Spartan is a relatively new brand for Palco Sports. They initially made a huge splash in the airsoft market with their line of SRX-300 blackout style M4 airsoft rifles and have now released a line of AK style airsoft rifles for you OPFOR players out there. Much like their M4s, these AKs are very well made and even have real wood furniture that smells of lacquer and gun oil for that authentic AK experience.
The first thing you will notice about the Spartan AK-74N is just how darn realistic the thing looks. According to the product description info, the rifle is made at a factory where they make real steel AK parts, which explains why this AK airsoft rifle so closely resembles the real thing.
Under the hood, the Spartan AK-74N features a reinforced version 3 gearbox with a very easy to use quick change spring system. Out of the box, it shoots around 400 FPS with .20g BBs and should have no trouble with heavier springs if you need more velocity. The fire selector is pretty tight but that should loosen up over time with use.
Battery space is always a potential issue with AK style airsoft rifles and is definitely a tight fit in this AEG. Removing the cowling from the upper receiver reveals the gearbox, fuse, and battery space/connector. It will fit a 7.4V stick type LiPo battery with not too much trouble, but good luck getting a larger capacity battery in that space. Thankfully, the cowling is VERY easy to remove and access the battery compartment. This means that if you are taking part in multi-day ops without the opportunity to charge your batteries, you should be able to switch them out for new ones in the field in a few minutes.
The Spartan AK-74N comes with a 120 round midcap magazine out of the box and is compatible with most AK style magazines. I did not get a chance to try the airsoft rifle with the AK “flash mags”, so don’t quote me on those working or not. Inserting magazines into the rifle was tricky at first for me – being a long-time M4 AEG user, but I got the hang of it and didn’t have much issue after that. For the uninitiated, AK style magazines rotate into place after the front magazine lip is placed in the mag well. While it may seem awkward to M4 users, I have seen some really speedy AK reloaders out there, so quick reloads can be done!
Out of the box, I noticed that the wood stock had some wobble in it when shouldering the rifle. I examined it more closely and found that by simply tightening the screw down that fastens the stock to the rifle solved this issue – it hasn’t come loose since.
Actually using this gun in a game is awesome. Not only does it perform very well, but it also looks so nice it will be sure to start conversations about it with other players. Airsoft is a community sport/hobby and that community atmosphere is what helps grow it. So – this gun could help you make a new airsoft buddy! It should be noted that the hop up on our AK AEG needed some “warming up” / breaking-in before. I put a few magazines through it on fully automatic mode, then “zeroed-in” the hop up where I wanted it. After that, it had some very respectable accuracy.
Overall, the Spartan Delta Series AK-74N airsoft rifle is an excellent choice if you need a field-ready AK. It has excellent performance, great externals, and rugged reliability. While it retails for around $260 dollars, many sites have it on sale right now – so if you are in the market for a high-performance, respectably-priced AK, don’t wait!
[easyreview title=”Spartan Delta Series AK-74N Airsoft Rifle Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]
You can purchase the Spartan Delta Series AK-74N at AirsoftGI.com
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