CYMA Springfield SOC16 (CM.032)
Oct 8, 2013 2:21:45 GMT -5
Post by triggs (SABR) on Oct 8, 2013 2:21:45 GMT -5
Full Album Review – CYMA M14 SOCOM 16
CYMA Springfield M1A SOCOM 16 (CM.032
- Real Steel History
- Overview
- Accessories
- Externals review
- Internals review
- Performance
- Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
Real Steel History
The SOCOM II and SOCOM 16 are modern variants of the M14 manufactured with lighter materials. This rifle is the shortest barrel length (16 inches) for a rifle permissible without taxing and registration under the National Firearms Act in the United States. The gas system was reworked to ensure proper operation with the shortened barrel, and a new compensator was added to help soften recoil. The SOCOM II features a "Cluster Rail System", while the SOCOM 16 has a single short scope base. Another, more rare variant called the SOCOM II Extended Cluster Rail features a longer top rail that extends over the ejection port to the stripper clip guide, allowing the operator to mount optics farther to the rear. (taken from http://www.wikipedia.org)
Overview
To be perfectly honest, the M14 (and its subsequent variations) is one of the worst rifles to ever have to field for extended periods of time. The real and airsoft versions have a lot going against them. They are heavy (overall), but also poorly weight balanced (most of the weight is towards the barrel end, resulting in non-dominant hand fatigue, and slow shouldering speed). So why in heavens name am I writing this?
Well mostly because I am not the one footing the bill for the review. My brother has wanted an M14 for a while, and since it was a good deal, we couldn’t pass up getting the CYMA “SOC16.” In comparison though, I have owned a G&G M14 and Tokyo Marui M14, had teammates with Classic Army SOC16’s, and fielded them all. So I do know what I am reviewing and have plenty to compare to.
Historically, myself and CYMA have not had that great of run-ins. I have worked on their AK and M14 line and never been impressed with the external or internal quality in comparison to similarly priced clones, or similar products.
Accessories
The CYMA SOC16 doesn’t come with anything too special. It comes with the typical trickle charger (which should be tossed out immediately), as well as a standard unjamming rod. I did like the included sling, but unfortunately the clips at each end are not well reinforced and will quickly bend out of shape, and you will end up dropping the rifle at some point (which as I will cover, is not a good idea at all).
What I did find interesting was the included battery. Usually I am ok with the included batteries in China AEG’s. They work, and as long as they are charged with a decent charger, they do last for awhile. Usually for the M14 though, they have more than enough room in the stock to fit a large type NIMH battery. The CYMA however, includes a ADD SIZE small type with mini tamiya connectors. Oh well, it makes the rifle go pew-pew, so on we go.
The magazine is a standard TM spec 470rd high cap. The accessories bag includes a handy winding key, but the odds of losing it on the field are extremely high so you’re better off just using the bottom wheel like everyone else. This is probably the best time to mention that the G&G/CA M14’s are completely different designs than the TM (and clone) M14’s. The TM/CYMA/etc magazines will not fit a G&G/CA M14 and vise versa. So make sure when you are purchasing spare mags that you get TM spec ones for the CYMA SOC16.
As you will note, I did not receive a packet of the usual starter BB’s. I don’t know exactly why they weren’t in there, nor do I really care as I never use them anyways. Though it might explain why this particular one was so cheap…
Externals Review
One of the most common things I’ve heard about the latest CYMA’s is how great they feel and reliable they are. So when I received this SOC16 I was somewhat skeptical. I have to say though, at first glance and when I picked the rifle up it felt good considering the price…and that’s as far as it went.
I do want to rant for a bit here. In a number of reviews I have been hearing that the CYMA Mk14 EBR is “great because it’s lightweight, this means they used better quality metal.” Yeah no, it’s lighter because, like earlier CYMA models, and this SOC16, CYMA uses one of the cheapest “pot metal” alloys in producing their products. I honestly couldn’t even begin to tell you just what goes into the “metal” they use. However, from the amount of broken internals/externals I’ve seen, the majority is zinc, possibly steel or aluminum mixed in, but low grade at that. In short, don’t go running the rifle into trees, falling on top of it, or generally mis-handeling it. With that said, this SOC16 is surprisingly heavy. The paint coating is quite good, and makes the rifle feel like a high grade “blued steel.” I know it’s not, but it does feel like it.
It also comes with a working charging handle and locking bolt, something I don’t remember the last CYMA I worked on having, apparently they have finally redesigned the SOC16. Pulling the bolt to the rear, and pushing down on the bolt release locks the bolt in the open position. Unlike a real M14 or some other replicas, it really serves no purpose beyond looking cool and providing a nice clank (which is surprisingly loud on the SOC16). This is due to the M14 having the hopup adjustment knob on the bottom of the rifle. Instead of hitting the bolt release however, you do have to rack the charging handle to release the bolt.
The stock on the other hand, is possibly the cheapest feeling plastic I have seen in any recently produced replica. It vaguely reminds me of the old TM ABS plastic receivers (the ones that set the standard for “creaking”) and is nowhere close to the newer nylon fiber reinforced plastics common to other rifles (CA/STAR/ARES G36’s for example). With that in mind, the plastic feels even cheaper than the TM, but it is thicker, so it doesn’t creak. As you can see from the pictures there is definitely a good reason I got such a good deal on the rifle. The seam lines over the stock were bad, but the split crack down the bottom was terrible. I can’t say I’ve ever seen one this bad out of the box.
To be fair though, the grip textures are quite nice and feel quite good when shouldering the rifle. The metal buttpad has the standard M14 folding stock plate, as well as a small door to access the battery compartment (it’s certainly not big enough to fit a large type battery in the stock without work).
The upper section of the rifle includes a 4 inch standard picatinny rail bolted onto the barrel with a cutout in the barrel cover. This is a civilian modification only found in the Springfield M1A. The rifle still retains a rear sight post, and mount, in case you wish to add a RIS in the usual M14 location.
Unlike the M1A, the airsoft replica SOC16 includes a full auto selector to switch between firing modes normally found on a M14 (since it’s just a shortened M14 in this case). The safety is quite secure and easily recognizable even without looking at it. When the bar is back towards the trigger the rifle is in safe. There is no way to actually get your finger in the trigger guard without knocking the safety into the firing position. It’s also very easy to return the rifle to safe without looking at it.
Internals Review
Breakdown on a M14 is both simple and complicated. To pull the barrel and gearbox assembly from the stock you simply need to pull the trigger guard down and the safety/trigger guard/mag release assembly quickly drops out, and the barrel/gearbox assembly can be quickly pulled from the stock. From there however, it’s a mess of screws, pins, and hidden parts to actually disassemble the gearbox, and hopup, or just to get them free from the assembly frame. This is not the fault of CYMA, simply the original TM design.
So once it’s apart in the various sub sections, we’ll start with the barrel.
The inner barrel is a formidable 440mm (ish) length brass “wide bore” or standard 6.08mm barrel. While shorter than a standard M14 (509mm), the SOC16 is still not well suited for CQB. The hopup is a direct copy of the TM, so it should be easy to install a TM hopup if you can find one or so wish. The TM M14 uses a specific cut barrel so be sure to order a TM M14 cut inner barrel if you decide to get a tightbore for the rifle. I cannot stress this enough as, unlike the G&G/CA M14, the TM (and clone) M14’s have a very specific barrel for them.
The gearbox is also a 100% TM M14 clone. The good news is that any TM spec version 7 (v7) internals will fit, the bad news is, it’s 100% v7 which means there are some specific parts that can be harder to source when something breaks. I have some major issues with the CYMA shells however. They came from the factory heavily scratched (as seen in the pictures) and had a few burrs around the gears that kept them for spinning freely.
The gears unlabeled clone gears. Quite honestly they are the scariest looking quality. They look to be cleanly machined, but the metal quality is iffy at best. It is worth mentioning that they are TM v7, unlike the G&G/CA which uses v2/3 gears. The easiest way to tell is the spur gear on a v7 set is smaller than the spur gear of a standard v2/3 set.
The cylinder and cylinder head are basic. The cylinder is a standard type 0 unported brass piece. The cylinder head is a standard v7 plastic head, but is somewhat multi-colored and feels very cheap. I should mention the cylinder head did not seal at all, and required a good amount of Teflon tape to tighten up the air seal.
The piston and piston head are also extremely cheap feeling and I would not bet any money on them lasting. It does not have the texture of polycarb, but more closely reminds me of the clear plastic found in ARES and VFC AEG’s (which isn’t saying much for either company). The piston head oring did not seal at all, and required a new #14 oring to fix it.
The air nozzle is clear plastic, not something I trust, but it works. It has no o-ring but sealed well enough for one without.
The tappet plate is pretty much standard plastic like the piston/piston head.
The spring feels like M120 or M130, closer to an M130 to be honest, but the FPS readings were low enough it’s most likely a M120. The spring guide is also made of the same cheap feeling plastic, which I put no guarantees of durability in.
The motor is a basic China motor, it cycles decently, but it neither has excessive torque or speed so performance is mediocre. The wiring is soldered directly to the tabs so swapping the motor out is a bit more daunting, but easily done with a soldering iron.
Performance
FPS: 365-370 FPS~
Range: 170-180ft
If you’re buying a clone, regardless of brand or build, one shouldn’t expect it to be amazing. And honestly the CYMA M14 does ok, it doesn’t have extreme range and accuracy, but it does well enough to go out and compete with the other stock AEG’s. For the money I’d be happy with the range and accuracy I saw during testing. It’s at least able to hit a man sized target at 180ft with the proper tuning and BB weight.
Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
The RIS on the barrel offers very little space for optics, however, it does offer space, so mounting an Eotech or Aimpoint will work well and play to the shorter, compact (ish) size of the SOC16. There are always plenty of rail kits available to add additional rail space, as well as new flash hiders or suppressors. The body however, leaves little modification room without heavy work.
Externals Score: 6/10
I may be a bit harsh on the numbers here, but considering the split stock, quality of the metal and plastic I can’t justify a decent score. It’s just simply too fragile to be trusted with anything higher.
Internals Score: 4/10
I was severely disappointed in the, quality of the internals, to say it is worse than a standard JG, G& G, DBOY, or similarly priced replica is an understatement. I guarantee things will break; they are at least 100% v7 spec, so replacement/upgrade parts are available. They may take a bit more time to track down, but they are available.
Overall score: 6/10
In the end, you get what you pay for. Having never really been impressed with CYMA, I am impressed by this SOC16, it’s better built than their previous offerings. However, it’s still a poor substitute for other brands and build quality. If you’re only looking to try the M14 style rifle or want to get into the sport cheap, the CYMA is an option. If you want a long lasting, well built rifle though, the CYMA is at the bottom of the list. The price does reflect the quality.
© Copyright triggs 2013
CYMA Springfield M1A SOCOM 16 (CM.032
- Real Steel History
- Overview
- Accessories
- Externals review
- Internals review
- Performance
- Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
Real Steel History
The SOCOM II and SOCOM 16 are modern variants of the M14 manufactured with lighter materials. This rifle is the shortest barrel length (16 inches) for a rifle permissible without taxing and registration under the National Firearms Act in the United States. The gas system was reworked to ensure proper operation with the shortened barrel, and a new compensator was added to help soften recoil. The SOCOM II features a "Cluster Rail System", while the SOCOM 16 has a single short scope base. Another, more rare variant called the SOCOM II Extended Cluster Rail features a longer top rail that extends over the ejection port to the stripper clip guide, allowing the operator to mount optics farther to the rear. (taken from http://www.wikipedia.org)
Overview
To be perfectly honest, the M14 (and its subsequent variations) is one of the worst rifles to ever have to field for extended periods of time. The real and airsoft versions have a lot going against them. They are heavy (overall), but also poorly weight balanced (most of the weight is towards the barrel end, resulting in non-dominant hand fatigue, and slow shouldering speed). So why in heavens name am I writing this?
Well mostly because I am not the one footing the bill for the review. My brother has wanted an M14 for a while, and since it was a good deal, we couldn’t pass up getting the CYMA “SOC16.” In comparison though, I have owned a G&G M14 and Tokyo Marui M14, had teammates with Classic Army SOC16’s, and fielded them all. So I do know what I am reviewing and have plenty to compare to.
Historically, myself and CYMA have not had that great of run-ins. I have worked on their AK and M14 line and never been impressed with the external or internal quality in comparison to similarly priced clones, or similar products.
Accessories
The CYMA SOC16 doesn’t come with anything too special. It comes with the typical trickle charger (which should be tossed out immediately), as well as a standard unjamming rod. I did like the included sling, but unfortunately the clips at each end are not well reinforced and will quickly bend out of shape, and you will end up dropping the rifle at some point (which as I will cover, is not a good idea at all).
What I did find interesting was the included battery. Usually I am ok with the included batteries in China AEG’s. They work, and as long as they are charged with a decent charger, they do last for awhile. Usually for the M14 though, they have more than enough room in the stock to fit a large type NIMH battery. The CYMA however, includes a ADD SIZE small type with mini tamiya connectors. Oh well, it makes the rifle go pew-pew, so on we go.
The magazine is a standard TM spec 470rd high cap. The accessories bag includes a handy winding key, but the odds of losing it on the field are extremely high so you’re better off just using the bottom wheel like everyone else. This is probably the best time to mention that the G&G/CA M14’s are completely different designs than the TM (and clone) M14’s. The TM/CYMA/etc magazines will not fit a G&G/CA M14 and vise versa. So make sure when you are purchasing spare mags that you get TM spec ones for the CYMA SOC16.
As you will note, I did not receive a packet of the usual starter BB’s. I don’t know exactly why they weren’t in there, nor do I really care as I never use them anyways. Though it might explain why this particular one was so cheap…
Externals Review
One of the most common things I’ve heard about the latest CYMA’s is how great they feel and reliable they are. So when I received this SOC16 I was somewhat skeptical. I have to say though, at first glance and when I picked the rifle up it felt good considering the price…and that’s as far as it went.
I do want to rant for a bit here. In a number of reviews I have been hearing that the CYMA Mk14 EBR is “great because it’s lightweight, this means they used better quality metal.” Yeah no, it’s lighter because, like earlier CYMA models, and this SOC16, CYMA uses one of the cheapest “pot metal” alloys in producing their products. I honestly couldn’t even begin to tell you just what goes into the “metal” they use. However, from the amount of broken internals/externals I’ve seen, the majority is zinc, possibly steel or aluminum mixed in, but low grade at that. In short, don’t go running the rifle into trees, falling on top of it, or generally mis-handeling it. With that said, this SOC16 is surprisingly heavy. The paint coating is quite good, and makes the rifle feel like a high grade “blued steel.” I know it’s not, but it does feel like it.
It also comes with a working charging handle and locking bolt, something I don’t remember the last CYMA I worked on having, apparently they have finally redesigned the SOC16. Pulling the bolt to the rear, and pushing down on the bolt release locks the bolt in the open position. Unlike a real M14 or some other replicas, it really serves no purpose beyond looking cool and providing a nice clank (which is surprisingly loud on the SOC16). This is due to the M14 having the hopup adjustment knob on the bottom of the rifle. Instead of hitting the bolt release however, you do have to rack the charging handle to release the bolt.
The stock on the other hand, is possibly the cheapest feeling plastic I have seen in any recently produced replica. It vaguely reminds me of the old TM ABS plastic receivers (the ones that set the standard for “creaking”) and is nowhere close to the newer nylon fiber reinforced plastics common to other rifles (CA/STAR/ARES G36’s for example). With that in mind, the plastic feels even cheaper than the TM, but it is thicker, so it doesn’t creak. As you can see from the pictures there is definitely a good reason I got such a good deal on the rifle. The seam lines over the stock were bad, but the split crack down the bottom was terrible. I can’t say I’ve ever seen one this bad out of the box.
To be fair though, the grip textures are quite nice and feel quite good when shouldering the rifle. The metal buttpad has the standard M14 folding stock plate, as well as a small door to access the battery compartment (it’s certainly not big enough to fit a large type battery in the stock without work).
The upper section of the rifle includes a 4 inch standard picatinny rail bolted onto the barrel with a cutout in the barrel cover. This is a civilian modification only found in the Springfield M1A. The rifle still retains a rear sight post, and mount, in case you wish to add a RIS in the usual M14 location.
Unlike the M1A, the airsoft replica SOC16 includes a full auto selector to switch between firing modes normally found on a M14 (since it’s just a shortened M14 in this case). The safety is quite secure and easily recognizable even without looking at it. When the bar is back towards the trigger the rifle is in safe. There is no way to actually get your finger in the trigger guard without knocking the safety into the firing position. It’s also very easy to return the rifle to safe without looking at it.
Internals Review
Breakdown on a M14 is both simple and complicated. To pull the barrel and gearbox assembly from the stock you simply need to pull the trigger guard down and the safety/trigger guard/mag release assembly quickly drops out, and the barrel/gearbox assembly can be quickly pulled from the stock. From there however, it’s a mess of screws, pins, and hidden parts to actually disassemble the gearbox, and hopup, or just to get them free from the assembly frame. This is not the fault of CYMA, simply the original TM design.
So once it’s apart in the various sub sections, we’ll start with the barrel.
The inner barrel is a formidable 440mm (ish) length brass “wide bore” or standard 6.08mm barrel. While shorter than a standard M14 (509mm), the SOC16 is still not well suited for CQB. The hopup is a direct copy of the TM, so it should be easy to install a TM hopup if you can find one or so wish. The TM M14 uses a specific cut barrel so be sure to order a TM M14 cut inner barrel if you decide to get a tightbore for the rifle. I cannot stress this enough as, unlike the G&G/CA M14, the TM (and clone) M14’s have a very specific barrel for them.
The gearbox is also a 100% TM M14 clone. The good news is that any TM spec version 7 (v7) internals will fit, the bad news is, it’s 100% v7 which means there are some specific parts that can be harder to source when something breaks. I have some major issues with the CYMA shells however. They came from the factory heavily scratched (as seen in the pictures) and had a few burrs around the gears that kept them for spinning freely.
The gears unlabeled clone gears. Quite honestly they are the scariest looking quality. They look to be cleanly machined, but the metal quality is iffy at best. It is worth mentioning that they are TM v7, unlike the G&G/CA which uses v2/3 gears. The easiest way to tell is the spur gear on a v7 set is smaller than the spur gear of a standard v2/3 set.
The cylinder and cylinder head are basic. The cylinder is a standard type 0 unported brass piece. The cylinder head is a standard v7 plastic head, but is somewhat multi-colored and feels very cheap. I should mention the cylinder head did not seal at all, and required a good amount of Teflon tape to tighten up the air seal.
The piston and piston head are also extremely cheap feeling and I would not bet any money on them lasting. It does not have the texture of polycarb, but more closely reminds me of the clear plastic found in ARES and VFC AEG’s (which isn’t saying much for either company). The piston head oring did not seal at all, and required a new #14 oring to fix it.
The air nozzle is clear plastic, not something I trust, but it works. It has no o-ring but sealed well enough for one without.
The tappet plate is pretty much standard plastic like the piston/piston head.
The spring feels like M120 or M130, closer to an M130 to be honest, but the FPS readings were low enough it’s most likely a M120. The spring guide is also made of the same cheap feeling plastic, which I put no guarantees of durability in.
The motor is a basic China motor, it cycles decently, but it neither has excessive torque or speed so performance is mediocre. The wiring is soldered directly to the tabs so swapping the motor out is a bit more daunting, but easily done with a soldering iron.
Performance
FPS: 365-370 FPS~
Range: 170-180ft
If you’re buying a clone, regardless of brand or build, one shouldn’t expect it to be amazing. And honestly the CYMA M14 does ok, it doesn’t have extreme range and accuracy, but it does well enough to go out and compete with the other stock AEG’s. For the money I’d be happy with the range and accuracy I saw during testing. It’s at least able to hit a man sized target at 180ft with the proper tuning and BB weight.
Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
The RIS on the barrel offers very little space for optics, however, it does offer space, so mounting an Eotech or Aimpoint will work well and play to the shorter, compact (ish) size of the SOC16. There are always plenty of rail kits available to add additional rail space, as well as new flash hiders or suppressors. The body however, leaves little modification room without heavy work.
Externals Score: 6/10
I may be a bit harsh on the numbers here, but considering the split stock, quality of the metal and plastic I can’t justify a decent score. It’s just simply too fragile to be trusted with anything higher.
Internals Score: 4/10
I was severely disappointed in the, quality of the internals, to say it is worse than a standard JG, G& G, DBOY, or similarly priced replica is an understatement. I guarantee things will break; they are at least 100% v7 spec, so replacement/upgrade parts are available. They may take a bit more time to track down, but they are available.
Overall score: 6/10
In the end, you get what you pay for. Having never really been impressed with CYMA, I am impressed by this SOC16, it’s better built than their previous offerings. However, it’s still a poor substitute for other brands and build quality. If you’re only looking to try the M14 style rifle or want to get into the sport cheap, the CYMA is an option. If you want a long lasting, well built rifle though, the CYMA is at the bottom of the list. The price does reflect the quality.
© Copyright triggs 2013