Shop Visit: Airsoft Sniper Parts UK

After Tactical gear shops and suppliers are the folk we rely on to keep us well kitted out and up to date with new innovations in kit and clothing. We have a lot to thank our local, and not so local, gear suppliers for so, why not take the time to get to know a few of them a little better? Perhaps next time, you won’t have to order that obscure but essential bit of kit from a nameless company online, as maybe somebody down the road has it! This month he’s be stopping by a very special shop, Airsoft Sniper Parts UK (ASPUK).

GM: Hello ASPUK! Before we launch into the main body of questions, we thought we’d let you introduce yourselves! So, in your own words, what is ASPUK and what do you specialise in, in the wide world of airsoft, tactical gear and clothing?

We are an airsoft sniper rifle specialist; we supply people all over the world with sniper rifle upgrade parts and accessories. In recent years, we have spread our wings and opened our very own retail store and started even manufacturing our own sniper parts, to strive for excellence within the airsoft sniper rifle industry.

GM: What does the daily routine entail at ASPUK?

Good question! Most days I feel like the old cartoon Tasmanian Devil! I get lost in a whirlwind of emails, customer contact, repairs and upgrades and so on and so on. The best part to the day is always when a customer walks through the door and we can take time to have a natter about the airsoft world over a cuppa.

GM: Do you have a website as well as your walk in shop; if so, what’s it like?

Yes, we started out as a web-based business only; the website has come on in leaps and bounds but we have always struggled with the supply of good parts, as the demand still far outweighs the supply in the sniper world.

GM: What question do you get asked most often?

It has always got to be the time old “what’s the best rifle and how far can I shoot with it?”, and the answer never changes either; we have seen new rifles come and go but nothing has ever matched the trusted Tokyo Marui VSR.

GM: What’s the best thing about your job?

Airsoft lol, I love it! The whole world that surrounds airsoft! The definition should read “Airsoft: a friendly world that welcomes each and every new member with open arms, supports existing members and will take you on a rollercoaster ride of adventures for beyond the wildest of theme parks.”

GM: Dare we ask, what’s the worst thing about your job?

That is easy; I work 14-hour days, 7-days a week with little respite, but I still love it! The worst thing second to none is letting people down! As said before, the demand outweighs the supply and on the odd occasion someone wants or needs something that we just can’t supply and it really does hurt to say sorry, we can’t help this time!

GM: I know that you have a very special tie in with Dan Mills, “Sniper One”; what does this entail?

Dan Mills, what a top bloke! We first met in Portsmouth (at Accuracy International) and started a general chat regarding the military, real steel rifles and airsoft and the conversation led to how they all tie in with each other. This conversation lasted well into the early hours of the following day and so the idea was born. We moved forward with the vision that we could produce a full airsoft sniper rifle upgrade kit that would beat and outlast the rest and produce it right here in the UK.

Now just over a year down the line, we are in the final stages of the full VSR box set and its mega! This also means we can control the supply and ensure our parts are widely available.

GM: Do you sell just gear and clothing, or do you sell the whole package, accessories, and all?

We have good ties with Viper and Jack Pyke for our clothing and kit but we also sell most things airsoft, from batteries to rifles to upgrade parts.

GM: Do you have any main brands that you stock? If so, what are your favourites?

My favourite brands? That’s quite easy, we started out with the motto that if it’s crap we won’t sell it and we still operate with that in mind. We Love Viper, Valken, Airsoft Pro, Tokyo Marui and of course our very own Sniper one range!

GM: I know you support a number of local airsoft sites; could you tell me more about that?

Yes, I would say we have ties with all our local sites along with some that we manage and own. We visit the local sites as much as we can and try to promote them all equally, I will try and give them all a shout out but forgive me if I miss one of you out!

There are so many. Starting with Tac House Spartan, which we manage and have an onsite shop there, then its sister sites Camp Sparta and Camp Nomad. Our own sites, which we have recently taken over, are Yorkshire Tactical Airsoft in Bawtry and another in Barnsley. And not forgetting the sites we try to support, Blackdagger Airsoft, Black Hills Airsoft, Matlock Combat Games, Better Battles and Phoenix airsoft. So, there are a fair few to go to in the local area!

GM: Do you offer a customisation or repair service, if so what kind of jobs can you carry out?

We do indeed, our technician’s work shop is bigger than some airsoft shops! We carry out all works on all rifles from a battery connection change to a full Tokyo Marui recoil upgrade; the list is endless to what our technician can do and we are very lucky to have him on board

GM: What’s the single most commonplace repair/custom gear job you carry out?

The most common has got to be the sniper rifle upgrade packages we offer; we upgrade most sniper rifles with most kits, be it spring, HPA or Gas, our builds are on playing fields across the UK.

GM: Do you carry out your own product testing?

For our Sniper One kits, we do a lot of our own product testing but we also send them out to one or two lucky people including Dan the sniper mechanic and the kicking mustang to test for us

GM: How often do you get to do this?

As often as required really, just not often enough; unfortunately, this industry is not all play.

GM: What do you enjoy most about testing gear?

New kit; you get a feel if it has just been made to make a quick buck, or it has actually been thought about from design to manufacture to the end user.

GM: What bugs you most about the airsoft gear market?

The biggest annoyance has got to be when you get that shiny new rig or whatever and you realise that zero thought has been put into the design; pouches in the wrong place, hard to get to or simply just feels wrong.

GM: If you could change one thing about the tactical gear market, what would it be?

That would probably be a wide UK market with a bigger range of items; easier access to what you are looking for I guess.

My thanks to Paul and his team at ASPUK for putting up with my questions! To conclude, I asked him about how he sees things developing in the future and he told me: “The future for ASPUK and I hope the whole airsoft industry is the same and that is to continue to research kit and manufacture the best parts and accessories possible providing a good, accessible supply chain to the airsoft players. And a continued growth in the sport, as we are still a very small industry, which has the potential to go beyond dare I say it paintball and other similar sports.”

Company profile

Address: ASPUK Unit B2 Old Station Drive, Sheffield, S7 2PY
T: 0114 312 2559
E: [email protected], www.airsoftsniperparts.com
Opening Hours: Sun, Mon, Tue Closed Wed, Thur, Fri 10am- 7pm, Sat 10am – 5.30pm
Est: 2012