Krytac EMG FN P90 - Overview
The Krytac EMG P90 has caused quite the stir online, especially now it has dropped in the United States. Full reviews are beginning to surface on youtube, and we here in the UK are feeling a bit left out. To keep you going while you wait, we have put together a breakdown of this new P90, what it offers over legacy P90 AEGs, and how the P90 design, in general, is very well thought out, ergonomic, and generally all-around awesome!
The Design
The P90 design uses radically unconventional principles to produce a gun that is surprisingly ergonomic and practical, despite its extra-funkay looks. The space gun aesthetics of this PDW may drive away the more practically minded skirmisher, leaving them thinking "P90s are all about the look". The look is definitely a big part of what makes the P90 such a popular design for use in TV and Film, but FN Herstal does not care much for looks, they are more about brutal functionality, check out the SCAR for example!
Whilst they are awesome looking in our humble opinion, especially with a suppressor, there is more to this platform than doing a United States Space Force impression! The P90 design is remarkably well thought out and practical when it comes to skirmishing, with some of its so-called drawbacks amounting to a mere difference in perspective. Allow us to address the main points of contention in the P90s design. *Trigger warning for M4 users*
The Mag
The top feeding magazine design of the P90 is one of its more controversial aspects, which on a controversial gun such as this, is saying something! Top feeding designs have been rather common and well thought of historically, from the WW1 era Lewis gun, to the more modern BREN gun, top feeders have always been popular with soldiers, who generally wish to avail themselves of as much cover as possible.
The top feeding design of the P90 allows a smooth, fast and easy reload from any position; including prone, where a conventional design would be a pig to reload. The P90 reload operation requires very little movement if you are reloading from a concealed position, reducing the chances of the movement catching the eye of the enemy team. The magazine catch is a top-operated design, making it accessible for both left and right-handed shooters.
The Grip
The integral foregrip and thumbhole semi-pistol grip combination is another of the P90s more contentious features, but as with the top feeding magazine arrangement, this can be an advantage in many situations. So, maybe you can't mount the latest Keylockatinny grip, but the integrated P90 foregrip in itself provides several options in how it can be used.
The grip can be held with the thumb through the trigger guard, providing a conventional vertical grip style hold. The grip can also be used with the hand in a more open, "thumb break" style, in line with the most modern, cutting edge shooting stances.
Being a thoughtful bunch over at FN Herstal, a handstop is also built into the foregrip design, preventing you from accidentally shooting your fingers when operating under pressure in an adrenaline-fueled Airsoft skirmish! You may think this will never happen, but there is a reason nearly all short PDWs such as MP7, MP5k, and short shotguns include a hand stop. Extra short weapons have an extra steep learning curve!
The semi-pistol grip design harkens back to the pre-assault rifle days and has a similar angle to that of an M1 Garand, or a conventional hunting rifle. This grip design is no accident and meshes together with the P90s other features to create a PDW with which it is easy to get very low when prone, allowing the shooter to take cover effectively; remaining able to operate the weapon and reload without standing up or exposing any part of their body to enemy fire.
This largely has to be seen to be believed, but a P90 will allow a user to get much more cover from being prone in the open than an M4 would, with its extended magazine and conventional assault rifle layout. This is why many Airsoft snipers who prefer an SMG/PDW as a backup weapon choose a P90 AEG; it is incredibly well suited to "the stalk". The next time someone asks you to get low, show them your P90, but don't take it to the club, even if it will fit under a jacket easily!
The Bridge
The raised 20mm Picatinny optics mount "bridge" provides ample space for the vast majority of optical sights, and allows for the use of bulky facial protection without the need for a riser mount. The optics mount does more than just provide somewhere for your sight to go, it also provides an integrated set of aperture iron sights, which can be used regardless of whether you have an optic mounted or not. Picatinny rail sections can be added on either side, allowing flashlights and lasers to be mounted easily and unobtrusively.
The optics "bridge" arrangement, whilst being a hallmark of the P90s unique design, is once again not about the look, it also includes a helpful magazine guide, functioning similarly to a magazine well flair on a more conventional design. This allows magazines to be almost literally thrown into the P90, reducing the hassle of aligning the magazine with the mag well and making reloads far quicker with minimal practice.
Krytacs Improvements
The original Tokyo Marui P90 AEG was launched way back in 2001. For those aging skirmishers, yes it has been that long! 20 years later, with many P90 AEGs on the market, Krytac have produced what has to be the ultimate P90 AEG replica, and put the rest to shame! Not content with copying the TM design and throwing in some metal and fiber-reinforced polymer, Krytac has gone through the Marui design with a fine-tooth comb, and pinpointed its weaknesses, and rightly addressed them!
Adjustable 2-Stage Trigger
One of the improvements everyone will appreciate is the new trigger system Krytac has added to the original P90 AEG design. The original TM P90 trigger is functional, and a decent approximation of the way the real P90 works; when in full auto, a half trigger press fires semi, and a full trigger press fires full-auto. The main issue with this trigger is its long length of travel providing and generally slower response when shooting semi auto quickly than other designs with a single stage trigger. The improvements don't stop there, the Krytac P90 also has an adjustable trigger pull, enabling you to further shorten the travel to increase your trigger sensitivity, or increase the travel for added safety and control.
Adjustable Capacity Magazine
If you have owned a P90 in the past, or you understand how a high capacity magazine works, you will understand what a challenge it was for TM to create a high-cap for the P90's unconventional layout. P90 high-caps have always been regarded as amongst the less reliable high-cap options, and most P90 AEG users work with mid-caps to avoid the potential of misfeeds inherent to the P90 high-cap design. Enter Krytac, with their adjustable capacity mid-cap! This magazine is not only made to look exactly like the real deal, markings and all, but it comes with added functionality in its ability to hold a whopping 200 rounds or be restricted to a realistic 50 rounds for Milsim games. It doesn't end there though, the Krytac P90 magazine can also stop the Krytac P90 from firing when the magazine is empty, preventing you from accidentally unloading nothing on your enemy!
Easy Access Gearbox
With the butt plate removed the Krytac P90's gearbox is remarkably easy to remove from the gun. By simply removing the gearbox retaining plate (which is now metal for added strength) with a single screw, the Krytac enhanced Version 6 gearbox will slide right out. You should not have to do this regularly, especially considering that Krytac have included a quick change spring system in their design, but it is a thoughtful inclusion from Krytac for those of us who cannot resist the urge to modify their kit.
Deans connector
Also known as a "T" connector, the Deans connector has been around in Airsoft for a long time, but until recently was not a standard item, and required a rewire to fit. The Deans connector offers lower resistance than its rival, the venerable Mini-Tamiya connector, and is smaller in size, allowing for a larger battery to be used within small battery compartments. Being a lower resistance connector, a Deans connector increases the amount of power which reaches your motor from your battery when compared to a Mini-Tamiya, and raises the Krytac P90s rate of fire and trigger response. Small improvements such as this add up to make the Krytac P90 the absolute beast it is!
Charging handle HOP access /enlarged HOP door
The original P90 HOP design is one of the best available and leaves very little room for improvement. The placement of the HOP dial within the thumbhole of the stock makes adjustment whilst shooting possible, making adjustment easier than ever before, an attribute which remains a pipe dream for most designs. Nonetheless, Krytac has pinpointed the one issue that TM's P90 HOP has - its lack of accessibility when wearing gloves. Krytacs solution? To enlarge the HOP window, and allow it to be opened using the P90s ambidextrous charging handles. The previous design required using your fingernail to open the HOP door, which is perfectly acceptable, but not perfect. The new design allows plenty of room to access the HOP for glove users and sausage finger owners, and eliminates the fiddling with the door by allowing it to open with a swift pull of the charging handles.
Inner barrel / Rotary HOP unit with tactile feedback
The P90s bullpup configuration lends itself well to accuracy, providing room for a much longer inner barrel than similarly sized conventional platforms. Seeing this strength, Krytac decided to take advantage and install a 255mm 6.04mm inner barrel, increasing accuracy, consistency and improving the air seal of the system. This means you are getting the best efficiency possible from the Krytac P90, with all the potential power being put to good use propelling your BB to its target with very little air lost.
The Krytac P90 hop unit is one of the areas where no improvement was necessary, but because it could be done, it was! Krytac have based their design on the excellent Tokyo Marui P90 HOP unit, but have added tactile feedback to the HOP dial, which produces a click at set intervals over its travel. This not only makes adjusting the HOP unit a precision operation, keeping the increments regular and allowing you to take note of how many clicks you have applied, but improves the already impressive ability the P90 HOP design has to hold its setting under the vibration of firing, and the rigors of an Airsoft skirmish. This HOP unit is so impressive we would like to see it as an aftermarket part, as many amongst our number are also P90 owners!
Compatibility
Magazines
If you already own a P90 AEG and you want to upgrade to the Krytac, fear not, the latest and greatest P90 is fully compatible with standard P90 AEG magazines, aftermarket sling points and enhanced HOP units intended for the Toyko Marui P90. The quick disassembly design of the Krytac P90 ensures transferring over any of your gucci parts will be easy; much easier than installing them originally was!
Gearbox internals
The new Krytac version 6 gearbox has its fair share of innovative parts, but fortunately for us, Krytac have stayed within the realms of what can easily be replaced or upgraded. The old oval version 6 bushings have been replaced with standard circular 8mm bushings, and the gearbox uses standard version 2/3 gearsets, allowing aftermarket upgrades to be installed, and worn parts easily replaced if you push your Krytac P90 beyond its limits (it will be hard, we assure you!).
HOP/Inner barrel
Whilst Krytac has both improved the HOP design, and installed a tight bore inner barrel, the Krytac P90 retains compatibility with standard AEG HOP units, rubbers and inner barrels. Krytacs original parts are of great quality, but knowing how Airsofters are, and how we love to mess with our HOP and barrel setup, Krytac have thoughtfully allowed for this. The nature of Airsoft tinkerers and the constant stream of new innovations coming to the market make compatibility with standard barrels and HOP rubbers an essential.
Krytac Gearbox
The Krytac gearbox at the heart of this masterpiece of an AEG sports some of the best internal parts in the business. Curing all the older P90 AEG shortfalls, the internals of the Krytac P90 are every bit as impressive as its robust and well finished externals.
MOSFET
Like many of Krytacs latest releases, the P90 boasts the famous Krytac in-line MOSFET, which provides a low battery cut off function and wiring protection, allowing LiPo batteries to be used straight out of the box without risking damage to the internal parts or the battery, as the P90 will detect that the battery is running low and prevent the AEG from firing. This MOSFET is a basic design with no ability to program fire modes, but is a nice inclusion to ensure your P90 lasts as long as possible. If you want more functionality, no need to fret, the Krytac MOSFET can be replaced by aftermarket units with more complex features should you feel the need.
Bearings
The new version.6 gearbox design includes 8mm bearings, reducing friction on the gearset, allowing it to spin more quickly and efficiently, all while reducing strain on the vulnerable bearing holes in the gearbox shell. The use of larger bearings than the standard 6mm allows the Krytac P90 to use incredibly high power springs without risking cracking the shell, meaning you can take your P90 anywhere in the world and quickly drop in a spring taking it up to local power levels.
Gears
The use of hardened steel gears pairs well with the high-speed nature of the Krytac gearbox setup. Most standard gears are also made from steel but are often made from the lowest strength steel that will still do the job. This brings down the price of rival Airsoft replicas, but it guarantees that they will not last until the end of time, and if you intend to make a cheap AEG shoot like a Krytac P90, you will need to purchase and install a strengthened gearset in any case. The gearset installed inside the Krytac P90 is the same set used in the Krytac Trident PDW, which has an excellent reputation. The gears are of an 18:1 ratio, providing plenty of speed and reduced friction coupled with the new 8mm bearings.
Motor
With all this going on inside, the Krytac P90 requires some serious torque to provide a high rate of fire, and rapid trigger response in semi-auto; whatever spring is installed. Fortunately, Krytac has installed an excellent high torque motor, providing all the pull that the P90 needs, and more! The Krytac motor installed in the P90 can spin at up to 30,000 revolutions per minute, which is up there with the best performing motors on the market! This motor provides enough torque to happily perform in a 400 FPS DMR setup, meaning if you do want to take your P90 in that direction, you have one less upgrade to fork out for!
Shell
To top all of that off, the Krytac Version 6 gearbox shell is designed to allow for a quick change spring system; allowing you to tune the AEG to perfectly meet the limits of your local skirmish site with ease. Coupled with the super fast and easy disassembly baked into the Krytac P90 design, this truly is a quick change spring! This grants you some much needed flexibility, allowing you to ensure your AEG shoots right on the cutting edge of what is allowed at your local site with minimal disassembly and preparation.
So, that wraps up our overview of the new and incoming Krytac EMG FNH P90. We are sure it's on your mind, but just in case the Krytac P90 has you a bit flustered, here is a link to the product page of the P90. This fantastic little SMG has us all very impressed, and if you decide that it suits your style we are certain you will be as impressed as we are!