Page 62 - Airsoft Action Issue 126 June 2021

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AS THE AIRSOFT ACTION LONG-TERM TESTING PROGRAM GATHERS SPEED, WE’RE PLEASED TO BE
REJOINED BY CONTIBUTOR STEVE T, AS HE TAKES A LONGER LOOK AT ACTION ARMY’S FULL AUTO
PISTOL, THE AAP-01 ASSASSIN, NOW IT’S HAD SOME RANGETIME; IS IT REALLY AS GOOD AS WE FIRST
THOUGHT?

here’s an unspoken rule amongst some airsofters Action Army obviously felt the same when it
that RIFs - even pistols - under £100 are going to approached the release of its first airsoft pistol - and
Tbe “not good”. They’re wrong! Red Wolf Airsoft the overwhelmingly positive user feedback on social
obviously feels the same, awarding the AAP the media suggests they might be onto something.
number one spot in its Top 10 Airsoft Guns of 2020. If you were an airsoft aftermarket company, the
The old adage that you get what you pay for may smart money would say that your new pistol should
hold true in airsoft much as it does generally, but look distinctive but also share working parts with
every now and again there’s an exception to the rule something popular and readily available such as the
that makes us sit up and take notice. Action Army’s Tokyo Marui compatible G18C. And surprise-surprise,
very first attempt at a gas-powered pistol is definitely that’s exactly what Action Army has done with its
in that club, with its budget approach to a Glock-18C- AAP-01.
Ruger-hybrid - complete with full-auto fun switch. I The Assassin bears more than a passing
started this review before the RWA Top 10 broke cover resemblance to Ruger’s line of pistols from
- and took a long time to finish it, largely thanks to Connecticut USA. The marque is known for its
COVID - but I still can’t disagree with their plaudits. cylindrical bolts that cycle inside a tubular receiver
Glock… SO very boring; snooze, thank you and and a design philosophy dating back to 1949 that
goodnight! It’s almost as if some players can’t be remained largely unchanged until 1982, when the
bothered to put in an ounce of imagination to their MK II replaced the standard Ruger up to 2005 and
loadout beyond what’s most popular. And that’s… it was lightly upgraded. Despite its old-fashioned
fine. There’s nothing wrong with the obvious. But appearance, the MK IV was introduced as recently
there is another way. as 2016. And the AAP-01 pistol shares that design

“…THE SMART MONEY WOULD SAY THAT YOUR NEW PISTOL SHOULD LOOK
DISTINCTIVE BUT ALSO SHARE WORKING PARTS WITH SOMETHING POPULAR AND
READILY AVAILABLE SUCH AS THE TOKYO MARUI COMPATIBLE G18C. AND SURPRISE-
SURPRISE, THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT ACTION ARMY HAS DONE WITH ITS AAP-01.”

62 JUNE 2021