Bolster Tuned CYMA CM.058 PP-19 Bizon SMG AEG

The Original CM.058 PP-19 Bizon

The base platform for the Bolster Tuned PP-19 Bizon is CYMA's CM.058, a replica from its "Standard" line with superb external parts. The vast majority of the CM.058 is constructed from realistically-stamped steel, just like the real thing and feels fantastic in the hands; the only thing it needed was a sprinkle of Bolster spice inside. Bored with waiting for a Platinum version to drop, the Bolster Team got stuck right in, and the result is spectacular!

If you want to join us as we discuss the externals, read on, but if you are more interested in what Bolster Armouries have done on the inside of these bad boys, you can skip to the next section!

Starting at the front, we have the iconic Bizon trumpet flash hider, made from alloy and mounted to 14mm CCW male barrel threads. This muzzle device is perfect for a standard Bizon, but if you're a sneaky Spetsnaz skirmisher, we recommend adding the 5KU KP-9 Tracer Unit to top it off!

Next up, we reach the front iron sight, which is made from steel, features an adjustable front post protected on either side with milled-in wings in classic AK style. This means if you dink your front sight mid-game, it won't upset your sight picture. Just behind, we come to the heat shield/handguard of the PP-19, stamped from sheet steel with cooling ports on either side. This is a perfect match for the real Bizon, widening towards the receiver to provide additional grip. Naturally, this handguard primarily serves as a heat shield and unless you have massive hands, you'll most likely be gripping onto the magazine.

Speaking of the mag, you'll find the lower portion of the handguard is cut away to allow for the "pringles can" style Bizon helical magazine, a unique design with a massive 64-round capacity in real steel form. In Airsoft form, the Bizon mag is a 170-round mid-cap and made from solid high-density polymer with "9x18" embossed on the right side, correctly replicating the real Bizon 2's 9x18mm Makarov chambering.

Inserting the magazine requires a method similar to the AK platform, with one small difference. First, index the hooks on the top front of the mag with the lug beneath the Bizon's front sight. With this done, rock the mag rearwards to engage with the magazine catch, just like an AK. The ribbed exterior of this magazine is not strictly for her pleasure but rather to provide traction while sweeping the Bizon's muzzle between targets, serving as both a handguard and magazine.

The magazine release is on the bottom of the receiver, a common part with the AK-74 which works the exact same way. Able to be operated from the left or right side, the steel mag release assembly is easy to use for both left and right-handed shooters while minimising the training those familiar with the AK need to master the Bizon.

Up top, we can find the tangent rear iron sight mounted to the trunnion block between the handguard and receiver top cover. This is the classic AK sight design, offering a wide field of view and tool-less adjustment for range via the drums on either side of the sight ladder. To the rear, we have the receiver top cover which perfectly matches the real PP-19, made from steel and correctly omitting the stamped ribs present on the AK-74.

Beneath the top cover, we can find the battery compartment, accessible by pressing the button on the rear of the top cover and lifting it free. Inside, you'll find a Deans battery connector to which you mount your battery. We recommend an 11.1V 1200mAh LiPo in AK Slim Stick configuration to make the most out of this upgraded Bizon SMG. Be warned: this top cover fits like a glove, so it will be somewhat tight when removing and remounting. Make sure you don't catch your wiring!

On the left side of the receiver, we can find a Russian AK-style side rail, the pre-Picatinny optics mounting system used throughout the Soviet era and still in use today. This rail is intended for AK-style side mounts and should be compatible with most side mounts out there if you want to add an optical sight to your Bizon. This AK rail also allows authentic Russian-styled optics to be mounted if you are going for a super realistic Milsim-style setup, from PSO-1 magnified optics to Kobra reflex sights!

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 a mount installed on the side rail or the magazine inserted, 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 a PP-19 Bizon 2, a refined version of the AKS-74 stock. This stock includes a sling point on the right side which can be used with a single-point sling. 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. If you need extra traction, you can add the Element Rubber Butt Pad which works fantastically in wet conditions!

The Bolster Tuned PP-19 Bizon

This isn't your usual "upgraded" AEG, where you pay for the parts and labour and the tech does only what they are paid to do. The Bolster Armouries tech team fully disassemble each of these AEGs down to every screw, bolt and bushing to perfectly tune the internals, polish the piston tracks and bearing holes, shim the gears to absolute perfection and replace parts to address the weak points in the original CM.058 Bizon. The Bolster techs treat these AEGs like they are building them for themselves, and if it doesn't pass their rigorous checks, which include a 60m accuracy test, it goes back to the bench for more work.

To replace standard copper trigger contacts in the CM.058, the team has installed the exceptional Gate ASTER™ ETU/MOSFET with the latest EXPERT Firmware to add some seriously advanced features to the Bizon and kit it out to contend with the best. The ASTER™ boasts programmable fire controls through the Gate Control Station app, Gate Blu-Link or Gate USB Link, adjustable pre-cocking for a ferocious trigger response in semi-auto, cycle timing control, adaptive active braking, adjustable trigger sensitivity and voltage control, all of which combine to give this SMG-5 a wealth of functionality that is hard to beat.

Installing the ASTER™ requires modification of the gearbox shell and selector plate for compatibility with the ASTER's optical sensors. Copper is no longer used on the selector plate, and is instead replaced with an ASTER™ sticker to allow the optical sensors to detect its position and adjust the fire mode accordingly. This has the benefit of being more reliable than a traditional selector plate, as the use of optical sensors takes corrosion which usually develops on electrical contacts out of the equation completely.

Inside the gearbox, the Bolster boys have put in some serious elbow grease; modifying the shell to accept the ASTER™ ETU, sanding the piston tracks and bushing holes completely smooth to reduce every bit of friction possible, and shimming the gears to perfection for absolutely flawless functionality. The piston head O-ring has also been replaced with the Bolster Armouries Piston Head O-ring, providing a tighter fit than the original CYMA O-ring for improved consistency and air seal qualities.

The motor installed is the Warhead Base 27K Brushless Motor, offering a super speedy motor which uses high strength, SH-rated Neodymium magnets. Being a brushless motor, the Warhead Base simply doesn't heat up as the only friction generated inside is with the air, keeping this cool and allowing you to let off some seriously long bursts guilt-free. The Warhead moves the Bolster Tuned CM.058 Bizon up to the next level of Airsoft performance and puts it hot on the heels of the full-fat Bolster Armouries ONYX, ARKOSE, ATLAS and OBIRE builds.

To prevent known issues with standard ball-bearing bushings, Bolster Armouries added their own EZO Bearings, another part which features in the ultra high-end Bolster Armouries builds. Bolster Armouries EZO Ball-Bearing Bushings are designed and manufactured by Sapparo Precision Inc. in Japan and have been chosen by the Bolster team thanks to their extremely low friction, high-quality steel construction and fantastic reputation in a wide range of industries. These bearings allow the gears to spin freely at the tremendous rate provided by the Warhead Brushless Motor with minimal chances of failure, all while reducing stress on the gearbox shell and gear axles.

To maintain feeding reliability with its new Warhead Brushless Motor, the Bolster team opted to upgrade the tappet plate with the Guarder Reinforced Tappet Plate. The Guarder Tappet is constructed from polycarbonate with a low friction surface finish, ensuring you get the perfect blend of speed and strength.

One of the biggest issues with mass-produced AEGs is the poor quality lubricant applied from the factory, in inconsistent amounts and in all the wrong places. Bolster Armouries has cleaned up inside the gearbox and applied Abbey Lubricant. This process alone makes a massive difference. Coupled with the internal enhancements, this Krinkov sounds more like an A-10 Warthog when it fires than an Airsoft AEG!

The CM.058 comes with a 6.03mm tightbore inner barrel pre-installed, but not being the types to trust Chinese quality control, the Bolster techs inspect every barrel for imperfections and give them a thorough clean and polish before reinstalling them. Even tightbore barrels can have internal flaws which affect accuracy when mass-produced, and the internal overhaul given to this PP-19 guarantees that you will get a good, smooth barrel with a flawless inner surface.

While the stock HOP-up unit doesn't require the same enhancement process as the Bolster Tuned SMG-5, the team found the stock HOP-up bucking to be below the Bolster par. To solve this, the team installed the Delta Armory BERSERKER Flat HOP-Up Bucking, improving long-range performance considerably, both in terms of accuracy and maximum range. The result of this and other tuning is insane accuracy and impressive range, able to engage man-sized targets comfortably at the end of our 60-meter range.

To bring the CM.058 into line with CYMA's Platinum releases, CYMA 13:1 CNC steel gearswere added which bumps up the rate of fire considerably. CYMA's Platinum gearset has performed fantastically in previous Bolster Tuned platforms, offering a fantastic balance of strength and speed, well up to the task of coping with the incredible torque provided by the Warhead Brushless motor.

It's amazing what talented technicians can do with a mass-produced AEG, some careful modification, a few choice upgrades and a world-beating ETU like the ASTER™. Expect the Tuned Bizon to outshoot almost anything else you'll encounter in a skirmish, letting rip at 27 rounds per second and reaching out to 60 meters in its stride. The Bolster Tuned CM.058 Bizon brings the Bolster heat to an exciting new shape which was simply unavailable until now. If you like an unconventional platform at the peak of realism with the performance to back it up, this should be your next primary!

Package Includes

• Bolster Tuned CYMA CM.058 PP-19 Bizon SMG AEG
• 170rnd Mid-cap Magazine
• Speed Loader
• Bolster Armouries PVC Patch