This time, I'll be introducing KSC's masterpiece gas blowback rifle, the AK74M.
With Tokyo Marui's AKM gas blowback model about to be released, I'd like to introduce KSC's AK74 to help anyone who is still undecided.
Moreover, as of the time of writing, it's just before summer, the perfect time for gas blowback pistols, so if you're considering buying a gas blowback rifle, please use this as a reference.
I think I acquired it quite a while ago, more than five years before I wrote this.
This is actually my first gas blowback rifle, so it's a very memorable product for me. I've owned it for a long time, and it's dirty and shows signs of wear, so please understand.
Therefore, please use this as a reference for what happens when you use it for a long period of time.
*This article aims to provide educational explanations from a mechanical engineering perspective regarding the safe hobby use of airsoft guns.
This does not promote acts of violence, the use of weapons, weapon modification, practical evaluation, or violation of laws and regulations.
appearance
First, let's look at the exterior; here's a side view of the entire building.
Other side
Overall, it's very well made and looks quite good.
Next is a side view from the front.
Other side
The materials are basically resin and aluminum (not iron like LCT).
Many of the aluminum parts are made from sheet metal and are likely made from a 5000 series aluminum alloy (the heat treatment is unknown, but perhaps T-4?). The flash hider and outer barrel are cast, so based on availability, they are probably made from ADC6.
The overall texture has a unique feel that's different from iron. The resin parts also have a nice, non-shiny finish.
Next, let's look at the details of each part.
This section introduces the distinctive muzzle area of the AK74 series.
Upper
Front sight
The flash hider and front sight area are made of cast metal, while the real thing is probably machined from iron, so the feel is slightly different. However, despite being cast, the craftsmanship doesn't feel particularly poor. KSC might be good at casting.
Next is the area around the gas tube.
It feels quite close to the real thing. In particular, the angle of the gas port that takes in gas from the barrel is clearly different from that of an AK47. Incidentally, when you load gas and fire it, the rod inside the gas tube moves properly.
Next, let's look at the handguard area.
Other side
It's probably an injection-molded part made of ABS material (no machining involved).
As expected from KSC, the manufacturing is excellent. There are no sink marks or flaws in the molding; it's very clean. It's probably better made than the real thing, and in a good way, it might not be realistic.
Next, let's look at the receiver area.
The receiver is probably made of aluminum alloy sheet metal. The texture is quite good, and the rivet details look decent (the rivets are dummies).
The only downside to KSC's AK is its weak paint job. As you can see in the photo, the paint has chipped off on the tip of the cocking handle, for example. However, looking at photos of the real thing, many of them have chipped paint, so perhaps this is acceptable.
Next, try pulling the cocking handle.
Unfortunately, it's not a full stroke.
It's unavoidable considering operational requirements. While it's possible to achieve a full stroke with a little modification, I haven't done so because it risks damage, reduces gas consumption, and slows down the firing cycle (I'll explain the details in the live-fire performance section).
The selector is very smooth and doesn't move or shift on its own.
This is a photo from the opposite side.
It features the side mount, a distinctive feature of the AK74M. While the real thing likely uses rivets for this, this product uses dummy rivets. It's secured by two small hex bolts on the back.
Next, let's look at the magazine insertion area.
The magazine is the type that hooks onto the front and is inserted, similar to AK-style magazines, but this product makes magazine changes quite easy. With electric guns from LCT or Tokyo Marui, it takes a bit of skill, but with this product it's very easy. Also, the trigger guard is fixed with a hex bolt, whereas the real thing seems to be fixed with rivets.
Next, let's look at the grip and trigger area.
As expected of a gas blowback gun, the grip is quite slim.
My palms aren't particularly large, but my fingers are a bit long, so it feels slightly cramped.
Next, let's look at the rear sight and the area around the top cover.
The rear sight is the standard AK-style adjustable tangent sight.
The top cover is made from a very thin but thick sheet of aluminum, which is an amazing example of manufacturing technology.
Thin-walled aluminum sheet metal fabrication is quite difficult. Aluminum alloys have lower strength and ductility compared to iron, so thin-walled sheet metal fabrication can easily tear, requiring considerable skill. That's why I was so impressed with this top cover. However, the real thing is probably made of sheet metal from iron and often lacks ribs, so in terms of realism, it might be slightly inferior to other manufacturers' products.
Next, let's take a look at the storage area.
This is a standard plastic folding stock. Despite being made of plastic, it feels sturdy with no noticeable wobbling. Next, pressing the button on the receiver (as shown in the picture) folds it down.
When folded, it becomes compact as shown in the following picture (it looks like it could fit in a bag).
You can still fire in this state, though.
The release button is located at the rear end of the stock.
Furthermore, if it's genuine, there's a hole for a cleaning kit.
This is a one-way lid.
You can put small wrenches and screwdrivers inside the stock, but be careful as they may get caught in the lid and become impossible to remove. If something gets stuck inside, you can remove the lid by unscrewing the two flathead bolts at the rear of the stock.
Finally, here's a site picture.
This is a standard tangent sight. I'm not good at aiming with tangent sights, so I use it with optical sights like a red dot sight attached.
It weighs around 2.5kg without the magazine, which is light for its length (due to the aluminum and resin materials). The center of gravity is near the grip, so it feels considerably lighter than it looks.
Magazine appearance
The magazine has a capacity of 42 rounds.
The magazine lip and gas outlet look like the following picture.
While the magazine can be loaded using the included loader, you can also load BBs using the widely available Tokyo Marui BB loader.
The gas inlet looks like this.
A key feature of this magazine is its dry-fire mode. Sliding the cover on the bottom of the magazine reveals the dry-fire mode switch.
Insert this into the switch button located on the side of the magazine to switch modes.
B is a blank B and enters dry-fire mode.
The downsides of this magazine are that it's expensive, not readily available on the market, and quite heavy.
The weight is particularly surprising; without gas or ammunition, it weighs around 800g, which is almost the same weight as a fully equipped blowback handgun.
While the high price is understandable, about five years ago, it was something that was hardly produced and you had to buy it immediately if you found it on the market. However, recently it seems to be reproduced fairly frequently, so it's become easier to obtain.
It used to be quite a rare item along with the main unit, but since the release of the AK74U, KTR-03, and other series, it has become much more readily available and is no longer as rare as it once was.
This concludes the exterior review. In the next installment, I will introduce the field stripping disassembly and the actual shooting performance.
KSC AK74M Gas Blowback System 7 Two
KSC has been doing quite well lately, and they've re-released some items. I recommend them.
KSC AK74 series magazines
Since these items often disappear from the market, I recommend securing them while you still can.
KSC AKS74U Gas Blowback System 7two
This is a short model of the KSC AK74 featured in this article, with almost identical performance and structure. It's what's commonly known as a Krinkov.
KSC KTR-03 Gas Blowback System 7two
This is a KSC AK74 Tactical Model. I believe its structure and performance are the same as the AK74m.
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