Jing Gong JG082 S-552 Commando AEG

The S-552 is the short barrelled variant of the full length S-550 which currently serves with the Swiss military as their standard infantry rifle. The S-552 is a great length for aggressive playstyles, whether it is outdoors or in CQB, and has a side folding stock to enhance its mobility, make it easier to point in cramped conditions and allow it to fit into much more compact gun bags and cases.

The controls of the S-552 are all ambidextrous, making for intuitive use for both left and right-handed shooters, and the controls are designed for use with thick gloves, meaning everything is well placed and easy to grab, even when you are hammered with adrenaline in the middle of a firefight! As one of the most underrated platforms in Airsoft, the S-552 is sure to turn heads on the field as very few M4-obsessed modern Airsofters will recognise it!

Starting at the front, as is the convention, we can find a tri-prong flash hider finished in gun metal grey mounted to the 14mm CCW male threads at the tip of the alloy 8.5-inch outer barrel. The tri-prong device looks great and matches the real S-552 muzzle device perfectly, but with 14mm CCW male threading at your disposal you can swap it out for a tracer unit or suppressor should the mood take you.

Following the flash hider, we come to the S-552's gas block which is highly detailed and includes a mock gas adjuster, dummy bayonet lug and a sling point over on the left side. The front iron sight is located on the top of the gas block and is a fixed front post with a protective ring surrounding it, and also has a flip-up post which is larger for more rapid target acquisition. The flip-up post on the real S-552 is a night sight with a glowing insert, this is not the case on the JG, though the flip-up front post pairs perfectly with the rear open aperture of the multi-aperture dioptre rear sight to allow for snap shooting in CQB. The post can simply be flipped up or down by hand, and when folded down it shows anti-glare texturing to make the post more visible in bright conditions.

Moving rearwards we come to the handguards which are constructed from polymer, with an alloy Picatinny rail at the 6 o'clock position and another shorter rail on the right side at the 3 o'clock position. The handguard is comfortable and well designed with linear gripping texture, and both of the rails can be removed if you prefer a slick look. The 6 o'clock rail is perfect for adding a vertical or angled foregrip, and the 3 o'clock rail is ideally placed to mount a tactical flashlight if you intend to equip the S-552 with some tactical goodies.

The S-552 is front wired, meaning the battery compartment is inside the handguards at the front of the rifle. To access the battery compartment you will first need to remove the front body pin just to the rear of the handguards, after which the lower handguard can be pulled back slightly and lifted free, followed by the upper handguard. The battery compartment is inside the upper handguard and is ideally sized to fit an 8.4V 1100mAh NiMh block battery, but we recommend going with a 7.4V 1300mAh LiPo in the nunchuck/crane configuration for a snappier trigger response.

The battery connector is the mini-Tamiya type, meaning you can make use of the most common battery type for Airsoft, and most of you who have been in the sport a while will probably have a battery that fits already. With the battery installed you can place the upper handguard back on, followed by the lower handguard and then the body pin. Despite being polymer and relatively thin there is no rattle from these handguards whatsoever, pointing to a well fitted rifle and amplifying the rock solid feel of the S-552.

Moving rearwards we come to the receiver which is constructed from ABS polymer with a gun metal grey finish which does a great job of imitating metal. This is one of those AEGs which you have to touch to know it is polymer, and the smooth finish also goes a long way to providing its realistic gun metal looks. The charging handle is located on the right side of the receiver, attached directly to the mock bolt carrier in an AK like configuration. The charging handle is extended and swept upwards to allow easy access when wearing gloves and allows the S-552 to be manipulated similarly to an AK by either going under or over the receiver to access the handle.

Pulling the charging handle back provides access to the S-552 rotary HOP-up unit which formed the basis for the M4/AR15 rotary HOP-up unit. The HOP-up allows you to tune the S-552 for different ammo weights and extend the range of your BBs by applying backspin to each projectile, looking for the flattest trajectory possible. Rotary units provide finer increments of adjustment than the legacy gear units and also hold their setting more effectively over long durations.

The fire selector of the S-552 is ambidextrous, offering a switch on either side to make the rifle easy to use for both left and right-handed shooters. The switch has 3 positions, offering safe, semi-automatic and fully automatic fire. Each mode is indicated with a colour coded marking, with the white "S" denoting safe, the red "1" denoting single shot and the red "20" marking the full auto position. The selector also has texture on its upper and lower surfaces to enhance grip, and locks firmly into position in each mode, reducing the chances of accidentally knocking it out of position when moving swiftly in game.

The selector switch is ideally positioned just above the pistol grip for fast access without removing your hands from fire control, elevating the S-552 way above the AK on which its design is based. The pistol grip itself is an ergonomic design which is similar in style to FAL and M249 SAW pistol grips which have also made their way onto AK rifles as an aftermarket solution. The grip is comfortable to hold and has linear texture on either side, tying it in with the texture on the handguard and providing superlative gripping qualities, even if you wear thick gloves while skirmishing.

The trigger guard and magazine release are similarly positioned to those on an AK, but with some notable enhancements that make them far easier to use. The magazine release is centrally positioned, just like an AK, allowing for ambidextrous reloads and the cool looking but magazine breaking "mag flip" emergency reload. This mag release differs from an AK in its enlarged design which allows it to be pressed with the tip of the trigger finger from a firing grip, and its surface texture is intended to counter ice and snow build-up and allow access to this essential control even if you have been buried in an avalanche!

The trigger guard also has a neat trick up its sleeve; it can be folded to either side to allow access to the trigger with mittens, though this makes negligent discharges far more probable. To fold the trigger guard all you need to do is push it to either side, but we don't recommend doing this often as it is very very tight and puts a lot of strain on the trigger guard itself. This feature is primary included as a nod to the real S-552, and shows JG's attention to detail when designing this AEG.

At the rear of the receiver, we can find the rear sight which is every bit as nice as the front sight. The rotary drum "dioptre" sight is based on the design of H&K G3 and MP5s but adds some interesting variations to the design. The sight offers 4 different apertures for aiming; two fine apertures for precise single shots, a larger aperture for low-light shooting and an open aperture to provide a greater field of view when things get up close and personal.

Adjusting between the apertures is super slick and easy, requiring a simple turn of the drum with the assistance of knurling on its upper circumference. The rear sight base also includes a sling point on the left side which is compatible with most sling hook styles, though if your hook is to small we recommend threading a keyring or loop of paracord through the sling point for more flexibility and an easier fit.

The sight base can also be adjusted for windage and elevation using a flat head screwdriver, with the windage adjustment present on the right side of the sight base and the elevation being in the form of a small screw behind the drum. The elevation adjustment is easy and smooth, staying in place under spring tension, and the windage adjustment provides an audible and tactile click with each increment of adjustment, allowing a precise zero for those who enjoy the challenge of using iron sights!

For those who prefer to have some glass on their rifle, the S-552 comes with a 20mm Picatinny receiver rail present in the box which can be mounted in seconds via the S-552's built-in dovetail and the rear iron sight base. To mount the rail all you need to do is position the front section on the dovetail between the receiver and handguards at the top, and then loosen the screw at the rear of the rail until it indexes with the hole in the front face of the rear sight base. This can be done by hand and is very easy, yet mounts without a hint of wobble or movement to guarantee a reliable zero for your optic of choice.

Bringing up the rear of the S-552 we can find a side folding skeleton stock with a comfortable ergonomic design which is a pleasure to rest one's cheek on. The stock is easy and quick to fold to the side, requiring a simple press of the button on the left side, though we recommend making sure you don't have your hand high up on the grip when you are folding your stock to avoid trapping the web of your hand (no need to ask how we found this out!). The stock will lock to the right side of the rifle on the locking wedge on the handguard and can be unfolded again with a firm pull. The butt plate of the stock is made from rubber and has a comfortable linear texture to keep it firmly in your shoulder in any weather conditions.

Those looking for a unique backup AEG, look no further. The S-55x platform used to be prolific in Airsoft, but is now reserved for only those with refined tastes who recognise this rifle for the gem it is. The Swiss said they want AK, but they have AK at home, and it is way better than the original!

Features

• Alloy/steel/ABS polymer construction
• Rubber butt plate for enhanced grip
• Detailed dummy gas adjuster and mock bolt carrier
• 14mm CCW male threaded barrel - Ready for tracers or suppressors
• Removable 20mm Picatinny rails on the handguards - Run it slick or dressed up, your choice!
• Front wired to mini-Tamiya battery connector - 7.4V 1300mAh Lipo recommended
• Ambidextrous controls - Great for both right and left-handed shooters
• Gun metal grey receiver provides a nice contrast to the black polymer furniture
• Sling points on the gas block, rear sight base and stock toe - Sling it if you want!
• Side folding skeleton stock - Easy to transport or turn and burn up close
• Extended charging handle - Easy access to the HOP-up with or without gloves
• Rotary adjustable HOP-up unit - Retains its setting well, fine increments of adjustment
• Extended magazine release - Can be pressed with the trigger finger from a firing grip
• Rotary drum dioptre iron sights - Fully adjustable, multiple apertures and two front sight posts
• 20mm Picatinny receiver rail provided in the box - Easy installation, ready for a red dot or scope!
• Ergonomic pistol grip - Superb design, present on many other platforms
• Alloy version 3 gearbox with quick change spring - Dependable gearbox design, easy power tuning
• Compatible with S-55x series AEG magazines

Package Includes

• Jing Gong JG082 S-552 Commando AEG
• 200rnd High-capacity magazine
• 20mm Picatinny receiver rail
• User manual