I’ve owned this gun since December of 2019 and I’ve played with it enough to be able to write a review of the CYMA CM 076 D. As you may know, Cyma likes to make lines of airsoft guns with the same internals, but slightly different external parts. That is where the D comes in. I bought it on a Black Friday deal from gunfire.com because I wanted a short AK variant and the slim folding stock looked interesting. It cost me 148 Euros, which is a fair price in my opinion.
This review is valid for all CYMA 076 variants as the internals are the same. The only variation might be the inner barrel length, but other than that, all other differences are purely cosmetic. With that said, let’s dive right in and talk about this replica.
Basic information about the CM 076 D
| Length | 755 – 840 mm / 530 mm with folded stock |
| Weight | 3120 grams ~ 6.87 pounds |
| Inner barrel length | 210 mm |
| Magazine | 400 round Hi-cap |
| Gearbox version | Version 3 |
Why I Bought It
I already own another Cyma AK, the CM 077, which I quite like, but is a bit long and hard to maneuver in close quarters sometimes. Seeing as I already had spare magazines, buying another Cyma replica was a no brainer. What drew me to the CM 076 was the shorter form factor. After all, it is an AK 74 U variant that is made to look more “tacticool” with all the rail space and M4 style stock.
Even though I mostly play on a woodland airsoft field, a shorter gun can be an advantage because there are lots of spots with thick vegetation that can snag your gear and a few ruined buildings. I don’t feel like the shorter barrel is a drawback because the replica still offers sufficient range and accuracy.
Now let’s talk about the gun some more. I will cover external components, internal components, and performance. Lastly, I will go over the modifications I’ve had made to it to make it a more reliable airsoft gun.
Unboxing the CYMA CM 076 D
The gun comes in a nice CYMA labeled box that shows some information about the model. All the bits are securely held by a foam material that should offer plenty of protection during shipping and handling. Inside you will find:
- The replica
- 400 round high capacity magazine
- Charger
- A 9.6 V NiMh battery – 1200 mAh that fits under the dust cover
- Cleaning rod
- User manual
External Components
The flash hider – an aggressive design that certainly contributes to the overall look of the replica. It is a normal AK muzzle device that is secured in place by a spring-loaded pin. To remove it, just push in the pin and unscrew. Under it is an adapter held on by a grub screw which can be removed if you wanted to attach a 14 mm counter-clockwise suppressor.
Being made entirely of metal, it is a hefty piece that certainly adds to the overall weight of the replica. It feels very sturdy and it can take quite a lot of abuse. After banging it around the entire day, I haven’t seen any scratches, and the grey finish held up well.
The front sight post – typical AK sight that can be adjusted for elevation using the provided key. Nothing spectacular to report here.
The front handguard – made up of two parts. The upper features a 115 mm Picatinny rail that allows you to add all kinds of accessories, from optics, to PEQ boxes and lens protectors. The lower part has the Keymod mounting system to which I’ve attached a short metal foregrip.
The pieces fit well together and there is no wobble or creaking when handling the rifle. The handguard is made from aluminum with a matte black finish that seems very durable. While the design is cool, there are some issues with it.
My first gripe with the handguard is that the slot in the Picatinny rail isn’t perfectly aligned to the front sight. This doesn’t impact the performance of the replica, but you do notice it when aiming down the sights. Maybe it can be fixed, but I haven’t bothered with it.
Another problem that I have found is that you can’t slide the battery inside the upper part of the handguard like you can with most airsoft AKs. That is because Cyma has used an interesting system to hold the mock gas tube cover in place. The hinged dust cover operates a bolt that slides in a retaining hole in the upper part of the handguard. When the dust cover is open, you can simply remove the gas tube cover without any tool. However, I simply don’t see the point as you can’t use this space to store the battery. I would say that this is a poor design choice that limits battery space.
Rear sights – a solid piece that is fixed in place. They can’t be adjusted because they are a part of the hinge mechanism that opens the dust cover. In my experience, they work well enough.
Dust cover – it is attached to a hinge that sits on the front trunion and has a 145 mm Picatinny rail on top. There is ample space to attach optics and other accessories. The hinge feels very sturdy and there is no play in it even when the cover is lifted. I do like this design as it makes opening and closing the dust cover very easy and there is zero chance of losing it by accident.
Magazine – the gun comes with a polymer high capacity magazine that holds around 350-400 BBs. It works well and I really like its shape. It is a bit shorter than standard AK 74 magazines and a bit straighter as well. The texturing on it is nice and makes it easy to grip. Perhaps the best part about it is that it doesn’t require special magazine pouches. It will fit any standard M4 pouch.
Cyma also makes some midcaps with the same form factor and a somewhat translucent material that allows you to see the BBs. They work great in this gun and they help with the tactical look. If you are planning on buying this gun, I would recommend also purchasing some midcaps.
Fire selector – it is the AK enhanced variant, meaning that it has an extra piece that allows you to operate it with your index finger without taking your hand off of the pistol grip. Like with all AKs, the first position is safe, followed by full auto and single fire at the bottom position.
Receiver – sturdy metal construction. Does not have the classic “dovetail joint” on the left side that would allow the attachment of a side rail. However, this isn’t a problem as the dust cover already has a Picatinny rail. There is a sling attachment squeezed in between the receiver and the pistol grip.
Pistol grip – nicer than a stock AK grip. It is very comfortable and it suits the overall look of the gun. The polymer feels sturdy and should last well.
Stock – minimalist design inspired by the Battlelink Minimalist Stock. The stock tube is a standard M4 variant. It has 6 positions to adjust the length of pull. The stock also folds to the side when the release button is pushed. The gun can be operated while the stock is folded, which means you can use it in very tight spaces. There are two points where you can attach a sling and the but plate is rubberized for extra grip.
Like with all telescoping stocks, there is a bit of play. I have fixed this by removing the stock and sticking some velcro tape on the tube. This eliminates most of the wobble.
Internal Components
Inner Barrel – a standard Cyma brass barrel. The length is 210 mm and the diameter is 6.08. It works fine, but it could probably be replaced with a tighter, more finely finished one to increase performance. All I did to it was some cleaning with the provided unjamming rod and a small piece of cloth. You should do this even when the gun is new as there might be some residue that will impact accuracy.
Hop-Up Unit – standard metal AK hop-up unit. To adjust the hop, you simply operate the slider. Moving it backward applies more hop while moving it forward removes pressure on the bucking. Again, it works well enough. The only problem is that the slider can become loose, causing it to lose its setting. This will mean you will need to adjust the hop more frequently. To fix this, you can tighten the screw that holds the slider. The best option is to use a small shim to provide more friction between the slider and the hop unit. Just remove the screw, apply the shim, tighten the screw.
Bucking – standard Cyma black rubber. It hops 0.28 gram BBs just fine so I’ve decided to leave it alone and replace it when it breaks.
Gearbox – Reinforced version 3 gearbox that is well finished. Inside you will find the following:
- 7 mm steel bushings
- Steel gears
- M120 spring
- Bearing spring guide
- 1 Steel tooth piston
- Cyma states that the replica comes with a torque motor, but I’m not really sure how accurate this is.
- Plastic nozzle
Battery connector – the replica comes with a small Tamiya connector.
Battery – a 1200 mAh 9.6 V NiMh unit that has enough juice to power the gun for a few hours of gaming. What I can say is that I have another battery just like this from my other Cyma AK and that one seems to last longer.
Using the Gun in its Stock Configuration
Performance out of the box is probably what you can expect for a Cyma AK. I haven’t fired it through a chronograph, but like most Cyma models, it probably shoots a bit hotter than what is advertised on the box. My tech said it does around 420 FPS. Depending on your country limits, you might need to downgrade the power.
Trigger response – nothing mind-blowing. The trigger has a slightly longer pull. You need to make sure to squeeze the trigger completely for the gun to work well in semi. Not doing so will cause the gun to half cycle.
Rate of fire – I don’t know exactly how many rounds it can fire per second, but it isn’t very impressive. When my tech measured it, it shot 9,74 RPS with the stock battery and without any modifications. For fields that do allow full auto, it should perform adequately without being inconsiderate to opposing players.
Range – using 0.28-gram G&G BBs, I would say that the range is impressive for a replica with such a short inner barrel. The hop-up works well with either 0.25 and 0.28 gram BBs as it can lift both weights perfectly. I haven’t tried using 0.3s, but I’m sure it could do it.
Accuracy – I’m happy to report that there is no side to side deviation in the BB flight trajectory. This makes it easy to hit human-sized targets at reasonable engagement distances. Overall I’m happy with how it performs.
Upgrading the CYMA CM 076 D
As I’m not very confident in working on AEGs other than small jobs like replacing a bucking or some external modifications, I’ve had my local technician replace some of the parts inside the CYMA CM 076 D and shim the gearbox.
Known issues with the CM 076 line – poor air seal, which leads to poor compression. This sometimes makes the gun lose power, making some shots fall short. As you can imagine, the loss of consistency can get frustrating.
To solve this, the stock piston and piston head were replaced with SHS parts. This ensures a good air seal. In addition, the stock nozzle was replaced with one that has an O-ring. All of these replacements made the replica fire consistently and with no loss in power.
Replacing the bushings – The 7 mm steel bushings were replaced with Rocket ball bearings to help the gears turn faster and with less drag.
Mosfet – to keep the cost low, I’ve had a Picco SSR 3 Mosfet from GATE installed. This is a basic unit that helps with power flow and improves trigger response. In addition, it protects the trigger contacts. It is easy to install as it doesn’t go inside the gearbox. In my opinion, it is a great unit for just around 15 dollars.
Switching the gun to Deans (T connectors) – a simple upgrade that ensures better power flow.
Using a LiPo Battery – as the battery space is somewhat limited because of the design of the front handguard. I’ve had to find a LiPo battery that will fit under the dust cover. Currently, I’m using a 7.4V, 1200 mAh 15/30 C Battery from Specna Arms. It offers enough performance and it can get me through a morning of play.
Verdict
The CYMA CM 076 D is a good choice for people who want to have an AK 74 U in a modern configuration. There is plenty of rail space that allows you to customize the look with all sorts of attachments. The best part is that you don’t need to buy a side rail in order to fit an optic on your gun like you need to do with classic AK variants.
The performance out of the box is adequate for a beginner. In terms of reliability, Cyma AKs are a thing of legend so, in theory, the gun should run for a few years before you need to replace parts. Unfortunately, that was not the case with mine as after about 5 games, the gun seemed to have random drops in power. According to my airsoft tech, the problem was caused by the poor air seal, which is a common problem in most of the CM 076 line from Cyma.
The fix was relatively inexpensive so I also decided to swap out some of the stock parts to gain better performance. After these modifications, I am quite happy with how the gun works and it has proven to be very reliable. Maybe the issue I had was just down to bad luck, as one of my friends hasn’t had any problem with his CM 076 A since getting it.
The Good
- Great looking tactical AK with lots of modern elements.
- Small form factor that makes it good for CQB and storage
- Sturdy construction and nice quality materials.
- Adequate performance out of the box.
- Good for beginners as it comes with a battery and charger.
- Standard V3 gearbox that is easy to upgrade.
- Works with a large variety of AK magazines.
The Bad
- A bit heavy for such a small gun. Most of the weight is at the front as the handguard and flash hider are made of metal.
- Collapsible stock can be wobbly, but this is easily fixed.
- Limited battery storage under the dust cover because of the design of the handguard.
- Front sight and rail cutout don’t align perfectly.
- The internals don’t offer a great air seal which can affect the performance.
Would I Recommend the CYMA CM 076 D?
Yes. I believe that for the price I paid for it (148 Euros) it is a good airsoft gun. Cyma makes great beginner guns that are easy to upgrade because they use standard parts. The best option would be to run the gun in its stock configuration until it breaks and then consider replacing some of the parts with higher-end internals.
If you’re in the market for a “tacticool” AK, the CM 076 D is probably your best bet at an affordable price.