AGM M14 SOCOM AEG Review
Posted on Tuesday 18th September 2007 at 10:27
Purchase background
In preparation for a Live Role Play system I'm part of I needed an AEG I could easily convert to look like a laser rifle in the mode of Games Workshops 40k sniper rifles.
The M14's seem to be made for this, in reality they're used as marksman rifles and bare a good resemblance to the older "Ratlin" rifles. So, think that some dressing and an excessively large scope will do the trick I looked at the M14's. Unfortunately, I'm quite a short guy and the M14 was just too big for me…step forward the SOCOM version.
Shorter by 100-150mm, it seemed the ideal compromise for what I needed. I looked initially for the KART version but seeing as Airsoft Hobbys had the SPR I wanted but only stocked the AGM version I purchased that instead.
*Note – both the AGM M14 and the SOCOM have reverse polarity on their connectors. That is to say their wires are set in the opposite position to the industry standard. This is a very simple fix and should not put anyone off making an AGM purchase, its just a matter of getting a small flat head screwdriver (I used a 1mm one), and pushing the metal catches on the pins flat, removing them from the plug, bending the catches back proud, and re-inserting the pins the other way round into the plug. This is NOT a technical job, nor does it require you to open the AEG up apart from the battery compartment.
A well wrapped package arrived from Airsoft Hobbys two days later. The AGM box is pretty standard but shows the AEG with all the "bells and whistles", scope, bi-pod etc fitted. This is not the standard package but a package available from Airsoft Hobbys for a minor extra cost. I choose the basic AEG as I already had scope rings and was going to add a dummy scope of my own construction, besides I saw no valid reason to have a bi-pod on this shorter version.
Did I say shorter? I meant to say "shorter in comparison to the full length M14", as this AEG is not short! From my estimates the inner barrel is of equal length (or near to) a normal M16, so this is a woodland weapon. It can be used in Urban but you'd have problems with building entry unless you're well practiced.
Packaged with the AEG is the normal Chinese bundle of Battery, charger, disposable sling and hi-cap magazine. The chargers has quite a high output so I don't think I'll use it, the battery is a generic 1200mAh NiCD unit which I haven't tested yet and the hi-cap seems to be of comparable manufacture to the other Chinese hi-caps that have the speed winding mechanism.
Initial Views –
My immediate reaction on handling the AEG was "Bugger! This is heavy!!", I haven't got an AEG that I can use to compare to the weight of this AEG but without battery or ammo, this has a significant presence in your hands.
The overall pattern on the plastic furniture is quite convincingly "wood" but there are noticeable moulding marks along the seams top and bottom which a craft knife should sort out ok. Obviously, the stock etc feel plastic but there are no creeks that I have found so far. Whilst all this seems solid enough, I wouldn't drop the AEG onto a hard surface and expect the plastic to survive in one piece.
Flash-hinder, outer barrel, front and rear sights, trigger and guard etc are all metal and have been moulded well with no visible flash marks left on them. The rear sight adjusts for height by un-coiling a plastic insert in increments, and there is also adjustment left and right for windage. Whilst the windage adjustment is unlikely to be used in Airsoft, the way the range adjustment is made may actually prove useful if you care to "lob" shots a bit.
The AEG has an upper RIS rail approximately half way along the barrel for a scope mounting point in the "Scout" mode, this is also metal. The heat shielding below this and along most of the upper barrel though is plastic and quite a flimsy one at that, its not a load-bearing surface and is unlikely to come into any hard wear so this should be ok.
The Charging handle and dummy bolt carrier are metal and pulls and returns with quite a loud "clack-kerching", this is mainly due to the upper part of the dummy bolt carrier being loose to facilitate its movement past the rear part of the receiver. This, I believe is something indicative of most M14's though.
Hop-Up setting is underneath the AEG within the foremost surface of the mag-well. Initially I had visions of having to constantly take out the magazine to re-set the hop, but as the front of the well is well recessed you can access the dial quite easily with the magazine installed.
On that subject the magazine insertion is similar to the AK47's, and it inserts well, easily and with a nice positive click.
Battery compartment –
This is an oddity to me. The butt of the AEG has a hard plastic "flap", hinged on the upper part of the stock which you pull up to reveal a door in the stock for the battery insertion. The door itself has a spring loaded catch keeping it firmly closed but I suppose this outer flap not only disguises the door but also helps keep the battery door closed should its catch fail for any reason.
The battery compartment itself is exactly shaped and I could not fit the battery I got with my SPR (a NiCD 1500mAh unit) in the hole. The supplied battery fits ok though and the difference is millimetres to be honest, I have an industry standard large battery (NiCD 2000mAh) on the way which I intended to use on both AEG's. I'll check the dimensions when this arrives, if it doesn't fit…out with the file.
I have only currently dry-fired the AEG with "battery out" and from the sound of it the power will be at the 320-330fps range.
Initial summary –
If you want an M14 but something that looks a little more "modern" then the SOCOM is an excellent purchase for little under £100. However, for the same price you can get a Jing Gong AEG (and AK47 variant for example), and I'd rate the general Jing Gong finish much higher than the AGM's. I also purchased the Dboyi SPR Mod.0 at the same time, and whilst the M14 initially has more "gravitas" to it being instantly World War II (ish) and quite heavy the general finish – mouldings, fit etc – is significantly better, though the Dboyi was £40 more.
Seems that AGM are a reasonable manufacturer but obviously behind Dboyi and Jing Gong for general build quality. At the end of the day, I didn't purchase the KART version so I can't comment on a direct comparison there which would be nice but if you want that USMC Scout look to go with your ACU loadout I can't think of a better AEG to match it.
In preparation for a Live Role Play system I'm part of I needed an AEG I could easily convert to look like a laser rifle in the mode of Games Workshops 40k sniper rifles.
The M14's seem to be made for this, in reality they're used as marksman rifles and bare a good resemblance to the older "Ratlin" rifles. So, think that some dressing and an excessively large scope will do the trick I looked at the M14's. Unfortunately, I'm quite a short guy and the M14 was just too big for me…step forward the SOCOM version.
Shorter by 100-150mm, it seemed the ideal compromise for what I needed. I looked initially for the KART version but seeing as Airsoft Hobbys had the SPR I wanted but only stocked the AGM version I purchased that instead.
*Note – both the AGM M14 and the SOCOM have reverse polarity on their connectors. That is to say their wires are set in the opposite position to the industry standard. This is a very simple fix and should not put anyone off making an AGM purchase, its just a matter of getting a small flat head screwdriver (I used a 1mm one), and pushing the metal catches on the pins flat, removing them from the plug, bending the catches back proud, and re-inserting the pins the other way round into the plug. This is NOT a technical job, nor does it require you to open the AEG up apart from the battery compartment.
A well wrapped package arrived from Airsoft Hobbys two days later. The AGM box is pretty standard but shows the AEG with all the "bells and whistles", scope, bi-pod etc fitted. This is not the standard package but a package available from Airsoft Hobbys for a minor extra cost. I choose the basic AEG as I already had scope rings and was going to add a dummy scope of my own construction, besides I saw no valid reason to have a bi-pod on this shorter version.
Did I say shorter? I meant to say "shorter in comparison to the full length M14", as this AEG is not short! From my estimates the inner barrel is of equal length (or near to) a normal M16, so this is a woodland weapon. It can be used in Urban but you'd have problems with building entry unless you're well practiced.
Packaged with the AEG is the normal Chinese bundle of Battery, charger, disposable sling and hi-cap magazine. The chargers has quite a high output so I don't think I'll use it, the battery is a generic 1200mAh NiCD unit which I haven't tested yet and the hi-cap seems to be of comparable manufacture to the other Chinese hi-caps that have the speed winding mechanism.
Initial Views –
My immediate reaction on handling the AEG was "Bugger! This is heavy!!", I haven't got an AEG that I can use to compare to the weight of this AEG but without battery or ammo, this has a significant presence in your hands.
The overall pattern on the plastic furniture is quite convincingly "wood" but there are noticeable moulding marks along the seams top and bottom which a craft knife should sort out ok. Obviously, the stock etc feel plastic but there are no creeks that I have found so far. Whilst all this seems solid enough, I wouldn't drop the AEG onto a hard surface and expect the plastic to survive in one piece.
Flash-hinder, outer barrel, front and rear sights, trigger and guard etc are all metal and have been moulded well with no visible flash marks left on them. The rear sight adjusts for height by un-coiling a plastic insert in increments, and there is also adjustment left and right for windage. Whilst the windage adjustment is unlikely to be used in Airsoft, the way the range adjustment is made may actually prove useful if you care to "lob" shots a bit.
The AEG has an upper RIS rail approximately half way along the barrel for a scope mounting point in the "Scout" mode, this is also metal. The heat shielding below this and along most of the upper barrel though is plastic and quite a flimsy one at that, its not a load-bearing surface and is unlikely to come into any hard wear so this should be ok.
The Charging handle and dummy bolt carrier are metal and pulls and returns with quite a loud "clack-kerching", this is mainly due to the upper part of the dummy bolt carrier being loose to facilitate its movement past the rear part of the receiver. This, I believe is something indicative of most M14's though.
Hop-Up setting is underneath the AEG within the foremost surface of the mag-well. Initially I had visions of having to constantly take out the magazine to re-set the hop, but as the front of the well is well recessed you can access the dial quite easily with the magazine installed.
On that subject the magazine insertion is similar to the AK47's, and it inserts well, easily and with a nice positive click.
Battery compartment –
This is an oddity to me. The butt of the AEG has a hard plastic "flap", hinged on the upper part of the stock which you pull up to reveal a door in the stock for the battery insertion. The door itself has a spring loaded catch keeping it firmly closed but I suppose this outer flap not only disguises the door but also helps keep the battery door closed should its catch fail for any reason.
The battery compartment itself is exactly shaped and I could not fit the battery I got with my SPR (a NiCD 1500mAh unit) in the hole. The supplied battery fits ok though and the difference is millimetres to be honest, I have an industry standard large battery (NiCD 2000mAh) on the way which I intended to use on both AEG's. I'll check the dimensions when this arrives, if it doesn't fit…out with the file.
I have only currently dry-fired the AEG with "battery out" and from the sound of it the power will be at the 320-330fps range.
Initial summary –
If you want an M14 but something that looks a little more "modern" then the SOCOM is an excellent purchase for little under £100. However, for the same price you can get a Jing Gong AEG (and AK47 variant for example), and I'd rate the general Jing Gong finish much higher than the AGM's. I also purchased the Dboyi SPR Mod.0 at the same time, and whilst the M14 initially has more "gravitas" to it being instantly World War II (ish) and quite heavy the general finish – mouldings, fit etc – is significantly better, though the Dboyi was £40 more.
Seems that AGM are a reasonable manufacturer but obviously behind Dboyi and Jing Gong for general build quality. At the end of the day, I didn't purchase the KART version so I can't comment on a direct comparison there which would be nice but if you want that USMC Scout look to go with your ACU loadout I can't think of a better AEG to match it.