Let's talk about AK47 AK74 AKM s....

[sonofsammo]

As my MWS is heading for DMR territory, it leaves a gap in my current arsenal for when my arm is back up to speed.
I loved shooting the RS AK while I was on my jollies and I'd quite like an airsoft one.
There seem to be three main brands to look at from the point of view of realism:
LCT
E&L
GHK
Who has had any of these? I think I'm mostly looking at the AKM.
If you've had one, what do you think?
Any advice on choosing?
I'm torn between the LCT/E&L on the one hand, because of the cheap mags, hi caps,  full metal bodies etc - but I'm drawn to the proper recoil of the GHK (sooooo not drawn to the expensive mags though!).
Help me Obi Wans, you're my only hope!

 

[M_P]

I don't know too much about AKs other than the LCTs are incredibly well built and feel great whenever I've held them- shot well too. Not heard much bad about the 3 mentioned.

Might be worth looking at the new TM too if you want recoil too- the externals won't be on the same level as the rest of them but you do get the recoil and bolt lock etc. and can take standard mags. Might be an alternative if GBBRs aren't for you 

 

[E21A]

Not much help, but pretty sure LCT use real steel bodies for their AK’s, not sure about the others 

 

[ibo7]

I have an LCT AK and absolutely love it, it's pretty heavy but I like a solid gun. Can't fault it.

Can't comment on the others though as I've never had one

 

[Sniper780]

I have experience with all 3 brands.

LCT: good stable AEG and they have a wide verity ranging from traditional wood and steel to the tactical style fit and finish is also good, uses standard v3 gearbox so spares and repairs are not a problem, also easily upgraded or tweaked if you are tech mined. Also, they are bringing out an EBB function for their AK range if that floats your boat.

E&L: pretty much the same as LCT, however, the wood colouration on their AKs is of the more popular style Russian red and the steel is blued, the tactical AKs have some models that come with zenitco style rails if you are in interested in Russian SF loadouts.  The E&L gen 2 use standard V3 gearbox but come with QC spring and Prowin style hop unit. however, fit and finish is rougher on the E&L  than LCT.   

GHK: The external are made by LCT everything is steel apart from the outer barrel which is aluminium but you can buy a steel one. They field strip very similar to an RS AK plus and minus few parts. They simulate the AK action very well but do have a shorter bolt travel you can buy a kit which extended the travel, and like you said magazines are expensive  

However the above are not at all realistic to an RS AK they each have minor external differences to an RS AK  such as selector markings and size as they must accommodate a gearbox so they are not 1:1 scale but these are minor things. 

If you want the best  1:1 AEG AK in my humble opinion then the Real Sword Type 56 series is your best bet they designed a gearbox to  fit into real AK receivers early models of the AKs when disassembled their outer barrels still had rifling,  the external are seconded to none full steel and real wood. The steel has a beautiful deep blued finish even the magazine that comes with the gun is steel with a blued finish, overall my favourite airsoft AK brand.  But it must be noted they are the Chinese designed and produced AK variant, not the Russian and they are expensive here in the UK.      

 

[sonofsammo]

I have experience with all 3 brands.

LCT: good stable AEG and they have a wide verity ranging from traditional wood and steel to the tactical style fit and finish is also good, uses standard v3 gearbox so spares and repairs are not a problem, also easily upgraded or tweaked if you are tech mined. Also, they are bringing out an EBB function for their AK range if that floats your boat.

E&L: pretty much the same as LCT, however, the wood colouration on their AKs is of the more popular style Russian red and the steel is blued, the tactical AKs have some models that come with zenitco style rails if you are in interested in Russian SF loadouts.  The E&L gen 2 use standard V3 gearbox but come with QC spring and Prowin style hop unit. however, fit and finish is rougher on the E&L  than LCT.   

GHK: The external are made by LCT everything is steel apart from the outer barrel which is aluminium but you can buy a steel one. They field strip very similar to an RS AK plus and minus few parts. They simulate the AK action very well but do have a shorter bolt travel you can buy a kit which extended the travel, and like you said magazines are expensive  

However the above are not at all realistic to an RS AK they each have minor external differences to an RS AK  such as selector markings and size as they must accommodate a gearbox so they are not 1:1 scale but these are minor things. 

If you want the best  1:1 AEG AK in my humble opinion then the Real Sword Type 56 series is your best bet they designed a gearbox to  fit into real AK receivers early models of the AKs when disassembled their outer barrels still had rifling,  the external are seconded to none full steel and real wood. The steel has a beautiful deep blued finish even the magazine that comes with the gun is steel with a blued finish, overall my favourite airsoft AK brand.  But it must be noted they are the Chinese designed and produced AK variant, not the Russian and they are expensive here in the UK.      

@Sniper780 - Thanks for such a thorough answer!
The Real Sword does look very good indeed!
I suppose the next question I need to ask is - is the Real Sword worth more than double what the LCT costs?
 

 

[Ballist1x]

@Sniper780 - Thanks for such a thorough answer!
The Real Sword does look very good indeed!
I suppose the next question I need to ask is - is the Real Sword worth more than double what the LCT costs?
 

Honestly I'd go for an LCT Aims. Front grip, folding stock for cqb.

 

[sonofsammo]

Honestly I'd go for an LCT Aims. Front grip, folding stock for cqb.

Nooooooooooooooooo!
I'm not a fan of anything other than pistols in CQB - this is very much for woodland and at a push, places like Camp Sparta..

 

[Sniper780]

Honestly I'd go for an LCT Aims. Front grip, folding stock for cqb.

In my opinion, Yes the Real Sword Type 56 series meets the criteria that you set out for most realistic and accurate AK currently in Airsoft and if you look at any unboxing of any Real sword product you will see why I have spent the money so yes I would but it is entirely up to you. 

 

[emilianoksa]

I have two LCTs. They are solid, have a lovely appearance and are relatively inexpensive. Almost everything on them is steel. The only metal part that isn't is the aluminium trigger. The internals are said to be solid and they have a tight bore barrel.

E&L are real steel too, but more expensive, and, from what I have heard prone to rust. They need regular oiling of the blued steel. The LCT has a matt black finish - said to be very rust resistant - which appears to have been baked on. I am told that RS Russian made AKs are not blued but blacked.

Real Sword are said to be superb replicas. LCT do special editions of some of their guns eg. the AK 47,  which are almost as expensive.

I would really like a Real Sword. But I would prefer three LCTs for the same price.

Mine are both sub-carbines for cqb, but I would like to buy a full size AK to keep them company one day. I would not buy an E&L myself because of the well documented rust problems and being in a minority prefer the LCT wood finish to the E&L which is more authentic but too reddish for my liking.

 

[Duff]

I do really like a big ole full metal AK47 for when you simply have to pew every motherfucker in the room!

I want one with all the classic wood furnishings and I reckon at some point an LCT will join my collection. 

 

[Lozart]

Honestly I'd go for an LCT Aims. Front grip, folding stock for cqb.

God, that gets on my tits. Folding stocks are for storage or transport or spraying rounds all over the show with no discernible accuracy a la street fighting Arabs. 

 

[emilianoksa]

A lot of 10m target air rifles used to be made with laminated stocks, and laminate stocks still exist for a lot of rimfire and centrefire rifles.  . 

They look great, but like all wood, are easily dinged and dinted. Then repairing them becomes a real problem. With beech or walnut you can sand them down, iron out the dints, refinish etc. But laminate is very difficult to fix. It's just plywood with a thick seal over it. 

And the older they get the more tatty laminate stocks start to look.

Some people like their guns to look knocked about. I've even heard people say a bit of rust on the gun looks good - extra realism etc.

This is not the case. The one thing a properly trained soldier will always take care of is his rifle. He has to in order to stay alive. Normal wear and tear is one thing. Bashed up rusty guns is another. 

I love the look of the AK wood stocks, but I would hate to scratch one. And it's very easily done.

 

[Ballist1x]

God, that gets on my tits. Folding stocks are for storage or transport or spraying rounds all over the show with no discernible accuracy a la street fighting Arabs. 

I've folded my aks74u stock before when inside doing can because it was easier in some instances

 

[Lozart]

I've folded my aks74u stock before when inside doing can because it was easier in some instances

As a great and wise man once said - just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Now, I realise that I'm being pedantic and the lack of any recoil in most airsoft guns means that it you want to fire a gun with the stock folded it makes naff all difference to the accuracy (assuming you can hold it steady) it just bothers me. Equally, you WILL be more able to make consistent shots if the thing is shouldered properly.

 

[allyballybee]

I love my LCT, going to it's first skirmish tomorrow so i'll see how it properly shoots in a skirmish rather than plinking in the garden when i get a chance.I love the Modernised AK variants that have rails and modern stocks, but also i do love a wood furniture AK, they just look so good. The TX Mig has a proper chunky feel to it and once you put an AFG on it, the weight is less noticable but still a metric shit tonne compared to most rifles!

Doesnt hurt that there's just something so satisfying about reloading an AK, that click when the magazine hits home!

 

[Ballist1x]

As a great and wise man once said - just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Now, I realise that I'm being pedantic and the lack of any recoil in most airsoft guns means that it you want to fire a gun with the stock folded it makes naff all difference to the accuracy (assuming you can hold it steady) it just bothers me. Equally, you WILL be more able to make consistent shots if the thing is shouldered properly.

Yesterday I had a quarry game from 5pm till 1am out in the open 20vs 20 by half way through I'd retracted my stock and used it from there with tracer rounds. I like the option to do both.

 

[Billbo]

Following on from this discussion I am also looking to get myself a new AK platform and the information here has been very useful, thanks!

I am looking more towards a 74, as not being the tallest bloke in the world I don't need a massive rifle to wield (I have Krytac CRB and that's perfect for me).

I don't want to fork out for a Real Sword, but the LCTs interest me.

I was initially looking at something along the lines of a G&G AEG RK74-E with ETU or CYMA CM.076A AK Full Metal Tactical.

How do these stack up against the LCTs?  Most of the LCTs I have found here seem to be around £220-£240, whereas the G&G is £280.  Is the G&G better?

I am not looking bothered about the rifle being an absolute replicas, if something is not 100% real steel accurate it doesn't bother me, but the build quality and performance does (although I would likely upgrade the barrel, spring and hop up upgrade anyway). I do like the more modern SF Spetnaz tactical look though.

Thanks in advance!

 

[xWebster]

Havent had any experience with the LCT's or G&G's but the E&L's are pretty good.

Good performance out of the box, exceptional build quality, great fun to shoot.

I'd imagine the LCT feel very similar to the E&L.

 

[Sniper780]

I do like the more modern SF Spetnaz tactical look though.

If you are looking to replicate Russian SF AKs then the E&l gen 2 AKs are a good base rifle, uses standard v3 gearbox so spares and repairs are not a problem, also easily upgraded or tweaked and you can purchase models that come with replica style  Russian zenitco rails out of the box, so no need to hunt round to buy the rail parts separately the AK 104PMC-E is a good starting point to try and replicate a Russian SF.

However, it must be noted that there is no general consensus as to what constitutes as Russian SF AK as they pretty much get to chose whatever they want to get the job done e.g you see reference photos of RU SF operators using  7.62x39 calibre AKs  and 5.45x39 calibre AKs  and some time the use of western optics to  if you are looking for more info regarding RU SF AKs then you could join  the Northern Pact community page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/342974125862243/?fref=nf  

I am looking more towards a 74,

If you not looking for a full-length AK then may I recommend the carbine length AKs such as  AK105 or AK 104 as an alternative.