If there’s an airsoft pistol out there that deserves your attention right now, it’s the Action Army AAP-01. More than likely, if you found this post, you’re already the proud owner of one.

Let’s peel back some layers, take a look at why this airsoft pistol is so popular, and then make some suggestions for airsoft attachments and ammo.

Action Army AAP-01 Specifications
The Action Army AAP-01 is modeled after the Ruger MK4, which itself is a remarkably popular handgun. This airsoft pistol is 230mm long, weighs in at 386g, and comes with a 22 round Action Army AAP-01 Gas Magazine, although it’s compatible with some others. (More on that in a moment.) It has an adjustable hop-up system and features a two-stage trigger as well, sort of unique for a GBB that’s capable of extremely hate rates of fire. This airsoft pistol offers both semi and fully-automatic modes.

This GBB simulates recoil impressively and offers crisp, snappy yet fluid cycling. If it’s your sort of thing, they come with a threaded barrel so you can mount suppressors or other muzzle-mounted accessories.

This is a light pistol with a polymer frame. Don’t balk at polymer; it might not be quite as tough as steel or aluminum, but it’s extremely strong, handles like a dream, and is also completely impervious to corrosion.

All of the controls are ambidextrous, including the magazine catch, safety, and slide catch. The fire selector is located underneath the bolt carrier.

Another great thing about these airsoft pistols is that they’re drilled along the body so you can mount rail adapters, thereby enabling the expansion of these GBB pistols with practical airsoft attachments like lights, lasers, and optics. You have the option to mount a rail adapter over the receiver or under the barrel.

This is a gas blowback pistol designed to take green gas, and it’s capable not only of very high muzzle velocities but also of exceptionally high rates of fire. That brings the importance of adequate, compatible spare magazines, the right airsoft ammo, and suitable attachments into the picture. Let’s take a look at these.

Action Army AAP-01 Magazine Compatibility
One potential shortcoming of the AAP-01 is that it comes with a 22 round magazine. This thing has an insane rate of fire, and if you’re firing on full-auto, you’re going to be out of ammo in about a second. It’s more practical to use it with extended magazines (available here) or carry several compatible airsoft magazines.

The good news in this is that the Action Army AAP-01 is compatible with a wide range of other airsoft mags, including G-series mags from VFC. At least these airsoft pistols accept a wide range of Glock mags with the same mag specs, so that’s a good thing.

Airsoft Attachments for Your Action Army AAP-01
Now let’s talk about some useful airsoft attachments you can pair with this GBB airsoft pistol and how they may be useful to you. Since you can mount rails to both the top of the receiver and under the barrel, there’s a lot you can do with this awesome hand cannon.

One thing we can suggest for your AAP-01 is a tracer unit. This thing can hop heavy BBs and send them flying, but if you’re firing on full-auto, it can be hard to see where your shots are landing. With this GBB airsoft pistol’s threaded barrel, you can mount a tracer so you can see where your shots are going and send more effective suppressive fire, even if that isn’t your purpose with an airsoft pistol.

A light, which you can mount underneath the barrel, would also make a great airsoft attachment for this pistol, since it will give you the ability to see in the dark, which can be a huge advantage, especially in CQB encounters. Alternatively, you might wish to add a laser sight, for more effective reflexive shooting.

Even if you mount a tracer unit to the muzzle and a light or laser under the barrel, that still leaves you with tons of space over the receiver. We suggest mounting a red dot sight, and this is the reason.

A scope is not practical for an airsoft pistol like this. The purpose is to deliver quick, reflexive shots and to keep your sight picture clear, not to drive tacks. A red dot sight will accomplish all of that and free you from the need to line sights up. It’s the perfect reflexive sight, with a laser coming in as a close second - and you can have both.

What Ammo Should I Use with My Action Army AAP-01?
Now let’s talk about what kind of airsoft ammo you should use with your Action Army AAP-01. It takes 6mm airsoft ammo and official specs rate it somewhere around 300 fps with .20g BBs.

Truth be told, that’s probably too light for this airsoft gun. You might get the muzzle velocity with those lighter BBs but range and accuracy will suffer. This thing is probably capable of hopping BBs up to .40g, which is pretty impressive for a GBB airsoft pistol.

Heavier doesn’t automatically mean better, though. Even though this airsoft pistol can sling the .40g BBs, you might get better range with .32g BBs or .28g 6’s. We suggest you give it a try and see which ammo performs better in your Action Army. Try it out over some good distances, too, so you can adjust the hop-up and see which ammo delivers the best accuracy and range.

Key takeaway: You can shoot .20g 6’s from this airsoft pistol, but they’re probably too light. Try heavier BBs until you can dial in performance but we don’t recommend exceeding .40g ammo.

Questions? Contact Us!
Looking for some more advice on how to get the most out of your Action Army AAP-01 with the right tactical gear, airsoft attachments, and airsoft gun accessories? Get in touch with us here at 800-581-6620 and we’d be happy to help.