Hi friends!
Welcome back to the blog! Today I have another review for you, in this one, we’re going to be checking out the FN HERSTAL M249 MK46 MOD 0 AEG from Evike Europe!
The FN HERSTAL M249 MK46 MOD 0 AEG is an AEG replica of the M249 in its MK46 version under the FN Herstal license by Cybergun and A&K. This replica has been manufactured from a combination of ABS plastic and metal alloys. At the front of this Light Machine Gun, we have a bird cage style flash hider on a 14mm CCW thread (giving users the option to add aftermarket accessories such as a mock suppressor or tracer unit), a flip to-open bi-pod that adds extra stability when firing. Following on from this, there is a short Picatinny rail system for attachments such as lasers etc. On the receiver there is also a Picatinny rail section for the addition of red dot sights and at the rear there is a fully removable stock.
Internally, it features a 6.08mm tight bore inner barrel, V2 QD Gearbox, an adjustable hop-up, MOSFET/ETU, and Long Axis Motor. It is wired to a mini Tamiya and the recommended battery is a 9.6V Ni-MH. Its V2 gearbox means that it is compatible with upgrade parts should you want to spice it up out of the box. Now unfortunately it isn’t ambidextrous (meaning the controls can’t be easily accessed from both sides of the replica) and doesn’t have an empty mag firing stopper, these are two features that I would’ve loved to have seen on this AEG.
The FN HERSTAL M249 MK46 MOD 0 AEG comes presented in a blue FN Herstal branded box and does need a little assembly to be ready for skirmishing. To fit it in the box, the stock (and mag of course) aren’t attached. The stock is really easy to install - it is a case of simply lining the stock up with the attachment points and the pin placing through. On getting the M249 MK46 out of the box, it feels well-made and sturdy. There are no wobbles, or rattles - which is always a good sign. Now she is also quite a heavy gal, weighing in at just short of 5kg, you definitely need a sling if you’re going to run this all day.
The box mag is easy-ish to install: the side of the magazine is removable and when removed exposes the battery compartment and where the BBs go. There is a button on the bottom of the mag that controls how it fires - I always choose the ‘sound’ option which means the mag feeds when it ‘hears’ the replica fire and this works really well for me. For ease, I install the feeding tube into the LMG before securing the mag to the LMG (this means I don’t need to bend or faff around with the tube). Admittedly, if you aren’t familiar with the LMG platform, it is a little bit of a learning curve.
During our range test, it was consistent on both semi and full-auto. Now, I didn’t have access to any 9.6V Ni-MH batteries so, in true chaos gremlin fashion, I tested it using a 7.4v Lipo. It sounded great and was overall a fun gun to shoot. Out of the box though, it is a little spicy. When I chrono’d this replica it came out at 374 FPS, which of course is too hot for pretty much every UK airsoft site/event so I have had it downgraded by a local store. Be sure if you’re purchasing this that you request it is downgraded.
In the box, you get the FN HERSTAL M249 MK46 MOD 0 AEG, a 2400 battery-powered box mag, an unjamming rod and the all-important user manual (which is actually really useful if you haven’t used an LMG before. From Evike Europe, the FN HERSTAL M249 MK46 MOD 0 AEG retails for €379.90. You can save 15% on your order before shipping using the code FEMMEFATALE15 at www.evike-europe.com.
Post sponsored by Evike Europe
Photography by Samwise Photography UK
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