EMG Rifle Dynamics RD-701 AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU

If you're in the mood for a full-length AK with a modern twist, the EMG Rifle Dynamics RD-701 AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU is exactly that. This AK is based around the sensational CYMA Platinum High-Speed internals, rocking a high-speed Neodymium magnet motor, CNC aluminium piston and cylinder head, 13:1 CNC steel high-speed gears, 8mm ball bearing bushings and the EShooter Kestrel Basic MOSFET/ETU to keep everything running smoothly and add programmable fire controls into the mix!

The party trick of this AK is its integral tracer unit, mounted to the HOP-up unit and powered by the same battery that powers the AEG itself. This means you can light the night up with tracer BBs without needing to mount anything to the 14mm CCW threads up front, keeping the weight of the platform as low as possible and maintaining its excellent handling qualities. This is a very impressive feature to find in a mid-priced AEG and has previously only been available on the aftermarket for a premium price while requiring extra expertise to install.

Rifle Dynamics is an American firearm company that focuses on enhancing and improving the classic AK model, to them, it deserved the same love and attention in America that other rifles received. They aim to make AKs that are easy to use, reliable, incredibly accurate and beautifully crafted. They keep the nostalgia and history of the AK intact but build on the classic look to bring it into the 21st century.

Starting at the front, we can find a stylish steel muzzle break, with a slightly aggressive look. This gives the front end a slightly menacing look, reminiscent of classic AKs, but toned down in line with Rifle Dynamics' outlook on bringing the AK to the modern day. The muzzle device mounts to 14mm CCW male threads, meaning you can swap it out for an alternative if you have a preferred muzzle device, just make sure you remove the grub screw first. It goes without saying, you won't need a tracer for this bad boy as there is already a tracer unit built into the HOP-up!

Behind the muzzle break, we find the stylish outer barrel which sports realistic grooves along its design, intended to help dissipate built-up heat in the real rifle. This also adds a bit of visual interest to the design and makes the barrel less reflective, helping you stay concealed in woodland skirmishes. The outer barrel is constructed from alloy and is 16.5-inches in length, meaning a lengthy tightbore inner barrel so you can throw some long-range shots at far-away foes.

Moving down the outer barrel, we come to the front sight, an adjustable front post with built-in protective wings to save it from accidental bumps and scrapes. This part is constructed from alloy and has a very realistic finish applied, simulating the anti-corrosion paint applied to real Russian AK rifles. The front sight can be adjusted for elevation using a flat-head screwdriver.

The front iron sight sits on top of the gas block of the AK-74 which is covered by the stylish handguard. Behind the gas block, we find the gas tube which is constructed from aluminium and equipped with a 20mm Picatinny rail at the top. This rail is perfect for mounting plenty of attachments such as an offset flashlight mount for tactical style or other 20mm Picatinny accessories.

The lower handguard features M-LOK slots, replicating the real steel RD-701 handguard, with M-LOK slots at the 3, 6 and 9 O'clock positions. It also has a QD socket built into it, ready for a QD sling swivel to be added, there is also a regular loop sling point if you prefer that. The M-LOK slots give you access to the latest vertical and angled foregrip designs but can also be used to mount 20mm Picatinny rail adapters for M-LOK, offering a wider variety of accessory options than either M-LOK or 20mm Picatinny alone. The handguard is constructed from aluminium and has linear grooves at the offset angles, intended to provide extra grip to improve wet weather handling.

Following the handguard, we come to the trunnion block which provides the mounting point for the classic AK tangent rear iron sight if you so desire. The installed sight is a notch to align with the front sight post. The lever on the right side is the handguard disassembly lever and is functional, but due to the use of a railed gas tube, the Allen bolts holding the gas tube on will need to be removed before the lever comes into use.

The receiver itself follows the standard AK-47/74 format with a centrally positioned ambidextrous magazine release at the front of the trigger guard, a mock bolt carrier on the right side of the receiver and a 3-position fire selector on the right side. The fire selector provides 3 modes of fire; safe, full auto and semi-auto, in that order. It is an AK after all! This was designed to allow for fast selection of semi-auto with a quick sweep down of the selector and isn't actually because the AK was designed for full auto, as is the common myth. This selector has also been enhanced by Rifle Dynamics and perfectly replicated by CYMA, featuring a welded-on extension to allow you to switch modes with your trigger finger without removing your hand from the pistol grip.

The receiver top cover of this RD-701 is also constructed from stamped steel and is the appropriate design for a modern AK, with ribs stamped into the upper surface to provide additional strength while keeping the material thin and lightweight. The battery compartment is beneath the top cover, and to access it, simply press the button at the rear of the top cover and it should lift upwards on a hinge, revealing a Deans/T-plug battery connector.

Thanks to its pre-installed EShooter Kestrel Basic MOSFET and highly upgraded internals, the RD-701 is ready for an 11.1V LiPo straight out of the box, and we recommend an 11.1V 1200mAh LiPo in AK stick configuration for a perfect fit and excellent performance. With the battery connected and installed, you can carefully close the dust cover back into place on the receiver, align the button with the hole in the rear of the top cover, and click it back into place, making sure to not trap any wires.

To access the HOP-up unit of the RD-701, simply hold the charging handle to the rear to reveal the alloy slider adjustable HOP-up unit. The slider unit is known as one of the best designs out there, and that is the reason this unit has not changed in design since the original Tokyo Marui AK-47 AEG. To increase the HOP-up effect, simply move the slider rearwards. Returning the slider to the front will reduce the HOP-up to its lowest setting. This HOP-up also has some extra wires and circuit boards on it, adding tracer functionality so you can light the enemy up without needing to add a tracer muzzle device.

The pistol grip of the RD-701 is a replica of the one used on the real steel platform, it's called the "Tango Down BG-AK Grip" and features leather-like texturing on the side flanks for great gripping qualities. The trigger guard and magazine release can be found just ahead of the pistol grip, and are constructed from steel to provide solid magazine locking and ample rigidity. The magazine release is placed in the centre of the receiver and is accessible from either side of the AEG. The magazine retention system of the AK platform is a "rock and lock" motion, requiring you to first index the front "hook" on the magazine inside the receiver, then rock the magazine to engage the catch.

Moving to the rear of the receiver we can find an AK side rail, positioned on the left side of the receiver. This rail is intended for AK side mounts and should be compatible with most side mounts out there if you want to add an optical sight to your RD-701. This AK rail also allows authentic Russian-styled optics to be mounted if you are going for a super realistic Milsim-style setup. 

Behind the side rail, we can find the folding button for the stock mechanism. Pressing this in will release the locking mech, and allow the stock to be folded to the left side of the rifle for storage or extreme close-quarters work. By design, the stock cannot be folded with an optic or mount installed on the side rail, but fortunately, many of these mounts are QD by nature, and can easily be added and removed without losing zero.

At the rear of the rifle, we can find its steel folding stock which is the correct design for an AKS-74U of the Soviet era. This stock includes a sling point on the right side which can be used with a single-point bungee sling or with a two-point sling using the sling point on the front sight/gas block. The butt plate of the stock is steel but includes linear texture to prevent the stock from slipping out of your shoulder if you wear body armour.

Inside the RD-701, we are treated to the best internals CYMA currently has to offer. The gearbox shell is a 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 CNC aluminium ball bearing silent piston head, a ball bearing spring guide and a double O-ring equipped CNC aluminium silent cylinder head, promising smooth performance, flawless air seal qualities and enhanced durability to maintain reliability at high-performance parameters. The EShooter Kestrel Basic MOSFET is the icing on the cake, 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.

If you're looking for a high-performance AK and fancy a licensed platform, you won't find much better than the EMG Rifle Dynamics RD-701 AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU! This platform has everything you possibly need, including the stylish Rifle Dynamics trademarks, attractive looks and impressive performance, this AK has it all!

Features

• Full metal construction - A lot of steel
• Tracer unit built into the HOP-up unit - Powered by the AEG's battery
• 6.03mm Tightbore inner barrel - Improved accuracy potential
• 14mm CCW Male threaded barrel - Ready for a suppressor or alternative flash hider
• QD sling sockets at 3 & 9 o'clock on the handguard - Plenty of sling options
• M-LOK handguard - M-LOK slots at 3, 6 & 9 o'clock 
• 20mm Picatinny railed upper handguard - Ready for a red dot sight, laser unit or other 20mm accessories
• Steel receiver and top cover - Realistically hefty and solid, a mix of real and mock rivets in all the right spots
• Textured pistol grip - "Tango Down BG-AK Grip" design, leather-like texturing on each side for improved grip
• Ambidextrous magazine release - Centrally positioned, accessible from either side
• Extended fire selector lever - Switch fire modes with the trigger finger from a firing grip
• Classic side folding stock - Great for storage or CQB
• On-Off Switch for the integral tracer unit - On the right side of the HOP-up unit, accessible with the bolt pulled back
• Kestrel Basic MOSFET/ETU functions:
  • Low battery warning
  • Low/high voltage cutoff
  • Active braking
  • 3-Round burst
  • Binary Trigger
  • Adjustable pre-cocking
• Kestrel Basic MOSFET/ETU programming instructions are available here
• CYMA Platinum High-Speed internals:
  • Reinforced Version 3 gearbox shell with quick change spring system
  • Polycarbonate piston with full steel tooth rack
  • CNC Machined steel 13:1 high-speed gear set
  • 8mm Ball bearing bushings
  • CNC Aluminium silent ball bearing piston head
  • CNC Aluminium silent double O-ring cylinder head
  • Ball bearing quick change spring guide
  • High-speed Neodymium magnet motor
  • Low resistance wiring
• Rear wired: Deans/T-plug battery connector - Recommended battery: 11.1V 1200mAh LiPo AK Stick battery
• Compatible with AK-47/74 AEG magazines - Spares are always available

Package Includes

• EMG Rifle Dynamics RD-701 AEG; Kestrel Basic ETU
• 140rnd Mid-cap Magazine