AK | ARCTURUS AK74U CUSTOM AEG!

Hey friends! Welcome back to the blog, today I have another AEG review for you and in this one, we’ll be looking at the Arcturus AK74U Custom AEG from my friends over at Extreme Airsoft in Croft, Leicestershire. 

The AK74U Custom AEG by Arcturus is a modern update of the infamous AK74U. It is mostly constructed of Steel sheet and aluminium making it durable, and weighty giving it a good feel. There is only one polymer part on this AEG which is the pistol grip. Externally, and starting at the front of the rifle we have an aggressively styled muzzle brake (which kind of gives potato masher vibes) on a 14mm CCW thread, a tactical hand-guard which has a small 40mm Picatinny rail on top which has a built-in iron sight (perfect for adding aftermarket accessories such as a PEQ box) and side rails on either side for lasers, torches etc. Following on from there, we have a pistol grip made from high-density polymer and a skeletonised, folding stock style stock similar to the stock we see on the MCX (which gets a big thumbs up from me!). 

Internally, we’re looking at a Micro Switch trigger system (which gives the replica a longer life-span), a quick change spring system, and a Spring Tension Release button (inside the. Trigger guard) which helps prolong the lifespan of the rifle by reducing unnecessary stress on the gearbox whilst the replica isn’t being used. Other features of note include, the nozzle being finished with Teflon and sealed by O-Rings to ensure a tight air seal, an alloy HOP chamber and low-resistance wiring. 

The Arcturus AK74U Custom AEG comes nicely presented in a branded box, I know I bang on about it all the time but nice packaging IS a must, opening a new replica should be an experience. On getting it out of the box, its full metal construction gives it a nice weight in hand and it doesn’t have any wobbles or rattles which is always a good sign. Included in the box are two magazines, which isn’t too common but I think it is great that out of the box you have the option of a high-capacity mag and a mid/low-capacity mag. To switch between the capacities on the mid/low cap, users need to remove the baseplate of the magazine, remove the inner portion of the mag and move the marked switch, but be sure to do this when the mag is empty so you don’t damage it. 

Like most AKs, the Arcturus AK74U Custom AEG is top-wired and has a Mini-Tamiya connector underneath the dust cover. Although rather than the connector being placed at the front as would be expected with an AK, it is placed at the rear which means that it isn’t hard to fit a battery in the designated space but I will say putting the cover back on after installing the battery is a bit fiddly and can take some time to get used to. 

Aesthetically, I like what this AK74U has got going on - the aggressively styled muzzle brake and the skeletonised folding stock give this version of the AK74U a modern vibe, which is right up my alley. I also think in terms of usability, it is well equipped for an AK as it has lots of tactical rail space. One of the reasons I don’t use AKs as much as I’d like to is because I like to add a lot of attachments to my RIFS but as this has 20mm rails and M-LOK slots on the handguard, as well as a raised 20mm rail above where the iron sights would usually be, there are plenty of options to add torches PEQ boxes. It also has two QD sling points which are always nice. 

So, how does it shoot? It was consistent on both semi and full-auto. I’ve never used an Arcturus replica so I wasn’t sure what to expect but I certainly wasn’t disappointed. I tested it both using a 7.4v and an 11.1v Lipo and I think it performed and sounded better on the 11.1v battery although as it doesn’t have a built-in MOSFET, the 7.4v is a much better choice. Overall, it is a fun gun to shoot. You can check out my TikTok range test here! 

In the box, you get the Arcturus AK74U Custom AEG replica, a high-capacity magazine, a mid/real capacity magazine, a cleaning rod and of course the all-important manual. From Extreme Airsoft, it retails for £319.99 but you can use my code ‘femmefatale23’ for 5% off!

Post sponsored by Extreme Airsoft.

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G&G ARMAMENT RK74-T REVIEW!

Hey everyone!

 So here is something you've been asking for - the review of the G&G RK74-T! You've seen it on my Instagram and sent in loads of emails and comments asking and now that I've put this through a good few skirmishes it's time to get this review underway!

In 2016 G&G Armament released the RK74 line of tactical AKs consisting of the CQB, E and T variants, that are full to the brim with features that make them stand apart from the scores and scores of other AK's out there, and as I've found with the RK74-T, the tactical look can definitely sway an M4 enthusiast! But are they all they're cracked up to be? Let's find out!

As many of you will have seen on my Instagram, I am a die hard M4 girl! I love the shape, look, how useful the keymod and picatinny rails are on most M4s and what has previously put me off AK variants is the lack of rails - especially when playing dark CQB I love to utilise these for torches etc and not having them is a bit of an inconvenience! I'm also a fan of light, short weapons because of how much CQB skirmishing I do but there's something about tactical AKs that is really appealing.

So let's chat about the appearance and build first of all, the Tactical variant of the RK74 range is the longest variant with an overall length of 940mm and also the heaviest weighing in at just over 3.3kg, longer and heavier than any Airsoft gun I have used to date. The body is mostly metal with a polymer 6 point folding stock, pistol grip and compensator. What I really like about the T model, is that like the E version (and unlike the iconic AK47s) it combines a picatinny rail with a key model rail system, opening up the options for attachments and giving it a more tactical look whilst still retaining some of the traditional AK shape. Something I really like about this AK model in particular is the mag guide, inside the magwell it has a molded piece that means the mag always fits in smoothly.

In regards to internals and performance, the RK74-T is capable of semi, 3 round burst (thanks to the preinstalled mosfet) and full auto firing modes. I chrono'd this rifle at my home site Strike Force CQB and it was firing pretty consistently at an average of 333 FPS on 0.20g 6mm BBs which is well within limits for most UK sites! It comes with a Mosfet and an ETU (Electronic Trigger Unit) which gives you a better trigger response - faster and it prevents the gearbox locking on single shot - awesome for those of us who play at strictly single shot sites! Unfortunately I wasn't able to measure the ROF for this gun but I would be interested to find out in the future! Always be sure to use a fully charged 11.1 Lipo battery in one of these - the Mosfet requires an 11.1, and it's best to use a nunchuck lipo battery as the RK74-T has the perfect little compartment for one underneath the keymod rail system.

Here's what you really want to know - gameplay. How does it feel? How well can it be utilised in game? I decided, that I would use this lengthy rifle in a CQB game (because why not, right? haha). As the rifle is an AEG so is really reliable and relatively quiet - definite plus. It wasn't too difficult to manoeuvre around the site -it was easier than I thought, but I did find myself getting right to the front and taking up a lot of space getting round those tight corners. The weight did tire out my arms after a couple of games and I left the site feeling like I'd done an arm day at the gym, for someone with more upper body strength I feel this would be less of an issue. There is something about AKs that makes them just fun, I loved shooting with the RK74-T! I did have to borrow a hi cap mag because the 115 round mag included wasn't quite enough and I didn't have time to get any more mags before hand but that was my own failing.

The price point varies between retailers, but from my research, it is available from Zero One Airsoft for £289.95, which is one of the cheapest and for an advanced G&G RIF that's a pretty sweet deal!

Overall, I think G&G have done a top job on the RK74-T! It's a fun RIF to use and mixes the best of the iconic AK with the tactical goodness of an M4!

In game photo credit to Andy Snook of Snook Snaps

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