The RX AK47 is a model I'm particularly fond of. The recoil sensation brought by the next-generation gearbox makes you feel as though you're holding a real gun. I've owned five AKs in total, four of which were RX models and the remaining one was an LH, all featuring the next-generation gearbox. The recoil sensation is amazing, and I've since stopped playing with ARs, which feel like pop guns in comparison.
The base model is a black gearbox RX AK47, which I've modified with a metal folding stock and a golden barrel to make it an AKS. I've kept the spare parts and will use them, along with some additional components, to build another AK-47. This is because I intend to fit both models with real wood parts, and this way I can save on some components and avoid waste.
The quality consistency of the RX black gearbox is average. The air seal of the cylinder head nozzle on this model is pretty good, the factory model can reach 78-81 m/s and it hasn't changed much after nearly 15,000 shots. However, the last AK102 I had wasn't as good, the nozzle had a large gap and could only reach 60+ m/s. But this time, the bearings failed. Upon disassembling the gearbox, I found that the cake gear bearing had exploded. Compared to the AK102, which could easily handle 100,000 shots, this one falls far short. As for internal modifications, I only replaced the cylinder head nozzle to enhance the air seal.
Here are a few things to note:
1. Make sure to buy a cylinder head without steps.
2. The RX cylinder head has a small hole for positioning, while the JM has a large one. After installation, there will be some rotation. The front end of the cylinder head can touch the gearbox shell and so far, no shell explosion has occurred.
3. The RX nozzle is about 1mm longer than the JM one, so you need to remove the rubber to increase the height.
4. The bridge slot of the RX nozzle is narrower than the JM one. You can wrap the cylinder head with tape to compensate. Overall, the RX gearbox has little room for internal modifications and poor parts compatibility. However, this solution has been quite stable on the AK102. Although it's a hard install, it seems quite stable so far. If the air seal is done well, it can reach 80+ m/s, which may not be suitable for some strict fields. It might be better to just display it on the wall.
5. Not all cylinder head nozzles are suitable, so you need to find the right one to match.
The other one has an orange gearbox, which was originally intended to replace the white gearbox of the Type 56 submachine gun. Due to historical reasons, it has been idle until now. I haven't found any difference between the orange and black gearboxes, so I just used it as is. I also have a high-torque motor with 31,000 rpm left over from ancient times, so I can only use a 7.4V battery.
Currently, I'm in a tight spot and only have a screwdriver to drive self-tapping screws. To prevent misalignment of the holes, I first glued all kinds of end caps to the wood with 704 glue before screwing. I screwed it half a turn and then backed out a turn, which is a standard operation.
The AKS has a metal front section, and there is a large gap between the sight and the gas guide, which needs to be filled with glue. The sight ring is fully enclosed, which looks a bit out of place. The AK-47 uses the RX's golden barrel, which fits much better than the original. The RX's golden barrel can only fit a 10mm external diameter shell for threading, while third-party barrels can fit an 11mm one. As for the original nylon barrel, it can't fit any threads at all, so be aware of that.
The receiver is still the old formula deep gray color, and there is a color difference when a metal cover is installed. The metal folding stock that comes with the receiver is black, the zinc alloy stock paint surface is poor and easily peels off in large areas, and the length and angle feel a bit off. RX's current models are not cheap either, they need to improve the material used for the shell.
