CYMA CM.045A AKS-74U Real Wood Handguard

The CM.045A is a near perfect replica of the legendary AKS-74U, the sub-compact variant of the AK-74 which serves with the Militaries of Russia and several former Soviet states to this day. The AKS-74U bridges the gap between a submachine gun and a rifle, making use of the 5.45x39mm cartridge as its bigger brother, the AK-74, far before modern PDW-style AR15s appeared. If you have an aggressive playstyle and like to stay mobile or you specialise in CQB, the AKS-74U is the AK platform you will want to take notice of!

Starting at the tip of the alloy outer barrel we can find the muzzle device which attaches to the 24mm CW AK threads on the front sight/gas block. The muzzle device is the correct design for an AKS-74U of this era, complete with ribs on the exterior marking it out from earlier AKS-74U models. 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. 

Beneath the 24mm CW AK threads are 14mm CCW threads, which can be accessed by removing the grub screw under the muzzle device, and unthreading the 24mm CW adapter. This adapter is held on with some form of adhesive, so please be careful not to strip any threads when removing the grub screw and adapter. 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 real wood handguards, matching the original variant of the AKS-74U first issued in the 1970s. These handguards include two ports on either side, intended on the real firearm to help cool the barrel after rapid firing. The profile of these handguards is designed to provide a stable grip and have a comfortable profile that fills out the hand to assist in controlling recoil by allowing the user to exert "downforce" to keep the muzzle rise under control. The wooden handguard look is perfect if you are doing a guerrilla rebel loadout, an early Soviet Spetsnaz impression or an Osama Bin Laden loadout, just be prepared for all the players dressed as SEAL Team 6 to burst into your bedroom and fill you full of plastic! 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.

The battery compartment of the CM.045A 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 mini-Tamya connector to which you connect your battery of choice. With your battery installed inside, the top cover can be pushed back down, where the spring-loaded button will lock it back into place. For the CM.045A, we recommend a 9.6V 1600mAh NiMH battery AK stick battery for a good fit beneath the top cover.

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 dimple stamped into the steel receiver, present on either side. 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 optical sight to your AKS-74U. This AK rail also allows authentic Russian-styled optics compatible with the AK style side rail to be mounted if you are going for a super realistic Milsim setup. 

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. 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 the AK74 bolt carrier perfectly. 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.045A for different ammo weights. 

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.

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.

On the inside, the CM.045A is remarkably well equipped for its price, boasting a 6.03mm tightbore inner barrel and alloy HOP-up unit to give this lil AK more poke at range than its size would have you believe. The gearbox is the version 3 type and is fitted with a ball bearing equipped metal spring guide, the piston is polymer to save weight but has a full rack of steel teeth for extra strength and the steel gears run on 7mm ball bearing bushings for lower friction and a smooth, unlaboured gearbox sound. 

The pre-installed cylinder is a type 1, giving the perfect air volume for the short barreled setup, and is also coated in a black nickel “smoked” finish to reduce friction on the piston and prolong its life. To make matters all the sweeter, the piston head and cylinder head are both the “silent” type, designed to reduce the muzzle report of the AEG. These parts are both constructed from aluminium and are finished with blue anodising, and the piston head mounts to the piston via ball bearings to reduce rotational stress on the piston for a longer lifespan for both the piston and head. To top things off, the whole setup is driven by a powerful high-torque motor making use of neodymium magnets, giving the CM.045A a snappy trigger response and a superb rate of fire, far above the average.

So, AK fans looking for a CQB primary, look no further! The CM.045A is guaranteed to please the performance seekers with its uprated gearbox and pre-installed tightbore inner barrel and also satisfy the realism enjoyers with its real wood handguards, steel receiver and top cover and realistic weight and feel. Whether it is hanging on the wall in the man cave or hanging from your sling out in the woods, the CM.045A AKS-74U will serve you well!

Features

• Full metal construction
• Real Wood handguards - Authentic feel, gorgeous looks 
• Steel trumpet muzzle brake - An AKS-74U wouldn't look right without it!
• 24mm CW Russian AK thread adapter mounted over 14mm CCW barrel threads
• Ready for either 24mm CW Russian suppressors (PBS-1/4) or 14mm CCW tracers/suppressors
• AK style dovetail side rail - Compatible with AK style side rail mounts
• Steel side folding skeleton stock - Great for storage and CQB work
• Imitation Bakelite pistol grip - A good match for the real AKS-74U
• Open iron sights - Rear sight offers two apertures, front sight can be adjusted for elevation
• Hinged upper cover - Easy access to the battery compartment 
• Front and rear sling points - Ready for a single-point or two-point sling
• Pre-upgraded internals - Bearing spring guide, 7mm bearing bushings, bearing "silent" piston head
• Version 3 gearbox - Alloy shell, steel gears, polymer piston with full steel tooth rack 
• High torque motor with Neodymium magnets - Snappy trigger response
• Recommended battery: 9.6V 1600mAh NiMh AK Stick battery
• Compatible with AK-47/74 AEG Magazines

Package Includes

• Cyma CM.045A AKS-74U Real Wood Handguard
• 500rnd High-capacity Magazine
• User manual

Special Instructions

The externals of the replica are metal where they would be on the real world gun. This includes things like the outer barrel, handguard, and receiver. If a real world gun has polymer parts then the gun will still be marked as full metal externals, examples of this would be an M4, where the stock and pistol grip are always made from polymer.