This was one of the builds I was most looking forward to as I am a big fan of all things UKSF/SAS since I was a kid. When HAO Industries put out their own L119A2 Monolithic Upper kit for the GHK platform, I immediately started to plan out how to make this happen. Why GHK you may ask? I am currently running a GHK MK18 and with how expensive GHK AR magazines are, I felt I wanted to go with something that is already compatible instead of switching over to a completely new platform like the Tokyo Marui MWS.
HISTORY & BACKGROUND
The L119A2 is a derivative of the L119A1, which itself is an adaptation of the Colt Canada C8 rifle used by our Canadian Armed Forces. Introduced in the early 2000's, the L119A1 served as a popular carbine with the United Kingdom Special Forces. Building upon the success of its predecessor, the L119A2 aims to address the shortcomings identified in the L119A1.
The Carbine developed quite the cult following after Christian Craighead aka Obi-Wan Nairobi was seen using this in Nairobi, Kenya's terrorist attack on January 15, 2019. Speaking of which, this L119A2 build of mine is by no means meant to be a clone of the same one Christian Craighead used in Nairobi. Instead, my build is to pay homage to the rifle he and other UKSF operators use in operations.
FIRST IMPRESSION
Quality wise, this is probably the most well-built gun I have in my collection. As per HAO Industries description, "HAO's L119A2 IUR kits for GHK are CNC machined from an 7075-T6 billet which is the same material as real firearms". The attention to detail by HAO Industries to replicate the real L119A2 is evident in its design, making it a standout choice for those that are seeking for authenticity. The exterior construction gives the overall gun a solid and robust feel that closely resembles the real steel counterpart. The finish and attention to detail are commendable with accurate markings and trades that really adds to the authenticity.
The rifle itself is very front heavy when I compared it to my GHK MK18 but this is attributed of course to the true monolithic upper and steel barrel. How I see it is a realistic gun is worth the tradeoff of the added weight. Especially for those that are seeking something that is close to its Real Steel counterpart. The monolithic upper is also very nice to handle when compared to the Daniel Defense RIS II on the MK18. It really does fit the hand nicely and it is more rigid than your standard Mlok handguards.
Compared to Archwick's version of the L119A2, I felt the Archwick feel was certainly less robust for the lack of a better word in its construction and overall feeling. I was able to take a close look at Archwick's offering before ordering the HAO and was not disappointed with the choice to go with them afterwards personally. Regardless if you decide to go with the GHK or MWS platform, I strongly advise on going with HAO Industries kit if you are seeking for realism and finish.
THE DETAILS
HAO managed to incorporate several features into this L119A2 to improve its overall utility. Things like ambidextrous controls, including the charging handle, magazine release and selector switch. Making the rifle more versatile in dynamic operational environments for both left-and-right handed users.
The charging handle, which is elongated on the left side indeed makes it easier to use for right-handed Operators. Now this also acts a disadvantage for some as the extended charging handle has been known to dig in or get caught on your plate carrier. I have seen online in which people do shave down that extra protrusion of metal to counterpart this issue. First order of business was to swap in a Radian Charging handle, which instantly fixed the issue of the charging handle getting caught up on my gear.
There are a lot if not most of the components in this conversion kit that uses Real Steel specs. The Steel barrel that comes with the L119A2 upper is threaded for a Real Steel flash hider ( ½-28RH). This makes it non-compatible with any existing airsoft flash-hider or suppressor you have that you want to outfit this rifle with. Financially speaking, it does not make sense to buy a Real Steel flash hider for this unless you are one of those airsoft purists that must have Real Steel parts for everything. Fortunately, there is work around for this is as HAO does make and offer a Surefire FH556-216A flash hider with the ½-28RH thread that can be installed on the barrel. If you are on the MWS or Systema platform, HAO also offers an aluminum barrel kit that is threaded for 14mm CW making it versatile to allow for most Airsoft 14MM CW flash-hider or suppressor. At the time this article was written, HAO does not make one for the GHK platform, but I would not be surprised if this is in the works for the near future.
Now saving the best for last. The real standout of this HAO kit is the monolithic upper, meaning both the upper receiver and handguard are one piece. The purpose of the monolithic rail was initially conceived as a way to keep zero on night vision laser devices as per military requests at the time, notwithstanding with the UKSF. Now this obviously won't make a drastic difference unless you're already invested into night vision as well but it’s the small details that makes this carbine. I've read that HAO's CEO specifically flew to Canada to 3D scan and capture all data and dimensions for this kit. HAO really spared no expense when developing this conversion kit.
BUILD PARTS LIST
Surefire M600C Scout Light (Repro)
Magpul CTR Carbine Stock Milspec
Magpul MOE Enhanced Trigger Guard
Magpul RSA QD Rail Sling Attachment
Magpul Moe K2+ Grip
H1 Milspec Buffer
Hao Industries FH556-216A Flash Hider
Maple Leaf GHK Hop-Up
RA-TECH GHK M4 Magnetic Locking NPAS Nozzle
HAO Industries L119A2 CQBR MONOLITHIC UPPER KIT PARTS:
CNC drilled Alloy monolithic 7075-T6 billet Upper
CNC drilled Alloy 7075-T6 billet Lower
CNC lathed L119A2 Steel gas block & gas tube
CNC lathed, Gun drilled 10", 1/2-28RH Steel barrel
CNC machined L119A2 Charging Handle
CNC lathed Steel barrel nut
Hydraulic Pressed L119A2 heat shield
CNC lathed Steel Flash hider knobs
CNC lathed Steel Forward assist knobs
CNC lathed takedown pins set
CNC lathed Birdcage Flash hider
CNC lathed C.C style buffer tube
CNC lathed C.C style L119 (Eccentric) ambidextrous selector
CNC lathed C.C style ambidextrous i mag catch
Alloy made MBT tool for assemble barrel nut
G-style Trigger & Hammer Pins
All in all, this must be one of my prized possessions from my armory so far. The build quality and attention to detail is bar none the best I have personally owned for an Airsoft replica. This has led me to now change my mind set in terms of adding new replicas to my collection as I am looking to add more high-quality forged guns whenever possible. If you are interested in building one yourself or start on a different project gun, reach out to us at YNS Tactical for a consultation.
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