The end of heaviness - review of the Specna Arms Flex X airsoft gun
X Flex - a new series of airsoft guns from Specna Arms
Pistol calibre carbines are an interesting branch of the firearms market. They seem to have gained some popularity in recent times and have taken over a strong niche that has held up very well so far. There are several practical reasons why such a conversion makes sense. First of all, pistol ammunition is cheaper and usually slightly better available than that for rifles. Additionally, it sometimes happens that converted rifles can compete in shooting competitions in the same class as pistols. Sometimes it gives you a bit of an edge. Such structures are basically operated like carbines. So quite convenient. Additionally, they have an interesting aesthetic that may be attractive. But do these features also apply to airsoft? Most of them don't. However, this has never deterred airsoft players from following sport shooting trends.
What if I told you that there are airsoft guns that perform well in CQB, are light and have a lot of proven solutions inside? This is what the new Specna Flex X is like. Describing them is actually an easy task for me. Let's think of them as a combination of the design from the Specna Arms Edge X replicas already available on the market and the internal parts and body material from other Flex designs. Later in the article, we will expand on this description and start with building an external replica.
Polymer body in an airsoft gun
Perhaps the biggest difference here compared to the X Edge replicas is the fact that the new Flex replicas are entirely made of plastic. And every time we talk about this material in the context of the airsoft gun receiver, some players cringe expressing reluctance. It is difficult to convey this in a video or a blog article, but in direct contact, the material used here makes a really good impression. This is the same type of polymer reinforced with glass fibres that we know from Specna Arms Core replicas. I have had a replica from this series for several years now and surprisingly it does not want to break down. What's more, she's still fine.
The material used by Specna Arms is slightly matte. When touched, it feels thick and a bit rough. It only gives in when you press hard. Additionally, it is light. Significantly lighter than if it were made of metal. In the case of the Flex series, the upper and lower receiver as well as the replica's handguard and stock tupe are made of the same material.
Unique design of the X Flex series replicas
The design of the airsoft gun's body is noteworthy. Sometimes these types of structures are little more than the receiver and trigger chamber from an ordinary AR-15-style replica with a different magazine well. Here, the manufacturer took care of a few small details. My favorite is the shell ejection port. It is reduced in proportion to the size of the 9 x 19 mm cartridge. In addition, the airsoft gun has sharp lines that give it character. There is also a slightly enlarged trigger guard and a large magazine release latch. The Flex series uses the same design as the Edge X replicas that have been available for some time.
To a large extent, the X Flex airsoft gun is similar to its Edge series counterparts. However, there is something that makes them different and, in my opinion, an advantage compared to the cheaper design. Here in the set, we get a Light Ops stock designed from scratch by Specna Arms. I bought one for my other replicas. It has a very pleasant texture. Additionally, its butt stays in place extremely well.
The airsoft gun's handguard is equipped with M-lok standard holes. At the top you will find a picatinny rail. Thanks to them, we can install the necessary gadgets or sights. As standard, the replica is equipped with foldable sights in the form of a front sight and a rear sight. There are QD sling mounts on both sides on both sides of the stock and handguard. The replica has a functional bolt release button. Everything is topped off with a pistol grip that we already know from other replicas of this manufacturer, with a slightly larger than traditional angle of inclination.
Insides of the airsoft gun
If you know Core replicas from the inside, you won't be surprised here. So, let's start with what, in my opinion, is the weakest element of the gearbox. If you know me, you know that I am not a fan of normal trigger boxes. Here is the most ordinary one. For now, there is no MOSFET system in the airsoft gun. Is it wrong? Not necessarily. That's no reason to be singled out in this day and age. Nevertheless, everything works fine and did not cause any problems in my tests. The gearbox frame has radiuses and, as befits replicas from this manufacturer, there is a cutout on the back for the quick spring change system.
Things get more interesting when we look at other parts of the airsoft gun's mechanism. Here you will find steel gears with a gear ratio of 18:1. The pneumatics is a piston with a full metal jaw mounted in a cylinder with a standard hole for a type 2 cylinder. At its end there is a plastic head with one gasket and six ventilation holes. The cylinder head and nozzle are also made of plastic. In my case, there was no problem with passing the syringe test.
There wasn't too much grease and it was applied to the parts that needed it. As is often the case with straight-from-the-box replicas, here the shimming left something to be desired. Apart from the gearbox, everything is still standard for Specna Arms airsoft guns. There is a rotary hop-up chamber made of plastic, a regular rubber and a spacer. Both of medium hardness. Additionally, there is a brass inner barrel.
Specna Arms Flex X - experience
The new X airsoft gun from the Flex series is a proposal aimed mainly at short distances. This does not mean, however, that it is a weak design. However, we must remember that there is quite a short barrel here. As a result, accuracy at longer distances may deteriorate.
It is worth starting the description of the airsoft gun's performance with what the chronograph shows. And there is no surprise here. It is more or less as declared by the manufacturer in the product description. So about 360 FPS using 0.2 g balls. Converted into Joule, it gives about 1.2 J. Is that not enough? I wouldn't say so. You can't expect much more from a brand new replica. This is also a fairly safe value that allows you to play most games. In my tests, it turned out that the replica has an effective range of about 40 meters using 0.25g BBs.
Specna Arms Flex X is an airsoft gun that you may like. Its undoubted advantages are low weight and interesting design. In addition, we get features known from other replicas of this company. There was also a quick spring change system and a functional dummy bolt release. This is the perfect opportunity to check whether PCC replicas are something for us. This design is suitable for basically everyone. Regardless of whether we are looking for the first airsoft gun to be light and handy or as an additional toy for CQB games.
Author: Boreq
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