Reviews

King Arms Troy A3 CQB Compact AEG

Anonymous (not verified)

The 26 inch floating heavy barrel sniper rifle that we reviewed previously is a class of its own in terms of build and materials used. We are expecting the same for the King Arms Troy A3 CQB Compact AEG. In fact we thought of just writing praises about it rather than peeling off its layers and examining its internals. However that would be a very partial review. As we have always done we would like to give our readers a good evaluation of what’s new and what’s hot.

The Box

Well, what can we say? It’s the same quality cardboard box with gloss finished red white and black design and the all familiar KA coat of arms in the middle. It’s a reassuring, solid, and uniform design that signifies good quality and high standard workmanship. The only way to tell what is inside is a sticker on the lower left hand corner of the cover that says Troy CQB A3 Compact then it continues to give out the specifications for this particular AEG which surprised me when I read that this weighs at just  little over 2 kilograms. A manual is now included plus a separate sheet with specific instructions on how to install a battery in the crane stock.



First Look

On opening the box the quality that was apparent on the outside continues with what is inside. There sits the Troy CQB Rifle enclosed and protected by dense moulded foam cut to accommodate the AEG and its accessories. The M4 comes with a red protective cap on the muzzle. Also included are a 300-round hicap magazine, a cleaning rod, a pair of RIS guard covers, and an all black ABS plastic RIS foregrip with pressure pad. As with the sniper rifle there are neither batteries nor a charger included. In terms of markings on the left side of the lower receiver is where you can find the Trojan horse symbol plus the Troy markings. On the right side is the crosshair and two arrows plus text. There are also number markings on rails. This AEG sports metal folding rear sight.





Take Down

When we did our first King Arms AEG design take down with the sniper rifle it seemed to be an unfamiliar territory and very different from what we were accustomed to. Now that we have done our second one with the Troy we just realized that it is still the same process but what makes it unique and sets it apart from other AEGs are the minor details that make a difference.

To begin with, you start by removing the motor plate of the pistol grip in order to access the motor. Then proceed to loosen two screws located inside the grip and then disconnect the grip from the lower receiver.



We then need to remove the retractable butt in order to access the screw inside the butt stock buffer tube. Once this screw is removed we proceed to pull out both the rear take down pin and the front pivot pin. Please notice that I said pull out and not remove, as the design for these pins is exactly the same as the ones for the sniper rifle --- they cannot be fully removed from the receiver. This is one of those unique features that make a difference. How many of you like me have experienced losing these pins in emergency repairs during skirmishes because they have fallen off?



Next, we then proceed to remove a smaller pin located just above the trigger. By doing this step, we remove the magazine release button.



Now we can detach the upper from the lower receiver. In the upper receiver we can now access the inner barrel and the single construction hop-up mechanism made of aluminium. Although the hop-up chamber is made up of aluminium the hop up wheel is made of ABS.



Removing the gearbox from the lower receiver is just as easy as any AEG and we can see that it is made of aluminium. Another unique design is that all the retaining screws are uniformly allen screws of the same size. This lessens the number of tools need as well as making takedowns friendlier and efficient. Upon opening the gearbox we find it to be well lubricated, it has a 28-coil spring and an ABS spring guide. The piston is also made of ABS as is the piston head. The gears are much like in the KA sniper, they look and feel strong and reliable. We also note the 7mm bearing noted in the description on the box lid.



The Verdict

Again we were impressed by the overall construction of this AEG from King Arms. There are however a few downsides that we have taken note of namely: the wiring connecting the gearbox to the battery is quite flimsy as the sample had wires that were stripped of its insulation and thus exposed; and lastly it is a lowdown that the crane stock custom battery is very difficult to put into the stock. I guess the workaround with this AEG in terms of battery installation would be to keep the battery in the stock and charge it while it’s in there. But, overall another great AEG from King Arms.


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