The video game "The Division" may have been one of the last, but not the first, to remind us how much we needed an airsoft replica of this model. The love for this submachine gun comes from afar. 

Perhaps it's because of its interesting design, as it moves away from the most classic designs... who knows, what is certain is that its popularity among airsofters is a case of "love at first sight".

DON'T BE FOOLED

Although its small size and construction in ABS may make it seem like a light gun in the pictures, its 4 kg are truly surprising when you hold it for the first time. Thanks to its short length we can hold it from its body without using the grips, which will also allow us to feel the effect of vertical recoil (yes, like the real one!) in every shot.

FIRE SELECTOR

Like the real model, in this replica the safety catch is located in a separate lever of fire selector. Both are ambidextrous, and although the first one is placed like the real one in the top part the trigger, and it can be activated with the thumb of the firing hand, the second one is placed forward, at the height of the trigger so that it works over the gearbox. The fire selector has three positions, the classic "semi" and "auto", and an intermediate position of a 2-shots burst. This double-tap is very comfortable to use, since for practical purposes it is like shooting in semi with the difference that the second BB will help you help increase your chances hitting the target.

SILENCER

Due to the design of the replica the barrel would be too short, almost pistol-like, but this has been solved by adding a removable hexagonal silencer through which 2" of the outer barrel and 4" of the inner barrel run across. With this solution they managed to go from an 8 cm to a 25 cm barrel.

BODY AND BALANCE

The weight is not the only surprising feature when you hold it, but also the fact that it is distributed throughout the replica in a different way to the usual M4/AK/G36 weight and this makes you use it differently. The entire weight is concentrated in front of the trigger hand, so you will tend to hold it by the receiver of the magazine. Having both hands so close makes it easy to move around, assisted by its foldable stock that reduces by a third the length of the model. Perfect for a CQB!

In this fifth instalment of the video game portrayed in the big screen we can see Alice going akimbo with these models. Akimbo you said? The art of firing two guns at a time, and this girl knows how to go to town!

There is nothing new about watching Jason Statham facing the world to save a helpless girl. But watching him taking the SMG away from the Chinese gangster in the illegal casino and making his way out firing away it’s very cool!

In the original Schwarzenegger movie (1990) the scene of the woman with three breasts surely caught our attention, in this remake we liked to see the SWAT team and then the main character, Douglas Quaid, firing this submachine gun.

We can discuss whether it's a scary or an action movie, but we liked watching SWAT guy and then Liz and Shane firing this model 

Manufacturing an electric replica of this model can raise some questions from the internal parts perspective, and A&K has solved them all with this own design gearbox and with many quality solutions.

THE GUTS OF THE GEARBOX

The internal components are outstanding. It has steel gears with A&K branding that turn on two caps and a bearing (the engine gear), all of them of 8mm. A combination that we have seen in hi-cycle motors and hard spring configuration, and that proves very effective.

QUICK SPRING CHANGE

It has a quick spring change, something which is currently very popular among airsoft guns, making the spring rail (with metal head and plastic tube) have its own design for this model. The spring is a M120  type but shorter than what you are used to, which gives you the right power to move the recoil without exceeding the average official 330 FPS

PNEUMATIC SYSTEM

The pneumatic system is unique. The metal toothed piston and plastic bearing head is somewhat shorter than the standard ones. And the cylinder, metallic and without lateral openings, ends in a Z-shaped cylinder head to take advantage of the internal space since the barrel does not protrude from the highest part of the replica. It is an own design that works wonderfully. Just be careful that the pad on the inside of the cylinder head does not peel off, this prevents the piston from hitting against metal, increasing its useful life.

PULLING THE TRIGGER

The trigger system is similar to the M60/M249 only that is horizontal instead of vertical, since the trigger is located at the back of the gearbox instead of at the bottom. Although the end of circuit that activates the firing mechanism continues to be inside the gearbox, and is driven by lateral pins.

RECOIL SYSTEM

Emulating the real model that has a system that reduces recoil and the elevation of the barrel, this replica has a recoil system with a vertical counterweight1 that is activated with each shot. In order to make all these work it has an A&K Raptor Super High Cycle motor2 that you can adjust from the bottom of the replica. In short, a new way of getting as close as possible to the real model.

THE HOP-UP

The hop chamber follows the design lines of the M60/M249. It has an H-shaped almost rimless-rubber on the inside, and a silicone nub with cylindrical shape on top of it. Despite the wheel design of the hop, it takes a long time to work and you have to turn almost completely so that the rubber enters the barrel. In our tests it showed good accuracy at 40 metres.

Mod.1 may be one of the most anticipated releases of the year, we will see how the model ages within the community. But its launch surely deserves a place among the highlights of 2017.