Why do you need an AK replica in your collection?
Why is it worth buying an AK airsoft gun?
No reason to cheat ourselves. Each airsoft player's replica collection grows only with time. There is always a new construction that we want to buy. Other times we need to build a replica for a specific application. For example, we will need an airsoft gun for CQB games or vice versa. We want to start playing in the forest and a replica for building a DMR will appear on our shopping list. Some will build their collection in a slightly different way. They will buy replicas of various firearm platforms. And we will talk about such a situation in today's article.
SA-J04 EDGE 2.0™ Carbine Replica
Looking at the market offer and the majority of players, I have the impression that the AR platform is the most popular at the beginning. No wonder. Shops and manufacturers have a very wide range of structures modelled to a greater or lesser extent on this basic format. Although it is a construction developed decades ago, it still turns out to be adequate thanks to many modernizations.
People who want to stand out more often choose airsoft guns of the AK platform. In the sea of AR replicas and similar, the characteristic shape with a curved magazine is immediately noticeable. This is a good argument for all players interested in LARP-style games and those who like unusual stylizations.
Open styling possibilities for airsoft guns
Just a few years ago, AK replicas were mostly associated with serious reenactors. Such people were able to perfectly, often for years, complete the equipment based on reference photos. But let's not be deceived. It's quite a difficult lifestyle, especially in the case of airsoft, where the equipment is supposed to be used ... not only for photos. Fortunately, the AK platform offers a lot of opportunities, not only to people interested in specific military formations.
The first inspiration that comes to my mind is all post-apocalyptic universes. Both the ones we know from the Mad Max movies, Fallout games, and the more technological ones, such as The Division series. In such a universe it is very easy to justify the use of an AK airsoft gun. It's a pretty popular firearms platform, after all. Especially in Central and Eastern Europe, but also in Asia and the Middle East. The proliferation of the AK74 and other designs from this family in the real world means that in the event of a hypothetical difficult times, access to them would be easier.
Maybe I don't have an AK replica here but The Division style does not rule out that platform
Thinking about the use of AK replicas in airsoft, I always associated them with various informal military formations. Security groups or even criminal groups don't have to worry about the extensive military procurement system and can use what suits them. This gives great opportunities to choose our equipment also in the airsoft environment. We are not limited to the equipment that professional soldiers seem to have. For this reason, we can easily justify in our inventory basically everything we like. From AK platform airsoft guns to any unusual accessories, we want to use. If we do not have to follow the guidelines of reconstruction of specific military formations, our possibilities increase significantly.
Finally, there is no way to miss the popular computer game Escape from Tarkov. The conflict presented in it, if it can be called that, creates very easy possibilities to justify many stylistic choices. This basically applies to many computer games. Long ago, they were limited to presenting only a few selected military formations. When implementing a set that is to reconstruct a character from the game, we may have to use an AK replica for the best effect.
We can easily adapt the AK replica to our needs
I used to be very sceptical about AK airsoft guns because they seemed not very ergonomic to me. Currently, this problem basically does not exist. We have a lot of accessories on the market that will easily help us adapt the replica to our requirements. And as in the case of many trends that we observe in airsoft, this one came to us from the world of firearms. More and more companies are producing accessories for the AK platform. Many grips, rails or other firearm parts can be mounted on airsoft guns. However, this is often an unnecessarily expensive investment. The real breakthrough came when such manufacturers as 5KU started producing airsoft equivalents of RIS rails, mounts and smaller elements.
Adapting the AK platform replica to your needs is a topic for a separate article. However, for me, the absolute basis is the ability to mount a red-dot. This little device makes aiming much easier and, in my case, faster. We can choose to install a dedicated cover with a rail or, for example, a dummy gas pipe with a similar solution. Both works well and look interesting. You can also take the path of least resistance and opt for side mounting. It's also a good option if you like this aesthetic.
It's the same with tuning. When electronic systems controlling the operation of the airsoft gun appeared, they were dedicated to gearboxes of the second version. Fortunately, manufacturers quickly expanded their offer with V3 constructions. Thanks to this, we do not have to make many compromises when assembling an AK or similar replica. We can use good quality frames made in CNC technology, pneumatics is basically common to most airsoft guns, as are the gears. Good motors and other parts are also made with the platform in mind.
Author: Boreq
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