The new airsoft season and warmer temperatures are upon us and most players will start dusting off and using their gas powered replicas. One of the new models is the AAP-01C Assassin made by Action Army Company. The reviewed pistol replica in a version intended for the Asian market.

The replica was created as a development version of the popular AAP01 Assasin, which hit the market in 2020. The fact that it is based on the Ruger Mk. IV 22/45, uses Glock replicas standard, which give it access to a wide range of parts, and the quality and performance surprisingly good for such an affordable price, the replica has gained quite a large group of fans. In addition, its purchase is often backed up by many add-ons available from the aftermarket parts manufacturer or other modifications offered by the users themselves (A selected list of conversion kits for the Action Army AAP01 replica).

SPECIFICATIONS

Basic technical parameters:
- overall length: 182 mm
- inner barrel length: 84 mm
- weight (with empty magazine): 670 g
- magazine capacity: 23 BBs;
- muzzle energy: 0.75 J (0.2 g BBs)

The silhouette of the new replica is similar to its older brother, the AAP01 Assassin. Despite a similar shape, grip of the same length and a shorter barrel, the biggest differences lie in the details.

When one looks closely, a homogeneous texture of the entire replica can be seen. Between the grip, the receiver and the muzzle break, there is no difference in the material texture. It slightly rough but pleasant to the touch.

More aggressive patterns are used in critical areas to improve grip. Compared to the AAP01 Assassin, standard grooves have been left on the front of the grip, and a pattern resembling overlapping fish scales has been placed at the back. The design of the side panels has also been changed to less protruding, which makes the grip slightly narrower. The newly used pattern is more of an addition, on which the SHINOBI (Japanese: 忍び ninja) inscription has been placed. The side ports, which had little functionality, were also removed.

The orange front sight and the green rear sight are especially visible outdoors, but they still make aiming easier when used indoors. The sights themselves are fixed and have no adjustment in any plane.

In addition to standard sights, it is possible to use optical sights thanks to the fixed rail on the receiver. The profile of the rail is clearly felt thanks to its sharp edges, and the additional extension allow to use all 8 slots without any complications. It was made with a groove in the middle, allowing the use of factory fiber optic sights.

The iron sights used are of the same design as in the AAP01 and are interchangeable with it, but the manufacturer decided to strengthen the rear sight, which is now made of metal, which begins to wear with use.

(Image: AAP01C Assassin - top, AAP01 Assassin - bottom)

Due to the use of a shorter barrel, a new outer barrel in a shape if a muzzle break was created. Inside, apart from an 84 mm long inner barrel, a rubber stabilizer was also used, which seamlessly harmonizes with the muzzle break. This creates the impression of a uniform whole with an aesthetic and functional design at the same time.

Inside here is no thread for mounting accessories, but there are already parts available that replaces the rubber stabilizer with a 14 mm CCW metal thread used for mounting accessories. It is installed in place of the rubber stabilizer and secured with screws from the bottom. There is also a short underbarrel rail with 3 slots. Installation of some add-ons may be difficult, but a slight adjustment will certainly solve this problem.

INTERNAL PARTS

Manipulators

The trigger mechanism used in the replica remained the same. The trigger safety known from the Glock family of replicas and the cross-bolt safety are all present. The magazine release button is identical to its predecessor and it can also be moved to the other side. However, it should be remembered that this make using some magazines impossible. The bolt catch lever has been slightly changed. By slightly bending the end on the left side, it is more exposed, at the same time, it left visible marks on our copy of the replica.

The bolt

One of the most visible changes that have taken place in the replica is the change in the design of the bolt. In the new version, there is an external fire selector in the form of a switch, with S (single fire) and F (continuous fire) markings. The switch mechanism works with resistance that requires the use of some force, guaranteeing that it will not be switch accidentally. In addition, placing the switch on par with the bolt prevents it from getting caught in the webbing.

The back of the bolt now has the Action Army Company logo instead of a thread. The bolt "ears" have also been slightly modified, making them slightly smaller and changing their texture from vertical to horizontal "V" shaped lines, making it less aggressive. The bolt is protected by a hard coating and shows minimal wear. Our example shows some signs of excessive wear in the upper part. However, this is due to too shallow placement of the threads under the rear sight and the two parts making contact.

Some may be interested to know that the bolts are also compatible between the old and the new model, however there have been some changes to their internal design due to the changed selector mechanism. The dimensions of the return spring and guide have also been changed, so some modifications will not fit. Yet other internal parts such as the form of nozzle, chamber and cylinder remain the same.

Attention should be paid to the placement of the threads for the rear sight. A slight protrusion may result in uneven operation of the bolt, scratches on the protective coating or damage to the bolt itself when used without paying attention.

The inner barrel and Hop-Up chamber

The chamber group is identical to its predecessor, with side gear adjustment and a pressure system without a classic spacer. It works smoothly and is tightly fitted, which results in constant pressure of the hop-up bucking. As experience shows, it is worth tinkering with the chamber a bit to properly adjusting the pressure on the gears and use thread glue for trouble-free operation. It is worth noting that the adjustment is slightly difficult due to even poorer access to it through a port in the bolt.

The hop-up bucking used is a product of Action Army Company, it is black and made of rubber. The 84 mm long inner barrel is made of aluminum and has a black coating. Thanks to this black coating, the barrel is not visible. Unfortunately, the manufacturer did not disclose the diameter of the inner barrel.

Magazines

Along with the replica, we get a standard Green Gas magazine already known from AAP01 Assassin. The gas is refilled through the valve located under the magazine floor plate, and the BBs are loaded through an extension in the lower part of the magazine.

We also received a drum magazine for testing.

The AAP-01 Fast Reload 350Rds Gas Airsoft Drum Magazine

Its a long name for an interestingly designed drum magazine dedicated to the AAP01 series of pistols. It gives an undeniable advantage in longer close combat games or when using a tactical shield, when changing a magazine is difficult. The capacity of 350 BBs should eliminate the problem of quickly running out of ammunition. The winding is based on the FLASH system where winding the mechanism is done through a wire and the spring used offers enough strength to last a considerable amount of shots before requiring winding again.

Filing it up with BBs is trivial (once one gets to it...) after sliding the front part of the magazine to the side, which gives free access to the BB chamber. No additional tools are required.

The large amount of BBs in the magazine is accompanied by a sufficiently big gas tank, which has no problems with cooling down too much during operation. An empty magazine without gas weighs 708 g. After filling it up with gas, the weight increases to 778 g. It is worth remembering that this magazine is standard for Glock replicas and should fit most replicas of this family and not just the AAP01C Assassin described above. 

Performance

Our copy of the replica generated an average of 290 fps of muzzle velocity or 0.75J of muzzle energy using 0.2g BBs, which confirms with the declared performance and the manufacturer's tests.

1. 282 fps / 0.74J
2. 278 fps / 0.72J
3. 283 fps / 0.74J
4. 284 fps / 0.76J
5. 276 fps / 0.72J
6. 286 fps / 0.76J
7. 283 fps / 0.74J
8. 277 fps / 0.72J
9. 285 fps / 0.76J
10. 282 fps / 0.74J

Target shooting test

We tested the replica at an ambient temperature of 17°C, outdoors, with the hop-up system adjusted properly, at a distance of 10 m. The results can be seen below on an A4 size target.

Summary

Action Army Company, after its groundbreaking model, continues to further develop its project. The new AAP01C Assassin is a design for players who were already creating shorter builds or conversions, and additionally adds a new, interesting look. The availability of add-ons immediately after the premiere is also attractive. Compared with its predecessor, one can expect at least as good (if not better) performance and user experience, and for those interested buying their first gas powered replica, it will be an additional choice between great replicas at an affordable price. Compatibility of the AAP01 and the AAP01C also gives the opportunity to take the desired or best solutions from both versions or quickly configure unusual replica. Minor changes inside will make troubleshooting easier thanks to the twin-like design and the large user knowledge base made buy the project's growing fanbase.

This text was created as part of an commercial cooperation with Action Army Company. As always, we have made every effort to ensure that the following article provides reliable information. It presents the author's opinion and does not close further discussion, to which we invite you in the comments.

(An example set combining individual elements of the AAP01 and the AAP01C)