Specna Arms SA-J04 EDGE™ AKS-74 AEG w/Gate ASTER MOSFET

Specna Arms bring us an AK that's with insane build quality when it comes to the externals and even crazier internals that comes together in a rifle that's an absolute dream to both handle and shoot. The SA-J04 is a member of Specna Arms' high-end AK range, boasting the same realistic disassembly as the polymer version but constructed primarily from steel to provide a more realistic weight and feel.

This variant is a more cold war era style AK thanks to its real wood handguard, issued to to paratroopers and mechanised infantry due to it having a steel skeletonised folding stock, whilst retaining its polymer pistol grip. Specna brings this variant of AK to life. The SA-J04 boasts a whole host of modern internals with pre-upgraded parts including the lauded Gate ASTER™ MOSFET, this AK is absolutely solid, thanks to both its real steel build on the body and a real wood handguard. If you're an AK lover and fancy something a little more advanced and upmarket without breaking the bank, the SA-J04 is a fine choice!

Beginning at the tip of the steel outer barrel we can find an AK-74 style muzzle brake, which is designed to counteract the recoil forces of the 5.45mm cartridge and keep the real AK-74 controllable in fully-automatic. The muzzle brake mounts to a 24mm CW adapter mounted over the 14mm CCW male threads at the front of the 16.3-inch outer barrel and can be swapped out for a suppressor or tracer unit if you are going for more of a Spetsnaz look for your AK.

The muzzle brake can be removed from the 24mm CW adapter by holding the steel detent in the front sight as you unthread the brake. The 14mm CCW male thread is accessed by removing the grub screw in the adapter and unscrewing it.

The alloy front sight of the SA-J04 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 parts of the classic AK aesthetic, we can find a dummy cleaning rod running parallel to the outer barrel, stored on the weapon to give the Russian soldier less to remember! This cleaning rod is constructed from steel and isn't intended for cleaning an Airsoft barrel, though it is a big part of what makes the iconic AK silhouette so recognisable.

As we move further down the outer barrel we come to the dummy gas block which is constructed from alloy with a convincing gun metal finish applied. This connects to the gas tube, which is the correct design for an AK74 and is stamped from steel for additional realism. The gas tube meets the high-density polymer upper handguard via a steel handguard cap which is integral to the gas tube.

Now we're in for a real treat and by real, I mean real wood! The handguard not only looks fantastic constructed from high-quality wood that has been cut neatly and sanded for a smooth finish so for those of you who skirmish without gloves you will experience the joy of owning this AK! The handguard features an alloy ring to be attached to a sling for ease of carry.

Moving on we come to the trunnion block. which provides the mounting point for the classic AK tangent rear iron sight. It provides multiple graduations for adjustment being an open design and a fine rear sight  An open design, the rear sight provides multiple graduations for adjustment and a fine rear sight notch to align with the front sight post. Adjusted by pressing one of either side buttons on either side of the the sight drum and moving the drum back and forth on the base. On the right side, the lever is for disassembly and much like most AK AEGs using the VFC external design, this can be rotated upwards by 90 degrees to release the upper handguard and gas tube.

The fire select of the SA-J04 is the familiar fire we all know and love from the real world AK rifle. The lower-most setting is fully automatic, with the middle setting being semi-auto and the top setting being safe. Each fire mode is denoted by a crispy CNC engraved authentic Russian Cyrillic marking, which adds some more realism befitting an AK replica of this calibre.

AK will be happy to hear that the classic dovetail mounting rail is featured on the left hand side of the SA-J04, which will allow you to attach the authentic Russian AK scope, or if you prefer a modern western optic, that, of course is an option. As with other AK side rails, this side rail is NOT compatible with the SVD side rail mounts and only works with AK side rail mounts.

The receiver also features several rivets in all the right places, as well as the receiver strengthening dimples present on all Russian stamped AK receivers. The top cover is also stamped from steel and has all the correct reinforcement ribs to mimic the real AK-74 family. The SA-J01, like other Specna AKs, should definitely please the stitch counters!

To access the adjustable HOP-up unit of the SA-J04, simply hold the charging handle to the rear to reveal the alloy slider adjustable HOP 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 effect, simply move the slider rearwards. Returning the slider to the front will reduce the HOP to its lowest setting. This unit is constructed from alloy instead of the usual polymer to add strength and minimise the chances of failure, and to make matters all the sweeter the pre-installed HOP-up rubber is a Helium™ flat HOP bucking, which should improve range and accuracy considerably compared to standard rubbers.

Being a top-wired design, the battery compartment of the SA-J04 is beneath the top cover. To access the battery compartment, simply press the button at the rear of the top cover and it should come straight off, revealing the Deans battery connector. We recommend a 7.4V LiPo battery in AK stick configuration for the SA-J04 but you can just about squeeze in certain stick batteries designed for AR buffer tubes if you are very careful when reinstalling the top cover. With the battery connected and installed, you can place the top cover back into the SA-J04, align the button with the hole in the rear of the top cover, and pull the charging handle to lock the cover down if necessary.

The pistol grip is a standard AKM/AK74 type pistol grip that features a diamond-checked pattern on either side that ensures the rifle stay firm in your grasp, no matter the weather. The trigger guard and magazine release can be found just ahead of the pistol grip and are 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. 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 SA-J01 is constructed from steel and is a classic AKS-74 style stock providing strength and keeping the weight low due to its skeleton design. To fold the stock to the side, simply press the button on the left side of the rear of the receiver, fold the stock to the left side and lock it on its hook. To unfold the stock, lift the locking latch on the receiver to disengage the hook, and the stock can be folded into the deployed position and locked. The right side 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 AK47/74 sling.

Just like it is on the outside, the SA-J04 is impressively equipped internally, boasting Specna's ORION™ reinforced version 3 gearbox equipped with an aluminium piston head and cylinder head, a steel-toothed polycarbonate piston and reinforced steel gears. The spring guide is equipped with ball bearings in its base to reduce rotational stress on the spring, piston and gearbox shell, and is also quickly removable to allow for easy power tuning via the ESA™ quick change spring system. The inner barrel is a 6.03mm tightbore paired with the Helium™ flat HOP-up bucking and mounted into an alloy slider HOP-up unit, promising above-average range and accuracy.

However the cherry on top of this AK is that it comes equipped with the Gate ASTER™ MOSFET which improves electrical efficiency and raises the rate of fire and trigger response while allowing you to program burst modes of various durations, as well as binary trigger. With the "expert" firmware and the Gate Control Station app, you can unlock even more functions from the ASTER, including rate of fire adjustment, trigger sensitivity adjustment and pre-cocking. This is a seriously advanced ETU and we are always happy to see it pre-installed into more and more platforms.

So, if you fancy an upgraded AK but you don't fancy installing the upgrades yourself, the SA-J04 would be a fantastic choice, offering both realistic steel externals and fully upgraded internals. This rifle is rare in that it is as real as it get in terms of exterior construction, boasting a hefty full metal build with a smooth and sleek real wood handguard, so if you're looking to start your AK loadout, this is an absolutely fantastic condition.

Features

• Full metal construction
• Real wood handguard
• 14mm CCW male threaded barrel - 24mm CW adapter
• Gate ASTER MOSFET pre-installed - Click here to find out what it does!
• Steel muzzle brake - Authentic for an AK-74M
• Real wood AK-74M handguard with gripping ribs - Great for 90s/2000s AK look
• Steel mock cleaning rod - An essential part of an authentic AK
• Steel outer barrel, gas tube, receiver, trigger guard, selector & top cover - Hefty!
• Sling points front and rear - Ready for a two-point rifle sling
• 3-Position steel fire selector - Safe - Full auto - Semi-auto
• Realistic disassembly - VFC style; All pins and levers, no screws
• Steel side folding skeleton stock - Great for storage and close quarters battle
• Textured AKM/AK-74 pistol grip - Plenty of grip for wet weather work
• ORION™ Reinforced version 3 gearbox - Steel toothed piston, aluminium cylinder head & piston head
• ESA™ Quick change spring guide mounted on ball bearings - Reduced stress on the guide & spring
• Alloy slider adjustable HOP-up unit - Stronger than polymer units, little chance of failure
• Helium™ flat HOP-up bucking pre-installed - Serious range and accuracy potential
• 6.03mm tightbore inner barrel - Improved FPS and accuracy downrange
• Russian AK dovetail side rail - Allows for Russian AK optics and 20mm rail adapters to be mounted
• Includes 2 Specna Arms S-MAG AK Mid-caps - Compatible with AK AEG platform magazines

Package Includes

• Specna Arms SA-J04 EDGE™ AK-74M AEG w/Gate ASTER MOSFET
• 130rnd S-MAG AK Medium capacity magazine x 2
• Deans to mini-Tamiya adapter
• Cleaning rod
• User manual