Bolster Tuned CYMA CM.045 AKS-74U Upgraded AEG

About the original CM.045 AKS-74U High Speed AEG

The CM.045 High-Speed continues CYMA's tradition of providing upgraded high-speed variants of their AEG line-up, and like the other high-speed CYMA AEGs, this one has a very impressive trigger response and a mean rate of fire with a gearbox that sounds ultra-smooth and unlaboured. On the outside, the CM.045 High-Speed is equally impressive, retaining the robust build quality of the original CM.045 with its high proportion of steel components for added realism and a substantial feel in the hands. This is one of the many reasons this platform was selected to be upgraded by the Bolster Armouries techs, it has some serious potential, and while it shoots well as standard its true potential is yet to be reached!

Starting at the tip of the alloy outer barrel we can find the 5KU PBS-1 Mini Suppressor added by the Bolster team to give this compact AK a sneaky leaning. The suppressor attaches to the 14mm CW AK threads on the front sight/gas block via a 24mm Russian thread adapter. The suppressor is a commonly used design paired with the AKS-74U and is the perfect length to provide a nice muzzled pop from the muzzle with each shot while not adding too much to the overall length of the rifle and compromising its CQB effectiveness.

The front sight is adjustable for elevation using the included front sight tool and is housed inside the gas block/front sight block combination, a hallmark of the AKS-74U. The front sight/gas block also includes a sling point on the left side, which can be used in concert with the sling point on the stock to attach a two-point rifle sling.

Moving rearwards we come to the plum coloured ribbed handguards, matching the more modern variant of the AKS-74U first issued in the mid-1980s. The ribs provide ample grip for operating in any weather condition and have a comfortable profile that fills out the hand. Whilst some may prefer the look of wood grips, they definitely cannot compete with the more modern ribbed handguards of this AKS-74U when it comes to controlling the weapon.

The plum coloured furniture is one of the standout features of this particular AKS-74U and is widely regarded as the nicest looking authentic polymer furniture available for the AK platform. The plum colouration of these handguards is also a nice nod to realism as it matches well with the authentic plum furniture issued to soviet troops between 1985 and 1989. The handguards are held onto the rifle using handguard caps, the lower of which is made from alloy with the upper handguard caps being constructed from steel.

As we reach the receiver we can see the authentic AKS-74U trunnion block, to which the steel hinged top cover mounts. None of that "AK Beta Spetsnaz" rubbish here, only proper realistic AK design aesthetics! The hinged top cover is an excellent improvement over the original removable AK top cover, first seen in the AKS-74U. This convenient feature has since found its way onto the recently developed AK-12 and many civilian tactical AKs, such as those made by Rifle Dynamics in the US.

The top cover is a ribbed design to match the AK74 top cover variant, and its hinge also contains the rear iron sight of the AKS-74U. This rear iron sight is of the "open" style, staying faithful to the real AKS-74U and providing the choice of two apertures for aiming. The aperture marked "4-5" is intended for engaging at 400-500m, which is optimistic for the real AKS-74U, let alone an Airsoft AEG! We recommend dividing range markings by ten, and to treat this as being for 40-50m shots. The aperture marked with an inverted U symbol is the "combat" sight, intended for close to mid-range engagements.

The rear sight is also where you will find the 5KU U-18 20mm Picatinny rail and the pre-mounted Vector Optics Frenzy-X red dot sight installed by the Bolster Armouries tech team. These parts were chosen to keep faithful to the Russian lineage of the AKS-74U and provide the perfect height over bore for rapid sight acquisition and the flexibility to engage with your head in unconventional positions.

The battery compartment of the CM.045 High-Speed is located beneath the top cover and can be accessed by pushing the button at the rear of the top cover down, after which the cover will hinge open. Within you will find a Deans connector to which you connect your battery. The Deans connector was a superb choice from CYMA, as the design of this connector inherently reduces resistance when compared with the more common mini-Tamiya.

The Deans connector allows for the absolute peak of electrical efficiency which pairs perfectly with the Gate ASTER MOSFET installed by the Bolster team. With your battery installed inside, the top cover can be pushed back down, where the spring-loaded button will lock it back into place. Given that our custom CM.045 has its angle of engagement adjusted and also boasts the Gate ASTER, we recommend an 11.1V 1300mAh LiPo battery for a good fit beneath the top cover and phenomenal performance.

Moving down to the receiver itself, we can see authentic rivets and mock rivets, authentically positioned to match the layout of the real firearm. This is always nice to see and adds a touch of extra realism for those who want the most faithful replica out there. On the left side of the receiver, we can see the latch for the side folding stock which takes the form of a spring-loaded hook. If you have the stock folded, you need to pull rearwards on this hook to release the stock and deploy it. The next thing we notice is the stamped dimple, present on either side of the receiver. This is another of these features AK fans will appreciate, as it matches the shape and profile of a real stamped AKS-74U receiver. This was added to increase the strength of the magazine well whilst keeping the receiver thin, light and cheap to manufacture.

Moving to the rear of the receiver we can find an AK side rail, positioned on the left side of the receiver. This rail is intended for AK side mounts and should be compatible with most side mounts out there if you want to add an alternative optical sight to your AKS-74U and give it an old-school makeover. This AK rail works with both authentic Russian styled optics and rail adapters, so if you are going for a super realistic Milsim style setup you are well catered for for both Russian and Western covert ops loadouts.

Behind the side rail, we can find the folding button for the stock mechanism. Pressing this in will release the locking mech, and allow the stock to be folded to the left side of the rifle for storage or extreme close quarters work. The button to fold the stock is quite tough to press, but this has the benefit of preventing the stock from being folded accidentally and makes the overall feel of the AKS-74U solid as a rock. By design, the stock cannot be folded with an optic or mount installed on the side rail, but fortunately many of these mounts are QD by nature, and can easily be added and removed without losing zero.

Over on the right side is where we can find the controls of the AKS-74U. The charging handle is of a classic AK format and is machined as a part of the mock bolt carrier. The bolt carrier and charging handle are authentically coloured black, matching AKs of the modern era. With the charging handle held to the rear, we can see the adjustable HOP-up slider inside. Moving this piece back and forth will vary the amount of HOP-up applied to your BB and allow you to tune the CM.045 High-Speed for different ammo weights. Given its upgraded HOP-up rubber and bucking from Prometheus we recommend using 0.28g BBs with this upgraded CM.045 to take pure advantage of its above average effective range.

To the rear of the charging handle, we can find the AK fire selector which doubles as a dust cover when in the "safe" position preventing dirt and debris from entering the AEG. This selector is a bit different to most other AEG designs but sits in line with other AKs perfectly with its "Safe - Auto - Semi" layout. This layout was chosen for the original AK47 to provide an easy and quick sweep to set the rifle to semi-automatic and ensure when full auto was selected it was done knowingly and intentionally. Thanks to the Gate ASTER MOSFET installed by the Bolster techs you can also program the controls for burst modes, binary trigger, sniper delay and a range of other functions using the Gate Control Station App, Gate BLU Link or Gate Programming Card.

Below the receiver, we can find the steel trigger guard/mag release assembly, and the plum coloured polymer pistol grip. The pistol grip is a classic AK74 pattern grip complete with diamond checkering on either side to ensure the AKS-74U does not slip from your grasp, even in poor weather. The magazine release is accessible from either side, facilitating ambidextrous use for left-handed users and allowing those uber tactical operators who like to shoulder to shoulder transition to reload with their left hand (if they practised enough!).

The magazine insertion method for an AK rifle is a "rock and lock" motion as opposed to a straight insertion, meaning you first need to index the front of the magazine into the magazine well, then rock the rear of the magazine to meet the mag catch and lock it into place. This can take practice, but once you are familiar, the AK platform can be manipulated with impressive speed. This magazine release also allows for a "mag flip" style emergency reload, though we don't recommend that unless you are okay with damaging your magazines!

At the rear of the rifle, we can find its steel folding stock which is the correct design for an AKS-74U of the Soviet era. This stock includes a sling point on the right side which can be used with a single point bungee sling or with a two-point sling using the sling point on the front sight/gas block. The butt plate of the stock is steel but includes linear texture to prevent the stock from slipping out of your shoulder if you wear body armour.

Now, onto the juicy bits. Let's check out what the Bolster Armouries team have done to the internals of the CM.045!

The CM.045 Patrol Base X Gate ASTER Edition

This isn't your usual "upgraded" AEG, where you pay for the parts and labour and the tech does only what they are paid to do. The Bolster Armouries tech team fully disassemble each CM.045s down to every screw, bolt and bushing to perfectly tune the internals, polish the piston tracks and bearing holes, shim the gears to absolute perfection and replace parts to address the weak points in the original design. The Bolster techs treat these AEGs like they are building them for themselves, and if it doesn't pass their rigorous checks, which include a 60m accuracy test, it goes back to the bench for more work.

The Bolster team has added some tasty external upgrades to the CM.045 to give it a more customised look while keeping it in line with its Russian lineage. To facilitate a modern western optical sight the team has installed the 5KU Zenit style U-18 red dot sight mount which mounts over the rear iron sight and presents the included Vector Optics Frenzy-X red dot sight at the perfect height. The iron sights can still be used through the red dot mount so if you subscribe to the “two is one, one is none” mantra you always have the irons as a backup aiming device.

At the front of the CM.045, we are treated to a 5KU PBS-1 Mini suppressor which is a great replica of the compact variant of the PBS-1, the classic AK suppressor. The 5KU example is constructed from robust alloy with a knurled texture to perfectly match the real thing and is also compatible with tracer unit inserts from 5KU. The Mini version of this suppressor was chosen as it suits the shortened length of the AKS-74U platform visually and keeps the platform short and well suited to CQB scenarios.

To further improve the CM.045 High Speed’s trigger response and rate of fire the Bolster Team have installed the renowned Gate ASTER ETU, as they did with their upgraded CM.041 SMG-5 Series. The ASTER boasts programmable fire controls through the Gate Control Station app, Gate Blu-Link or Gate USB Link, adjustable pre-cocking for a ferocious trigger response in semi-auto, cycle timing control, adaptive active braking, adjustable trigger sensitivity, and voltage control, all of which combine to give the CM.045 a wealth of functionality that is hard to beat and help its high speed internal setup run at its absolute best.

Installing the ASTER requires modification of the gearbox shell and selector plate for compatibility with the ASTER's optical sensors. Copper is no longer used on the selector plate, and is instead replaced with an ASTER sticker to allow the optical sensors to detect its position, and adjust the fire mode accordingly. This has the benefit of being more reliable than a traditional selector plate, as the use of optical sensors takes corrosion which usually develops on electrical contacts out of the equation completely.

To pair with the ASTER MOSFET, the trigger has been upgraded with a Retro Arms CNC Machined AK trigger with a flat design, making it perfect for absolutely spamming the enemy with semi auto in CQB and allowing you to take full advantage of the spritely trigger response of the upgraded CM.045. This trigger is incredibly well-machined and gives a nice subtle hint that not everything inside this AKS-74U is as one might expect!

As you will receive it, the CM.045 is set up for pre-cocking in semi-automatic for a GBB-like instant response, and standard cycling in full auto so you can release the piston and prolong the life of the spring. These settings can be altered to your heart's desire using the Gate Control Station app, or a Gate Programming card, but there is no need to change settings as this AEG is set up to perform exactly as it should, and if there was a better combination of settings, the Bolster Armouries team would have used them.

All of the internal parts of this CM.045 have been treated to Waldo Customs' delicious smelling silicone lubricant, both the THICC and SLIM variety. Waldo THICC lube has been applied to the cylinder head, and SLIM has been applied to the O-rings of the nozzle and the piston head to prolong their life, enhance air seal qualities, and make them smell great!

One of the biggest issues with mass-produced AEGs is the poor quality lubricant applied from the factory, in inconsistent amounts and in all the wrong places. Bolster Armouries has cleaned up inside the gearbox, and doing this alone makes all the difference. Coupled with the internal enhancements, this AK has an even more impressive rate of fire than the original model, which was already a cut above most mass-produced AEGs.

When it comes to accuracy and range, this upgraded CM.045 has had the Bolster HOP-up treatment in the form of the Prometheus purple HOP-up bucking and nub. The “Prommy purple” HOP-up rubber is what gives the Bolster Armouries ONYX its exceptional range, and obviously, the Bolster team were keen to give this AK the same treatment. The HOP-up unit itself was found to be a great unit which is more than up to the task of retaining its setting under the vibrations of full auto fire so unlike the upgraded CM.041 series, no modification was necessary.

Like many of CYMA’s high end AEGs, the CM.045 High Speed comes with a 6.03mm tightbore inner barrel pre-installed to improve its air seal and accuracy potential. As with the upgraded CM.041 AEGs, the Bolster team inspects each inner barrel for imperfections and gives them a thorough clean and polish before reinstalling them.

Far more important than the barrel bore is the quality of the internal finish, and being a mass-produced item, the original CM.045 can sometimes have imperfections which hinder accuracy more than the tightened bore improves it. The inspection and polishing process practically guarantees that you will get a smooth and unblemished barrel which will give you the best possible accuracy potential, giving this upgraded AKS-74U the range to match its intimidating rate of fire.

Like the SMG-5 that preceded it, this AEG is positively exceptional, being accurate to 60m and beyond, and ripping out BBs at an impressive rate. When put on the chronograph this upgraded CM.045 produces an immense 23 BBs per second, which is a considerable improvement over the original, and very close to the ROF you would get with the Bolster Armouries ONYX AEGs. FPS-wise, this AEG hits a very consistent 328 FPS when tested on 0.2g ASG Blaster BBs, but the Bolster Team recommend 0.28g BBs to make the most of the Prometheus HOP-up rubber. If you are looking for an AK and you have set the bar high, there is little else out there that can compete with this custom built AKS-74U!

Package Includes

• CYMA CM.045 AKS-74U Patrol Base X Gate ASTER Upgraded Edition
• 5KU PBS-1 Mini Suppressor
• 5KU Zenit Style U-18 20mm Picatinny rail mount
• 130rnd Mid-cap Magazine