhawk Down, Blood Diamond or working on a Vietnam War MACV-SOG loadout, the Classic Army XM177E2 AEG is the ideal primary! A full metal build dripping with old-school cool, the XM177E2 is the most authentic XM replica in its price range, benefitting from TM-compatible internals, a quick-change spring system, 9mm ball bearing bushings, 18:1 ratio steel gears and a ball-bearing equipped piston head. 

The predecessor of the M4A1, the XM177E2 can be identified by its 11.5-inch pencil barrel, fixed A1 carry handle, collapsing 2-position XM177 stock and large XM177 sound/flash moderator on the tip of the barrel. This rifle was still in use way into the 1980s, and is the conceptual grandfather of the M4A1 we all know and are sick to death of seeing at every skirmish. If you want to prove that modern optics, rails and other doodads aren't needed to get the job done, the Classic Army XM177E2 AEG is what you need!

Starting at the muzzle, we can't help but notice the massive flash hider on this old school beast. This is the XM177 moderator, conceived to hide the monstrous muzzle flash of the original Colt M607, the original CAR15. This flash hider was a bit too effective and was rumoured to be designed to mimic the muzzle report of the longer M16A1 to help SF troops stay concealed behind enemy lines. It is to this day classified as a suppressor by the American ATF.

Beneath the flash hider, we can find a 14mm CCW thread at the end of the alloy outer barrel, so if you are going for the 80s SF or the Delta Force BHD, you can add a suppressor to complete the look. Moving rearwards, we come to the AR-15 triangle front sight/gas block, which houses an elevation-adjustable front sight blade and a sling mount. The bayonet lug has been omitted, keeping it accurate to the real XM177E2 and removing useless weight as the barrel is too short to mount a bayonet. On the bottom of the front sight/gas block assembly, we have our first sling point, which can be paired with the rear sling point on the stock to mount a two-point sling.

Next, we arrive at the handguards, perfect replicas of the real steel XM177-style slim handguards. The handguards feature ribbing across all surfaces to give the shooter positive control over the rifle in even the worst jungle monsoon. The battery connector is a Deans type with a mini-Tamiya adapter pre-installed, allowing you to choose either a Deans battery or a mini-Tamiya battery. We recommend a 7.4V 1300mAh LiPo in Crane/nunchuck configuration. The handguards attach via a "slip ring", the old school equivalent to the delta ring, fulfilling the same function and allowing any delta ring-compatible handguards to be used on the XM177E2.

Following the handguards, we arrive at the receiver, which is 100% period accurate for the XM177E2. The finish is a gun metal grey paint, matching the real rifle perfectly. The lower receiver is an A1 fully fenced type with the correct lack of strengthening around the front receiver pin hole and a full magazine release fence machined in, giving it that distinctive A1 profile.

The fire selector is on the left side and lies comfortably beneath the thumb when taking a firing grip. The markings "SAFE- SEMI-AUTO" appear on both sides of the receiver and are laser-engraved for visibility. The magazine release can be found on the right side of the receiver, protected from accidental magazine drops by the "magazine catch fence", which is machined as part of the lower.

The upper receiver is an A1 type, featuring a fixed A1 carry handle with A1 aperture sights on the top and a "teardrop" forward assist, but no brass deflector on the right side, as should be expected for an XM177E2 replica. The charging handle can be found at the top rear of the receiver, and when pulled, retracts the mock bolt, giving you access to the rotary adjustable HOP-up inside the ejection port. You can also lock the mock bolt back just like a real AR-15 by holding the charging handle back while pressing the lower section of the "ping pong paddle" bolt release on the left side of the receiver.

The HOP-up unit allows you to tune the XM177E2 for your choice of ammo weight, looking for the flattest possible trajectory. When you have completed your adjustment, the mock bolt can then be released using the bolt release. A nice touch adding to the realism of this already realistic AEG!

The pistol grip is an A1 type, with checkering on both sides to provide a grippy surface and lacking the finger groove found on A2 grips, which some find less comfortable. The grip has a heat sink motor base plate, allowing the AEG's motor to cool between extended strings of fire. 

Following the receiver, we can find an AR-15 buffer tube, which is compatible with any buffer tube stock you wish to put on, though we advise you to avoid heresy and keep the original textured polymer XM177 stock right where it is. The buffer tube is a 6-position example, a small realism sacrifice made by Classic Army to provide a more user-friendly build. The real XM177 had a 2-position buffer tube, but thankfully, no one will be able to tell by looking that the CA XM has a modern 6-position tube to allow for various shooting stances and user comfort when wearing body armour vests. 

As mentioned, the stock is an XM177 type and uses textured high-density polymer construction, with a diamond-textured butt plate to stop the stock from sliding around on your shoulder. There is a sling point present on the stock, allowing 2-point slings to be used.

Inside, the Classic Army XM177E2 is equipped with a TM-compatible version 2 gearbox, meaning the sky is the limit when it comes to upgrades. The pre-installed gearset is an 18:1 standard ratio set made from steel, running on 9mm steel ball-bearing bushings for a smoother gearbox report and reduced friction. The spring guide is a quick-change example for easy power tuning, and an In-line "Smart Fuse" MOSFET is also pre-installed, improving trigger response and preventing trigger lockups if you shoot rapidly in semi-automatic mode. 

If you're fed up with rails everywhere and want to keep things simple, the Classic Army XM177E2 AEG is the way to go. The old-school look is coming back in a big way, both in Airsoft and real steel; if you want a build which stands out next to the plethora of MK18, 416 and M4 rifles, the XM177E2 is exactly that!

Features

• Full metal construction
• 14mm CCW Male threaded outer barrel - Tracer/suppressor ready
• Real-world accurate XM177 moderator style muzzle device - Authentic alloy construction
• 11.5-Inch Pencil profile outer barrel - Alloy construction, matches the real XM177E2 perfectly
• Slim XM177 Ribbed handguards - The perfect handguards for the XM177 build, no details skipped
• Front wired: Deans battery connector with Mini-Tamiya adapter - Recommended battery: 7.4V 1300mAh LiPo
• Slip ring handguard attachment method - Compatible with aftermarket Delta ring/slip ring handguards
• Sling point on the front sight - Pair it with the rear sling point on the stock to mount a two-point sling
• "A1" Style receiver - Fixed "A1" carry handle, teardrop forward assist, no brass deflector, fenced mag catch
• Ghost ring iron sights - Front sight adjustable for elevation with the included tool, rear sight windage adjustable
• Compatible with 20mm Picatinny rail mounts for fixed carry handles - Build your Delta carbine!
• Rotary adjustable HOP-up unit - Alloy construction, accessible with the charging handle pulled back
• "A1" Style textured pistol grip - Accurate to the real XM177, more comfortable than the "A2" for most users
• 6-Position M4/AR-15 buffer tube - Compatible with aftermarket stocks
• XM177 Style polymer stock pre-installed - Realistic looks, superb quality, sling point built-in
• Version 2 Gearbox:
  • In-line MOSFET
  • Quick-change spring system
  • 18:1 Ratio steel gears
  • 9mm Steel ball-bearing bushings
• Compatible with M4/AR-15 AEG Magazines - Plenty of spare mag options out there

Package Includes

• Classic Army XM177E2 AEG
  • 190rnd High-cap magazine
  • Deans to mini-Tamiya adapter (pre-installed)