S&T ST46 10-inch Sports Line AEG

The ST46 makes use of high density polymer throughout the entire build and feels solid as a rock, yet light as a feather. Gone are the days when polymer meant shiny, squeaky and rattley rubbish, the ST46 feels great in the hands and will not get greasy over time thanks to its textured polymer finish. The ST46 is built like a tank, with no rattles, wobbles or other niggles to be found, and is the perfect tool to use as a backup to a full metal AEG around the end of the day when the arms get tired, or for those with less physical strength.

Starting at the tip of the 10.5-inch outer barrel we can find a polymer birdcage flash hider attached to the 14mm CCW male threading of the barrel. This means you can add a tracer or suppressor straight away and all you need to do is remove the flash hider grub screw and unscrew it. The barrel is constructed from high density polymer, which is an unusual choice, but fits in well with the objective of the ST46, to provide a lightweight AEG with 416-like looks for those who want the special forces style without spending all day in the gym like they do!

Following the flash hider, we come to the gas block which is the appropriate design to mimic the real thing, complete with a flip-up front sight post and sling loops on either side. The sight post can be raised by hand and will lock into the deployed position via a spring-loaded detent inside the sight base. This sight aligns well with the multi-aperture dioptre rear iron sight, but if you aren't one for aiming or the front sight gets in the way of mounting a suppressor it can be removed by removing the screw on the left side.

The handguard of the ST46 is constructed from the same high density polymer as the rest of the rifle, and offers 4 20mm Picatinny rails, one at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock. The rails allow you to deck this ST46 out with accessories to your heart's content, and also feature numbered slots so if you share accessories between different platforms you can remove and remount them in the same spot if you take note of the slot number. Rails are one area where skirmishers often choose metal, but when you mount accessories and regularly remove or relocate them the rail will get scratched and end up looking quite tatty. The high density polymer handguard of the ST46 should maintain its looks and keeps the front end weight to an absolute minimum for seriously quick target-to-target transitions.

The receiver is based on the prolific M4/AR15, meaning it should be familiar to most. The fire selector is located on the left side of the lower receiver and provides 3 modes of fire; safe, semi-auto and full auto. Each mode is denoted with a high vis bullet style pictogram in tribute to the real rifle the ST46 was inspired by, with a crossed out projectile in white to indicate safe, a single projectile in red to indicate semi auto and a single projectile with "30" alongside, also in red, to denote the full auto fire mode. The fire selector has a 90-degree throw between each mode, giving us a perfect compromise between fast actuation and assurance that the selector cannot be easily knocked into the wrong mode.

The magazine release is located on the right side of the magazine well, as it is on any other M4/AR15, and is a push button design which is well within reach of the trigger finger when in a firing grip. Compatibility wise the ST46 should take most metal STANAG style M4/AR15 AEG magazines, but may not work with polymer magazines due to the angle of the magazine well. The trigger guard is a standard M4/AR15 flat style, and the pistol grip is an ergonomic design inspired by the real rifle the ST46 is designed after.

Being based on the M4/AR15, the charging handle of the ST46 is positioned at the top rear of the receiver, just like an M4. Pulling the charging handle back will open the dust cover and retract the mock bolt, revealing the rotary HOP-up adjuster within. The rotary unit is the latest design for the M4/AR15 AEG platform and benefits from providing finer increments of adjustment and also holds its setting for longer under the vibrations of full auto fire. This HOP-up unit is fully compatible with aftermarket upgrades, including inner barrels, so if you want to fill this plastic fantastic weapon with high end upgrades it is not out of the question!

Bringing up the rear of the ST46 we have a 6-position M4/AR15 buffer tube with full compatibility with aftermarket M4/AR15 AEG stocks. This gives you a wide range of stock options if you want to style up the ST46 to suit your preferences. The pre-installed stock is a Crane style rifle stock with QD sling sockets built into the stock on either side and sling slots for more traditional strap slings. The battery compartment is also located within the Crane stock and can be accessed by pushing the two tabs at the toe of the stock together, after which the butt plate can be removed. With the butt plate removed the battery plug can be pulled out, revealing the battery compartment and the Deans battery connector within. For the ST46 we recommend a 7.4V 1300mAh LiPo battery in Crane/Nunchuck configuration.

On the inside, the ST46 has a basic but reliable internal setup, with an alloy version 2 gearbox with steel gears and full compatibility with aftermarket upgrades. On the chronograph the ST46 produces around 328 FPS, almost bang on 1 joule of energy at the muzzle, with very slight deviation, pointing to superb air seal qualities and providing a good basis for consistency at longer ranges. The use of a rotary HOP-up unit should provide ample range, but if you want more, the HOP-up and inner barrel are also compatible with upgrade parts. We cannot deny it, we get a kick out of imagining this full polymer AEG with an HPA engine or other internal wizardry inside, and if you share our fantasy you can make it happen!

So, for those looking for a lightweight backup AEG with an elite look, or those looking to rock the elite look without making their arms burn after a couple of hours skirmishing, the ST46 would be a welcome addition to your armoury. If you run a GBBR or NGRS and you are looking for an alternative for when you just want to run and gun with something simple, this AEG should fit in with any SF loadout for obvious reasons!

Features

• High density polymer construction
• 14mm CCW male threaded outer barrel - Tracer ready
• Flip-up front iron sight with rotary drum Diopter rear sight
• Rotary adjustable HOP-up unit - The latest M4/AR15 HOP-up unit design
• 20mm Picatinny railed handguard - 20mm rails at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock
• Numbered rail slots - Keep track of your accessory mounting locations
• 6-Position M4/AR15 buffer tube - Compatible with aftermarket M4/AR25 AEG stocks
• Front sling points on either side of the dummy gas block
• Rear sling slots and QD sling socket in the stock - Ready for two-point slings
• Ergonomic 416 style pistol grip - Very comfortable
• Metal version 2 gearbox - Compatible with v2 upgrade parts
• Fire selector positions indicated with high vis bullet pictograms
• Compatible with M4/AR15 AEG STANAG magazines - High cap | Mid cap

Package Includes

• S&T ST46 10-inch Sports Line AEG
• 120rnd Medium capacity magazine
• Speed loader
• User manual