A&K M249 Mk II SAW

[Crunchmeister]

Today's review is of the A&K M249 Mk II SAW. I just received this gun today and thought I would share my impressions of it with you in both writing and video.

I should preface this review with a couple of points.

First, I know nothing about this gun, its parts, and so forth. I wanted a SAW for my collection, and got this gun on a trade, so I went for it. I've handled real steel Armalites and pistols, so know that parts, operation, basic field stripping, etc. I can at least use more technical terminology with those guns, as I know what the external parts are compared to their real steel counterparts. I at least have something to compare the airsoft versions to. My only contact with a SAW in real life was a C9 in the Small Arms Trainer at the Peace Support Training Centre in Kingston a few years ago. So other than I'm going blind on this thing.

Secondly, I'm not easy to impress in general by the appearance of anything. I can be surprised, pleased, etc, but rarely will I give a "holy shit!!" comment at an airsoft gun just taking out of the box. My Real Sword Type 56 got a "WOW" reaction when I removed it from the box. But this thing got a "HOLY SHIT!!! THIS THING IS AWESOME!!!" just taking it out of the box. It really looks that beastly and feels that solid.

Just removing it from the BB-riddled box (the former owner had some fun with the box) left me impressed. This is one serious looking piece of hardware. I was immediately impressed with the weight. While it didn't come with a manual, the one I downloaded says it weighs 5.7 kg, so about 13 lbs. It doesn't quite hit the (aprox) 7 kg of the real steel but it's close enough to make it feel substantial while giving a bit of weight relief. From what I've read on this gun, this AEG is modelled after the Classic Army M249, which is apparently the better M249 design. I can't speak from experience, only from some info I found online.

The gun is fully metal. The body is a zinc alloy, with some steel parts. The only plastic parts to be found are the nylon stock, grips, and plastic box magazine. The gun has no trademarks or markings anywhere to be found. I wasn't even able to find the customary "Made in China" anywhere on it. Now, here I'm assuming it's made in China, sice that's where most clones are made, so if I'm mistaken, please correct me on this point.

In terms of realism, I can't really comment since I've had very little contact with the real steel. From pictures, it looks great, and with the fake buttel belt coming out of the receiver and into the box magazine, it wouldn't be hard to make someone believe this was a real gun. As for the finer details, I can't really comment on it. I just know it looks great, and that works for me.

The front bipod is adjustable. It fully folds up into the front grip and is very quick to deploy. It's also height-adjustable with 3 different height settings for different firing positions. In terms of functionality, it's great. However, the bipod is probably the only part of the gun I can say feels weak. It's made of very light metal and doesn't feel as solid as the rest of the gun. I could see it being easy to accidentally bend these bipod legs with a good hit in the field.

The box magazine is battery-operated, holding 2500 6mm BBs. The magazine has 2 modes - continuous feed, which constantly winds the magazine, or sound-activated, which will only wind the magazine when it picks up the sound of the gun being fired. The plastic on this box mag is a bit questionalble, IMO. I can't see this being able to take a whole lot of abuse without breaking. And I can see it breaking easily if used in cold weather.

Carrying and firing the gun with the box magazine attached is very awkward if trying to fire from the shoulder. Really, it was intended as a support weapon and be fired from the bipod or from the hip, so that's not really a flaw against it. You can also use standard Armalite STANAG magazines to feed it ad it makes it a lot easier fire standing with the gun shouldered.

The gun came with a 9.6V 1200 mAh battery. I opted to use my 9.6V 2000 mAh battery instead for the extra juice. I ran it through my chrony a few shots. I had chronied it before shooting the actual video below, and the average of the 10 shots was 395.8 fps, with a rof of 11.6 bb/s. The video saw it shooting an average about 395 fps. I forgot to repeat the rof on video.

As you can see in the video, this thing is a beast. The accuracy is quite good at the short range I was shooting - far closer than you'd ever use this in the field, so I can't say much for its accuracy at ranges, but at close range, it was dead accuracte.

I have no idea what the internals of this gun are like. I don't even know what type of gearbox or motor are in, whether it has plastic bushings, etc. I have no itentions of tearing the gun apart as long as it works though. I don't quite feel comfortable enough with it to do that yet.

EDIT: After having had a chance to test the gun outdoors at a long range, I thought I would add that things I've read about the hopup being ineffective are correct. No matter how I dial the hopup, it doesn't have any perceivable effect on the BB trajectory. Shots fly straight about 75-ish feet and then just drop to the ground. There are several fixes / mods for this issue and they're easy to implement. Will try sometime shortly as repost with the new info.


Pros

• powerful
• Nice, stead rate of fire
• VERY consistent muzzle velocity

Cons

• large
• heavy
• not very manoeuverable
• bipod feels very flimsy compared to everything else on this gun
• shitty hopup that seems to have no effect whatsoever

Some porn for y'all:













Here's a video of the gun in action. Note that I did the video before writing this review, and before downloading a manual, so had no idea about some of the specifics of it as I do now.

YouTube - A&K M249 Mk II Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW)

So for anyone looking to add a SAW to their arsenal, I'd say this is a pretty impressive one to own. It's SO much fun to shoot.

EDIT - 4 June 2008

Today I dismantled the gun to verify the integrity of the mechbox and to repair the non-functional hopup.

First I hit the mechbox. Man, this thing is a joy to work on. The mechbox pops out of the gun almost as easily as an AUG. Simply remove the stock (2 pins), the trigger / grip assembly (1 more pin - one of the pins holding it also holds on the stock), remove 2 hex screws, and the mechbox slides out easily. I didn't disassemble the mechbox, as the gears could easily be accessed. The shimming seemed very good. The gears move freely without any side-to-side play. There wasn't a lot of grease, so I added a bit of grease to the gears and a bit of lube to the bushings to ensure everything was working well. I did notice that 2 of the hex screws holding the mechbox closed were almost falling out, and a couple of the others were loose. I tightened everything up and reassembled.

As for the hopup, I simply used a piece of stiff 16 gauge speaker wire sheilding to replace the existing bucking. The hopup now works like a charm and actually has an effect on the BB trajectory.

[ThunderCactus]

Real steel is 7.1kg to be exact.
Trust me the A&K 249 is LIGHT lol
Even the CA249 I can handle like a rifle, but that extra .6kg and forward center of balance on the G&P really makes you move like a squad gunner.
Anyway it's a nice LMG if you upgrade your internals. Just don't be rough with it and it won't break

[Double Tapper]

This is the para model,but this review should help you along.
It is very helpful and detailed.

http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/revie...uct/797/cat/16

[Capt. T/O]

i just got one myself...
what kind of internal upgrades do you suggest?
already have a hopup rubber and metal bushings coming...

how strong is the mechbox?
i read somewhere that it can handle m150 springs... is this true?

[KNIVEZS]

nice review

[Crunchmeister]

Originally Posted by Double Tapper

This is the para model,but this review should help you along.
It is very helpful and detailed.

http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/revie...uct/797/cat/16

Thanks for that review. That was MORE than helpful.

Does anyone know offhand what type of internals it uses? Will standard V2/V3 spring guides, pistons and tappet plates work, or are they specific to whatever type gearbox these guns have?

[Double Tapper]

When I was looking for a mechbox for a project,some one said Ver6
I think was in the A&K. You should be able use the standard up
grade parts used in most AEG's except version specific parts.

[DarkAngel]

v6? it uses a P90/Thompson box?
Im looking to get one of these too in the near future, ive heard the following rumors from people

1) that its a split box design (allowing for spring hotswaps etc)
2) that the internals tend to break down quickly in comparison to CA or STAR
3) Aftermarket Railed Feed trays do not fit

can anyone confirm or deny these rumors? ive seen a few posts in the repair section of people with A&K 249s having issues, and im concerned with the brand i should buy, and to be honest, each seems to have its own benefits. Star (from what i understand) has a drop in design mechbox, which allows people to hotswap boxes on the fly, CA being heavier, better quality etc and A&K with the split box design.

[Double Tapper]

If you know,spit it out man.And I did say "I think was in"as not 100% sure.
I saw your edit, it is not a split mech box.The springs are changed the same
way you take the spring and bolt assembly out of a C9

[KNIVEZS]

quick question
where's the battery located?

[Crunchmeister]

Originally Posted by DarkAngel

1) that its a split box design (allowing for spring hotswaps etc)

It isn't a split mechbox, but you can swap the spring in a matter of a couple of minutes. It requires removing the top pin that attaches the stock using the thumbscrew. You can then swivel the stock downward on the lower pin. That exposes the rear of the gearbox.

If you notice in my last picture with the upper open, there's a little lever near the rear of the mechbox. Pressing this releases a plug at the back of the gearbox. This plug comes out and the spring along with it. Swap springs, reinsert the plug (spring guide is mounted on this plug), reinsert the stock pin, and the spring change is complete less than 5 minutes, even for someone who's all thumbs.

Originally Posted by KNIVEZS

quick question
where's the battery located?

The battery is located in the stock. It came with a 9.6V mini. I'm using a custom sub-C 9.6V pack or a 9.6V nunchuck battery. On the Para version, the battery is stored in the lower hand guard.
That's the only one of those points that I can confirm.

[Cpl T. Syndrome]

Originally Posted by KNIVEZS

quick question
where's the battery located?

The battery is loacated in the rear/butt stock...I've owned one for bout 5months now and had to do some minor tweakin to it..I found the wiring to be sub par so i swaped it out to the mech box just to avoid breaking.Also the feed spring on the mag box can crimp really easy,good luck findin a new one ..And as like the rest of ya, I'm a little leary tearin into to the mech box. Just doesn't look like anythin I've ever worked on before..If someone knows where a video is that shows the tear down it would be greatly appreciated..Also this gun is a real predator on the field, I gamed it at Wasaga paintball this spring and it definetly kept the opposition at bay

[KNIVEZS]

Originally Posted by Cpl T. Syndrome

The battery is loacated in the rear/butt stock...

i thought its located on the box mag which runs both the gun and the mag

[DarkAngel]

it depends on which version you buy. Personally, id wire mine to the box mag so i can swap batteries easier, and on top of that, ud have a fresh batt with every box change.

Double Tapper:
i dont know if its version 6 or not, however i doubt it as version 6 doesnt allow the spring to be removed via a "cap" from the back of the mechbox, v6 requires the whole box dissassembled to change out the spring. This is why i was surprised when you said v6, no critisizm intended

Also, is the box mag a sound controlled? or does it require a pressure switch to autofeed?

I also assume the MK1 version (skeleton stock or C9 Style) has the battery wired to the handguard, and is the handguard interchangable with the Para Handguard (as i like the look and feel of that better)

[Flatlander]

A buddy of mine got the para version a little while ago. He braught it over that night for me to tinker on. Here's what I found...

- Way too much green grease all over the gears/box which looked like dippidy doo hair gel.

- The trigger switch lever needed to be bent slightly (as per the Arnies review) to avoid interference with the sector gear I believe it is.

- The bearings are not flanged so it appears that the bearings that come in the CA versions will not fit.

- The burrs were not cleaned off when the bearing holes were drilled.

- Looking at the bottom of the gearbox it appeared that the spur gear was misaligned - the gap between the gear and the mechbox was not totally consistent (parallel). Also a 'sticky' spot when you turn the gears by hand.

- The cylinder head appears to be a version 2 head except the cylinder nozzle is 1mm longer than a version 2 head (as per Arnies review)

- Shimming was actually pretty good.

- Hopup nub had to be placed verticle (as per Arnies) but was otherwise fine

I cleaned and regreased the gears, installed a new piston (reg. deepfire full teeth) and piston head (prom. pom) and put a little bigger spring in it. After only 2 games and something stupid like 20,000 rounds it just keeps going and shoots great! He absolutely abused this thing on the field. We took the mechbox out and looked at the gears through the bottom and they look in great shape still. Needless to say we are both very suprised at how well it shoots and is holding up.