Specna Arms SA-A03 ONE™ MK18 Red Edition; Kestrel Basic ETU

If you're looking for a great out-the-box MK18 and you have no desire to keep your platform Milsim-related, the Specna Arms SA-A03 ONE™ MK18 Red Edition; Kestrel Basic ETU is the one for you. This Specna Arms rifle boasts full metal construction, including a CNC Aluminium handguard. The SA-A03 is perfect for those who want to skirmish with a rifle that feels realistic but have no commitments to keeping their AEG looking like a real steel militaristic platform.

The flashy red receiver trimmings are not the only highlight of this rifle. 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 CQB sites!

Starting at the tip of the 10.5-inch alloy outer barrel we are met with a birdcage flash hider which conceals 14mm CCW male threading beneath. The birdcage suits the MK18 build well, but if you want to go flashy special forces with this rifle you will be happy to know that it can accept any tracer unit or suppressor which mounts to the common 14mm CCW male threading. A KAC or SF-style suppressor or tracer would be perfect on this rifle!

The handguard begins practically immediately following the flash hider, being 10 inches in overall length. This handguard is a great replica of the real steel MK18 MOD.1 handguard and boasts 20mm Picatinny rails machined in at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock positions along the full length of the handguard. The lower section of the handguard can also be removed, leaving the bare barrel exposed to allow an M203 grenade launcher to be mounted in the most realistic way possible, just like the real thing. Whatever you plan on mounting to your primary, this Specna Arms SA-A03 ONE™ MK18 has plenty of room to take it!

The upper rail of the handguard meets the receiver rail seamlessly, providing a massive 16-inches of uninterrupted rail space along the top; perfect for optical sights of any length! As it comes, the SA-A03 is equipped with a set of alloy flip-up aperture iron sights pre-installed on this rail, which have adjustable elevation. These sights can either serve as primary sights if you're old-fashioned or keep you in the fight if your red dot malfunctions mid-skirmish.

The Specna Arms SA-A03 ONE™ deviates slightly from the MK18 MOD.1 military configuration, though it keeps its standard M4/AR-15 controls layout. The fancy red fire selector is positioned just above the pistol grip and offers 3 modes of fire; SAFE, SEMI and AUTO, with a 90-degree throw between each mode. This makes the selector easy to switch, but not so easy that it can be knocked out of position accidentally. The lovely red-coloured magazine release is found on the right side of the magazine well and is accessible for a right-handed user with the tip of the trigger finger.

Pulling back the red alloy charging handle, located at the top rear of the receiver will pop open the dust cover and retract the mock bolt carrier to allow access to the polymer rotary HOP-up adjuster. This is the latest HOP-up unit design for the M4/AR-15 and provides finer increments of adjustment and holds its setting more effectively when compared to the older gear style HOP-up unit. The charging handle has an extended latch for easier access, allowing even those with thick gloves to access the HOP-up unit, though you may need to take off a glove to turn the adjuster! Once you have finished your adjustment, press the paddle-shaped red bolt release on the left of the receiver to recover the HOP-up unit.

The receiver of the Specna Arms MK18 is a standard Milspec shape, constructed from alloy, ideal for Milsim MK18 MOD.1 builds, with a splash of colour. The trigger guard is also enlarged and built into the receiver, improving strength considerably and following trends in the latest high-end real steel AR-15 rifles. The pistol grip replicates the real steel "A2" finger-ridged pistol grip commonly found on military-issue M4, M16 and MK18 rifles. It is very comfortable in most modern shooting stances and when you are running the stock fully collapsed in CQB. The trigger is red and features a curved design that is perfect for holding in full-auto or tapping rapidly for semi-auto.

At the rear of the receiver, we are treated to an ambidextrous red sling plate which is constructed from steel, providing ample strength to support the MK18 on a single-point sling. This sling point can also be paired with a front sling point (available separately) if you prefer a two-point sling setup for better stability when moving with the rifle stowed. Following the sling plate, we come to the good old AR buffer tube, constructed from alloy and offering 6 positions of stock adjustment for the pre-installed crane stock which also serves as the battery compartment for the Specna Arms SA-A03 ONE™ MK18 Red Edition; Kestrel Basic.

You can access the battery compartment either by removing the stock from the buffer tube completely or squeezing the two tabs at the toe of the stock together, after which you can pull the butt plate off, remove the battery plug, and make use of the stock's built-in battery compartment to house a nunchuck/crane-style battery. For the Specna Arms SA-A03 ONE™, we recommend a 7.4V 2600mAh LiPo crane/nunchuck battery to make the most of the large crane stock interior.

The Crane stock also includes a pair of QD sling sockets, one on each side, allowing for QD sling swivels to be added for a quick removable sling setup. Conventional sling slots (aka "footman loops") are also present for those who want a two-point sling but prefer the old-fashioned way. The butt plate is also made from grippy rubber, ensuring your MK18 doesn't slip off your shoulder at a critical moment. 

Inside the SA-A03 ONE™ MK18, we are treated to the same solid internals as the original, including 18:1 ratio steel gears running on 8mm ball bearing bushings and a steel spring guide with Enter & Convert™ quick change spring functionality. Enter & Convert™ requires the gearbox to be removed from the receiver but doesn't require the gearbox itself to be opened, saving you hassle when it comes to power tuning and minimising the expertise needed.

The highlight of this refined version of the original SA-A03 ONE™ is its 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.

If you're searching for a platform that stands out from the rest with its elite look and hints of flashy colour, the Specna Arms SA-A03 ONE™ MK18 Red Edition; Kestrel Basic ETU is what you need. Superbly made but light and agile, this MK18 is ideal for those who prioritise mobility on the battlefield!

Features

• Full metal construction
• 6.03mm Tightbore inner barrel - Superb accuracy potential
• EShooter Kestrel Basic ETU Pre-installed - Loads of programmable functions
• 14mm CCW Male threaded outer barrel - Tracer/suppressor ready, Birdcage flash hider pre-installed
• Enter & Convert quick change spring system
• MK18 MOD.1 style Quad 20mm Picatinny railed handguard - Loads of room for lasers, grips, flashlights etc
• Remove the bottom section of the handguard to mount an M203 Launcher to the barrel - Make it a beast!
• Flip-up iron sights pre-installed - Mounted to the top rail, press textured buttons to flip up
• Extended charging handle latch - Easy access to the HOP-up unit for adjustment
• Milspec receiver shape - Ideal for Milsim MK18 MOD.1 builds
• 20mm Picatinny railed receiver - Ready for a red dot sight or rifle scope
• Rotary adjustable HOP-up unit - Easy to adjust in fine increments, holds its setting well long-term 
• 6-Position M4/AR-15 buffer tube - Adjust the stock to suit your body type perfectly
• Buffer tube battery compartment - Takes buffer tube stick batteries
• Ambidextrous sling plate - Ready for a single-point sling on the left or right side
• 3-Position fire selector - SAFE-SEMI-AUTO by default, programmable via the Kestrel Basic ETU
• M4/M16 Flat trigger guard - Milspec configuration, push the detent in the front right to fold for gloved use
• 20mm Picatinny railed receiver - Ready for a red dot sight or scope 
• "A2" Finger ridged pistol grip - Accurate to the real M16A4, comfortable for most hand sizes
• Rear wired - Deans battery connector
• Recommended battery - 7.4V 2600mAh LiPo crane/nunchuck battery
• Version 2 gearbox:
  • Enter & Convert™ quick change spring system
  • Steel spring guide
  • 8mm Ball bearing bushings
  • 18:1 Ratio steel gear set
• Kestrel Basic MOSFET/ETU functions:
  • Binary Trigger
  • 3-Round burst
  • Active braking
  • Low/high voltage cutoff
  • Low battery warning
• Kestrel Basic MOSFET/ETU programming instructions are available here
• Compatible with M4/AR-15 AEG magazines - Plenty of spares and styles available!

Package Includes

• Specna Arms SA-A03 ONE™ MK18 Red Edition; Kestrel Basic ETU
• 300rnd High-capacity magazine
• Specna Arms sticker