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The Type 56 is a Chinese 7.62x39mm automatic rifle, a licensed derivative of the Soviet-designed AK-47 (specifically the Type 3 variant). The Type 56 rifle was adopted by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and is designated as the "Type 1956 Submachine Gun" because the Type 56 took on the role of the SMG rather than the colloquial "infantry service rifle" in the PLA in the rifle's early years of service. Production started in 1956 at State Factory 66 but was eventually handed over to Norinco and Polytech, who continued to manufacture the rifle to this day, primarily for export. The Type 56-1 variant is a copy of the Russian-made AKS, with an under-folding steel shoulder stock with the bayonet assembly removed to make the weapon easier to carry. As with the original Type 56, the milled receiver manufacturing method was replaced with stamped steel receivers in the mid-1960s, making the Type 56-1 an equivalent to the Russian AKMS.

AKRIVA has remade the Type 56 line of rifles in GBB form, which is truly first of their kind, as only the Russian pattern GBB AK variants from notable brands like GHK, VFC, WE, and even Tokyo Marui were on the market. That is, until now! AKRIVA has released a full line of the Type 56 AK, with variants like the standard Type 56 (which comes with a folding mock bayonet), Type 56-1, and Type 56-2, all of which are proper 1:1 replicas of the real thing. This particular one is the Type 56-1, which comes with an underfolding stock that uses a solid double locking arm mechanism. Apart from that, the AKRIVA Type 56s are all built following real-steel factory construction methods. The rifles are 90% steel both externally and internally, with the receiver and dust cover made using the same type of stamped steel and surface treatment finishings that factories use to produce real-steel Type 56s in the PRC. It features a forged steel front and rear trunnion that are reinforced with proper quarter-inch thick rivets, steel machined fire control assembly components like the hammer, sear, trigger, and trigger bar, and of course, the pins that hold the FCG in place are made of steel. The hammer spring is also a 1:1 replica of the real-steel wire spring, making the whole assembly extremely authentic. The bolt carrier is also forged steel and comes with a highly realistic dummy long stroke piston assembly, where the piston head is visible in the gas port. The outer barrel features a ribbed design and is also made of steel, as well as the front sight post and gas block. The front sight is windage and elevation-adjustable, with the windage requiring a real AK front sight adjustment tool to be adjusted. The rear sight block is also reinforced and made of steel and features an elevation-only adjustable rear leaf sight post. The Type 56-1 is outfitted with a real laminated wood handguard and pistol grip, giving each piece a unique appearance and enhancing each rifle's character, where no 2 pieces are the same. The underfolding stock is solidly attached to the whole assembly and is made of, you guessed it, more steel (stamped steel to be precise). The AKRIVA Type 56 line of rifles all come with a 7.62x39mm-style green gas-powered magazine with a true maximum capacity of 30 rounds of 6mm BBs. The outer shell of the magazine is also stamped steel, while the internals are made using lighter metal alloys for a more balanced weight distribution. The magazines are also very gas-efficient, with a standard 10-second gas charge being able to clear 3 and a half full loads of ammunition before running dry.

Performance-wise, the AKRIVA Type 56 series comes with an adjustable hop-up unit that is similar to GHK's design for their AK GBB series of rifles, with a rotary adjustment dial located directly in the chamber portion of the front trunnion. This makes hop-up adjustments easy and accessible, even when on the fly. Shooting the rifle can feel similar if you have ever shot a GHK GBB V2 AK before, but the recoil impulse is noticeably stouter. The trigger pull feels exactly like the real thing, with the trigger break being crisp and the reset reactive, though there is a noticeable slack in between. The AKRIVA Type 56 GBB system is also more superior due to the fact that it has a fully functional last round empty click indicator, or, as we like to call it, the OH SH*T click, which is exactly like how a real AK platform functions when the magazine runs dry. The gun also comes equipped with a buffer at the rear trunnion, making the bolt action a half travel system. However, even though AKRIVA has never officially stated that the buffer can be removed for a full travel bolt, we have tested and found that the rifle can function without the buffer installed for a more realistic full travel recoil impulse.

Overall, the AKRIVA Type 56 series of GBB Airsoft rifles is the most realistic Airsoft replica on the market to date, in terms of construction and materials used. The shooting performance and overall accuracy are also by no means a slouch, especially with its gas-efficient magazine. Considering that real Type 56 AKs are highly sought after in the US due to import bans on Chinese-made firearms, AKRIVA's line of Type 56 GBB Airsoft AKs is definitely the next best thing and is a must-have for collectors and AK enthusiasts alike, or for those who are looking for something unique and slightly different compared to its more common Russian counterparts.

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Compatibility:

• Real-Steel Type 56 External Furnitures & Accessories (Handguards, Grip, Etc.)
• AKRIVA Type 56 Green Gas Magazines

Includes:

• x1 AKRIVA Airsoft Type 56-1 Airsoft GBB Rifle (Real Wood, Full Marking)
• x1 Bag of Spare O-Rings
• x1 Spare Nozzle (Higher Output)
• x1 Green Gas Magazine
• x1 Manual