CYMA CM.052A RPK-74M Folding Stock

CYMA has gained an outstanding reputation for their line of premium AK47/74 replicas, known for their upgraded internals and strong steel receivers as well as their impressive attention to detail and realism. This modernised RPK is no different, boasting the superb quality of CYMA's other all-metal AKs but exchanging its wooden furniture for a modern side folding polymer stock and ribbed polymer handguards. The good stuff isn't all on the outside either, and as with CYMA's more recent releases, this RPK-74M has been treated to a reinforced spring guide and bearings, a black nickel coated copper type 0 cylinder, a high torque motor with neodymium magnets and a silent piston and cylinder head, making this one of the most well-equipped gearboxes available straight from the factory!

Starting at the tip of the 24-inch outer barrel we can find a birdcage style flash hider, but thankfully it isn't the M4/AR15 birdcage, rather the RPK-74M birdcage flash hider, matching the real RPK-74M perfectly. The flash hider is constructed from steel and conceals 14mm CCW male threads beneath, offering the opportunity to mount a tracer or suppressor to the CM.052A if you are going for the "Spetznaz" look. Immediately behind the flash hider we can see the front sight, which is appropriately shaped to match the real RPK-74M and can be adjusted for elevation using a front sight adjustment tool. The finish on the front sight, as well as the trunnion block and gas block is a textured paint finish, appropriately simulating the external finish of the real rifle.

As we move down the extremely long outer barrel we can find a mock cleaning rod running parallel with it, retained by alloy rings and the front sight body. This cleaning rod can be removed but should not be used to clean the inner barrel of the AEG, as it will damage the inner surface of the barrel. A polymer cleaning rod is provided in the box, so rest assured you will be able to keep this lengthy barrel clean and performing at its best.

Surrounding the barrel and cleaning rod we can find the steel folding bipod, which mounts over the barrel and allows the RPK-74M to be tilted when set up on the bipod in order to deploy it on uneven ground. The bipod legs are spring loaded, and are deployed by unhooking the retaining catch from the right side bipod leg, after which the bipod will spring open. Including a bipod was a generous move by CYMA, though for an RPK it is all part of the "big boy AK" look. The bipod also features wide and flat feet, granting additional stability when set up on a solid surface such as concrete or a wall.

Moving rearwards we start to notice some more familiar AK features, including the gas block, gas tube and handguard arrangement. The gas block is finished with the same texture as the trunnion and front sight, adding realism and avoiding the tell-tale signs that this is an Airsoft AEG and not the real deal! The gas block also follows the correct form for an RPK-74M, meaning the AK purists will be satisfied with this rifle and you can rest assured you can show off this rifle to Russian fanbois and they won't be triggered! The gas tube is constructed from steel, as are both the upper handguard caps and the rear lower handguard cap, another nod to realism from CYMA with the added benefit of increased strength. The first of our sling points is also located on the handguard cap, on the left side of the AEG, and allows the RPK-74M to be set up with a two point rifle sling when combined with the rear sling point.

The handguards of the CM.052A are constructed from high density polymer and include ribs on the surface for additional grip, remaining extremely effective even in wet weather or whilst wearing thick gloves. This furniture doesn't take any short cuts, and matches the real RPK-74M polymer handguards perfectly. The handguards are a bit chunkier than standard AK handguards, giving the CM.052A a substantial feel in the hands and providing vertical ribs right where your thumb sits, giving you the best chance of keeping a tight grip on your RPK-74M and improving its handling for up close and personal work.

As we arrive at the receiver we come across the trunnion block, which is the part which connects the barrel to the receiver on a real rifle. This part is constructed from alloy with a realistic textured surface finish, and also houses the RPK-74M rear sight. This sight works in a similar way to a standard AK tangent sight but is longer to provide additional graduation marks for the increased range of the long barrelled RPK, and also includes an adjustable open aperture which can be moved left to right without the need for tools. To adjust the rear sight for elevation, simply press the two textured buttons on either side of the sight, and move this piece to the position which corresponds with your chosen range. The sight is marked in 10s of meters, but we recommend you divide this by 10 and ignore the 7-10 positions to roughly set your sights for the range the RPK is capable of. To adjust the windage, simply pull outwards on the knurled drum on the right side of the sight notch, turn it anti-clockwise to adjust the notch to the left, and turn it clockwise to move the notch to the right. With the adjustment complete, release the drum and it will lock into place and secure your adjustment. The drum can be adjusted in increments of half a turn each time, making this sight easy to use whilst providing a level of precision that has other AK variants green with envy!

Next up we reach the receiver itself, which is constructed from steel, as is the receiver top cover. This receiver includes the hallmark reinforced sections near the front that mark this out as an RPK receiver, sacrificing low weight for increased strength and resistance to heat build-up. In Airsoft terms, this makes little difference other than pleasing those with an eye for the details and a passion for realism, which it does very well! The top cover is a smooth design without ribs, matching that of the real RPK-74M and its milled top cover which provides additional strength over the stamped top cover with ribs found on standard AK74s. On the left side of the receiver we can see an AK style Russian side rail mount, which is compatible with standard AK style side mounts and PSO optics designed for the AK side rail, but will not fit accessories designed for the SVD side rail. This is a nice touch for even more realism, as the M model of the RPK-74 adds the side rail, but also opens up DMR possibilities for the CM.052A, which would suit the role well with its gargantuan barrel!

Over on the right side of the receiver is where the fire controls for the RPK-74M are located. The fire selector switch is constructed from steel and is directly taken from the AK47/74 series of assault rifles, meaning if you have experience with the AK platform your slick operator skills will transfer straight over to the AK's bigger brother. The fire selector uses the standard AK platform layout, with the selector options being as follows; safe, full-auto, semi-auto. Many believe this was put into the AK design due to Russian doctrine favouring full auto over accurate semi auto fire, but the truth is this design was intended to allow a user to select semi-auto more easily with a simple sweep down of the hand and allows the selector to be operated with thick winter gloves. The added benefit is that full-auto cannot be selected accidentally, and must be intentionally moved upwards into position. Each selector marking includes authentic Russian Cyrillic lettering to denote the fire modes which are engraved deeply and boldly into the right side of the receiver.

The pistol grip of the RPK-74M is an AK74 type pistol grip with diamond checkering on either side to provide a comfortable but effective gripping surface. This grip is constructed from polymer, and dyed "Plum" in colour, matching the furniture issued to the Soviet military in the mid-1980s and sitting in line with many real RPK-74M support weapons currently in service with the Russian military and its allies. The trigger guard can be found just ahead of the pistol grip, and is constructed from steel for realism and strength. The trigger guard assembly also integrates the magazine catch, which is centrally positioned allowing for ambidextrous operation. This magazine catch also allows for the ultra-slick "mag flip" AK reload, though we don't recommend doing this as it will damage your mags!

The magazine insertion method of the AK platform is a "rock and lock" style operation, meaning you must first index the front of the magazine inside the magazine well, and then rock the rear of the magazine in to interface with the magazine catch. This may seem like a hassle, but with a bit of practice, this technique can be carried out quickly and flawlessly and has the added benefit that it is impossible to "over insert" your magazine and damage your HOP-up unit.

The HOP-up unit of the CM.052A can be found inside the mock ejection port and is accessible when the mock bolt carrier is held to the rear. This HOP-up unit is constructed from alloy and is the slider adjustment style, known for its effectiveness in holding the chosen setting over a long duration. By moving the slider back and forth you can tune your HOP-up for your chosen BB weight, and get the flattest trajectory possible for maximum range.

One of the nicest features present on the CM.052A is its full sized bolt carrier, which is practically unheard of in an AEG AK without purchasing aftermarket parts. This bolt carrier can be pulled all the way back, and by that we mean ALL the way back, just like a real AK! Pulling this handle back and releasing it permeates the air with the sweet sound of metal on metal which can only be an AK being readied for battle. CYMA absolutely did not have to include this, but the fact that they did shows how dedicated to realism they are with the AK series.

As we arrive at the rear we can find the side folding stock, which is a feature added to the standard RPK with its "M" modernisation. This stock keeps the recognisable RPK silhouette and its large "toe" which can be grabbed for additional control when firing from the prone position, but can now be folded to the side for storage, transportation and potentially even CQB! Maybe you think CQB with a 24-inch barrelled AK is ridiculous, but there are those out there who love a challenge! The stock can be folded by pressing the small button below the sling point on the right side, after which the stock can be locked on the left side of the receiver. To deploy the stock you will need to press down on the stock release button inside the rear of the receiver (please refer to the instruction manual for images). This button is quite hard to press, but please ensure you press it down all the way before trying to unfold the stock otherwise the mechanism might be damaged. On the base of the stock, we can find our rear sling point which is positioned in a similar position to standard AK74, allowing standard AK74 style slings to be used with the RPK-74M.

The battery compartment of the CM.052A can be found within the stock itself, and is absolutely cavernous! This compartment can fit some seriously chonky batteries inside, we recommend a 7.4V block battery, though the biggest battery we had to hand to test is a 7.4V 2000mAh LiPo battery. The battery compartment can be accessed by removing the steel butt plate after removing its two screws with a flat head screwdriver. Another thoughtful touch we have noticed is the steel wire reinforcement protecting the wiring leading through the folding stock to the gearbox, which should prevent the wiring from being damaged if the stock is accidentally closed with them sandwiched inside.

The internals of the CM.052A are very impressive, sitting in line with the latest releases from CYMA with its silent cylinder head and bearing piston head, black nickel coated cylinder, reinforced spring guide and reinforced 7mm bearings. The result of using these enhanced parts over standard parts is the overall smooth sound of the gearbox and its impressive rate of fire and trigger response despite the lack of an ETU or MOSFET, thanks to its high torque motor with neodymium magnets. Even during a long burst, the CM.052A sounds absolutely in its stride, making it a great choice for the squad support gunner.

Features

• Full metal construction
• Steel receiver and top cover
• Substantial weight - Realistic look and feel
• Sling loops at the front and rear
• Modern "M" style polymer furniture
• Russian AK side rail mount
• Side folding RPK "M" stock
• 14mm CCW male threads
• Smooth sounding gearbox
• Slider adjustable HOP-up unit
• Steel folding bipod pre-installed
• Very, very long barrel - Excellent LMG and DMR potential
• Impressive internals - Silent cylinder head, reinforced spring guide
• High torque motor with neodymium magnets
• Realistic reinforcements at the front of the receiver
• Windage and elevation adjustable rear tangent sight
• Full sized dummy bolt carrier - Very satisfying to rack!

Package Includes

• CYMA CM.052A RPK-74M Folding Stock
• 800rnd High capacity magazine
• User manual
• Cleaning rod