EMG CM.105 Daniel Defense MK18 MOD.1 AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU

If you've been checking out the MK18 options, here's another to consider! The EMG CM.105 Daniel Defense MK18 MOD.1 AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU boasts full metal construction, official licencing from Daniel Defense via EMG and CYMA's incredible Platinum E-Edition internals, improving on the previous version with the addition of the EShooter Kestrel Basic programmable MOSFET. 

While stunningly machined to a precise standard, sturdy and weighty like the real thing, this rifle is not only about looks! Inside, the CM.105 boasts impressive quality and high-speed internals for those of you who like to run and gun and lay down some suppressive fire to keep the enemies heads down. These include CNC Steel 13:1 high-speed gears, CNC aluminium piston and cylinder heads, 8mm ball bearing bushings and a high torque motor to top it off. What's more, this, the latest CM.105 features the EShooter Kestrel Basic programmable MOSFET; a significant improvement over the previous CYMA Zeus MOSFET.

The Kestrel Basic offers programmable fire modes including 3 round burst and binary trigger, adjustable pre-cocking with 6 levels to choose from and several quality-of-life functions such as low battery warning and cycle completion. When pre-cocking is set, the rifle has a remarkably snappy trigger response, perfect for dominating CQB sites!

Beginning at the tip of the 10.5-inch outer barrel we can find a birdcage type flash hider pre-installed on the barrel’s 14mm CCW male threading. For added security, the flash hider also locks into place with a small grub screw located underneath the unit. The birdcage design also goes hand in hand in terms of looks with the handguard, jutting out slightly ahead for a compact front end, and is the appropriate flash hider design for the real Daniel Defense MK18 rifle. If the birdcage is a bit too pedestrian for your style, the 14mm CCW male threading at the tip of the outer barrel allows alternative flash hiders to be mounted and also allows for use of suppressors or tracer units for the sneaky players out there.

Moving rearwards, we come to the handguard which is constructed from aluminium and is precisely machined using CNC technology. It doesn’t get more sturdy than this, with 10 inches of rail length available, you have plenty of space to add a myriad of accessories to suit your playstyle and loadout. The handguard has 20mm Picatinny rails at the 3/6/9 and 12 o'clock positions to add to the options available for customisation. 

The length of the rail allows you to position your accessories wherever you need them, be it a vertical or an angled fore grip, a tactical flashlight or a PEQ laser unit. Another benefit of the free-floated rail design is that it prevents force from being applied to the barrel, allowing you to feel safe in the knowledge that your accuracy will be retained as much as possible.

The iron sights of the CM.105 Daniel Defense are removable alloy flip-up aperture sights which mount to the upper 20mm Picatinny rail. They have a very practical design in that they are quick to flip up in case of emergency, deploying with a simple push upward, but then lock with no chance of wobbling or falling. These sights also offer a choice of quick-adjust aperture size, with a large aperture being optimal for low light conditions and a small aperture excelling at precision aiming. The aperture itself can be minutely adjusted left and right via a wheel on the right side. The combination of these sights and the railed handguard come together to make one tidy, fully customisable package for a wide variety of playstyles or mission functionality.

In contrast with the matt black alloy body, the bolt catch and other controls are finished in a gun metal grey in colour, providing a nice touch of realism with the different colouration imitating different finishes applied to the real rifle's components. Unlike most bolt catches on airsoft rifles, this will actually function in that it will return the mock bolt plate to battery when pressed, adding to the realistic feel of the CM.105. While functionally, the bolt catch and ejection port action serve no in-game Airsoft purpose, it was included by the design team to try and make sure as little detail as possible was spared, adding to its superb realism. The ejection port can be found on the right side and can be opened by pulling back the charging handle located on the top rearmost part of the body.

The CM.105 AEG features an alloy rotary HOP-up Unit which can be accessed by pulling back on the charging handle, which is located at the top rear of the receiver. This will open the dust cover and allow access to the rotary dial. The HOP-up is used to tune the amount of backspin applied to your BBs and provide a range improvement when tuned for the flattest trajectory possible with your chosen ammo weight. The rotary unit design is widely recognised as the best design for the M4/AR-15 AEG platform due to the fine adjustment increments, and its ability to hold its setting under rapid fire. 

The fire selector lever is located on the left side of the receiver, allowing for safety, semi and fully automatic settings at 90-degree instances. This means you can quickly switch between fire modes but be safe in the knowledge that you won't accidentally move the selector into a fire position when you don't intend to. 

As we reach the pistol grip you will notice its textured design, but it feels even better than it looks! If you ever find yourself wanting an ergonomic and comfortable grip you'll be very happy with the pre-installed grip; a step above the grips provided on most Airsoft M4/AR-15 AEGs and comfortable for most hand sizes. The crackle-textured surface of this grip will help keep it firmly in your grasp regardless of the weather and whether you choose to wear gloves when you skirmish or not!

At the base of the buffer tube is an ambidextrous sling plate sandwiched between the receiver and the castle nut. This plate is constructed from steel to provide the prerequisite strength for use with a single-point sling. This sling point is ideal for a single-point bungee sling but can also be used with a two-point sling with the addition of a rail-mounted front sling point. Following the sling plate we come to the stock of the CM.105, which is the usual M4/AR-15 format of a 6-position buffer tube with an adjustable crane battery stock. This stock can be locked into any 1 of the 6 positions and can be adjusted to suit any body type or loadout. 

The battery compartment of the CM.105 can be found inside the buffer tube and is accessible with the stock removed or through the butt plate. To access the battery compartment, simply press the two tabs at the toe of the stock together and push them through, after which the butt plate should come free. Alternatively, you can remove the stock entirely by lifting the stock adjustment lever on the bottom of the stock, pulling it out as far as it will go, and then sliding the stock off the buffer tube to the rear, allowing you to fit buffer tube stick batteries. Inside you will find a Deans battery connector, offering a low-resistance and high-efficiency alternative to the usual mini-Tamiya connector found on Airsoft AEGs. For the CM.105, we recommend an 11.1V 1450 mAh LiPo battery crane configuration, as it would fit perfectly in the crane stock.

Internally, EMG is really bringing the heat here in terms of specifications. This, the latest version of the CM.015 boasts the Kestrel Basic ETU/MOSFET, offering 6 levels of adjustable pre-cocking, options for 3 round burst and binary trigger along with low battery warning, cycle completion, active braking and low/high voltage cutoff. This means you can crank up the trigger response for super fast double taps or run the MK18 with SAFE-SEMI-3RND BURST fire controls. Also inside is a 6.03mm tightbore inner barrel and rotary HOP-up unit, giving you superb accuracy potential and the latest HOP-up design for M4/AR-15 platforms.

The CYMA Platinum gearbox has a quick change spring system built in, allowing for fast, effective customisation without needing to open the gearbox shell. This is great for those who like to tune their AEGs to suit the power levels of different skirmish sites, and is also great if you plan on upgrading the CM.105 gearbox even more as being able to remove the spring quickly makes the gearbox so much easier to work on. Also inside this very well-equipped V2 gearbox are CNC Steel 13:1 high-speed gears, a CNC aluminium ball bearing piston head, a CNC aluminium double O-ring cylinder head, 8mm ball bearing bushings and a beastly high torque motor. Make no mistake, this MK18 MOD.1 is ready to rock!

An impressive platform both inside and out, the CM.105 MK18 MOD.1 is a fantastic choice for skirmishers who want realism and performance in equal measure. Whether you're working on your US Navy SEAL loadout or want to run your favourite CoD gun in real life, the EMG CM.105 Daniel Defense MK18 MOD.1 AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU will be an asset!

Features

• Full metal construction
• 6.03mm Tightbore inner barrel - Superb accuracy potential
• 14mm CCW male barrel threading - Tracer/suppressor ready!
• Licensed by Daniel Defence through EMG - Realistic trademarks
• Licensed Daniel Defense RIS II 20mm Picatinny quad rail handguard - Ready for 20mm accessories
• Removable lower handguard - Mount an M203 Grenade Launcher to the barrel for extra firepower
• 20mm Picatinny railed receiver - Ready for red dot sight or scope, flip-up irons pre-installed
• Rotary adjustable HOP-up unit - Behind the mock bolt, pull the charging handle to access
• Ergonomic pistol grip - A comfortable modern design with a reduced grip angle
• High torque motor pre-installed - Terrifying rate of fire!
• 3-Position fire selector switch - SAFE, SEMI AUTO & FULL AUTO, 90-degree throw between each mode
• 6 Position M4/AR15 buffer tube - Adjust the stock to suit your body type and loadout
• Ambidextrous sling plate - Steel construction, ideal for single-point slings
• CYMA Platinum E-Edition V2 Gearbox:
  • CNC Steel 13:1 High-Speed gearset
  • 8mm Ball bearing bushings
  • Quick change spring system
  • Polycarbonate piston with full steel tooth rack
  • EShooter Kestrel Basic ETU/MOSFET
  • CNC Aluminium double O-ring cylinder head
  • CNC Aluminium ball bearing piston head
• Kestrel Basic MOSFET/ETU functions:
  • Binary Trigger
  • 3-Round burst
  • Active braking
  • Low/high voltage cutoff
  • Low battery warning
• Compatible with most M4/AR-15 AEG magazines - Spares are cheap and plentiful!

Package Includes

• EMG CM.105 Daniel Defense MK18 MOD.1 AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU
  • 130rnd Medium-capacity magazine