ARCTURUS M4/AR-15 Karambit Lite AT-NY05 AEG

Following in the footsteps of the ARCTURUS Karambit, the Karambit Lite makes this micro-AR platform lighter and more manoeuvrable with a high density polymer receiver, and allows for intuitive use by both left and right-handed shooters thanks to its complement of ambidextrous controls. The awesome internals of the Karambit are retained in the Karambit Lite, but with the fresh look of a billet style receiver combined with the same highly modern PDW stock and M-LOK handguard.

Starting at the front, we can find an aggressive looking sound amplifying muzzle device which is slightly recessed into the M-LOK/Picatinny hybrid handguard for an integral look. The sound amp gives the Karambit Lite a booming muzzle report and an intimidating presence on the battlefield, but if you want a more sneaky setup or a tracer unit to literally light up the enemy, this is possible thanks to the 14mm CCW male threaded outer barrel.

Due to the handguard being longer than the outer barrel you may need to add a short barrel extension for larger muzzle devices, but as a rough guide, you should be able to mount any device smaller than 31mm in diameter, for example, the NUPROL Flash-P tracer unit.

The handguard is 5.5-inches in length, giving you maximum room for the addition of accessories on such a short platform. At the 12 o'clock position we have a 20mm Picatinny rail, allowing for PEQ laser units and tactical flashlights to be mounted directly, and also providing space for the included flip-up aperture iron sights. M-LOK negative space attachment slots are also available surrounding the handguard, at the 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions, with additional slots at offset angles in between. The Karambit Lite may be short, but it isn't short of accessory mounting options, that's for sure!

After moving rearwards a short distance we come to the receiver, which a modern billet receiver style with ambidextrous controls, allowing both right and wrong handed users to maximise their effectiveness wielding the Karambit Lite. The charging handle is located at the top rear of the receiver, and when pulled, the mock bolt carrier will be held back, providing access to the rotary HOP-up chamber of the Karambit. The rotary HOP-up unit is the latest design for the M4/AR-15 platform and has the benefit of holding its setting more effectively under the vibrations of firing, and can be adjusted in finer increments for a more precise HOP-up setting.

Pulling the charging handle also opens the steel dust cover and retracts the mock bolt carrier, giving off a satisfying metal-on-metal sound, and pressing either the bolt release over on the left side or the right of the receiver releases the bolt with a "clank". The magazine release is also ambidextrous, giving you the ability to perform reloads from your weak side for right-handed shooters, and giving lefties the option they always should have had. Now left-handed shooters can release their mag from a firing grip with their strong hand. Nice work ARCTURUS!

The fire selector of the Karambit Lite is right where we would expect, just above the pistol grip, and is mirrored on either side of the rifle. This fire selector has a textured upper and lower surface to guarantee effective grip and is a modernised design to match the modern billet receiver styling.

The selector provides 3 modes of fire; safe, semi-auto and full auto, and the right side selector includes a relief cut to prevent it from digging into the hand when in semi auto. With a 90-degree throw between each fire mode, this selector can be operated quickly without any risk of slipping out of position. Each fire mode is denoted with cast bullet pictograms, with a single crossed-out projectile to denote safe, a single projectile for semi and a multi-projectile symbol to denote the fun mode, fully automatic of course!

The trigger of the Karambit Lite is a curved mil-spec style trigger which is a familiar trigger style for most users. On the inside is where the magic happens; we have a microswitch trigger which gives the external trigger a nice clicky feel, with a tactile reset enabling you lay down some super quick semi shots by riding the trigger reset point. Microswitch triggers also have the advantage of eliminating the usual copper trigger contacts which often corrode over time, especially when semi-auto is used excessively. The Karambit Lite's microswitch trigger allows you to spam away with semi-auto all day with no worries about changing the contacts out in the near future.

The pistol grip of the Karambit Lite is an ergonomic design with comfortable texture on either side which also provides superb grip, keeping the Karambit Lite firmly in your grasp if you do your part. The grip has a filled-out backstrap to make it more comfortable for those with smaller hands and is bevelled around the transition to the trigger guard to reduce fatigue and prevent "hot spots" causing discomfort when shooting for long durations.

Bringing up the rear we come to the PDW stock of the Karambit Lite, which is similar in design to other PDW stocks but offers a generous 6 positions of adjustment. This allows for a wider variety of body types and loadouts than its rivals, which often only offer 2 or 3 positions. The stock bars are constructed from steel, offering strength where needed, and the stock base and butt plate are constructed from high density polymer, keeping the weight to a minimum. The butt plate also features hexagonal checkering, which not only looks great but provides extra grip to keep the stock firmly in your shoulder.

The stock has two dummy QD sockets, one on either side, but in our tests we found QD swivels to be a bit loose in these sockets. The centrally positioned ambidextrous socket is fully functional, and locks QD swivels in tightly, so if you are slinging the Karambit Lite we recommend only using the central socket. The stock adjustment lever is centrally located and easy to reach from a firing grip, whether you are left or right-handed, allowing for quick adjustments in game for a stable firing stance no matter how much room you have!

Being a rear wired AEG, the stock also functions as the battery compartment for the Karambit Lite. The aluminium buffer tube at the rear can be unscrewed with the stock fully extended, and inside you will find a Deans battery connector. The battery compartment is quite small, similar in size to other PDW stocks. As such, we recommend a 7.4V 600mAh LiPo battery for the Karambit Lite for the best combination of performance and easy fitting. You may be able to squeeze larger batteries inside, but we do not recommend this as you run the risk of damaging the cells if you cram it in too tight.

On the inside, the Karambit Lite is well equipped, just like its metal brother, the Karambit. The internals have some thoughtful pre-upgraded parts, including a polycarbonate piston with a full rack of steel teeth, and a steel gearset which runs on 8mm ball bearing bushings for a smooth sound and friction free function. The piston head and spring guide are equipped with ball bearings to reduce rotational force and prolong their life, and the air nozzle is Teflon sealed for perfect compression and efficiency. There may not be a MOSFET or high torque motor in the Karambit Lite but its well equipped internals are perfectly tuned, and it performs far better than one might expect.

If you like the looks of the original Karambit but want ambidextrous controls to allow for shooting from either shoulder, making the most of the surrounding cover, the Karambit Lite would be perfect for you. The low weight, short length and impressive trigger response of this platform make it a great CQB tool, and its ambidextrous controls mean you can really run rings around the enemy if you have the right technique!

Features

• Aluminium handguard, polymer receiver
• 14mm CCW male threaded barrel
• Muzzle sound amplifier - Scarily loud muzzle report
• M-LOK handguard with 20mm Picatinny top rail
• 20mm Picatinny railed receiver - Ready for red dot sights/scopes
• QD sling socket on the stock base - Ready for QD swivel
• Curved mil-spec trigger - Familiar standard M4 trigger
• Flip-up aperture iron sights are included in the box
• Ergonomic pistol grip with filled backstrap
• 8mm Steel bushings - Smooth running gearbox
• Quick change spring system - Easy power tuning
• Polycarbonate piston with full steel tooth rack
• Ambidextrous fire selector - Modern design, relief cut for comfort
• Ambidextrous magazine release - Fast reloads for lefties and righties!
• Ambidextrous bolt release - Drop the mock bolt from either side
• Modern Billet style receiver - Looks super slick!
• Bearing spring guide and piston head - Reduced rotational force, less friction
• Rotary adjustable HOP-up unit - Fine increments of adjustment, holds setting well
• Teflon sealed air nozzle - Great compression/air seal qualities
• Microswitch trigger - Snappy trigger response
• Low resistance wiring - Great electrical efficiency
• 6 Position PDW sliding stock - Very compact stock, full adjustment
• 6.03mm Hardened steel tightbore inner barrel - Great accuracy potential
• Compatible with M4/AR-15 AEG magazines - Plenty of options, including drums!
• Rear wired to a Deans battery connector - 7.4V 600mAh LiPo battery recommended

Package Includes

• ARCTURUS M4/AR-15 Karambit Lite AT-NY05 AEG
• Flip-up Iron Sight Set
• 30/130 Adjustable Capacity Magazine
• User manual
• Cleaning/unjamming rod

Special Instructions

The QD sling sockets on the sides of the stock are non-functional and will not retain a QD sling swivel. The centrally positioned QD socket is functional, so we suggest only using this socket if you are running the Karambit on a single-point sling.