CYMA CM.098 SR-25 DMR AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU

If you're looking for a 7.62 style platform to lay down the Airsoft form of three-oh-hate, the CYMA CM.098 SR-25 DMR AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU is a fantastic choice! This full metal SR-25 replica is built like a tank, combining the highly functional free-floated RIS handguard with a styled-up modern receiver with an ambidextrous fire selector and enlarged trigger guard. The iconic SR-25 QD suppressor is also included, giving this beastly DMR the looks it deserves!

Inside, the CM.098 is equipped with the usual CYMA Platinum internals but is honed for its DMR role. The version 2 long gearbox is equipped with 8mm solid bushings, a CNC machined aluminium silent piston head and cylinder head set, a polycarbonate piston with a full rack of steel teeth, a ball bearing quick change spring guide and a high torque Neodymium magnet motor. The inner barrel is also a 6.03mm tightbore, providing a slight increase in FPS and improved accuracy potential with high quality ammo. 

The Kestrel Basic ETU is also present, allowing the semi-automatic function to be reprogrammed for binary trigger or 3-round burst and allowing pre-cocking to be adjusted to one of 5 levels to crank up the trigger response rate. Make no mistake, the CM.098 in its Kestrel Basic equipped form packs a lot of functionality into a relatively affordable DMR base gun!

Starting at the front, we can find the frankly enormous QD suppressor pre-installed over the 20-inch outer barrel. To remove the suppressor, you'll need to pull upwards on the QD locking bar on the rear collar of the suppressor, after which it will slide off towards the front. Beneath, we have a heavy profile barrel but it is unfortunately not threaded. No big deal if you ask us, a big part of the mighty SR-25 looks is the monstrous suppressor and it just wouldn't look right without it!

Following the barrel rearwards, we come to the rifle's gas block and realistic D.I gas tube that runs back to the receiver, this replicates the Mk11 MOD 0 perfectly. The gas block is constructed from a strong alloy and features small sections of Picatinny rail on the top and bottom, perfect for mounting a bipod stand and a laser, along with the recessed designed to interface with the included QD suppressor. This is a nice feature for a DMR build as it gives you plenty of space to mount a gargantuan scope and have all the spare room for any other necessary attachments.

Immediately after the gas block, we come to the free-floated handguard, matching the real steel SR-25 to a tee. This handguard is styled after the KAC RIS used on the real steel Mk11 MOD 0 rifle; a free-floating which doesn't touch the barrel along its entire length. The handguard is equipped with 20mm Picatinny rails that are CNC machined at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock positions, ready for your choice of 20mm Picatinny accessories. 

Pre-installed on the 20mm Picatinny railed gas block, we're rocking a flip-up front sight which closely matches the front sight issued with the real steel Mk11 MOD 0. The sight can be flipped up using your finger but can also be left down to not disrupt your optical sight mounted on top. The handguard is nice and long, at 12'' it matches the barrel length well to imply a powerful sniper-style platform, letting everyone know to keep their distance if they know what's good for them, although, the distance still won't save them!

The receiver follows the M4/AR-15 layout, meaning good news for those already accustomed to M4s and an easy transition over to the new rifle. Up top, we are treated to a 20mm Picatinny rail, ready for your choice of red dot sight or scope. The rear iron sight is pre-installed, a polymer flip-up aperture sight which is adjustable for both windage elevation. While it aligns perfectly, the styling may not match the front sight, but who cares? This beast deserves a scope!

The fire selector is ambidextrous, located on each side of the rifle, just above the pistol grip. The selector offers safe, semi-auto and full auto fire modes, though the full-auto position is unmarked to authentically replicate the real steel SR-25. The 90-degree throw means the selector is quick to use but without the risk of accidentally bumping it out of place at an inopportune moment. 

The magazine release is located on the right side, on the magazine well, and is a push-button design, just like an M4. Unlike your usual M4, we also have a secondary mag release over on the right side, perfect for left-handed marksmen. The magazines of the CM.098 are much larger than an M4, being patterned after real steel 7.62x51mm mags, so while the layout is about the same, M4 mags are not compatible. 

The charging handle can be found at the top rear of the receiver and when pulled back, allows access to the rotary HOP-up unit through the ejection port on the right side by retracting the detailed mock bolt carrier. With the HOP-up adjuster exposed, you can tune the CM.098 for different ammo weights and extend your range, looking for the flattest possible trajectory. 

The rotary HOP-up design is known to be the best option for M4/AR-15 style AEG platforms, offering improved setting retention and finer increments of adjustment when compared to the older "gear" adjuster design. With your HOP-up adjustment complete, you can hit the realistic mock bolt catch on the left side of the receiver to send the mock bolt home with a satisfying metal-on-metal "clank". There is also a secondary ambidextrous bolt release over on the right side, allowing the bolt to be dropped with the trigger finger if you prefer. 

At the bottom of the receiver, we can find the pistol grip which is a modern ergonomic design with a filled-out backstrap and texture on either side. The front and rear features linear grooves for added traction and the grip angle is more vertical than traditional pistol grips, making it more comfortable for modern shooting stances with the stock fully collapsed.

At the rear of the CM.098, we have a fixed rifle stock, but it is only fixed in the loosest sense of the word! The butt plate can be adjusted for different lengths of pull, offering 5cm of length extension to suit shooting from the prone position and those with longer arms. The stock can be adjusted by loosening the dial on the right side (turn it in the opposite direction to that which is indicated on the dial itself), pulling the butt plate out to the desired length and tightening the dial back down again to lock everything in place. This is a neat feature, especially for a DMR!

Inside, the CM.098 is equipped with the usual CYMA Platinum E-Edition internals with slight alternations to suit its DMR role. The motor is a high torque example, powered by Neodymium magnets for a snappy trigger response regardless of what power level you run it at. The gears are CNC machined from steel and run on 8mm solid bushings, providing smooth cycling and ample strength. The cylinder group has also been given the "silent" treatment, equipped with a CNC machined aluminium silent piston head and cylinder head set, a polycarbonate piston with a full rack of steel teeth and a ball bearing quick change spring guide. The inner barrel is also a 6.03mm tightbore, improving accuracy when used with high quality ammo. 

The pre-installed Kestrel Basic ETU offers programmable fire modes, allowing you to use binary trigger or 3-round burst instead of the default semi-full auto configuration. One of the Kestrel's more DMR-friendly features is its adjustable pre-cocking, allowing you to tune your trigger response to one of five levels for a near-instantaneous shot and a super snappy response rate. The Kestrel Basic also offers several functions to keep the gearbox running at maximum efficiency, including cycle completion, active breaking and low/high voltage cutoff. Make no mistake, this version of the CM.098 is kitted out!

Whether you're working on a DMR build or simply want a giant M4, the CYMA CM.098 SR-25 DMR AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU will do what you need it to! Rocking CYMA's DMR optimised Platinum internals with external build quality to rival the best, all this SR-25 needs is a whopping big rifle scope and bipod!

Features

• Full metal construction
• 6.03mm Tightbore inner barrel - Great accuracy potential
• SR-25 Replica - 7.62 style mags, beastly build, the perfect DMR base gun!
• QD Suppressor included - Interfaces with the gas block, just like the real SR-25 suppressor
• 14mm CCW Male threaded outer barrel - Tracer ready (suppressor must be removed)
• 20mm Picatinny railed gas block - Rails on the top and bottom, great for iron sights or a bipod
• 20mm Picatinny quad rail RIS handguard - Ready for 20mm Picatinny accessories
• 20mm Picatinny railed receiver - Ready for a red dot sight or scope
• Flip-up aperture iron sights pre-installed - Rail mounted, removable and adjustable
• Ergonomic pistol grip - A modern design with a filled-out backstrap
• Enlarged trigger guard - Built into the receiver, plenty of space for gloved shooters
• Rotary adjustable HOP-up unit - Alloy construction, pull the charging handle to access
• Modernised receiver design - Angled surfaces, reprofiled brass deflector & forward assist bulge
• Full stock - Similar length of pull to the M16A2 stock, QD sling sockets on each side
• Adjustable butt plate - Push the hex nut style button and pull the butt plate out to one of 4 positions
• Rear wired: Deans connector - Recommended battery: 11.1V 1450mAh LiPo in stick config
• Version 2 Long gearbox:
  • CNC Steel gear set
  • 8mm Bushings
  • CNC Aluminium "Silent" ball-bearing piston head
  • Double O-ring cylinder head
  • Ball-bearing quick change spring guide
  • High-torque motor
  • Kestrel Basic MOSFET
• Kestrel Basic MOSFET functions:
  • Low/high voltage cutoff
  • Low battery warning
  • Binary Trigger
  • 3-Round burst
  • Adjustable pre-cocking
• Kestrel Basic MOSFET/ETU programming instructions are available here
• Compatible with CYMA SR-25 magazines - Should also work with A&K, E&C and Classic Army

Package Includes

• CYMA CM.098 SR-25 DMR AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU
  • 130rnd Mid-cap magazine