shiftysgarand
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Post by shiftysgarand on Aug 1, 2016 21:42:04 GMT -5
Hi all, Exciting news , at least to me. I've recently been trying to drum up enthusiasm for PTO-themed games here in Michigan, and the primary obstacle is the rarity and expense of Japanese weapons (uniforms are cheap and simple.) While the IJA did use captured US and Chinese weapons on occasion, it would not be an accurate representation of the Pacific War to have two squads of Thompsons dueling it out. However! I contacted Vintage Airsoft, a custom Airsoft manufacturer in the UK who can tool up for volume production, and he said an Arisaka (I believe a Type 99) was next on his list of projects to do after some Enfields. He says he plans to sell the Arisakas for roughly £400 in the UK (about $520), but if there was sufficient demand in the US he could do up a large batch to send over here with a lower per-unit price. The more we order, the less per rifle he charges. TLDR: I have found a "manufacturer" willing and able to make a springer Type 99 for less than half the price of the current offering. How many of you would be interested?
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stuka
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Post by stuka on Aug 5, 2016 22:46:48 GMT -5
Spring or gas?
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shiftysgarand
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Post by shiftysgarand on Aug 6, 2016 13:19:02 GMT -5
Spring, probably with a VSR base. The dimensions might be slightly off but it will have gazillions of upgrade parts available.
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stuka
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Post by stuka on Aug 6, 2016 18:35:09 GMT -5
This will be interesting
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Post by hennepin15 on Sept 16, 2016 22:48:04 GMT -5
Very interested to see how this goes
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2nd Bat
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Post by 2nd Bat on Sept 17, 2016 13:46:13 GMT -5
I agree! These things of course always take longer to come to fruition than we expect but please keep us posted on any and all progress. PTO in many ways is actually more suitable than WW2 airsoft in Northern Europe, The MTO or the Eastern Front.
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shiftysgarand
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Post by shiftysgarand on Oct 21, 2016 5:14:41 GMT -5
Little update on this: Vintage Airsoft messaged me yesterday and said that he was finished with his earlier project and was ready to begin producing Arisakas. I had told him we here in the US might want to do a group buy, and he asked for a headcount on how many he would need to be ready to produce. How many of you would be tentatively interested in purchasing one or more?
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2nd Bat
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 25, 2016 18:45:07 GMT -5
I must have missed it but was there an idea on cost and shipping? Obviously that is going to be a huge factor in estimating demand. Are there pictures and specs yet on his finished product. If so encourage him to list them in the marketplace section.
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shiftysgarand
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Post by shiftysgarand on Oct 25, 2016 19:37:05 GMT -5
He has yet to complete them but he quoted me on an order of 5 as £550-600 each. As with most custom efforts, economy of scale does not kick in with the small quantities supplied. I assume if we all asked for A LOT, I bet the per-unit price could decrease dramatically. Based on his other customs, I am predicting not-quite perfect cosmetics but a solid, functional weapon. He says he has a real deactivated Type 99 to go off of though, so this may be more accurate than his previous efforts.
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2nd Bat
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 25, 2016 22:30:10 GMT -5
I understand perfectly his need to sell them for that given the materials costs and especially the time required but for a bolt action too rich for my wallet. Perhaps given time S&T will expand beyond their M1903 and offer an Enfield, Kar 98 and Arisaka.
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