Delta Armory DA-A14-ETU ALPHA™ 10″ M-LOK M4/AR-15 AEG, Black

If you’re looking for a modern, compact AR with a realistic build, the Delta Armory DA-A14-ETU ALPHA™ 10″ M-LOK M4/AR-15 AEG is a great option. Being an AEG of the ALPHA™ line, the DA-A14-ETU boasts full metal construction with a flawlessly machined aluminium handguard on the outside, and being an ETU model, we are treated to the very best internal feature set Delta Armory currently offers. 

The reinforced version 2 gearbox features radiused cylinder windows, a programmable ETU/MOSFET, 16:1 ratio CNC steel gears running on 7mm bushings, a high torque motor, a CNC aluminium piston head and a CNC aluminium cylinder head, giving you a massive head start internally over rival platforms. 

These improvements in the ETU series join the SHS reinforced piston, sector gear delayer chip and reinforced tappet plate from the standard ALPHA™ line, and the result is very impressive indeed. To make matters even better, this latest batch of DA-A14-ETU platforms is rocking the Delta Armory/Psionics Berserker Flat HOP-up bucking, giving this compact 10.5″ barrelled AR some extra poke to deal with long-range targets. 

Starting at the front, we can find a pre-installed birdcage flash hider with 14mm CCW male barrel threads underneath. This means that the pre-installed flash hider can be removed and there are a lot of tracer units or suppressors available on the market, or instead, an alternative muzzle device to customise the appearance of the DA-A14-ETU. Whether you decide to customise this platform for a DMR build or use it as a standard AR you can find the perfect attachment for your style!

Moving rearwards, you will find the M-LOK handguard of the DA-A14-ETU which is built from aluminium using CNC machining, guaranteeing that the attachment slots and rails are in flawless form. The handguard is also equipped with a short section of 20mm Picatinny rail at the receiver end, offering a lengthened receiver rail so you can mount larger optical sights and long eye relief LPVO scopes, a useful addition for those wanting a DMR conversion!

The sides and bottom of the handguard are embellished with M-LOK negative space attachment slots, allowing you to mount the latest vertical and angled foregrip designs directly or make use of 20mm Picatinny rail adapters for M-LOK if you prefer 20mm Picatinny accessories such as an under-barrel MOSCART Grenade launcher for the punishers out there! 

The front end of the handguard has been designed with angled weight reduction/cooling vents, mimicking the real steel “Strike” style handguard. The benefit of a modern M-LOK handguard is that in its slick configuration, the handguard is lightweight and surprisingly ergonomic, meaning you don’t need to add rail covers to avoid the discomfort as you might with a 20mm quad rail.

The receiver of Delta Armory’s DA-A14-ETU is a sleek design, complete with machined-gripping texture on the front of the magazine well, ideal for shooting from unconventional positions and angular surfaces across the receiver, giving the old ’60s AR design a 21st-century, facelift. The trigger guard is also enlarged and built into the receiver, improving strength and keeping up with the trends in the latest high-end real steel AR-15 rifles. Being an AEG of the ALPHA™ line, this receiver is constructed from alloy, matching the metal-to-polymer proportions of a real AR-15!

The fire selector is positioned just above the pistol grip and offers 3 modes of fire; SAFE, SEMI and AUTO. The fire selector has a 90-degree throw between each mode, which makes the selector easy to switch, but not so easy that it can be knocked out of position accidentally. Being equipped with the Delta Armory ETU/MOSFET system, the fire controls can also be reprogrammed for burst mode, binary trigger and precocking. The magazine release is on the right side of the magazine well and is accessible for a right-handed user with the tip of the trigger finger, or with the offhand thumb for left-handed shooters. 

At the top rear of the receiver, you will find the charging handle, an extended design for fast access. Pulling back on this will open the dust cover and retract the mock bolt carrier on the right side to allow access to the rotary HOP-up adjuster. This is the latest HOP-up unit design for the M4/AR-15 and provides finer increments of adjustment and retains its setting more effectively when compared to the older gear style HOP-up unit. The charging handle has an extended latch for easier access, allowing you to access the HOP-up unit even whilst wearing your gloves mid-skirmish, though you may need to take one off to turn the adjuster!

The mock bolt catch is situated in the centre of the left side of the receiver, and while this is a dummy control which doesn’t have a function, it is still a separate part to maintain the realism and iconic appearance as well as avoid the tell-tale signs of being a replica. The dummy forward assist is present on the right side of the upper receiver, matching real-world AR-15s. This control does nothing on an AEG, and some real AR users would argue it does nothing on the real thing either, but it is included on the DA-A14-ETU to keep the rifle faithful to real M4/AR-15 rifles.

The pistol grip of the DA-A14-ETU boasts a refined grip angle for greater comfort when shooting with the stock fully collapsed and in more modern shooting stances. Based on the real steel “Gunfighter mod.3” grip, a modern ergonomic design, each flank of the pistol grip includes fine texturing for perfect wet weather handling. The trigger is known by Delta Armory as the CNC Type A Flat trigger, offering a flat serrated front surface with a short finger ledge, ideal for rapid double taps.

At the rear of the receiver, we come to the steel CQD style sling plate, which offers ambidextrous functionality with single-point slings; perfect for left or right-handed shooters. The steel construction of the sling plate practically guarantees even if you mount a massive rifle scope, PEQ box and RunCam, the sling plate will be strong enough to support the weight. Following the sling plate, we come to the good old AR buffer tube, constructed from alloy and offering 6 adjustment positions for the pre-installed stock, or any other M4/AR-15 AEG stock you choose to mount!

The stock itself is a crane-inspired design with a slimline form and a comfortable angled cheek rest, featuring a QD sling socket on either side, together with conventional “footman loops”, aka sling slots. With a rubber butt plate featuring lattice checkering, this slimline crane stock stays solidly in your shoulder in any weather conditions but can be swapped for alternative M4/AR-15 AEG stocks if you want to change up the looks or have a preferred stock in mind for your build. 

The buffer tube also serves as the battery compartment for the DA-A14-ETU. To access the battery compartment, you will need to pull the stock adjustment lever (located on the bottom of the stock) out and hold it in place, after which you can slide the stock off the buffer tube, revealing a Deans/T-Plug battery connector inside. We recommend a 7.4V 1450mAh LiPo in stick configuration for the DA-A14-ETU, though you may need to keep the stock extended to fit this battery inside. Delta Armory recommends a LiPo battery measuring 1.4 x 1.9 x 10 cm approximately for full functionality of the sliding stock. 

The internals of the ALPHA™ series boast more than their fair share of pre-upgraded parts, and there are even more present in this, the ETU version.

Inside the version 2 gearbox, we are treated to CNC 16:1 ratio steel gears running on 7mm bushings, an SHS piston with a full rack of steel teeth, an SHS tappet plate for reliable feeding, and a CNC aluminium piston head, cylinder head and nozzle for maximum long term durability. The cylinder is also CNC machined from steel, as is the spring guide.

These ultra-strong CNC parts are powered by a high-torque motor with Neodymium magnets, kept in check by the ETU/MOSFET system. The result is an incredible trigger response and rate of fire, with more than enough range to compete with the big boys out in the woods. The party trick of the ETU/MOSFET is the ability to program the fire controls for burst mode, binary trigger and pre-cocking, giving this incredibly cost-effective setup some functions usually reserved for platforms twice this price!

If a full metal AR will be your next buy, the Delta Armory DA-A14-ETU ALPHA™ 10″ M-LOK M4/AR-15 AEG should be high up on your list. A flawlessly built full metal platform with a uniquely modern receiver packed with pre-upgraded parts, the DA-A14-ETU is a great choice for a mix of CQB and outdoor skirmishes!

Features

• Full metal construction – Realistically hefty
• 6.03mm Tightbore inner barrel – Great accuracy potential
• 14mm CCW Male threaded outer barrel – Tracer/suppressor ready
• Flip-up iron sights pre-installed – Mounted to the top rail, press textured buttons to flip up
• M-LOK/20mm Hybrid handguard – Compatible with M-LOK accessories at 3, 6 & 9 o’clock
• Angled front grip pre-installed – Mounts to M-LOK, remove and reposition where you like
• 20mm Picatinny railed receiver – Ready for a red dot sight or rifle scope
• Unique receiver design – Angular surfaces, gripping texture on the front of the magazine well
• Enlarged trigger guard – Easy access for gloved or ungloved shooters
• Ergonomic pistol grip with reduced grip angle – Great for modern shooting stances, very comfy
• Extended charging handle latch – Easy access to the HOP-up unit for adjustment
• Rotary adjustable HOP-up unit – Berzerker Flat HOP-up kit pre-installed
• Ergonomic pistol grip with reduced grip angle – Great for modern shooting stances, very comfy
• 6-Position M4/AR-15 buffer tube – Adjust the stock to suit your body type perfectly
• Low-profile Crane style stock – QD sling point in each side, buffer tube battery compartment 
• Rear wired: Deans/T-Plug connector – Recommended battery: 7.4V 1450mAh LiPo in Stick config.
• Reinforced version 2 gearbox – 
  • SHS Piston with steel full tooth rack
  • SHS Tappet plate
  • CNC Aluminum piston head
  • CNC Aluminium cylinder head
  • CNC Aluminium nozzle
  • CNC Steel cylinder
  • CNC Steel quick change spring guide
  • CNC Steel 16:1 gearset
  • 7mm Bushings
  • High torque motor
  • Programmable ETU/MOSFET system 
• ETU Programming instructions available here
• Compatible with M4/AR-15 AEG magazines – Plenty of spares available

Package Includes

• Delta Armory DA-A14-ETU ALPHA™ 10″ M-LOK M4/AR-15 AEG
• 120rnd Mid-cap magazine