Interview with Tomio Matsumoto of Shoei
By Pat Ohta with special thanks to Sam �Gordak� Johnson

Left - Tomio Matsumoto; Middle - Minoru Matsumoto President of Shoei Shoei is legendary among the collectors of model guns; Right Father at work

This company has been around since the beginning of the model gun industry all the way through to the creation of airsoft. They have built their reputation by having some of the highest quality replica guns on the market today. The meticulous attention to detail is evident, and the craftsmanship that goes into every single piece makes their guns true collectors items. Its no wonder that many consider Shoei guns �museum quality.�

Left - Ichiro Matsumoto; Middle Shoe's factory floor; Right - Shoei Factory front

It all started back in 1967, when the company first opened its doors. Shoei did OEM sales �for the metal model company CMC when model guns were all the rage in the 1970s� says Tomio. Models such as the CMC Mauser Kar 98k are treasured by collectors today. �We then started to make our own products. We therefore think that Shoei is one of the firms of long-standing here in Japan.� �We are a family-run company. We originally began with only 4 members, my father (President), mother, elder brother and myself, but now we employ 2 experienced part-timers.�

Model guns are detailed replicas of their real steel counterparts. They are built to function and operate just like the real guns. Most can be assembled and taken down just like real guns. Many have working blowback mechanisms and eject spent shells, which is why they are sought after by collectors and re-enactors. The only thing they don�t do is fire a projectile. Model guns use firing caps. When fired the sound and action carried out by the gun simulates the real thing.

A later change in the laws affected many of the model gun manufacturers. It forced the company �to withdraw from this industry and we changed our business and became a die maker for a time.�

Left - Worker operating machine press; Middle NC Machine; Right FG42

The Firearms and Swords Control law changed the model gun industry. It regulated the materials used to make the guns. It�s purpose was to make sure that none of the guns could be strong enough to hold the pressure and stress generated by firing live ammunition. Model guns could be made of ABS plastics with zinc reinforcements, and the barrels needed to have solid metal plugs inserted, which upon removal would destroy the barrel. However, what many enthusiasts didn�t like and what affected the company the most was �according to the law revision, only model guns made of plastics are allowed to have a black color, while model guns made of metal must be silver or gold in color. We decided to stop producing the model gun because the plastic processing technology was out of our line.�

Eventually in 1993, the company decided to get back into manufacturing guns again. �Since we got into bad terms with our customer who is engaged in processing a main mold, we decided to start producing the model guns again using our experience from the past.�

Shoei’s FG42 Type 1

The first gun the company made was the Fallschirmjagergewehr 42, also known as the FG42. The model gun was so well made that it has become legendary with re-enactors and collectors. �We made our first replica model of FG42 Type I with the utmost care and attention. As a result, we are very happy to have won a high praise from the majority of people who collect replicas.� As a result, Shoei was set on a path to maintain those high standards. �Because of that, it is very difficult where to find a compromise even in the other models.� This very same gun is still Tomio�s favorite �because this is the first replica model we produced by our own technology.�

Shoei�s attention to detail is so precise that it would be difficult for anyone to tell the real gun from their model, until you look into its internal parts. Shoei�s �cap fire and airsoft guns both have bolts that cycle with heavy recoil while you shoot them, which is just plain awesome!� says Sam Johnson, a long time Shoei collector. Another great feature can be found on the MG42. When shooting the gun with a belt of dummy rounds inserted, the MG42 actually looks like it�s cycling the rounds through the gun.

Shoei�s FG42 Type 2

Tomio states that they are able to recreate such precise work because �we make it a rule to have an actual gun to copy from.� In some cases �the actual gun is available here in Japan� or they go to the �Royal Army and Military History Museum in Brussels-Belgium, or the German Military Museum.�

Before creating a new gun �we basically select a gun from among those used by German soldiers during WWII.� Shoei has focused on German guns for a couple of reasons �the president of our company likes the German guns, the mechanism is complicated and it is good-looking.� Once a gun has been chosen, they start the design process by making some plans. �I will tell you an interesting story. My older brother draws out a plan to take measurements from, which I make sure are reasonable. Then, the President and I cartoon almost all the work on the reverse of newspaper.� They �use it for work in place of a drawing.�
Almost of all of the work is done at the Shoei factory. �We machine almost all of the parts here except the casting, coil spring, fine drawing and coloring works.�

From the initial planning stages to the final product, the completion time can vary �It took one and a-half years to complete the FG42 Type I, but only 6 to 8 months to complete the MP44 and MG42. It really depends on the model.� This is in part because �it is very rare to release a gun without reworking it.� Some of the problems they encounter are �in the case of model guns, it is necessary to make sure the cartridge loads from the magazine into chamber and to adjust the release of the cartridges. In the case of air guns, it is imperative to adjust the shooting of BB.�

Right - A real MP44, and below Shoei’s gas MP44

Since its release, more than 500 MG42s have been sold. Over this time there has been some changes to the gun. �Compared to the first lot of our MG42 production, we have changed the material of parts made of duralumin to brass in our second lot of production for improvement. We also slightly changed the shape of a feed tray and the size of an air shaft.�

Anyone who has seen a Shoei gun has also seen its price tag. The guns aren�t cheap, but are �worth every bit if of their price tag� says Johnson. Many wonder if the company plans on producing �mass market� guns. �We are sorry, but there is no such a plan as to make mass market guns at the moment.� Johnson states �I think Shoei does this because they know their customers want the best.� To make a less expensive gun, Shoei would have to sacrifice much of the quality and attention to detail that their fans have come to expect.

Be it a model gun or a gas gun the company �aims at producing a complete replica. We do not necessarily focus on the gas guns. Our goal is to make a crafted replica model.� However, for �the gas gun, we have been fascinated with its recoil shock and want to enjoy it. We have never sought for the strength and the muzzle velocity. We just would like everyone enjoy the guns safely.� Shoei has ventured into the AEG department with the Machinen Pistole 44, often called the MP44. But to AEG fans �we are sorry that there is no plan to make the AEG's. We are not interested in them.�

�We have sold the replicas to fans and collectors of model guns regardless of nationality. The FG42 replica model has been well-accepted even by real-gun collectors because of its rareness.� Many in the WW2 reenactment community are also looking towards using airsoft replica guns, and Tomio would like to cater to this demand. �We would like our products to reach such a community. It will be grateful if our products could be sold there in the USA.� Tomio likes seeing how airsoft is developing and growing �in the US, and also in Asia and Europe. We appreciate such a trend very much as the interested party, but are always apprehensive that an accident may occur. There will be no problems unless the users perform immoral conducts.�

Fans of Shoei guns have a lot to look forward to in the future. Anyone who has wanted an airsoft version of the classic FG42 will be happy to hear �we are going to make the airsoft versions of the current replica models in the future.� �We would like to produce another high-quality gun to astonish the world. We are now planning to produce the FN MAG air blowback model. The FN MAG is not a German gun, but we want to produce it by all means because it runs in the family of MG42. It is the gun of the Kingdom of Belgium from which we have accepted a favor for many years.� The FN MAG is also known as the �m240 bravo/gulf� says Johnson.

There is an increasing demand for the MP40 even from our foreign buyers. We know that some Japanese makers have produced it before in both model gun and air gun type, but the collectors seem to be unhappy with the quality. Under these circumstances, they are now asking us to make a quality MP40. We feel compelled to comply with their wishes and are planning to make a replica model first, then an air blowback BB gun.�

As for owners of the MG42, �we have had a plans to develop a drum magazine, but we are not sure now when we will develop it. The same goes for a Lafette.� They are �also interested in making an airsoft G-43 gun, but have not decided yet when to do so because we are developing new products setting an order of priority.�

Left - G43 ; Right - Sam Johnson during WW2 airsoft skirmish

Shoei is in the process of constructing their own website. In the meantime Shoei guns can be found at WGC Shop or can be ordered from their friends Nakaya, Inc. From the beginning, this company has been making all of Shoei�s beautiful wood stocks. Their website which showcases all of Shoei�s products can be found at http://www.shoeiseisakusho.co.jp/