E&L Airsoft New Essential Version AKS-74UN Airsoft AEG Rifle

"Having successfully fielded E&L's AKM for a season of airsofting, I decided to give this one a go because I wanted to try a Spetsnaz loadout. With a number of games under my belt with this one, I can safely say that one will not be disappointed if they buy it.

The first thing I noticed about this gun was that it had the exact same standard of finish as the AKM. Even though this is supposedly the lower-end "New Essential" version, it has the look and feel of a real AKS-74U, so it's quite heavy for a submachine gun. Inserting a battery works the same way as the AKM, but please note that the top cover is permanently attached to the gun via a hinge on the rear sight. Unlike the AKM, though, I had no trouble pulling the cocking handle back with a battery inserted.

Now, about performance. FPS is all right; I clocked mine at about 320 FPS with .28 gram pellets. Rate of fire with a 7.4v lithium battery is really nothing to write home about, but it'll get the job done if you need to use full-auto. Just note: being a submachine gun, accuracy wasn't as good as the AKM. Then again, it still had good range, so I was able to pick other players off from quite a ways away with good aim and enough pellets shot at them. I'm not sure if the range had anything to do with the LCT mock PBS-4 suppressor I attached to the gun, but it sure looks awesome with it attached. Just be warned, again, that the gun is quite heavy if you decide to attach the suppressor.

Speaking of attaching the suppressor, it's quite easy to do: just depress the latch holding on the flash hider, unscrew, remove the adapter that comes with the suppressor, screw it on and VOILA! Instant Spetsnaz style! For added realism, I also bought an authentic Soviet sling. NOTE: Real Soviet AKS-74U slings are one inch wide. When it comes to mags, I tried CYMA and LCT hi-cap mags. Both of them worked, but I had difficulty in getting the CYMA ones to snap in place, so I filed down the tabs on the back of the magazines a little for a better fit.

Overall, this is a gun I can see myself using quite often. It may not be the best-performing gun out of the box, but it's one of the coolest, and mine certainly turned heads. If you're looking to do a Spetsnaz loadout or simply looking for a close quarters gun that's different from the usual, you can't go wrong with this one, especially if you get it on sale like I did.

PROS:

-Solid construction
-Able to accept real steel AK accessories
-Good range for a submachine gun
-Good firepower
-Turns heads
-AK awesomeness in a compact package

CONS:

-Pretty heavy
-Questionable accuracy
-Trouble accepting certain mags

"I didn't buy the gun here, but I still want to give a review for this good piece!

Absolutely awesome assault rifle. The workmanship is really unprecedented, the real wood looks wonderful, beautiful and is very stable. The steel, I can confirm, is weaker than LCT, so 1.5mm instead of 1.0mm like LCT. The surface just looks great, just like with LCT. If the E&L Gen.2 wood comes back, I will buy a handguard set for my AKSU!

If you are looking for a good and beautifully finished AK, you are in good hands with the AK-74U from E&L.

Greetings from germany!

"I have fielded this rifle regularly for about six months now, so I believe it has been a good length of time to write a somewhat detailed review.

I highly recommend this gun. For the price, it is easily one of the best external build quality you can find. While the internals are not as custom or "high" end as some other rifles in the $250 range, they are still quite impressive with a solid range, good accuracy, and a very solid fire rate. My gun was shooting at exactly 399 fps with very little to no variation between multiple shots. This is definitely well suited to outdoor play and would require modification for lower fps indoor play.

I originally used a much cheaper Cyma AK, and my main issue was the plastic externals which would break down with use. This rifle is extremely sturdy with a full steel construction and will most definitely outlast most budget AKs.

The weight is somewhat heavy, so this replica is much more geared to "realism" focused players rather than those looking for a lightweight fast paced game feel.

One think to note is that the battery space is limited, but stick type NiMH batteries fit well. It will require some effort to put it in, and the battery must be deep enough to enter the wooden heat guard. The magazine capability is varied as well. I have tested E&L, LCT, and Blue box and all worked perfectly. Cyma magazines do not fit this rifle.

Tldr; fantastic gun for the price, cannot recommend enough