Specna Arms Edge X-series - review
What is the new Specna Arms X-series?
The X-Series airsoft guns are part of the Edge 2.0 series, which has been known for some time, but what's new is the reciever, which have been designed largely from scratch. They resemble, at first glance, those known from other AR15-based replicas, however, the changes can be seen upon slightly closer inspection. Bold, sharp lines, a PDW-style stock, and a new magazine well are elements that set this design apart. It is also worth noting that the shell ejector window has been changed. It does not have the characteristic flap that closes with a latch, and is further reduced in size, suggesting the use of a pistol bullet rather than rifle ammunition. The replica is mostly made of metal. We won't experience any play on the body except for the stock seated on two guides, which is, however, completely normal. My airsoft gun was equipped with a Strike Industries-licensed M-Lock front, which complements the whole look and gives several points for mounting additional equipment.
When you order an X-Series replica from Specna Arms you can expect a few extra accessories in the box. There will be a weaker spring, two good quality S-Mag mid-cap magazines from Specna Arms and, already mounted on the replica, a front grip. The latter is a design developed from scratch by Specna Arms and, in my opinion, greatly improves the ergonomics of the replica. In the box we won't find a battery, but there is an adapter that will help us plug in cells with a Tamiya plug. The airsoft gun has a T-Deans plug as standard. In addition to marketing materials such as stickers and the manufacturer's catalog, we will also find a card with a description of the programming modes of the GATE ASTER chip installed in the gun. Its basic functions are available to us using the replica's trigger and fire selector. This makes it so that we don't have to use USB Link or Blu Link to program our MOSFET.
Specna X - Basic functions and features
The airsoft gun weighs about 2.4kg. In its configuration with stock folded it reaches about 60cm in length. However, when we want to extend it to the maximum, it reaches about 69cm. Hop-up adjustment is carried out with a knob, which can be accessed by pulling back the dummy lock. It is worth mentioning that it stops in the rear position and to release it we have to press the bolt release. This makes it easier to adjust the pressure of the hop-up bucking because the dummy lock does not have to be held by hand and does not interfere with our adjustments. The Helion bucking, well-known from other airsoft guns of this manufacturer, is responsible for spinning up the bb’s. It is the so-called flat hop. It does not have a classic patch, but only a stabilizing element. In addition, in the chamber we will find a special nub adapted to this system.
As befits a Specna Arms replica, there is also a quick spring change system. To do this we need to take off the stock as far as possible and remove it after pushing the adjustment lever. Then we unscrew the cover of the buffer tube and we can use a long Phillips screwdriver to unscrew the stock holder connected to the buffer tube. This gives us access to the spring guide, which we can unscrew with an allen wrench. It's also easy to get to the airsoft gun's motor. The special pistol grip on the underside has a removable footplate and pressure pad. After removing them, we have access to the wiring and the motor itself.
Gearbox and performance of the Specna Core
The replica is equipped with the Orion gearbox known from other models from this manufacturer. It has a quick-change spring system based on a plastic and metal guide with a bearing. In the front part of the cylinder window you will find rounding to increase the strength of the frame. A selector on both sides is connected with element through the gearbox. In gearbox we will find standard gears. It's worth mentioning that, for a replica straight out of the box, they are shimmed quite decently. On the sector gear we will find a plastic delayer. The replica does not lack grease. In my opinion, there is not too much of it either. 8mm ball bearings are used, as well as a SOLAR trigger from Gate, which works with the ASTER system. The pneumatics offer a pretty good piston with a full steel jaw. The polymer vented piston head has bearings and one o-ring. The cylinder is aluminum and has a sizable bore in the rear. An aluminum piston head with two seals is mounted on it. It has a sizable rubber bumper of medium hardness. The aluminum nozzle is about 21.4 mm long. It is sealed with a single o-ring and seated in the gearbox on a plastic tappet plate. The pneumatic system does not hold a perfect seal on both the extended and fully retracted nozzle. The likely culprit for this is the piston head. After testing on another model, the seal is perfect. This may also be a characteristic to my particular unit.
Tests on a chronograph show that on the stronger spring from the kit the replica generates about 1.02J on 0.3g bbs. The firing rate is about 20RPS. After changing to the m90 spring from the kit, we achieve about 0.89J and the rate of fire increases to 21RPS. This result is certainly heavily influenced by the seal of the pneumatic system. Nevertheless, the shooting tests did not disappoint. Keeping in mind that this is a replica designed mainly for indoor combat, we will hit a target the size of a human body from a distance of 40 meters without any problems. At longer distances it's a bit more difficult to get accurate shots due to the uneven operation of the hop-up system. Nonetheless, hits at a distance of 60 meters are possible when we have the right conditions to shoot and take the appropriate correction in aiming. This is quite a good result for a replica of this power and purpose.
During the real game I had no problems hitting my opponents at distances typical for CQB games, even taking into account that I was playing without a sight. I even happened to hit at slightly longer distances of 40-50m. There were minor problems with the hop-up, which required adjustment after several rounds of play. Another peculiarity of this design is also that the double-sided selector can be easily moved by accident. I happened to move it to the auto position in a semi-only game. However, this can be quickly fixed by appropriate programming of the GATE ASTER unit.
Specna Arms X-series - summary
SA-X02 Edge is a replica that brings some freshness to the brand's portfolio. It has a lot of modern features both in terms of functionality and design. The sharp edges add variety to its appearance. Specna Arms has already accustomed us to such features as ease of spring or motor replacement. They were not lacking here either. A functional dummy bolt facilitates hop-up adjustment and careful and solid workmanship improves the user experience.
The standard gearbox configuration, despite seal problems makes a good impression and should last a long time. A big plus is that the replica is equipped with the GATE ASTER unit, which greatly enriches its functionality thanks to the possibility of advanced programming. Such a long-awaited product raised high expectations in me and I must admit that most of them have been met. This is a solid metal replica, which, despite its compact dimensions, does not give the impression of a cheap toy. A big plus is the use of magazines in the standard used also by other manufacturers. It is certainly an interesting design for those looking for a solid PCC replica for indoor games. It can also be a good platform for further tuning. For me, it will definitely find a permanent place in the collection and will probably be used often in CQB games.
Author: Maniek44
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