LCT LK-53A3 AEG; ASTER II Bluetooth® ETU

Starting at the front, we can find an HK-style birdcage flash hider mounted to 14mm CCW male threads. Both the flash hider and outer barrel are made from steel, flawlessly finished to match the real thing perfectly. The HK birdcage is the perfect device for a realistic look, but if you're going sneaky or need to light the enemy team up, the 14mm CCW threading means tracers and suppressors are a go!

Moving rearwards, we come to the front sight block, which is made from steel, just like most of this platform! Finished in gun metal grey with an ultra-realistic separate sight post insert, this is a far cry from cheaper HK-style replicas, which almost always cast the front sight as a single piece. On the left side, we are treated to a steel sling point well-suited to HK hook slings, ready to be paired with either of the rear sling points to mount a two-point sling.

The LK-53A3 is rocking the iconic polymer handguards, very similar to the MP5 handguards but larger, just like everything about this platform. The handguard is constructed from high-density polymer with a textured surface for excellent grip. The handguards can be removed using the front dissassembly pin, revealing the Deans connector. For this platform, we recommend a 7.4V slim nunchuck battery.

The cocking tube is made from stamped steel and is welded to the stamped steel receiver, just like the real deal. This is a very rare feature indeed, as almost every other HK-style Airsoft replica has a separate cocking tube cast from alloy. The advantage of a welded steel cocking lever isn't limited to strength and realism; it also means you can HK slap the ever-loving-bejesus out of the LK53A3 with no worries, especially thanks to its steel charging handle!

Pulling the charging handle back and locking it up into the "safety notch" will retract the steel mock bolt carrier on the right side and open the mock ejection port, revealing the rotary HOP-up adjuster inside. The HOP-up allows you to adjust the trajectory of your BBs, accounting for different ammo weights, extending range and improving long-range accuracy. The rotary HOP-up unit is a modern design, compatible with standard AEG HOP-up buckings, nubs and barrels. With your HOP-up adjustment complete, you can give the charging handle a slap to send the mock bolt home. Trust us, the LK53A3 loves it!

Moving rearwards, we reach the stamped steel receiver, flawlessly made with a hardwearing finish. On top, we can take note of the notches on each side, designed for HK-style claw mounts for MP5 and G3 platforms to be mounted. This is the best way to get an optic on the LK53A3, but we are currently unable to confirm compatibility with aftermarket mounts other than those made by LCT.

At the top rear, we have the rear iron sight, widely regarded as the best iron sight design of the modern era. Known as "Diopter" sights, this multi-aperture sight design provides 4 different aiming apertures for different ranges, fire modes and ambient lighting levels. Selecting your preferred aperture is as simple as rotating the drum, with windage adjustment provided by the screw on the right side.

Moving down, we come to what is known as the "trigger pack" or "trigger group", aka the lower receiver. This is where you'll find the controls of the LK53A3 and the integral finger-ridged pistol grip. The fire selector switch offers 3 modes of fire: safe, semi-automatic and full automatic, realistically denoted with S-E-F (SICHER- EINZELFEUER - FEUERSTOSS) markings for maximum German authenticity.

The ambidextrous paddle magazine release is centrally positioned in front of the enlarged glove-friendly trigger guard, allowing for easy reloads from the left or right shoulder. The fire selector is a comfortable design with a textured surface, made from steel, as we may well assume at this point!

A secondary magazine release is positioned on the right side of the magazine well, similarly positioned to that of an AR-15, but out of reach for all but those with looong fingers. The magazine insertion method for the LK53 is a "rock and lock" motion: first, index the front of the magazine into the mag well, then rock the rear into place to engage the magazine catch. The trigger is also a dead-on match for the real thing and is made from steel for a flawlessly realistic feel.

At the rear of the receiver, we come to the sliding stock adapter. Just like pretty much the entirety of the metal on this platform, it is constructed from steel. It features a loop sling point on the top left, allowing for dual-point sling setups when combined with the sling point on the gas block. This hefty platform weighs 3.8kg; a sling setup will definitely help alleviate the arm ache of carrying this SMG all game!

The steel stock bars slide into the stock adapter. They are robust and allow for two positions, either fully collapsed or fully extended. The stock bars are welded onto the steel butt plate, guaranteeing a hard-wearing stock setup. The butt plate comes with a textured rubber padding on the rear, providing comfort and grip when it is locked into your shoulder.

Inside, the LK53A3 is based around a version 2 gearbox, equipped with 18:1 ratio steel gears running on 9mm bushings, a CNC aluminium piston head, a CNC aluminium cylinder head, a polycarbonate piston with a full steel tooth rack and a steel quick-change spring guide with ball bearings in its base to reduce rotational stress. To provide the necessary torque and speed for a skirmish-competitive AEG, a 22,000 RPM motor is fitted, along with 18AWG low-resistance wiring and an in-line MOSFET/ETU to boost trigger response and prevent gearbox lockups. All internal parts are Tokyo Marui-spec, meaning a green light for aftermarket upgrades!

This version of the LCT LK-53A3 AEG builds on LCT's usual robust internals by adding the advanced Gate ASTER II Bluetooth® ETU, the latest variant of Gate's optical trigger system. The ASTER II provides a wide range of programmable fire modes, trigger sensitivity settings and adjustable parameters, all of which can be adjusted through the Gate Control Station (GCS) app via Bluetooth. Having an ASTER II on board is a hallmark of a premium build, the perfect pairing for LCT's incredible external quality.

Features

• Full metal construction
• Stamped steel receiver & cocking tube - A Museum-worthy exterior!
• 14mm CCW Male barrel threading - Tracer/suppressor ready
• Steel HK-style flash hider - Beautifully finished!
• Sling point on the front sight block - Pair with either rear sling point for a two-point sling setup
• Multi-aperture diopter iron sights - HK style, arguably the best iron sight design out there
• Polymer handguard - High durability and textured
• Steel charging handle and mock bolt carrier - HK-slap it to your heart's content!
• Rotary adjustable HOP-up unit - Modern design, adjust until your trajectory is flat
• Ambidextrous magazine release - Centrally positioned, easy access for left or right-handed shooters
• Secondary mag release - Push through style on the right side
• S-E-F Trigger group - SICHER- EINZELFEUER - FEUERSTOSS, aka SAFE-SEMI-AUTO
• Finger-ridged pistol grip - Matches the real steel integral-grip SEF trigger group perfectly
• Steel trigger - Maximum authenticity!
• Steel sliding stock  - Robust with a rubber butt plate
• Version 2 gearbox:
  • CNC Aluminium piston head
  • CNC Aluminium cylinder head
  • Chrome-plated brass cylinder
  • 18:1 Steel gearset
  • 9mm Bushings
  • Steel ball bearing spring guide
  • Polycarbonate piston with full steel tooth rack
  • 18AWG Low-resistance wiring
  • In-Line MOSFET/ETU
  • 22K RPM Motor
  • Gate ASTER II Bluetooth® ETU
• Front wired: Deans connector
• Compatible with LCT LK-33/LK-53 AEG Magazines

Package Includes

• LCT LK-53A3 AEG; ASTER II Bluetooth® ETU
  
  • 100rnd Mid-cap magazine