INSIDE AIRSOFT AA EXCLUSIVE REPORT - NE AIRSOFT
THE MEN BEHIND THE STEN
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hile researching for my other article about the situation regarding legal changes to the Taiwanese firearms legislation and its previous perceived impact upon airsoft (which, hopefully, should no longer be a concern), I visited Northeast Airsoft, one of the newest additions to the plethora of manufacturers in Taiwan. While I was there we also discussed their company’s beginnings, current and future products and philosophy behind their work. Stephen Kuo has been working in the airsoft industry for quite some time, previously representing the Taiwan based arm of the design and manufacturing department of another well-known Hong Kong boutique and custom gas gun manufacturer, with experience in design and management with regards to machined components for airsoft guns. Following his national service in the air force, he re-entered the airsoft scene with a fresh idea to put his previous skills and experience to work. At one of the airsoft shows he attended, he began canvassing for opinions regarding the viability for producing a gas blowback version of the STEN gun. Already produced by other companies in AEG format in the past, the classic British submachine gun holds a place in the hearts of many reenactors and collectors.
AS HE CONTINUES HIS AIRSOFT JOURNEYS IN TAIWAN, STU “STEWBACCA” MORTIMER VISITS NORTHEAST AIRSOFT AND CHATS TO THE GUYS BEHIND THEIR ICONIC GBB STEN.
Sebastian Shen was one of the more enthusiastic respondents to his call for interest, having owned some of the previous AEG versions produced by other manufacturers. With a lilt towards collecting equipment and British themed loadouts and related guns, he was no doubt best suited to take on the challenge. Himself a veteran of sales work in the local airsoft industry, having worked for domestic retailers and again represented well known larger Hong Kong based concerns in Taiwan after that, he also returned from his compulsory military service with an appetite to once again become involved in the industry. With their combined skills and experience in dealing with the industrial design, manufacture, assembly, sales, distribution and customer relations the stage was set for a fresh start and entering the market with something a little different to set the tone of their efforts. So many companies appear to release derivatives of the same platforms that appeal to the mass market, in terms of Armalite or AK based models, which allows an array of follow on variants to be produced using the same receivers, other main components or key tooling and just altering the aesthetics or length of certain sub-assemblies to emulate the myriad developments which occurred in the real firearms throughout history. While this serves its purpose in the marketplace and gives a widespread availability of different varieties or historical periods of such guns, it can become difficult to compete or stand out from the crowd taking the safer or more mass marketable approach.
NEW COMPANY – NEW IDEA
Thus, Northeast Airsoft - as it was officially registered in 2018 after a few years of development efforts following the initial STEN design idea 5 years ago - came to the table with a totally new outlook in terms of manufacture and product placement. Jumping straight into gas blowback guns from a background of just option parts manufacture, they took a bit of a risk in terms of skipping the typical story arc of many companies that follows the same kind of progression: parts manufacturer single action air cocking guns - automatic electric guns and then finally the more complicated and temperamental gas blowback gun arena. No doubt a bold move and one that underscores their desire and philosophy to do things differently. Working from a relatively small facility (compared with many of the major players or more established competitors), Northeast Airsoft are focused on a more “boutique” or “niche” approach to airsoft
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SEPTEMBER 2020