The Action Army AAP-01 is no longer brand new, but it’s still extremely popular. We wish there was one good reason we could point to that this is the case but there isn’t in many ways it’s the ultimate gas blowback airsoft pistol, and has a lot of cool, useful features that even Glock airsoft replicas lack.

So let’s peel back some of the layers and get into this thing. It’s a blast to shoot, and this is what we really loved about it.

What We Love About the Action Army AAP-01 Assassin
After playing around with the Action Army AAP-01, here are the things we really couldn’t get enough of.

This thing is light. Not that it’s rare for an airsoft pistol to have a polymer frame, but this thing only weighs 386 grams, which is basically 13 ounces for you non-metric readers. Yes, aluminum receivers are tough and light, but this polymer receiver takes it to a new level - plus it's basically corrosion-proof and super easy to take care of.

This thing is tough. That polymer receiver is also darn tough. You could drop it, bang it, forget to clean it for a year, and it’ll come up swinging. It feels like a rock (without being heavy or unwieldy, of course.

It’s great for both right-handed or left handed-users. Both the safety and mag release are reversible, making this airsoft pistol shooter-friendly for all users.

It has rail space over and under the barrel. You can buy an Action Army AAP-01 without the upper and lower rails, but some configurations like the Action Army AAP-01 Black Mamba come with rails above both the upper and lower sections of the barrel (plus other bonuses like an extended magazine and an upgraded charging handle). That means you can mount a light or laser and an optic - or whatever you want, really.

It takes Glock magazines. Another great thing about these airsoft guns is that they are compatible with Glock series magazines, expanding their utility. You can get extra capacity or just swap out a part from Glock replicas you already had.

It has a threaded barrel. This means it can take a wide range of airsoft muzzle devices and accessories. Want to add a suppressor? No problem - it looks cool and it can balance out the handling of the pistol design even if it adds a little weight.

Internals are mostly cross-compatible with Glock airsoft replicas (including the trigger). Another great thing about this pistol design is the modularity. The Action Army AAP-01 Assassin GBB pistol has a lot of internals, including a trigger assembly, that are cross-compatible with Glock designs.

It’s fast; muzzle velocities are somewhere around 330 to 350 FPS with .20g BBs. This thing is screaming fast for a GBB airsoft pistol and offers really high rates of fire, too, even though you’ll dry your mag out in like one second in full-auto. See below for ammo recommendations.

It has a fully-automatic firing mode. This airsoft pistol is capable of both semi-auto and full-auto firing modes, enabling bursts that can be used for suppressive fire. It’s a nice feature that not a lot of airsoft guns offer.

It has an adjustable hop-up. Staple or not, if you expect to deliver consistent shot strings with an airsoft gun, you need it, and the Action Army AAP-01 Assassin delivers. It’ll help you reach greater distances and achieve more consistent groups at greater ranges.

Action Army offers a ton of different upgrade parts. There are literally so many different upgradeable parts for the AAP-01 Assassin. Action Army has released charging handles, magwells, and tons more. There’s basically no limit to the customizations you can make with this airsoft pistol.

That’s what we loved about this airsoft gun. What didn’t we love? Well, the only thing we can really think of is the fact that on full-auto it runs a standard Glock mag dry in literally like a second (not an exaggeration). That’s about all, and that can easily be remedied with an extended mag.

What Ammo Should I Use with the Action Army AAP-001?
While Action Army rates the AAP-01 at around 330-350 FPS with .20g airsoft ammo, this might be a tad too light.

The thing is, the lighter the ammo, the more the air resistance pushes back on it, making it unstable at higher velocities. Yes, it’ll exit the barrel faster, but it’ll also lose velocity more quickly and it will deliver an unstable trajectory. You can learn more about this in our blog, “How to Choose Airsoft Ammo: Everything You Could Need to Know.”

We’ll save you a minute or two. For a powerful airsoft pistol like this, the standard .20g BBs might just be too inconsistent. Opt instead for .25s or .28s and pattern your airsoft pistol. See which ones perform better in your AAP-01 and then shoot those instead of .20s.

Save on Your Next Airsoft Pistol Here
Have we sold you on the Action Army AAP-01 Assassin? You wouldn’t be alone, and you can save when you buy it here. We offer a price match guarantee and flat rate shipping (some orders even get free shipping) so treat yourself today.

If you have any questions about this airsoft gun, airsoft ammo, or any accessories you should get with it, give us a call at 800-581-6620.