CYMA CM.056 Full Steel AK-74 AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU

If you love a Cold War-era classic, the CYMA CM.056 Full Steel AK-74 AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU is calling your name! Part of CYMA's "Full Steel" AK line, this beast is made entirely from stamped and milled steel, other than its gorgeous real wood handguards and stock, and its polymer imitation Bakelite pistol grip. Pick this thing up, and you will know this isn't your everyday AK replica. Pull the trigger, and you'll be even more convinced! 

Internally, this ultra-authentic AK is rocking a high-speed Neodymium magnet motor, CNC aluminium piston and cylinder head, 13:1 CNC steel high-speed gears, 8mm ball bearing bushings and the EShooter Kestrel Basic MOSFET/ETU to keep everything running smoothly and add programmable fire controls into the mix. If you're a fan of the AK-74 in its Cold War-era form, the CYMA CM.056 Full Steel AK-74 AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU is the best AEG replica on the market!

Starting at the tip of the 16.3-inch steel outer barrel, we can find a steel AK-74 muzzle brake, the perfect muzzle device for an authentic Cold War-era AK-74. The muzzle brake mounts to realistic 24mm CW male threading, making it compatible with 24mm CW threaded Russian-style suppressors or 14mm CCW male threaded muzzle devices if you remove the 24mm adapter. To remove the muzzle device, you will need to hold the detent pin in the front sight down to allow the muzzle brake to be unscrewed. The easiest way we found to do this is to hold the pin down with a small flathead screwdriver. To remove the adapter beneath, locate the grub screw and remove it before attempting to unscrew the adapter itself. 

The steel front sight of the CM.056 mounts directly to its outer barrel and provides an adjustable front post with protective wings to ensure an accidental bump or scrape does not render your sights useless. As part of the classic AK aesthetic, we can find a dummy cleaning rod running parallel to the outer barrel, through the front sight block and gas block. This isn't intended for cleaning an Airsoft barrel, but is an essential part of the realistic AK look. 

Moving further down the outer barrel, we come to the dummy gas block, made from steel with an authentic finish matching the front sight and trunnion block. This connects to the stamped steel gas tube, which meets the real wood upper handguard via a steel handguard cap. The lower handguard surrounds the outer barrel and is retained by its own steel handguard cap, which includes a sling point on the left side, ideally for hook-type slings. The handguards are constructed from real wood made the same way as real AK handguards, with a deep and varied wood grain and an ultra-realistic feel.

The steel trunnion block also provides the mounting point for the classic AK tangent rear iron sight, which provides multiple graduations for adjustment and a fine rear sight notch to align with the front sight post. The sight can be adjusted by pressing the buttons on either side of the sight notch and moving the notch back and forth on its base.

The lever on the right side of the trunnion is the handguard and gas tube disassembly lever. This lever allows you to quickly remove the upper handguard and gas tube of the CM.056, just like a real AK-74. This is one of the many perks of using the VFC-style external construction over the TM-style: you can strip it like a real AK for extra nerd points!

Next up, we find the receiver, which is constructed from stamped steel with a gorgeous blued-style finish which looks exactly like the real anti-corrosion finish applied to real AKs. The receiver has standard AK-style controls on the right side, with a stamped steel fire selector lever which doubles as a dust cover when in safe mode, and a charging handle attached to an authentic black dummy bolt carrier, also made from hefty, realistic steel. 

In typical AK style, the first position on the fire selector is fully automatic, and the lowermost position is semi-automatic. Each fire mode is denoted by a crisply engraved authentic Russian Cyrillic marking, adding some realism to this already very realistic AK. The on-board Kestrel Basic MOSFET also allows for programmable fire modes, so if you fancy running burst mode or binary, this AK is ready!

Over on the left side, we can find an AK quick-detach mounting rail, allowing for authentic Russian scopes to be mounted, or 20mm Picatinny rail mounts if you prefer a more modern Western optic. The receiver also provides several authentic rivets, all found in the correct place for an AK-74. The receiver top cover of the CM.056 is also constructed from stamped steel and is the appropriate design for an AK-74, with ribs stamped into the upper surface to provide additional strength whilst keeping the material thin and lightweight. 

To access the adjustable HOP-up unit of the CM.056, simply hold the charging handle to the rear to reveal the alloy slider adjustable HOP-up unit. The slider unit is known as one of the best designs out there, and that is the reason this unit has not changed in design since the original Tokyo Marui AK-47 AEG. To increase the HOP-up effect, simply move the slider rearwards. Returning the slider to the front will reduce the HOP-up to its lowest setting.

The pistol grip of the CM.056 is a standard AKM-type pistol grip made from high-density polymer, featuring diamond checkering on either side to ensure the rifle stays firmly in your grasp in any weather condition. Just ahead of the pistol grip, we can find the trigger guard and magazine release assembly, constructed from steel to provide solid magazine locking and ample rigidity. The magazine release is placed in the centre of the receiver and is accessible from either side of the AEG, offering both left and right-handed users an easy reload process. The magazine retention system of the AK platform is a "rock and lock" motion, requiring you to first index the front "hook" on the magazine inside the receiver, then rock the magazine to engage the catch.

The stock of the CM.056 is constructed from real wood and has an authentic colouration for AK furniture, with a varied grain and satin finish. The wood both looks great and perfectly matches the handguard, providing the most realistic feel from front to rear. The bottom of the stock also features a steel sling loop, which pairs well with the front sling point on the lower handguard cap, providing appropriate mounting apparatus for a two-point sling, but ideally suited to an AK-47/74 sling. 

Curing one of the known weaknesses in CYMA's previous AK designs, the stock tang is now made from steel, ensuring it will never fail under normal use. The butt plate is also constructed from steel and is appropriately untextured to match the real thing. Those accustomed to textured rubber butt plates will find that there is no room for comfort in this utilitarian design. However, you can add a rubber butt plate extension to experience a touch of Western luxury.

The battery compartment of the CM.056 is inside the real wood stock, accessible by removing the two screws holding the butt plate in place. With the screws removed, you can lift the butt plate free, revealing a Deans battery connector inside. We recommend an 11.1V 1300mAh LiPo in crane/nunchuck configuration for an easy fit and stunning 11.1V-powered performance. You can also fit most 11.1V stick batteries designed for M4/AR-15 buffer tubes inside, just in case you already have one handy. 

Inside the CM.056, we are treated to the best internals CYMA currently has to offer. The gearbox shell is a version 3 design with reinforcements in all the key places, the gears are CNC steel 13:1 ratio high-speed examples, and the motor is a neodymium magnet high torque motor, guaranteeing a speedy rate of fire which will have the enemy on the run!

The gearbox internals are also all upgraded, including a polycarbonate piston with a steel tooth rack, 8mm steel ball bearing bushings, a CNC aluminium ball bearing silent piston head, a ball bearing spring guide and a double O-ring equipped CNC aluminium silent cylinder head, promising smooth performance, flawless air seal qualities and enhanced durability to maintain reliability at high-performance parameters. The EShooter Kestrel Basic MOSFET is the icing on the cake, offering 6 levels of adjustable pre-cocking, options for 3-round burst and binary trigger, along with low battery warning, cycle completion, active braking and low/high voltage cutoff.

closer

Features

• Full metal build - Full steel, other than the furniture
• 6.03mm Tightbore inner barrel - Superb accuracy potential
• 24mm CW Male thread adapter pre-installed - Compatible with Russian-style tracers & suppressors
• 14mm CCW Male threaded outer barrel - Remove the adapter to mount standard tracers & suppressors
• Steel AK-74 muzzle brake pre-installed - Iconic Ruskie styling
• Steel front sight, outer barrel and gas block - Realistic weight distribution
• Adjustable Tangent iron sights - Elevation adjustable via the buttons on the side of the rear sight
• Steel trunnion block, receiver & top cover - Maximum steel for ultimate realism
• Russian AK dovetail side mount - Compatible with Russian AK optics or 20mm Picatinny mounts
• Steel mock bolt carrier - Authentic finish, sounds great when racked
• Slider adjustable HOP-up unit - Alloy construction for strength, accessible with the charging handle held back
• Ambidextrous magazine release - Easy reloads from the left or right side
• Realistic disassembly - VFC-style build, all pins and rivets, no screws!
• Fixed real wood stock with steel butt plate - Battery compartment inside, steel sling point built-in
• Kestrel Basic MOSFET/ETU functions:
  • Low battery warning
  • Low/high voltage cutoff
  • Active braking
  • 3-Round burst
  • Binary Trigger
  • Adjustable pre-cocking
• Kestrel Basic MOSFET/ETU programming instructions are available here
• CYMA Platinum High-Speed internals:
  • Reinforced Version 3 gearbox shell with quick-change spring system
  • Polycarbonate piston with full steel tooth rack
  • CNC-machined steel 13:1 high-speed gear set
  • 8mm Ball bearing bushings
  • CNC Aluminium silent ball bearing piston head
  • CNC Aluminium silent double O-ring cylinder head
  • Ball bearing quick-change spring guide
  • High-speed Neodymium magnet motor
  • Low resistance wiring
• Rear-wired: Deans connector - Recommended battery: 11.1V 1300mAh LiPo in Crane/Nunchuck config
• Compatible with AK-47/74 AEG magazines - Plenty of spare magazine options available

Package Includes

• CYMA CM.056 Full Steel AK-74 AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU
  • 140rnd Mid-cap magazine
  • Speed loader