Specna Arms FLEX™ Range Showcase: Affordable, Future-proofed and Pre-upgraded AEG Rifle Replicas
Following on from our Livestream introducing Specna Arms' latest lineup of AEG rifles, the FLEX™ series, this article will outline the specifications of the FLEX™ AEGs, their perks and where they fit in within Specna's all-encompassing range! If you haven't yet had a chance to see Stu show these AEGs off, check out the stream below.
The FLEX™ series is the latest line from one of our top brands, Specna Arms. Specna is known for providing previously unheard of value throughout their wide range of AEG designs, offering something for any experience level, from their basic yet impressive CORE™ line to the cream of the crop EDGE 2.0™ range, complete with GATE Aster MOSFETs and realistic alloy receivers.
Conceived to fill a hole in Specna's lineup, the FLEX™ AEGs are intended to cater to new players who want an AEG that is all about in-game functionality and don't want to pay for anything they won't necessarily need. The FLEX™ range uses the same pre-upgraded internal parts as the CORE™ line, including a tight bore inner barrel, rotary adjustable HOP-up unit and metal gearbox with steel gears, but replaces the CORE™ metallic handguards with basic yet hard-wearing and functional polymer handguards in various styles and lengths.
The FLEX™ line is intended to provide a flexible solution for Airsoft skirmishers of all abilities and experience levels, providing impressive out of the box performance and solid build quality, without making any long term decisions for you.
Specna has considered the future, and has you well equipped for the event that you decide you want to freshen up your AEG with the latest and greatest upgrade parts, the flow of which is seemingly unending! If you ever get bored of your current setup and want to upgrade, the AEGs of the FLEX™ series are all fully compatible with aftermarket AEG upgrades, both internal and external, leaving you no nasty surprises down the line!
The FLEX™ Platforms: Affordable M4/AR15 Airsoft AEGs - Great for Beginners!
The SA-F01 FLEX™ Compact Carbine
The SA-F01 is a short barreled M4/AR15 assault rifle replica equipped with the sleek and comfortable URX3 style front end, A2 style finger ridged pistol grip and the ever-reliable 6 position adjustable Crane battery stock. The compact front end design of the SA-F01 allows it to be used to great effect at close quarters, with no protruding barrel to get in the way, and a short handguard for clearing rooms at an SMG-like pace. The SA-F01 also comes with a 14mm CCW male threaded outer barrel, and 20mm Picatinny rails right where you need them, making the rifle ready to accept any accessory you might need to complete your task, and give the enemy a hard time whilst doing it!
The short overall length of the SA-F01 makes it a great choice for a skirmish site with tight corners, where speed of action is imperative. The collapsible crane stock and 9-inch barrel length give the SA-F01 the edge when it comes to close quarters, whilst making this AEG an asset to the more aggressive player who needs something compact to run and gun with. The SA-F01 comes with quick deploy spring-loaded aperture iron sights, which can be used as a primary sighting system, or left flipped down and used as a backup sighting system when a red dot or telescopic sight is mounted.
The SA-F02 is a carbine length M4/AR15 rifle with a 14.5-inch barrel, providing the perfect compromise between long-range performance and close quarters agility. As with the SA-F01, the F02 makes use of the widespread A2 finger ridged pistol grip to provide familiar and user-friendly AR15 ergonomics, and a 6 position collapsable crane battery stock, allowing the SA-F02 to be adjusted to suit any body type. The SA-F02 is equipped with a 10-inch URX4 style handguard, offering the opportunity to add 20mm Picatinny accessories and pairing with the railed receiver to provide a long sight radius for the included flip-up aperture iron sights.
As a "carbine" length AEG, the SA-F02 would find itself equally at home as a tool for clearing rooms as it would exchanging fire in an outdoors setting, thanks to its adaptable medium length configuration. The 10-inch handguard provides plenty of space for adding accessories, and also allows for those with longer arms to make use of modern shooting stances, including the fashionable but also effective "c-clamp" grip. The handguard also includes its own proprietary 20mm rail segments which can be moved and positioned wherever you like to configure the SA-F02 to your exact requirements.
Construction
The AEG rifles of the FLEX™ series are constructed with high density polymer receivers and handguards, with a strong alloy outer barrel and metal gearbox as a backbone, perfectly combining strength with low weight for extra agility in a high-intensity Airsoft skirmish.
This construction method was chosen for the FLEX™ series in order to keep the AEGs lightweight and affordable, but also provides additional scratch resistance when compared with the alloys normally used for metal Airsoft AEGs. This means that you can use your FLEX™ AEG as a workhorse, without having to deal with shiny alloy peaking through in any areas that have taken a bump or scrape during adrenaline-fueled operations in the field.
Fortunately, a big part of what makes the FLEX™ series so, flexible, is its compatibility with practically any internal or external upgrades available for the M4/AR15 series of AEGs. The construction of the receiver is absolutely standard, with a normal AEG spec receiver thread and buffer tube mount at the rear, meaning if you want to change the front end or stock setup of your FLEX™ AEG you can, with minimal effort and fuss. This broad compatibility also means that if you want to incrementally upgrade your FLEX™ AEG and replace its polymer receiver with a metal one for a bit more heft and realism, it's always an option!
Internals
HOP-up and Inner barrel
The FLEX™ series make use of the same proven adjustable HOP-up and inner barrel set-up as the more premium offerings from Specna Arms, including the CORE™ and EDGE™ range of AEGs.
The AEGs of the FLEX™ series all make use of a 6.03mm tightbore inner barrel to help improve air efficiency, and accuracy, which gives you a slight FPS advantage over AEGs using the same strength spring without a tightbore inner barrel. The tightbore barrel also improves shot to shot consistency and is usually something which needs to be purchased on the aftermarket, as most AEGs use a "standard bore" 6.08mm inner barrel.
The FLEX™ AEGs combine their precise tightbore inner barrel with a modern rotary adjustable HOP-up unit to guarantee the accuracy you will need to compete. This device allows you to apply backspin to your BBs, and tune the amount of backspin to match the weight of ammunition you are using. The HOP-up also helps your BBs resist the effects of wind, and provides a straighter flight path with extended range. The rotary adjuster design is the latest in M4/AR15 AEG HOP-up unit innovation, and provides a wider range of adjustment than the legacy "gear" unit, together with an improved ability to hold its setting under the vibration of firing.
Gearbox
The FLEX™ gearbox runs remarkably well and is equipped to compete with practically anything else out there with no additional complexity and very little to go wrong. The FLEX™ gearbox was originally built by Specna for use with an M140 spring, but our UK spec FLEX AEGs have an M90 Spring installed, providing a muzzle velocity of around 300 FPS with a 0.2g Airsoft BB and an improved rate of fire when compared to the higher velocity versions sold abroad!
The fact that our UK spec. FLEX™ AEGs are shooting within UK legal limits means the FLEX™ gearbox is operating comfortably within its design parameters, and will likely continue to run reliably for a lifetime. The use of a polycarbonate piston with a full steel tooth rack allows a FLEX™ AEG to keep its rate of fire high with a lightweight piston and maintain the structural integrity needed for long term durability with its steel toothed insert.
A precisely made 18:1 steel gearset keeps everything in time, as well as providing the necessary strength for the beating heart of the AEG system. The 8mm bearings surrounding the gear shafts ensure the gearbox runs smoothly and quickly by reducing friction and also reducing wear on the gearbox shell, the result of which is a gearbox that hums rather than screams!
To round out this impressive feature set the FLEX™ gearbox includes Specna Arms' innovative ESA quick change spring system, which allows you to change your AEG's mainspring without having to open the gearbox shell. This means you have the option of upgrading your FPS without needing a full gearbox disassembly, simplifying the upgrading process and making the more technical aspects of the sport more accessible!
Why choose a FLEX™ AEG?
With all the different ranges offered by Specna Arms, you may be wondering why you would choose a FLEX™ over one of the equally enticing options from the CORE™, or EDGE™ lines?
A Cost-effective and Competitive Entry Level Airsoft AEG
The Specna Arms FLEX™ series is a great option for anyone entering the sport of Airsoft, offering pre-upgraded internals in a cost-effective, scratch-resistant and future-proofed AEG design. The FLEX™ AEGs are ready to go straight out of the box and are great for those who aren't quite sure what direction to take their Airsoft passion in, as well as those who just want a solid AEG with the primary purpose of taking out and skirmishing it, leaving wall hanging duty to the rest!
The design of the FLEX™ AEGs allows them to be customised and converted into close replicas of whatever M4/AR15 variant takes your fancy, whilst not requiring anything to be added immediately to make the AEG playable. Each FLEX™ AEG is ready to go in its current configuration, sporting a modern and practical design, but can be dressed up in whatever way you like once you get to grips with the wide world of Airsoft!
A Lightweight and reliable backup AEG for when things go wrong, or when you get tired!
If you are the type of player who goes in guns blazing, rocking a potent light machine gun, DMR rifle, sniper rifle, or another highly upgraded setup, you are doubtless aware that in more complex and high-performance replicas, things can and often do go wrong. In this situation, having a simple, reliable backup AEG you can reply upon to perform no matter what, with minimal attention and maintenance necessary is invaluable, especially considering the respectable internal spec and performance of the FLEX™ series.
If you have been carrying a 6KG support weapon or something equally impractical, but loads of fun, it might be in your interest to have something available that is light, handy and simple to give your back and arms a rest! The FLEX™ AEGs are perfect for this role, weighing in at under 2kg with skirmish worthy performance and full upgradability.
There is little more disappointing than travelling to a skirmish, and your primary failing mid-game. With a Specna Arms FLEX™ in the kitbag, you are prepared for any worst-case scenario, and should the worst happen and you have to make use of your backup AEG, its performance might surprise you!
The FLEX™ AEG line is a welcome addition to Specna's lineup and serves both to provide a more affordable high-performance entry point to the sport and offer the option of taking a simple AEG with nothing to go wrong as a backup for some of the more mould-breaking high-performance custom builds we know you all like to run. For those who like pure function, we are expecting more new shapes and designs coming for the FLEX™ range in the near future, so if you have seen a Specna Arms design you like the look of, the chances are there will be a FLEX™ version available soon!
If you are the type of player who prefers the realistic experience of burning biceps at the end of a skirmish day and full metal AEGs are more your style, check out the Specna Arms EDGE range!