Tokyo Marui AKM ZET System GBBR

Avtomát Kalášnikova modernizírovannyj (Kalashnikov's Automatic Rifle Modernised) followed on from the original AK47 rifle, entering service with the Soviet Red Army in 1959, with many other Soviet allies following suit shortly after. The AKM improves on the AK47 predominantly in the weight department but was also manufactured using the much more advanced and far cheaper stamping process, with a folded and stamped receiver instead of the heavy milled receiver of the original AK and the Chinese variants. 

The AKM also added a slant muzzle brake to help control the recoil of the rifle when fired in full auto and replaced the wooden pistol grip of the AK47 with a bakelite grip. The top cover was also redesigned and stamped from thinner sheet steel with reinforcement ribs at the top to maintain its strength. The robust and reliable long stroke gas piston system remained, as did the overall layout, and the AKM is often thought of as the ultimate 7.62x39 AK rifle and served with the Spetznaz for many decades after it was replaced by the AK74 in frontline service. AKM rifles are still seen in conflicts around the world to this day, and its derivatives like the Romanian AIMS are often seen in the hands of Private Military Contractors and Private Security details in areas of the world where the 7.62x39 cartridge is common. 

Starting at the tip of the 16.3-inch outer barrel we can find the appropriate AKM slant muzzle brake mounted to 14mm CCW male threading. No, the muzzle brake is not mounted wonky unintentionally, as if Tokyo Marui would make such a mistake! This muzzle device was designed to sit offset to the bore in order to counteract the extra reciprocating weight from the charging handle on the right side of the AK bolt carrier and makes the real steel AKM far more controllable when fired rapidly than its older brother, the AK-47.

The 14mm CCW male threading allows for tracer units or suppressors to be added, and if you must spoil this flawless AK by dressing it up, we insist on you using a PBS-1 suppressor for the appropriate Spetznaz in Afghanistan look. To remove the slant brake you will need to press the detent pin in the front of the front sight, and unthread it as usual. 

Next up we arrive at the front sight which is the correct shape for a proper AKM rifle. Non-AK fans won't notice, but there are many Airsoft AKMs with the wrong front sight and gas block shape, and we are glad for the AK fans that they won't need to tear their hair out seeing this! The front sight is surrounded by protective wings built into the front sight block and can be adjusted for elevation using the included front sight adjustment tool.

Moving rewards down the barrel we can see the classic AK cleaning rod running parallel to the barrel, mounted just below. This cleaning rod is only for looks, and you shouldn't use it to clean your inner barrel under any circumstances, but is nonetheless included to complete that iconic AK silhouette. The outer barrel is constructed from alloy with an authentic texture mimicking that of the real AKM. This is one of those little details TM is known for, and it really elevates the realism of their guns above others. 

The gas block is the right shape (yay) for an authentic AKM and is constructed from alloy, as is the gas tube. The handguards and handguard caps follow just behind, providing a sling point on the left side which is ideally suited to an AK47/74 replica sling but can be used with most two-point slings when paired with the rear sling point on the stock. 

The handguards are constructed from what is easily the best faux wood polymer we have ever seen. Forget anything else you have read on the site, this is the best faux wood out there. The grain is deep and varied, and the colour is the perfect AK red wood. This was the thing that stood out the most when we opened the box, and we were convinced this was real wood until we touched it. The handguards also have the perfect level of shine to simulate the varnished finish of real AK handguards with the benefit that these handguards will never swell from proximity to moisture and will be much harder to damage than real wood equivalents. 

The rear sight block is constructed from alloy with a realistic milled effect; another sign of TM's attention to the small details. On the top, we can find the rear sight which is an open tangent design with range graduations out to 1000 meters. Even with a TM, you won't be shooting quite that far! Adjusting the sight is as easy as Russian pie, simply squeeze the sides of the adjustment drum and slide the sight to your desired position. The sight itself is an open notch which has the benefit of providing a wider field of view than aperture sights, making it superior for engaging moving targets. 

On the right side of the rear sight block, we can see the gas tube/upper handguard disassembly lever which we are happy to report works exactly like the real thing. With the receiver top cover removed and the bolt carrier and recoil spring taken out you can rotate the handguard disassembly lever upwards by around 90 degrees which will allow the gas tube and upper handguard to be separated from the gas block. Great for cleaning and even greater for realism! 

The receiver itself is constructed from alloy and has a rough surface texture to simulate the anti-corrosion paint finish on real AKM rifles. The layout is exactly what we would expect for an AK, with the fire selector on the right side doing double duty as a dust cover and the charging handle at the front right, directly mounted to the bolt carrier. The magazine release is centrally positioned on the bottom of the receiver and is accessible from either side of the rifle. The trigger guard/mag release assembly is constructed from steel but has the same finish as the receiver, correctly simulating the anti-corrosion finish consistently despite the different materials used for each part. 

Either side of the receiver has mock rivets and real pins in all the right places, making for a realistic AKM look that even the AK fanboys will appreciate. The receiver top cover is constructed from thin sheet steel, just like the real thing, and has a smooth finish matching the real part perfectly. Over on the left side of the receiver, we can see authentic markings at the front, reading  "1975" with a serial number just behind. In front of the "1975" marking, we have an arrow inside a triangle which is a perfect match for the factory mark of the Izhevsk factory, and all the markings are perfectly engraved and nice and visible but discrete at the same time. 

The fire selector markings are concealed under a sticker as it comes from the factory, preventing the usual AK fire selector scratch from occurring during testing. A thoughtful touch from TM, the kind you only get from them! The markings are the correct Russian Cyrillic markings, with the uppermost position being safe, the middle position being full auto and the lowermost being semi. Contrary to popular belief, the AK was designed this way to allow fast selection of the semi-auto mode when wearing thick gloves, not because full auto was its primary fire mode. 

To access the HOP-up adjuster of the Tokyo Marui AKM you will need to field strip the rifle, similar to a GBB pistol. This is thankfully very easy, and everything comes apart and goes together very smoothly, unlike certain other GBBR AKs which are a bit of a faff to disassemble in comparison. The first step is to remove the magazine and cock the rifle. Next, press the button at the rear of the receiver top cover, as you would when installing a battery in a top wired AK AEG. With this done you can remove the top cover completely, revealing the bolt carrier and recoil spring. Before you continue, take a moment to check out the highly realistic internals. Stripping this AK feels like you're taking apart the real thing!

The next step is to push the recoil spring assembly forward to disengage it from its mounting lugs in the receiver, then lift it free. With the recoil spring removed you should be able to slide the bolt carrier all the way back in its tracks and lift it out at the rearmost position. With the guts out you will see a gear style HOP-up adjuster on the left side of the outer barrel with numbered setting markings so you can keep track of your HOP-up settings for various BB weights. The HOP-up adjuster can also be reached through the magazine well in case you need to make a quick field adjustment but the numerical markings are hard to read from this position and you may need to remove any gloves to get to the adjustment wheel. 

The pistol grip of the TM AKM is a bit special, simple though it may be. Dimensionally this is far closer to a real AK pistol grip in width due to the lack of a motor inside, and has an absolutely gorgeous mock bakelite finish on its surface, together with the correct amount of shine. This is a massive step up from other imitation bakelite, and there are no telltale signs of it being a modern polymer other than its improved strength. We bet the Russians would have liked some Tokyo Marui polymer grips on the real thing! The grip has the classic AK diamond textured panels on either side and a subtle finger ledge to help you keep a tight hold of the rifle while running, and that is all an AK needs!

The stock is constructed from the same fantastic faux wood polymer used for the handguards, giving a realistic look without requiring the extra care during maintenance that real wood does. The beautiful, deep and varied woodgrain effect is even more visible on the stock, and while seem lines are present on the top and bottom they are barely visible and hard to detect even by touching them. The stock also features a sling point on the left side which is constructed from steel, providing a rear mounting point for a two-point sling or replica AK47/74 sling. The butt plate is also constructed from steel and has a circular storage port in the centre used for a cleaning kit in the real AKM, but you could use this to store spare batteries for any accessories, or tactical sweeties for a mid-firefight energy boost. 

Being a Gas Blowback Rifle, the TM AKM uses a 35-round magazine which also holds the gas which powers the rifle. The fill valve is located on the baseplate, and the mag can be loaded through the feed lips at the top with a speed loader with a GBB adapter. It can be loaded by hand but is very hard to do, so make sure you have a compatible loader or your thumbs can take the pain! 

The mag also has the arrow in a triangle Izhevsk factory marking on the left side, tying the package together as a completed piece. Also included in the box is a canvas rifle slip which can be used to wrap the AK for storage or transportation. We don't recommend using this slip alone to transport your AK as it doesn't really disguise its gun-like shape, but thoughtful inclusions like this make TM the premium brand for Airsoft guns, showing a level of care and attention rarely seen in Airsoft. Instead, the slip could be used to provide a bit of extra padding when transporting the AKM in a gun bag, or just left in the original box where it serves as a beautiful backdrop for the AKM itself when on display. 

So, if you are an AK fan and you don't have a GBBR yet, this is the perfect excuse to treat yourself! Tokyo Marui's GBBRs marry awesome, jarring recoil, flawless realism, unheard-of performance for a GBBR and perfect build quality to create what is probably the best gas blowback AK that will ever reach the Airsoft market. 

Features

• Full metal construction
• ZET System GBBR - Perhaps the best GBBR system going
• 14mm CCW male threaded outer barrel - Ready for tracers or suppressors
• Very realistic internals - Open her up, it looks like the real thing!
• Supplied in a beautiful presentation box with a canvas rifle slip
• 3.6KG with the magazine - A real loaded AKM weighs 3.66KG
• Gear style adjustable HOP-up - Accessible through the magwell or with a field strip
• Realistic field stripping process - Super fun to play with, great for maintenance too
• Perfect mock bakelite effect on the pistol grip - Looks like the real thing but far stronger!
• Milled effect on the trunnion/rear sight block - Realistically varied finish, this belongs in a museum
• Faux wood polymer furniture - You have to touch it to know it isn't real wood!
• Storage port in the butt plate - Ideal for tactical snacks, batteries or cleaning supplies
• Heavy recoil but awesome gas efficiency - Don't be afraid to mag dump, this AKM can handle it!
• GBBR - Requires cocking before the first shot in the magazine, stops firing when the magazine is empty
• Steel parts: Mock cleaning rod, trigger guard/mag release assembly, fire selector, receiver top cover, butt plate, rear sling point

Package Includes

• Tokyo Marui AKM ZET System Gas Blowback Rifle
• 35rnd Green Gas Magazine
• Muzzle cap
• Front sight adjustment tool
• User manual

Special Instructions 

The Tokyo Marui AKM is a gas blowback rifle. This means you will need to cock the rifle before the first shot with every magazine, and the rifle will stop firing when the magazine is empty. To fire again you will need to insert a filled magazine or refill your original mag, pull back the charging handle with the rifle in semi or full auto, and then you can let rip once more!

The TM AKM cannot be cocked when the fire selector is in the "safe" position. Please do not force the cocking handle back as this may cause damage to the internal parts. 

The maintenance procedure for a GBBR is similar to a GBB pistol, and we recommend putting a small amount of silicone lubricant on the metal on metal contact surfaces of the internals, taking care not to use too much and avoiding getting any oil inside the inner barrel/HOP-up assembly.