Specna Arms SA-J70 CORE™ Gen.2 AKMN AEG

If you're a fast-moving skirmisher with a taste for AKs, the Specna Arms SA-J70 CORE™ Gen.2 AKMN AEG is one of the few AK replicas that can keep up! Tipping the scales at only 2.6 kg, this AKMN is considerably lighter than full metal AKs and the ideal companion for a skirmisher who appreciates an authentic build but prioritises mobility when it comes to gameplay.

Internally, this rifle has some impressive pre-upgraded parts for a platform in this price range, including a CNC aluminium air nozzle, 16:1 ratio high-speed gears, a polymer piston with a full steel tooth rack and the Magnus TDC rotary HOP-up unit paired with a Helium flat HOP bucking and 6.03mm Tightbore inner barrel. Make no mistake, the SA-J70 brings some serious heat downrange, perfect for a beginner with "bad guy" vibes or experienced skirmishers looking for an "easy mode" AK build!

Starting at the tip of the barrel, we can find a classic AKM-style "slant" muzzle brake, which, on the real AKM, counteracts the jarring recoil forces of the massive AK bolt carrier by redirecting the muzzle blast. The brake may look like it is not on straight, but we assure you this is all part of the utilitarian AK design. The slant brake mounts to 14mm CCW male threads at the tip of the 16-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. We recommend a PBS-1 Suppressor if you want the authentic look!

The front sight of the SA-J70 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.

Moving further down the outer barrel, we come to the dummy gas block. This connects to the gas tube, which meets the faux wood upper handguard via an alloy handguard cap. The lower handguard surrounds the outer barrel and is retained by its own handguard cap, which includes a sling point on the left side, ideally for hook-type slings. The handguards are constructed from high-density polymer with a faux-wood finish, and as with other faux wood furniture, you would be hard-pressed to tell them apart from real wood without touching it!

The trunnion block follows just behind, providing 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. This sight type benefits over aperture sights in its field of view, allowing you to more effectively track moving targets and avoid tunnel vision.

Next up, we find the receiver, which is constructed from high-density polymer with a matt finish which almost looks like the real anti-corrosion finish applied to real AKs. This is one of those receivers you have to touch to know it isn't metal! The receiver has standard AK-style controls on the right side, with a 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.

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.

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 dummy rivets, all found in the correct place for this AK variant.

The receiver top cover of the AKMN is also constructed from stamped steel and is the appropriate design for an AKM, with ribs stamped into the upper surface to provide additional strength whilst keeping the material thin and lightweight. The battery compartment is beneath the top cover and accessible by pressing the button at the rear of the top cover, after which it should come straight off, revealing the Deans connector.

For the Specna Arms AKMN, we recommend a 7.4V AK Slim Stick battery. With the battery connected and installed, you can place the top cover back into the AKMN, 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 of this AKMN is a standard AKM-type pistol grip, with 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 AKMN is constructed from polymer with an imitation wood effect and has an authentic colouration for AK furniture, with a varied grain effect and satin finish. The faux wood both looks great and keeps the rifle lightweight and manoeuvrable, not to mention cost-effective and maintenance-friendly. 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 AK47/74 sling.

The butt plate is constructed from steel and is appropriately untextured to match the real thing. Those used to textured rubber butt plates; there is no room for comfort in this utilitarian design, though you can add a rubber butt plate extension to get a taste of Western luxury!

To access the Magnus™ adjustable HOP-up unit of the SA-J70, simply hold the charging handle to the rear to reveal this new rotary adjustable HOP-up unit design. The HOP-up allows you to tune the SA-J70 for different ammo weights, seeking the flattest possible trajectory. The Magnus™ design shows a lot of promise, being a TDC design which applies pressure directly to the top of the bucking to minimise side-to-side shot deviation. The Helium™ HOP-up bucking can also lift heavy BBs, should the mission require it.

Inside, the SA-J70 is rocking Specna's CORE™ Gen.2 internals, including a smattering of high-end components featured in the PRIME™ range. These include an aluminium air nozzle, 16:1 high-speed gears, a polymer piston with a full steel tooth rack and an aluminium cylinder. Also inside is the Magnus TDC Rotary HOP-up unit and Helium HOP-up bucking, enhancing range and accuracy despite the short overall length of the SA-J70.

The HAL¹ adds a whole lot of functionality into the mix, with programmable fire controls, 6 levels of pre-cocking adjustment and 5 levels of trigger sensitivity adjustment. Available fire modes include 3 or 5-round burst, binary trigger, AUG mode, aka two-stage trigger, semi-auto only and sniper delay, giving you loads of options for how you use your SA-J70. Features like these are usually only present in high-end replicas; we simply cannot believe the wealth of functionality inside this beast, especially considering the price!

If you like the classic AK silhouette but want to speed around like you're rocking an ARP9, the S&T AKMN Sports Line is the best way to go. Boasting some tasty pre-upgraded parts at an unbeatable price, if the weight of full metal AKs has ever put you off running one, you now have no excuses not to jump on the AK train!

Features

• High-density polymer build - Steel and alloy trim parts
• 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 - Ready for standard tracer units and suppressors
• Open iron sights - Two notches for aiming at different ranges
• Hinged top cover - Easy battery access, press the button on the rear, and the cover will lift up
• Russian AK dovetail side mount - Compatible with Russian AK optics or 20mm Picatinny mounts
• Alloy mock bolt carrier - Authentic finish, sounds great when racked
• Rotary adjustable HOP-up unit - A new design with loads of potential
• Ambidextrous magazine release - Easy reloads from the left or right side
• Realistic disassembly - VFC-style build, all pins and rivets, no screws!
• Steel side folding skeleton stock - Iconic Soviet looks, steel sling point built-in
• HAL Programmable MOSFET/ETU functions:
  • 3 or 5-round burst
  • Binary trigger
  • Semi-auto only
  • Sniper delay
  • Two-stage trigger (AUG mode)
  • Adjustable pre-cocking (6 levels)
  • Active braking
  • Low-voltage alarm
• HAL Programming instructions
• Version 3 Gearbox:
  • Aluminium Nozzle
  • 16:1 CNC Steel gears
  • Polymer piston with full steel tooth rack
  • Aluminium cylinder
  • HAL Programmable MOSFET
• Top-wired: Deans connector 
• Compatible with AK-47/74 AEG magazines - Steel mags are the appropriate choice!

Package Includes

• Specna Arms SA-J70 CORE™ Gen. 2 AKMN AEG
• 380rnd High Capacity Magazine x 2