UTG AK Spetz Review

UTG recently released a new version of their popular AK47. This new gun is known as the UTG Spetsnaz Commando, or UTG Spetz for short. It’s a shorter version of the original AK, and has black furniture instead of the faux wood found on the original. Let’s take a closer look at the gun.

Appearance

The UTG Spetz comes packed in the same type of box used for most AEG’s—it’s made of styrofoam and has compartments for the included accessories. Like most other UTG guns, the Spetz comes with a 3-point sling, 1800mAh large battery, charger, speedloader, cleaning/unjamming rod, scope mount, and two magazines. This is where UTG beats other companies—they include everything a player needs to get started. These items will all be discussed later, but for now let’s look at the gun itself.

The UTG Spetz is based on the original UTG AK, and shares many features with that gun. The receiver is exactly the same, and is plastic except for the upper receiver cover. Sling mounts are located on the front sight unit and the left side of the receiver, allowing for any type of sling to be mounted to the weapon. The rear sight is the same on both guns, which is a slight downside. The shortness of the weapon causes this sight to be extremely ineffective—the distance between the two sight points is too short. However, the sights seem to be effective, and most users will prefer a red-dot sight anyway. The sight is adjusted by pushing in a small button on the metal slider, which allows the sight to raise and lower for various ranges. It’s an easy to adjust system.

UTG also includes a scope mount, which is a definite plus. The mount attaches to the top of the receiver cover, and has three rails to allow for the attachment of not only a scope, but other accessories too. Three screws secure it, and it’s easily removed. This leaves three small holes in the top of the receiver, but it’s a minor issue. The mount even has a channel in it to allow the user to use iron sights if desired. The rails are the standard Weaver/RIS type, and every accessory I’ve tested works perfectly on them.

Another great feature of the UTG Spetz is the small rail found under the lower front handguard. The rail is perfect for mounting a vertical foregrip, and is securely mounted to the weapon. The gun is the perfect length to allow for comfortable use of a foregrip, and I have one mounted on my Spetz. A laser or flashlight could also easily fit on the rail if desired.

Magazine

The magazines included with the UTG Spetz appear to be identical to the UTG mags included with the original UTG AK. These mags are the subject of some controversy—it’s commonly known that they won’t reliably feed on full-auto. A modification can be done to fix this problem, but in stock form the magazines will not allow the gun to fire on auto. They simply don’t have enough spring tension to feed BB’s fast enough.

Beyond that, the magazines work perfectly. Most users will rarely use full-auto anyway, and if it’s that big of a concern, an aftermarket magazine can be purchased that will alleviate the problem. The magazines are high-capacity ones that require winding, and hold 600 BB’s. The magazines fit into the gun well, and like most AK’s, they must be rocked into the gun. The lever-style magazine catch is easy to use and works well. My one complaint in this area is with the pin that acts as a pivot point for the magazine catch. This pin is simply held in by friction, and mine started to work itself free during a game. It was simple enough to push back in and I haven’t had another problem with it, but I’d still recommend covering both sides with a strip of tape or purchasing a small bolt to replace the pin. After all, you don’t want your magazine catch coming out during a game.

Battery and Charger

Like every other UTG gun, the UTG Spetz includes a battery and charger. The battery in this case is an 8.4 volt 1800mAh large battery, which is a standard voltage and capacity for large batteries. The charger is a trickle charger, and would take several hours to fully charge the battery. I strongly recommend purchasing a faster charger—although the UTG one works, it’s extremely time consuming.

The battery fits in the full stock, which is opened by removing the rear plate. This plate simply slides down and pulls off. The battery can then be pushed inside, and the wires conveniently fit in a spot directly below the battery. It’s a tight squeeze, but fits. The cover simply snaps back on. It fits securely, and there’s basically no risk of it falling off during a game.

Fire Selector

The fire selector appears to be similar to every other AK on the market. However, the settings are backwards from most AK’s—it’s the same as the original UTG AK. The top setting is safe, the middle is semi, and the bottom is auto. One nice change from the original AK is that the selector on the Spetz is much easier to switch between settings. Some people may see this as a downside because the selector could get knocked into a different setting, but I see it as a benefit because it’s much easier to choose a new setting. Both semi and auto work well, although the magazine will either need to be modified or replaced in order for auto to work correctly.

Performance

Of course, this is the most important part. To test the gun in combat, I played in a night game recently with the Spetz. My gun had a red-dot that I had sighted in the previous day, a vertical foregrip, and a flashlight. I was using the battery that came with the gun, and the original magazines.

The gun performed flawlessly. The shots always seemed to hit in the same place, and the BB’s always seemed to be right on target with the reflex sight. Range and power were also impressive, and I was able to make several kills at relatively long distances. Everyone was talking about the gun, and those who were shot by it kept commenting on how much it hurt. Most players seemed surprised that such a small gun could make such accurate shots, even at range. The Spetz may be designed for CQB, but it performs extremely well at range. A few people in the group stated that if they could get another gun, it’d be the Spetz. I did better in that game than I usually do, and I think it was due to the accuracy and power of the gun. It will definitely be my primary weapon for many future games.

I’d recommend the UTG Spetsnaz Commando to anyone who wants a compact, yet powerful weapon. The price is definitely attractive—the gun costs $130-$140 at most retailers. It’s a great deal for the money, and can easily stand up to much more expensive weapons. Its range and accuracy allow it to perform well in both CQB and field combat. The included scope mount and handguard rail allow for almost any accessory to be mounted to the weapon, and UTG even includes the basics such as a battery and charger. UTG guns also use a TM-compatible gearbox, so internal upgrades are possible to improve the FPS and ROF of the gun. Overall, I would recommend the UTG Spetz. It’s a great gun that doesn’t cost an absurd amount of money, and can always be upgraded to match the changing demands of the user.


	UTG AK Spetsnaz Review UTG recently released a new version of their popular AK47. This new gun is known as the UTG Spetsnaz Commando, or UTG Spetz for short. It’s a shorter version of the original AK, and has black furniture instead of the faux wood found on the original. Let’s take a closer look at the gun. Appearance The UTG Spetz comes packed in the same type of box used for most AEG’s—it’s made of styrofoam and has compartments for the included accessories. Like most other UTG guns, the Spetz comes with a 3-point sling, 1800mAh large battery, charger, speedloader, cleaning/unjamming rod, scope mount, and two magazines. This is where UTG beats other companies—they include everything a player needs to get started. These items will all be discussed later, but for now let’s look at the gun itself. The UTG Spetz is based on the original UTG AK, and shares many features with that gun. The receiver is exactly the same, and is plastic except for the upper receiver cover. Sling mounts are located on the front sight unit and the left side of the receiver, allowing for any type of sling to be mounted to the weapon. The rear sight is the same on both guns, which is a slight downside. The shortness of the weapon causes this sight to be extremely ineffective—the distance between the two sight points is too short. However, the sights seem to be effective, and most users will prefer a red-dot sight anyway. The sight is adjusted by pushing in a small button on the metal slider, which allows the sight to raise and lower for various ranges. It’s an easy to adjust system. UTG also includes a scope mount, which is a definite plus. The mount attaches to the top of the receiver cover, and has three rails to allow for the attachment of not only a scope, but other accessories too. Three screws secure it, and it’s easily removed. This leaves three small holes in the top of the receiver, but it’s a minor issue. The mount even has a channel in it to allow the user to use iron sights if desired. The rails are the standard Weaver/RIS type, and every accessory I’ve tested works perfectly on them. Another great feature of the UTG Spetz is the small rail found under the lower front handguard. The rail is perfect for mounting a vertical foregrip, and is securely mounted to the weapon. The gun is the perfect length to allow for comfortable use of a foregrip, and I have one mounted on my Spetz. A laser or flashlight could also easily fit on the rail if desired. Magazine The magazines included with the UTG Spetz appear to be identical to the UTG mags included with the original UTG AK. These mags are the subject of some controversy—it’s commonly known that they won’t reliably feed on full-auto. A modification can be done to fix this problem, but in stock form the magazines will not allow the gun to fire on auto. They simply don’t have enough spring tension to feed BB’s fast enough. Beyond that, the magazines work perfectly. Most users will rarely use full-auto anyway, and if it’s that big of a concern, an aftermarket magazine can be purchased that will alleviate the problem. The magazines are high-capacity ones that require winding, and hold 600 BB’s. The magazines fit into the gun well, and like most AK’s, they must be rocked into the gun. The lever-style magazine catch is easy to use and works well. My one complaint in this area is with the pin that acts as a pivot point for the magazine catch. This pin is simply held in by friction, and mine started to work itself free during a game. It was simple enough to push back in and I haven’t had another problem with it, but I’d still recommend covering both sides with a strip of tape or purchasing a small bolt to replace the pin. After all, you don’t want your magazine catch coming out during a game. Battery and Charger Like every other UTG gun, the UTG Spetz includes a battery and charger. The battery in this case is an 8.4 volt 1800mAh large battery, which is a standard voltage and capacity for large batteries. The charger is a trickle charger, and would take several hours to fully charge the battery. I strongly recommend purchasing a faster charger—although the UTG one works, it’s extremely time consuming. The battery fits in the full stock, which is opened by removing the rear plate. This plate simply slides down and pulls off. The battery can then be pushed inside, and the wires conveniently fit in a spot directly below the battery. It’s a tight squeeze, but fits. The cover simply snaps back on. It fits securely, and there’s basically no risk of it falling off during a game. Fire Selector The fire selector appears to be similar to every other AK on the market. However, the settings are backwards from most AK’s—it’s the same as the original UTG AK. The top setting is safe, the middle is semi, and the bottom is auto. One nice change from the original AK is that the selector on the Spetz is much easier to switch between settings. Some people may see this as a downside because the selector could get knocked into a different setting, but I see it as a benefit because it’s much easier to choose a new setting. Both semi and auto work well, although the magazine will either need to be modified or replaced in order for auto to work correctly. Performance Of course, this is the most important part. To test the gun in combat, I played in a night game recently with the Spetz. My gun had a red-dot that I had sighted in the previous day, a vertical foregrip, and a flashlight. I was using the battery that came with the gun, and the original magazines. The gun performed flawlessly. The shots always seemed to hit in the same place, and the BB’s always seemed to be right on target with the reflex sight. Range and power were also impressive, and I was able to make several kills at relatively long distances. Everyone was talking about the gun, and those who were shot by it kept commenting on how much it hurt. Most players seemed surprised that such a small gun could make such accurate shots, even at range. The Spetz may be designed for CQB, but it performs extremely well at range. A few people in the group stated that if they could get another gun, it’d be the Spetz. I did better in that game than I usually do, and I think it was due to the accuracy and power of the gun. It will definitely be my primary weapon for many future games. I’d recommend the UTG Spetsnaz Commando to anyone who wants a compact, yet powerful weapon. The price is definitely attractive—the gun costs $130-$140 at most retailers. It’s a great deal for the money, and can easily stand up to much more expensive weapons. Its range and accuracy allow it to perform well in both CQB and field combat. The included scope mount and handguard rail allow for almost any accessory to be mounted to the weapon, and UTG even includes the basics such as a battery and charger. UTG guns also use a TM-compatible gearbox, so internal upgrades are possible to improve the FPS and ROF of the gun. Overall, I would recommend the UTG Spetz. It’s a great gun that doesn’t cost an absurd amount of money, and can always be upgraded to match the changing demands of the user.