In short
- An AK is the sturdy alternative to the M4. Simple, solid and different to look at, with a little less comfort.
- AK-47, AK-74 and AK-105 differ in looks and length. Inside, the electric versions share the same gearbox, the mechanism that drives them.
- Steel and wood cost weight and money. They feel real and age well. Polymer, a tough plastic, is lighter, cheaper and just as capable in a game.
- Three brands cover most of the choice. CYMA for value, E&L and LCT for steel.
- Check the battery space before you buy. Many AKs only take a slim battery under the top cover, the lid over the body.
Why choose an AK
What people look for as an AK47 BB gun is, in the hobby, an airsoft AK: an electric rifle in the shape of the Kalashnikov family. Players pick it for three reasons. It looks nothing like the M4s around it, its mechanism has a name for being tough, and the better ones are built from steel and wood.
The price is comfort, as the list below shows.
The AK against the M4
For the AK
- Simple, solid construction with few parts to work loose.
- Available in steel and real wood.
- A look of its own on a field full of M4s.
Against it
- A fixed stock on the classic shapes: no adjusting for arm length or a thick vest.
- Little room for sights and lights unless you buy a modern version.
- Tight battery space, and fewer add-on parts than for an M4.
Variants: AK-47, AKM, AK-74, AK-105
Four branches of one family
AK-47 and AKM
The shape everyone pictures: a wooden stock, a wooden handguard for your front hand and a strongly curved magazine. Most airsoft AK47s copy the AKM, its lighter successor; with a metal stock that folds under the body it is called AKMS.
For: players who want the classic.
AK-74
The later rifle in a smaller calibre, which shows as a gentler curve in the magazine and a large muzzle brake at the tip of the barrel. As the AK-74M it has black polymer in place of wood and a stock that folds to the side.
For: the modern Russian look.
AK-105 and AKS-74U
The short ones. The AK-105 is an AK-74M with a shorter barrel; the AKS-74U is shorter still, with a folding frame stock. Light and handy indoors, and the tightest of all for battery space.
For: close-quarters play and smaller players.
Modern AKs
Classic insides, new outside: rail handguards, adjustable M4-type stocks and a rail on top for a sight. They solve the comfort problems and lose some of the character.
For: players who want an AK that handles like an M4.
Steel and wood versus polymer
On most rifles "full metal" means cast alloy. On an AK it can mean what the original is made of: a body pressed from sheet steel, with real wood on it. A steel AK survives being dropped, dented and rebuilt, and looks better for a few scars.
The other side: it weighs a good deal more, steel rusts when it is put away damp, and you pay for the material. In a game a polymer AK hits just as well.
What the material changes
| Steel and wood | Polymer or alloy | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Heavy: more than three kilos is normal | Noticeably lighter |
| Feel | Cold and solid, like the real thing | Lighter and a little hollow |
| Upkeep | Dry and oil the steel after wet games; wood marks | Wipe it down |
| Battery space | Usually only under the top cover | Often inside the fixed stock as well |
| For whom | Players who care how it feels, and collectors | First rifles, smaller players, long game days |
A steel AK does not shoot better than a polymer one. You buy it for the moment you pick it up.
Reader poll
How do you like your AK?
- Steel and wood
- Classic shape in polymer
- Modern, with rails and a sight
Brands: CYMA, E&L, LCT and others
CYMA, E&L and LCT side by side
- CYMA
- E&L
- LCT
-
Body and finish
- CYMA
- 3 out of 5
- E&L
- 4 out of 5
- LCT
- 5 out of 5
CYMA runs from plastic to full metal; this is its middle
-
Light to carry
- CYMA
- 4 out of 5
- E&L
- 2 out of 5
- LCT
- 2 out of 5
-
Mechanics out of the box
- CYMA
- 3 out of 5
- E&L
- 4 out of 5
- LCT
- 4 out of 5
-
Parts and accessories on offer
- CYMA
- 4 out of 5
- E&L
- 3 out of 5
- LCT
- 5 out of 5
-
Friendly on the wallet
- CYMA
- 5 out of 5
- E&L
- 3 out of 5
- LCT
- 2 out of 5
CYMA is where most players start: the widest AK range in airsoft, from plastic beginners' rifles to full metal with real wood. E&L builds steel AKs on two levels, with plainer or better parts inside. LCT is the reference for steel, with the largest catalogue of AK variants and, beyond the AK, a G3 and other rifles of that era.
Others worth knowing: Tokyo Marui for electric AKs with recoil and WE for gas ones. Specna Arms and G&G have AK lines of their own.
Airsoft rifles in the webshop
AKs sit among the other rifles. Shown are those within the limits for Great Britain.
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HECKLER & KOCH (Umarex) AEG Rifle G36C Sportsline EyetraceMagazines and batteries
AK magazines come in two shapes: strongly curved for the AK-47 and AKM, a gentler curve for the AK-74 and AK-105. On electric AKs the part that feeds the BBs is the same, so they usually fit each other and the shape is a matter of looks. Usually: steel bodies can be a tight fit, so try one before you buy a set.
Gas AKs and rifles with recoil take magazines made for their own system.
Where the battery goes
-
Fixed stock. Often inside the stock, with room for a larger battery.
-
Folding stock. Under the top cover: a slim stick battery only.
-
Modern versions. Sometimes in the handguard or in an M4-type stock tube.
Used magazines on the marketplace
Check that the listing says AK, and electric or gas.
New and second-hand prices
What an AK costs follows the material. A plastic-bodied CYMA sits at the entry level, the full-metal ones in the mid-range, and steel from E&L and LCT above that. We print no amounts: the shelves show today's prices.
Second-hand, steel AKs are worth a look, because steel wears slowly. A used electric rifle of this kind can be a better buy than a new alloy one. Check the listings in the UK first: most sellers are in the Netherlands and Belgium, and a rifle sent from there crosses a customs border.
Used electric rifles on the marketplace
AKs and other electric rifles from players.
What to check on a used AK
Five checks before you pay
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Look for rust and dents
On a steel AK ask for photos under the top cover and around the folding stock. Surface rust wipes off; pitting and bent sheet steel do not.
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Check the wood and the hinge
Cracks where the stock meets the body, and play in a folding stock, are the usual damage. A wobbling stock is hard to cure.
-
Ask which magazines and battery it runs on
Both are tight fits on an AK. Magazines and a battery that are known to fit are worth money in the deal.
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Hear and see it fire
A video with sound, single shots and a burst, and a chrono reading: the measured speed of the BB, with the BB weight used.
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Pay with buyer protection
Your money is held until the rifle has arrived, and you can start a dispute until the automatic release, 10 working days after payment. See payment requests with buyer protection.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best airsoft AK47?
For most players a full-metal CYMA in the AKM shape: the classic look at a mid-range price, with parts everywhere. If you want steel and are happy to carry it, look at E&L and LCT. On a tight budget a plastic-bodied CYMA does the job.
Steel or polymer AK?
Polymer for a first rifle and for long game days: lighter, cheaper and just as effective. Steel for the feel, and for a rifle that lasts through rebuilds. Steel needs drying and oiling after wet games.
What is the difference between an AK47, AK74 and AK105?
Looks and length. The AK-47 and AKM have wood and a strongly curved magazine. The AK-74 has a gentler curve and, as the AK-74M, black polymer and a side-folding stock. The AK-105 is that rifle with a short barrel. The electric versions work the same inside.
Are AK magazines interchangeable?
Between electric AKs usually yes, AK-47 and AK-74 shapes included, although steel bodies can be a tight fit. Gas AKs and rifles with recoil take their own magazines.
Which AK brands are worth buying used?
LCT and E&L hold up best, because steel wears slowly; check them for rust. A used full-metal CYMA is a sound cheaper buy. Ask for the exact model, as every brand sells several levels.
Is an AK a good first gun?
Yes, if you like it enough to accept the fixed stock and the tight battery space. A polymer or full-metal CYMA is as easy to own as an entry-level M4. A steel AK is heavy for a first season.
Sources
- Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, section 36 (sale and import of realistic imitation firearms) legislation.gov.uk, 12 November 2026
- Firearms Act 1968, section 57A (airsoft guns) and section 24A (age) legislation.gov.uk, 12 November 2026
- Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, Schedule 1 legislation.gov.uk, 12 November 2026
- Representative products (AK74MN, 2007) Tokyo Marui, 12 November 2026
- Payment requests with buyer protection Airsoft Bazaar help centre
