30 minute read
RED CELL: SUPPORT GUNS
RED CELL
BRING THE HEAVY RAIN!
WE OFTEN SEE THE QUESTION RAISED IN ONLINE GROUPS AS TO WHY ANYONE ACTUALLY WANTS AN AIRSOFT SUPPORT GUN AS THEY ARE USUALLY BIG AND VERY HEAVY COMPARED TO A CARBINE OR RIFLE MODEL, AND OFFER NO REAL ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OVER THEIR LIGHTER-WEIGHT BRETHREN WHEN IT COMES TO RANGE AND EVEN MAGAZINE CAPACITY; AN AEG FITTED WITH A 2500/3000BB DRUM MAG OFFERS THE SAME RANGE AND FIREPOWER ON THE FIELD AS A TRUE SUPPORT GUN, AND IS ACTUALLY FAR MORE HANDY! SO WHY IS IT THAT MANY OF THE RED CELL TEAM LOVE A SUPPORT GUN AND WHICH MODELS DO THEY LOVE?
These days it’s actually pretty easy to get even a basic AEG up to a ROF that’s going to be “suppressive”, and with numerous manufacturers providing not only Hi Cap magazines, but also boxes and drums for your “AR” or “AK”, if a high ROF combined with virtually unlimited ammo is your bag then go for it dear friend! However, if you do decide that you want to run full-auto and heavy then a good support gun might be the thing, but although you’ll undoubtedly have a big old box or drum with in excess of 2500 BBs at your immediate disposal don’t think for a moment that this is quite the panacea it might appear to be at the outset. Ultimately your BB-spitting monster will be at the same power level, with the same range, as most AEGs out there, and a well set up carbine could easily outrange you, let alone a DMR or bolty… sometimes more is most definitely less!
As I’ve said many times before though, there is a time when you can have both the firepower AND be a valuable team player though, and a decent support gunner who knows what they’re about will be the friend of every other player on their team! If you’re prepared to put in the “gruntwork” both in terms of physically carrying a support gun AND properly learning the “gunner’s trade” then you can be an invaluable force multiplier both in attack and defence.
The key word here of course is “support” and if you are using your “LMG” to effectively help the rest of your team to achieve objectives, to lay down accurate, effective, and controlled suppressive fire whilst your teammates either advance, retreat or flank, then you’re doing the job right and you’ll be an asset that everyone wants to have play alongside them. A good gunner needs to securely park their ego in the safe zone, and in play they need to get work done, and this is equally true in a skirmish setting as it is during a MilSim.
I have to say from a personal perspective that in the realm of the support gun, the AEG is most definitely,
100% still king when it comes to laying down massive amounts of suppressive fire in any airsoft setting, even up to and including the very highest levels of MilSim. More and more I see even basic skirmish sites putting up restrictions for the use of standard AEGs that are used as “support guns” by simply adding a “C-Clip” or drum mag; bluntly put the average Hi-Cap mag carries 450+ BBs and if that ain’t enough then in my world something has gone a bit awry! If you’re going to be a true support gunner then shoulder that pig and do it right!
There’s definitely just something about “rolling out the big guns” at the right game that sets my excitement level to maximum, especially when a proper support gun is set up in ambush, to protect an overnight position or a compound, or on a vehicle; they just look and feel right, and if you’re going for full BattleSim or MilSim “immersion” then there’s nothing better than being behind the big boy when your OPFOR comes a-calling, and nothing more satisfying for them than taking out or capturing the support gun that’s been giving them grief!
LAYING DOWN THE FIRE!
With all that in mind, let’s get right on down to it and look more closely at the models that the members of Red Cell favour, some of which have been doing sterling service for many years, and have had many thousands of BBs down their barrels! This is what The Cell is all about; when we put Red Cell together we knew that we had a lot of long-term knowledge among the members, but it’s times like this that we realise just how much, and how deep that knowledge is, and just how committed the guys are to creating something pretty darn special!
Bill: I do love an M249, but to date I’ve hated lugging around a heavy support gun for skirmishes as I don’t really feel it brings any amazing benefit to my game other than to look “tacticool”; as I said in my intro there’s no real plus points for the added “embuggerance” given that a regular AEG with a box mag can fulfil the same role at a fraction of the weight and bulk, and I guess that’s why I was really taken with the KRYTAC TRIDENT LMG.
Since their first introduction to the UK airsoft market at IWA 2014, KRYTAC have really made some inroads with players, and every time they seem to come into stock they sell out quickly, especially the elusive LMG model! Weighing in at just 3530g and with an overall length of 750/835 mm, the Trident LMG Enhanced actually combines the firepower of a full-sized LMG with the portability and the controls the traditional “M4”platform; I view it as a bit of a modern- day Stoner! With a Keymod handguard and shortened barrel the LMG is even more usable than before; the size and weight mean that even the smallest player can comfortably carry and LMG for extended periods of time, and with its large 3000 BB box magazine, the Trident LMG is ideal for laying down copious suppressive fire. For a skirmishable LMG the Trident really does tick all the boxes for me and with a sensible retail price for a support gun it’s one hell of a beast. If you fancy yourself as a support gunner then the KRYTAC could well be the very thing you’ve been searching for!
One positive thing I see though is the move by many manufacturers to now produce their support guns with high strength polymer bodies to keep the weight down. This is nothing new to be honest, but the strength and durability of the latest reinforced polymers does mean that not only do these LMGs look great and weigh very little, but they’re also durable enough for the rigors of regular skirmish use! There are a number of manufacturers following this path right now, but at the head of the pack for me is the SPECNA ARMS SA-249 PARA CORE.
The CORE line makes good use of polymer, alloys and steel in combination to create a solid and durable AEG that in the form of the PARA weighs in at a not insubstantial 4970g with the empty box in place. It feels superb when you first pick it up though, and although the main body is polymer it doesn’t feel at all “plastic”; some elements in the CORE LMG have been purposely made of polymer in order to reduce their weight and make them more “user friendly”, and the polymer parts include the receiver, top cover with a RIS rail, front sight with a base, stock, magazine and the pistol grip. On the flip side alloy parts include the outer barrel, magazine well (which can at a push use a STANAG mag), buffer tube and the flash hider, and several steel parts are in evidence in the form of the bipod, external barrel lock, stock support, trigger guard, transport handle as well as all pins and assembly elements.
After a couple of minor “hiccups”, which I’ll put down to a newly-fitted spring, the SA-249 chronos very nicely, and pretty consistently, at 1.07 Joule/340fps on .20g. I was very pleased to find that the box mag fed very evenly as this can sometimes be a downfall of even the most expensive support AEGs. In terms of accuracy I’m actually more than happy just on the iron sights; this is supposed to be a “full-auto support-beast” and be able to spit out BBs consistently and give an area-dominating effect rather than being nail-on-the head accurate, but I will tell you that it’s no slouch in this respect as at 30m prone I
was easily able to put all my BBs on steels, and it kicks them out past 70m without a problem too!
Boycie: Over the years I’ve owned a number of support guns but always seem to have got bored with them as they were not too accurate and I didn’t like pushing out a rod of plastic with high ROF, so I decided to go more to employing an LMG for the purpose it was designed, to create a cone of fire and a reasonable beaten zone. I had the opportunity to get a KRYTAC TRIDENT LMG and this seemed to fit my needs really well. I didn’t have to lug about a huge long RIF and could even use the LMG indoors on sites where semi-auto rules apply. The KRYTAC also allows me to use mags from other team members if I run out of ammo, much like the Classic Army M249 does, but the Trident feeds in the same way that an M4 type rifle does. I’m currently working on it to create more of a spread at 40-50m so tight bores are not needed; I’m likely to be running a 6.08 or bigger, along with a mix of .20, .25, .28 and .30 BB’s to help with the spread and have the hop set for .25s.
I really enjoyed the SPECNA M249 when Red Cell had chance to try one out; it was accurate but with a good little spread at longer distances, felt solid and handled really well, yet lightweight to the point where I was firing it one handed like a pistol...
Stewbacca: Having gotten hands on with VFC’s shiny new Mk48 LMG AEG I was very impressed with its user friendliness and all the mod-cons incorporated into it. The usefulness of a quick detach barrel unit for ease of cleaning and maintenance of the hop as well as accessing the feeding port is something that will no doubt be beneficial for long term users; similarly the hop adjustment being right above and easily accessible with or without the top cover lifted aids in sighting in and zeroing when the gun is new or you’re setting it up for your preferred ammunition weight.
The fact the whole thing is so light and easily handled and manoeuvred is undoubtedly a major selling point as well, given just how cumbersome some guns can be to handle when prone; the three position adjustable bipod was also easy to use and change the length of even one handed while supporting the gun on the pistol grip as per my own use of it during my video introducing the Mk48. Oh, and with the deluxe version sporting the electrically fed box magazine that links up with the internal gun battery as well as the on board internal capacity you have a total of 8800 rounds... That’s ELEVEN minutes worth of solid cyclic rate firing, although I’m not sure dropping it all in one burst is wise or even possible!
Jimmy: My Classic Army M249 started its life as a MK1 but I’m now converting it into the Para style. Quite frankly out of the box it’s a disappointment as it fell flat on its face sadly. High hopes were had for this but those hopes were fast dashed. On the outside it looks fantastic, sporting a full metal build and rocking the FN Herstal trademarks, but it’s on the inside where it matters. A RIF which carries this price tag should be worlds better in my opinion.
Early on it stripped the piston and this is mainly due to a very bad AOE (angle of engagement), the point at which the sector gear picks up the piston. The motor is a high torque motor with a very slow ROF even on 11.1v. Power was low due to a poor airseal across all of the compression parts. It soon developed major feeding issues, which was largely due to poor tolerances between the hop unit, barrel and gearbox to hop unit alignment. The cast hop unit offered little adjustment and when it did work barely lifted a 0.25g BB. Overall this platform has demanded over a further UK£100 and around five hours of my time (so far!) in order for it to be an affective support platform. Things I needed to replace were the piston, piston head, cylinder head,
CLASSIC ARMY M249
Price: iro UK£300.00 Age: 18 Months Weight: 6300g Length: 1050mm Magazine Capacity: 300BBs but drums will fit Cold Chrono:1.07 Joule/340fps Hot Chrono: 1.01 Joule/330fps Optic Compatibility: Good Suppressor Compatibility: No Available From: www.taiwangun.com
SPECNA ARMS SA-249 PARA CORE
Price: iro UK£280.00 Age: 18 Months Weight: 4970 g Length: 790-920mm Magazine Capacity: 2500BBs Cold Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Optic Compatibility: Yes Suppressor Compatibility: Yes Available From: www.gunfire.com
KRYTAC TRIDENT ENHANCED
Price: iro UK£500.00 Age: Two Years Weight: 3530g Length: 750-835mm Magazine Capacity: 3000BBs Cold Chrono: 0.95 Joule/320fps Hot Chrono: 0.89 Joule/310fps Optic Compatibility: Good Suppressor Compatibility: No Available From: www.landwarriorairsoft.com
VFC MK48 MOD1
Price: iro UK£900.00 Age: New Weight: 3950g Length: 1009mm Magazine Capacity: 800 (internal)/8000 (box) Cold Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Optic Compatibility: Good Suppressor Compatibility: No Available From: www.redwolfairsoft.com
G&P STONER MK63
Price: iro UK£580.00 Age: OLD… like its owner!!! Weight: 4620g Length: 930mm Magazine Capacity: 1200 BBs Cold Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Optic Compatibility: Only on the yucky railed version! Suppressor Compatibility: Yes Supplied By: www.fire-support.co.uk
A&K M60VN
Price: iro UK£450.00 (average) Age: Not as old as Bill’s Stoner but old! Weight: 7600g Length: 1110mm Magazine Capacity: 3500BBs Cold Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps (after Spring Change) Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Optic Compatibility: No Suppressor Compatibility: Yes, but why? Available From: Most good airsoft retailers!
LCT RPD
Price: iro UK£920.00 Age: Two Years Weight: 7000 g Length: 1043mm Magazine Capacity: 2800 BBs Cold Chrono: 0.99 Joule/328fps Hot Chrono: 0.99 Joule/328fps Optic Compatibility: Hell NO! Suppressor Compatibility: Yes, but NO! Supplied By: www.nuprol.com
CYMA CM052 RPK
Price: iro UK£195.00 Age: Three Years Weight: 4500g Length: 1080mm Magazine Capacity: 800 BBs (AK drums will fit nicely!) Cold Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps (after Spring Change) Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Taclite Compatibility: No on the “classic” Suppressor Compatibility: Yes Supplied By: www.gunfire.com
A&K PKM
Price: iro UK£450.00 (average) Age: Four Years Weight: 7350g Length: 1185mm Magazine Capacity: 5000 BBs Cold Chrono: 1.04 Joule/336fps Hot Chrono: 1.04 Joule/336fps Optic Compatibility: No, but accessories available Suppressor Compatibility: Yes (Spetsnaz reasons only!) Supplied By: www.nuprol.com
LCT CK-16 (RPK-16)
Price: iro UK£500.00 Age: New Weight: 5940g Length: 835-915mm Magazine Capacity: 2000 BBs Cold Chrono: 1.09 Joule/343fps Hot Chrono: 1.09 Joule/343fps Optic Compatibility: Yes Suppressor Compatibility: Yes Supplied By: www.nuprol.com
cylinder, nozzle, hop unit, spring, motor, and micro switch. I replaced the hop unit for an AirsoftPro Gen1 unit but that wasn’t a straightforward fix as the barrel needed modding in order to sit in the correct place to allow BBs to feed. The inside of the gearbox needed some refinishing as there was some imperfections on the piston rails from casting, and the quick release spring guide was sticking so it was difficult to remove it. I would highly recommend the Bullgear hop unit over the stock OEM or the AirsoftPro units as it is a popular upgrade and has proven to work well. Gears needed reshimming properly due to a very half-arsed attempt. All in I’ve been very disappointed with the Classic Army 249 internals; that said the gearbox case is a pretty solid, a very heavy design which has the added bonus of a quick change spring. On reflection, as much I am now starting to love the CA, I think if I were to recommend an M249 to anyone “out of the box” it would be either the A&K or the SPECNA versions.
Stewbacca: In terms of the M60, I had the pleasure of borrowing my team mate’s at one of our Copehill games for doing attack buggy runs in; it’s perfect for vehicle use with its side-mounted box mag and general heft, although as with apparently many AEG LMGs it had some feeding issues with the connection hose thing, still bags of fun. As for the old LCT version, it must be a very accurate replica, as the TWAAA have one as part of a militaria display at their headquarters and Mr Zhang was telling me how they exhibited it at a gun show years back and an enthusiastic American buyer was making joyful plans to purchase a whole load of them until he was finally informed they were not, in fact, real steel guns!
Iggy: I had the Ares M60E4 for a couple of years, and it was a great little MG. the box carried 3000 - 4000 BB’s, and removing the barrel and attached hop was easy. Simply twist the bolt and unlock then guide it out holding the carry handle. Performance was pretty good. It had a nice range and scatter as an MG should. Its Achilles heel was the boxmag; when it worked it was great but every single one I bought died and I had to repair and alter to feed well and not kill the mag motor. After my “home” repair/upgrade to the inside of the box mags they worked. They fed on demand as you fired.
The highlight of my support-gun world though has always been the M60 Vietnam (VN)/ the OG/ the PIG! During attending a Ground Zero NAE event I spotted a guy acting as sentry with the A&K version, before that I had only known and dreamed of the Inokatsu version that was WAY out of my budget! I approached him to admire and look at this fabulous M60 Vietnam only to have him turn around and say he was selling it to get an SA80 as it was too big and bulky to play. I snapped up his offer and bought it that night only to use it the following day lugging it from objective to objective on the Sunday, loving every second. I sold my Ares M60E4 to a team mate the same night, so between us we had our squad covered with both M60’s.
The A&K M60VN I owned right up until I emigrated to Australia and it still hurts that I parted with it today. It performed flawlessly for three years, spitting out BB’s at a variable fire rate, using an adjustor on the
replica gas tube to alter the ROF. Then the wiring going down the gas tube broke, so my friend and I rewired it bypassing the ROF adjustor meaning it only fired at the last mode it was set… that classic chugchug of the M60. It wasn’t ever pin-point accurate but it didn’t need to be. It ranged 50-70 meters effectively on 0.20g BBs… I used 0.25g and higher on my battle rifle platforms as accuracy was important but the “PIG” I fed on 0.20’s as it was cheap but still gave range and covered the enemy as they attempted to advance or escape from the hell it would unleash.
At my local site (OTT in North Wales) other players on the enemy side would often check to see if I was using the “PIG” and moaned if they saw it. Newbie’s would fear it in the safety brief and literally run away when I opened up on them in game. It was a PIG to carry but I loved every game I had with it, firing from prone position and even standing, unsupported it was just ridiculous fun. If I was tasked as a support gunner role in my squad for the MilSim/skirmish I would often be at the back with the other guy carrying the E4; we each had backpacks with bags of BB’s and extra batteries to keep the beasts pumping. The scouts would reach the objective first, stir the enemy in time for the riflemen to join the chaos then we would roll on in and lay down suppression allowing our guys some breathing room and mopping up the enemy that were brave enough to stick their heads up. When possible I would definitely go another A&K M60VN or even the G&P Stoner Mk63 as every owner I know loves the G&P... GET SUM!!!
Chris: The G&P Stoner, where do I start, well a good place is with my attraction to the real steel firearm. I picked up a copy of Navy SEAL Veteran Darryl Young’s “The Element of Surprise” back in 2001, and it started from there. The Stoner, what a cool looking and sounding bit of kit it was. The want for one to be made in airsoft was strong as soon as I had finished the book, and to my surprise one had been made by KM; some time in the late 90’s KM made a Stoner powered by 2 EG700 motors (one for the gun one for the box mag), but sadly my hopes of getting one were dashed by the reports of the rarity and the prices upwards of UK£3000!
Many years went by until G&P announced their version was in the works, and after released I was teased with one at a military show here in the UK by none other than this magazine’s Bill. Sadly at the time I couldn’t afford one and had to wait an agonising two years to finally have my own, second hand, but my own. I can’t say much more than I think it is iconic, light, comfortable, although it’s not the real thing I can see the genius behind Eugene Stoner’s design. Airsoft-wise G&P made it solid (although some early releases had delicate stocks) with a reasonably good V2 gearbox, hop and barrel setup that for an out of the box gun is thankfully very admirable. As with all things airsoft these can and have been upgraded and changed to suit your needs.
The only small gripe I have is the box mag auto winder, this, is very noisy so I’ve opted to disable mine (black tape over contacts) and re- route the minute box mag winding button to just above the foregrip so I can press it with my thumb instead of being hidden away under the ammo feed chute. Another bijou gripe purely from a collectors stand point is that there are no other parts available on the market to maybe turn it into the long barrel version, or top mag fed (Bren style) feed cover. For an support gun it certainly takes some beating though! (Note: If the classic look isn’t for you then there is a “modernised” version available with railed fore end and top cover; if that sort of thing floats your boat on a Stoner though you need professional medical help!)
OPFOR SUPPRESSION
Dan: In my role as a tech and as a player I’ve got lots of mileage on most the models in the “big list”, but I’ll fill in for the A&K PKM since that’s what I’m currently overhauling. Aside from LCT’s very uncommon and expensive PKP, the main contender and most prolific PKM on the market is still firmly in the grasp of A&K. There are several variants produced under the A&K umbrella in different trim packages, including wood and polymer equipped versions as well as the modernized PKP
and PKP bullpup model sold through TWI, both of which are fully A&K OEM under the hood.
Like many other
LMG/GPMG variants, this one
holds true to the real version in having a quick-change barrel assembly, which in the case of the replica, allows for easy access to the hop up unit. The large box magazine boasts a massive 5000 round capacity, which exceeds that of any competitor design. Only the Echo1 M240B or Ares M60E3 comes close at 4000 rounds respectively. Overall the body is quite stout and solid, with the weight surprising many who pick it up for the first time. That being said, it benefits one to go about applying threadlocker to the majority of visible screws as they will inevitably vibrate free and become lost to the field.
For better or worse, A&K’s internals have remained largely unchanged for decades now. While other manufacturers will undergo routine product improvement processes, the most we’ve ever seen from A&K in this arena is a microswitch with a higher amperage rating. Ultimately, the veteran Airsofter will find the internals on these to be disappointingly uninspired and lacklustre and likely will only be interested in the platform as a base to build upon and improve. Fortunately, these enjoy much part commonality with existing Version 2 AEG’s, and there are good aftermarket components available for the proprietary bits; namely the excellent Bullgear box magazine insert and CNC hop up chamber, to list off a few. On the externals side, there are plenty of optics mounts, rails and various cosmetic options to either modernize the platform or make it more bespoke
Bill: Although I own and cherish my G&P Stoner, and have had a number of M60 models (VN and E4) and M249s (oh my, that STAR plastic gearbox!) over the years, it’s my OPFOR fetish that brings out the support gunner in me and there are three models that I particularly love for different reasons, and the first is the A&K PKM. This AEG has been with me about four years now, and it is one of the very few AEGS that I have been “gifted” after I completed a review; the guys at A&K supplied one to me for testing via my mates at NUPROL, and when I went to return it they told me to hold onto it and really give it some beasting and report back… which I have continued to do at regular intervals! In fact, if pushed it was that proactive action on the part of A&K that first gave me the fledgling idea to create Red Cell, to test our beloved platforms over an extended period and bring our findings back to other airsofters before they spent their money!
And the PKM has never failed to bring a HUGE smile to my face! It’s big and heavy (heavier than you might think!), and is a serious amount of metal to lug around all day, but just like Iggy’s M60VN it never fails to impress those that lay their eyes upon it in the safe zone! The internals of the gun are thoroughly workmanlike as Dan pointed out, but you do get a bore-up cylinder and cylinder head, 8mm steel bushings, hi-torque motor, ball bearing spring guide and low resistance wiring throughout. There’s also an adjustable MOSFET which allows you to change the ROF. The self-winding green metal box on this gun holds an almighty 5000 BBs, allowing you to bring down the “heavy rain” on you opponents to your heart’s content, and the box can be filled by splitting it as per a drum or via a neat fill port on the right hand side should you need to reload “on the fly”. The box also holds the battery and connection for the self-winding mech, and there’s lots of space for a big battery inside.
The PKM is not a new model, and A&K have been with us for years, but sometimes it’s genuinely worth looking at a model more than once, especially as they’re now going to be easier to find, and also because the prices appear to be stabilising. I’m seeing the PKM models in my home market around the UK£450-£470 mark, and for a big support gun that gives solid performance and oozes “OPFOR Cred” that’s a great price!
And the RPD? I’ll start from the beginning when it comes to my personal relationship with airsoft RPDs. This replica has been one of my “holy grail” models out in airsoft-land; whether you be a Cold War Russian player, a ‘Namsoft commando, or
indeed a modern day OPFOR MilSimmer then it’s way high on the list of “things I must have”. Nearly fifteen years ago I became involved in a project to create a functioning airsoft RPD, and after taking mouldings from De-Acts, sourcing real RPD drums, and some serious fettling the group concerned finally
got one to work. My financial input to the project was somewhere iro UK£350, but there were ten of us in the group plus the developer himself who all contributed equally. Yup, that’s right, developing our “baby” cost us collectively the best part of UK£4,000!
I still have that RPD but to this day it’s never been skirmished as it’s just too darn fragile, but it’s a fine “wall hanger” and conversation piece. Other friends through the years went down the RPD route and I have to admit that I saw some great full-metal examples created by clever engineers from real RPD parts, but once again these cost serious, SERIOUS money, and involved some pretty cutting-edge engineering talent.
So, my point here is let’s not be TOO harsh on the pricetag of the drop-dead gorgeous LCT RPD! What makes the LCT RPD so special then? Well, simply put LCT have made a true 1:1 replica of the RPD with stamped steel and wood, the same way the original guns were made during the Cold War! The RPD just absolutely oozes quality with absolutely impeccable steel (NOT alloy or “monkey metal”) metalwork and superb, highly burnished woodwork. The attention to detail is utterly staggering wherever you look; muzzle? Absolutely spot on! Folding steel bipod? Yup! Three position gas regulator? Yup again! Nowhere and nothing on the RPD looks as if it has been rushed or bodged and I’d go as far as saying that it’s probably better made than the real thing ever was.
Internally things are equally impressive as the RPD benefits from an all-new 9mm bearing Gearbox, a High-Strength Polycarbonate Piston, CNC Aluminium Hop-Up chamber, Steel Gear set, Quick Change Spring and a MOSFET wire assembly design for lower resistance, saving power for the 23,000 rpm motor! If like me you like your “Cold War” or OPFOR airsoft then I have to truly say that you WILL want an LCT RPD. Yes, it’s big, it’s heavy, and it is indeed expensive, but oh my goodness, this thing just looks fabulous and it performs like a beast. LCT have really created something quite staggering here, something that many of us have been waiting years for!
If you’re on a budget though and you want an alternative that will still let you perform that OPFOR support gunner role with a price that’s not going to make your eyes water then you could do far, far worse than to check out the CYMA RPK models. Whilst not quite so iconic as the PKM or RPD, the RPK still ticks and awful lot of boxes when it comes to longevity and timeline; introduced first in 1961 as a successor to the RPD in the same 7.62×39mm calibre as the AK47 and AKM, the RPK is still very much in service around the world to this very day, albeit in the updated 5.45×39mm calibre used by the AK74 family. If you’re an OPFOR player that wants to grasp the support gun role then the RPK should be a model that craves your attention!
Overall the external features of the CYMA RPK are excellent for the money as it comes with a full metal receiver and barrel assembly, a well-achieved wooden fore-end, wooden pistol grip, and a rocksolid side-folding wooden stock, all of which look A1 with a little bit of re-finishing. Enhanced by good quality externals (apart from a weak point around the receiver/butt connection), solid internals and attention to detail, the RPK is a strong, reliable, and extremely attractive AEG. The CYMA CM052 has all the benefits of the full-stocked variant with the added versatility of the side-folding stock, and covers off many, many years of service life. If you’re a MilSim player then with the supplied 130 BB magazine it’s absolutely ideal, and by chucking on a 2,500 BB Drum Mag you’ve got yourself the perfect “skirmish slayer” without breaking the bank; in fact we have two CYMA RPKs in the AA armoury, and what’s not to love about them!
To conclude this month I won’t recap too much on the LCT (LCK) RPK-16 as I only looked at it relatively recently (my full review can be found in Issue 122 in BACK ISSUES on the AA website), but as I said at the time LCT have a great reputation for durability and long-term performance so I’m thinking that things will stand up well even when you’re talking about an AEG that’s going to be used on full-auto the majority of the time. I’m seeing the LCK-16 being used “in game” now, and for a thoroughly modern support gun that has an outrageous amount of “OPFOR Cred” it really is just the thing!
Having had one in my hands for review and on the range I am most seriously considering adding one to my own personal collection, and that’s the very best recommendation I can give you. AA
