CYMA CM.103 AK Alfa Platinum Edition AEG

The AK Alfa is a modernisation of the AK47/74 platform which brings the venerable Kalashnikov design into line with other 21st century rifle designs. The Alfa offers considerable improvements in ergonomics and greater compatibility with western 20mm Picatinny accessories while keeping the best parts of the AK design; its highly reliable internal design which has absolutely stood the test of time.

The CM.103 AK Alfa has been redesigned to the extent that the only AK parts which remain are hidden beneath an advanced SCAR/ACR style external body which offers both unique looks and cutting-edge functionality. Not content with providing advanced modern handling, the CM.103 is also part of CYMA's Platinum AEG series and boasts a 6.03mm tightbore inner barrel, MOSFET, high torque motor and CNC steel 13:1 ratio high speed gears. This thing handles perfectly and shoots even better; let's take a closer look!

Starting at the tip of the classic AK 16.3-inch outer barrel we can find a modern muzzle brake with a menacing look, with a pair of ports on either side and two ports on top intended to redirect muzzle gasses to reduce recoil in the real firearm. The muzzle brake absolutely matches the slick looks of the CM.103 but can be replaced with any 14mm CCW male threaded muzzle device including tracer units, suppressors and alternative flash hiders and muzzle brakes. The flash hider is pinned in place, so make sure you carefully remove the pin before attempting to unscrew the muzzle brake.

Following the barrel rearwards we come to the dummy gas block and gas tube, evidence that this space gun looking rifle is derived from the AK platform. The gas block is constructed from alloy and the gas tube is stamped from thin sheet steel and runs beneath the handguard all the way back to the receiver. The cleaning rod port is still present on the gas block, as it is in the real AK Alfa, but the cleaning rod itself has been left off as storing you cleaning kit on your gun is not exactly the most modern solution in the world of firearms!

Next up, we reach the aluminium monolithic upper receiver assembly of the CM.103 and its polymer handguard which provide 20mm Picatinny rails at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock positions, ready to be decked out with accessories to suit the mission at hand. No more optic mounting woes for this AK platform; the upper receiver rail has absolutely loads of space, and the side rails are perfectly positioned to allow for flashlights or lasers to be mounted without weighing the rifle down with rails where they are not needed.

The bottom rail is constructed from aluminium and is bolted directly to the handguard for maximum strength and to allow the AK Alfa to take advantage of vertical and angled foregrips or even a grenade launcher for some bunker-busting action. The side rails are constructed from high density polymer and also feature a sling point at the rear of each rail, allowing a two-point sling to be used with no extra mounts or adapters needed.

The upper receiver is constructed from a single piece of aluminium using CNC machining just like the real AK Alfa and follows in the footsteps of the SCAR and ACR platforms with their modern construction methods. The machining is absolutely flawless, with angular ports cut in the front section for weight reducing and cooling in the real rifle and an attractive angular design similar to the ACR.

Atop the receiver rail, we can find the included flip-up iron sights which are a multi-aperture design with built-in toolless adjustment for windage and elevation. The rear sight can be adjusted for windage via the dial on the left side and the front sight can be moved up and down to apply elevation adjustments via the dial in the centre of the sight tower. The sights can simply be flipped up by hand for fast deployment in an emergency but require the textured rear section of each sight to be pushed from either side to unlock them before they can be folded back down.

The mock bolt carrier of the CM.103 is located on the right side and those who know an AK will see that while this carrier is a different shape it still has some AK-like angles in its design. One of the major ergonomic improvements of the CM.103 AK Alfa when compared to the AK is its ambi-friendly swappable charging handle which can be quickly pulled out and installed on either side; in the classic AK charging handle on the bolt style or a modern side charging configuration. This allows you to configure the charging handle to suit your preferred shooting doctrine and allows easy access to the HOP-up unit from either side of the rifle. The charging handle is also enlarged and far more comfortable to use than a standard AK, especially in wet weather conditions.

Pulling the charging handle rearwards and holding it in place will reveal the slider adjustable HOP-up unit of the CM.103 which is constructed from alloy for maximum strength. The slider HOP-up unit is widely credited with being a superb design and has remained unchanged since the original Tokyo Marui AK47 AEG thanks to its ability to hold its setting under the vibrations of full auto fire and its wide range of adjustment. The HOP-up allows you to tune the amount of backspin applied to your BBs to set the rifle up for ammo of different weights and maximise your range. With your adjustment complete you can release the bolt carrier and let it slam home with the satisfying metal-on-metal "clank" all AK lovers will enjoy.

The lower receiver is a unique design which combines the features of the M4/AR-15 platform and the AK, boasting an ambidextrous magazine release with extended surfaces to allow for drop free reloads ala AR-15, or mag flip reloads like the original AK. The magazine release is easy to reach from a firing grip for both left and right-handed shooters and the magazine locks into place positively with ease every time. While it still uses AK47/74 AEG magazines with a rock and lock insertion method, the mag is very easy to insert thanks to the bevelled edges of the magazine well functioning similarly to a flared magazine well extension on a pistol.

Another significant ergonomic improvement present in the AK Alfa design is its 3-position fire selector switch which is not only ambidextrous but offers a very familiar configuration to anyone who has ever handled an M4/AR-15. The fire selector offers 3 modes of fire with a 90-degree throw between each mode and is styled similarly to enhanced AR-15 selector levers, with gripping texture on the contact surfaces for ease of use in any weather conditions, with or without gloves. The AR style fire selector is often credited with being the perfect combination of quick-to-use but insulated against accidentally being bumped out of position and should make this modernised AK far easier to master for those transitioning from the AR platform.

The pistol grip of the AK Alfa is derived from real steel CAA designs and is an ergonomic grip with front and rear linear texture and a finger ridge at the front to keep your hand properly positioned. The top of the grip has been slimmed down to provide a groove aligned with the trigger for easier reach for those with smaller hands and a comfortable overall feel. The trigger guard is also enlarged to allow for use with full-finger gloves and the transition between the grip and the receiver is seamless, avoiding any transition points which can cause irritation when held for long durations.

Bringing up the rear is another of the major upgrades enjoyed by the AK platform in this, the AK Alfa iteration. The stock is designed to match the feature set provided by the most modern multi-adjustable stocks on the market, the most famous of which appear on the FN SCAR and Remington ACR rifles. The stock can be folded to the left side of the rifle for storage, transportation and use in extremely tight confines and also boasts 6 positions of adjustment for the length of pull, allowing for all body types and loadouts. The adjustment button is located on the butt plate, and holding this down allows you to simply pull the stock out to your position of choice, and the folding button is on the left side of the stock, just aft of the hinge.

To adjust the cheekpiece of the stock, there is a sliding button present on each side with the direction of movement helpfully indicated in recessed markings on the button itself. Pulling either of the buttons rearwards will unlock the cheekpiece and allow it to be raised into any one of four positions, giving you a comfortable cheek weld no matter the height of your chosen optic. The stock also features a built-in sling point at the top of the butt plate which can be combined with the front sling point to mount a two-point rifle sling so you don't need to drop your rifle when the enemy closes into sidearm range!

The battery compartment of the CYMA CM.103 AK Alfa AEG is rather well hidden, but those who know the AK platform will find it! With the stock folded to the side, you will see what appears to be a bolt on the rear of the receiver at the top; this is in fact a well-disguised button which allows you to pop out the battery plug and install an AK stick battery into the receiver through the rear. To access the battery compartment, simply press the button and pull the battery cap upwards and away from the rifle, after which you should be able to see the Deans battery connector inside. We recommend an 11.1V 1200mAh LiPo battery in AK stick configuration as the battery compartment is nice and long, but like most top-wired AKs, it requires a very slim battery shape.

On the inside, the CM.103 AK Alfa is as enhanced as it is externally, sporting CYMA's Platinum edition internals with an expansive range of pre-upgraded internal parts. The gearbox shell is a unique version 3 design with reinforcements in all the key places, the gears are CNC steel 13.1 ratio high-speed examples and the motor is a neodymium magnet high torque motor, guaranteeing a speedy rate of fire which will have the enemy on the run!

The gearbox internals are also all upgraded, including a polycarbonate piston with a steel tooth rack, 8mm steel ball bearing bushings, a ball bearing piston head, a ball bearing spring guide and a double O-ring equipped piston head, promising smooth performance and flawless air seal qualities. The CYMA CM.103 AK Alfa absolutely measures up to the other platforms in the CYMA Platinum range but does so while looking like nothing else you have seen before!

Whether you are an AK guy or an AR-15 fan, the AK Alfa is designed to please both of these polar opposite groups with a perfect hybrid of the designs of the two rifles. Ambidextrous controls, an advanced multi-adjustable stock and CNC aluminium monolithic upper receiver bring this AK AEG into line with the best the world of firearms has to offer and CYMA's Platinum internals make it a true monster on the skirmish field!

Features

• Full metal construction
• 6.03mm Tightbore inner barrel
• SCAR & AK had a kid - Marmite looks!
• MOSFET Pre-installed - Speedy trigger response and high ROF
• Enhanced AK-based design - Ambidextrous controls, swappable charging handle
• 3-Position fire selector lever with 90-degree throw - Familiar layout for M4/AR-15 users
• 20mm Picatinny railed receiver - Ready for a red dot sight or scope
• 20mm Picatinny railed handguard - Fit a vertical foregrip, tactical flashlight or laser right away!
• Side folding retractable stock with adjustable cheek riser - SCAR/ACR style stock with loads of functionality
• Enlarged charging handle design - Very easy to access the HOP-up, satisfying to rack
• Polycarbonate piston with steel tooth rack - Strong and lightweight
• 8mm Steel ball bearing bushings - Low friction, smooth sound
• Ball bearing piston head - Reduced stress on the piston
• Double O-ring cylinder head - Perfect air seal and consistency
• 13:1 Ratio high-speed CNC steel gearset - Really, really fast!
• Ball bearing spring guide - Reduces stress on the gearbox shell and spring guide
• Reinforced gearbox shell - Unique version 3 based design
• High torque neodymium magnet motor - Suitable for high power springs, super fast trigger response
• Top wired to a Deans battery connector - Reduced resistance when compared to mini-Tamiya
• Compatible with AK47/74 AEG magazines - Mid, low, high-cap and drum magazines

Package Includes

• CYMA CM.103 AK Alfa Platinum Edition AEG
• 200rnd Medium Capacity Magazine