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Airsoft
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Air Gun
Submachine Guns (SMGs) belong in airsoft. With most airsoft fields being made up of tight obstacles that lend to a more high speed playstyle, firepower comes most handy in small packages. As an enemy presents a silhouette, you’re more quick to raise a weapon with a lighter package. You can more deftly weave around doors, and will present a tighter target to better stay out your enemy’s sight. The heat of a public airsoft arena can often demand every advantage you can get.
And what better way to make your competitive presence known on the battlefield than with the legendary ARP9?
Ever since its debut, the G&G ARP9 has been one of the most widely popular primaries for close quarters airsoft action. Its M4 style receiver gives it a familiar feel to the most common rifle platform in the hobby, but with a unique 9mm twist at the magazine well. Paired with a tiny but mighty 4 inch barrel that can still land shots at decently long ranges with ease and it’s easy to see why this SMG has won over the hearts of many.
At the time of writing this, the ARP9 is just about to turn 7 years old. So much has happened in the industry in the past 7 years! The standard for what a competitive $200-$300 rifle should offer now has risen significantly. Many older guns, such as the Scorpion EVO, have quietly updated their internal designs to stay relevant as new technology is developed within the hobby. Now at the turn of 2024, more and more rifles are beginning to offer Optical MOSFET systems right out of the box, propelling the hobby into a new age of advanced standardized electronics.
Frankly, the base ARP9 itself has remained more or less unchanged since its debut. They’ve made some small updates to the electronics, but that’s about all the ARP9 has seen in the realm of technological improvements.
You might be wondering, “Then is the ARP9 obsolete now?”
Honestly, I’d argue that it’s still an entirely competitive option so long as you know exactly what you’re looking for! In this article, we’ll dive into the current state of the iconic ARP9 to see how it stands in comparison to other options in the modern airsoft market. We’ll also take a look at some of the ARP9’s recent siblings that have taken a step into the future to help you decide whether the legendary subcompact 9mm AR is the perfect new airsoft primary for you!
Before we get too deep into the performance details, another big proponent of the ARP9s popularity has been the myriad of color options it comes in. Aside from the unique Battleship Grey edition, each “element” option adds a colorful trim to the details of each rifle. If you want to add a bit of personal flair to your platform without going too over the top on the bright colors, give these color options a look!
They also sell the accessory “ranger kits” separately if you’d like to add a different colorful flair to your platform in the future.
While the stylish subcompact aesthetics won over those interested in a fancy new SMG, the ARP9’s incredible performance is what retained that interest over the years. G&G’s Combat Machine gearbox already had an impressive reputation in the hobby due to the longstanding popularity of the CM16 rifle line, and the ARP9 gearbox took it to the next level. There are three main differences between the basic G&G AEG internals and the ARP9’s: The ARP9 uses G&G’s E.T.U. microswitch for faster semi automatic performance and programmable fire controls, a much beefier 25000 RPM neodymium magnet motor, and G&G’s new rotary hopup system for increased range and accuracy. A quicker semi-automatic trigger response can make the difference between life and death in an intense indoor setting, and the ARP9’s high speed motor and E.T.U. switch ensures that those rapid fire shots are possible.
The ARP9 may not have a quick change spring system, but it comes out of the box already shooting at an indoor friendly 330 FPS, which is perfect for the types of playing fields this rifle was designed for. Even then, the Combat Machine gearbox and receiver are incredibly accepting of most aftermarket internals, giving you the option to invest in a quick change spring gearbox later down the line. The ARP9 sticks to a design philosophy present on many of the best airsoft guns of our time: Basic is good.
To best illustrate how the ARP9 stands in comparison to more modern options, I’ll list some of its more modern competitors and give my thoughts on how they compare. Let’s take a look!
Between these two, the ARP9 is far more lightweight and economical. The Specna has a quick change spring, aluminum reinforced internals, and far more programmability options with its GATE ASTER MOSFET system, but will ultimately shoot a BB with about equal range, accuracy, and trigger response. If you prefer a tactile trigger feel over a more linear “light sensor operated” trigger, go with the ARP9!
Coming in at around the same price point, these two options have quite the contest. Arcturus is a brand with their eyes set on the future, and the myriad of advanced features present on their X C.A.T. put that fully on display. While the Arcturus has a cornucopia of bells and whistles that the ARP9 doesn’t, a more eclectic airsofter might not even notice the difference. The ARP9 is a straight to the point no-nonsense BB blaster that suits its intended role with excellence, whereas the Arcturus X C.A.T. is more of an experimentalist tinker toy that pushes the limits on user configurability. If you don’t see yourself opening up your rifle’s hood to fiddle with gear timing and frequent maintenance, I’d recommend going with the ARP9.
As another similarly priced option, the KWA has its fair share of pros and cons compared to the ARP9. Build construction wise, the two platforms are pretty much on par with one another. The polymer is incredibly sturdy and nothing wobbles or creaks. Other than aesthetics, the biggest contrast between the two are electronics. KWA does not believe in microswitches and MOSFETS. Every KWA AEG comes hard wired to basic mechanical switches for a greater sense of reliability. A MOSFET can’t fail if there is none. As a consequence, the ARP9 has a much faster and smoother trigger response feel compared to the KWA. Which do you prefer? Reliability or trigger response?
New Iterations of the ARP9
Coming out 6 years after the original ARP9’s release, the ARP 2.0 reflects on some of the original model’s design shortcomings to provide a more balanced and versatile primary. The ARP9 2.0 deviates from the original ARP’s stubby 4 inch rail in favor of a 7 inch rail, which allows for more efficient use of the rifle’s air compression. It also comes with a mid-cap magazine right out of the box and a redesigned PDW stock for extra battery space. These small updates help alleviate some of the gripes of the original model, and I highly recommend it if you’re not sold on the original design’s aesthetic.
Now this is truly a modernized ARP9! Aside from the addition of a folding stock and included foregrip, the ARP9 3.0 is a perfect reflection of the original design that made the classic ARP9 so popular. This new and improved system uses G&G’s new G2 gearbox, which features a more advanced microswitch system, aluminum reinforced internals, and a quick change spring system. The 3.0 equips the ARP9 platform with all the features it needs to truly feel like a modern airsoft gun. If your budget allows it, I highly recommend this direct upgrade to the ARP9!
As you can probably guess, using the best primary for a given scenario will likely provide you with the smoothest gameplay. When it comes to CQB, the ARP 9 totally rocks just as well as it did when it debuted 7 years ago. I’d argue that the reason so many airsoft rifles are as high performance as they are out of the box today is partly due to the ARP9 pushing the limits on what stock performance could be. This little trendsetter hasn’t flickered out quite yet! Set yourself up for a perfect CQB experience today with an ARP9 from Evike.com!