Shogun is one of the pillars of NYCAirsoft.com and an avid reader of Popular Airsoft. Whilst he really is into airsoft and sometimes acting as our go to man when we have some logistical needs from the other side of the pond, only recently have we found out that he's putting more effort into doing custom airsoft gun builds.

Two weeks ago, he posted at his Facebook Wall a signature project of his. Calling it as the "MOE Diablo", it indeed attracted my attention and that we would be interested in featuring his build as a story for the website. I know that custom builds are not exactly for mass admiration, some will hate a design, some will admire it to the high heavens. In this case, Shogun's MOE Diablo gained some fans from us. He explains further his build:

The project was in the works for a few years. Actually, since the PWS Diablo first made its debut in the world of airsoft. I loved the aggressive look of the flash hider it had, but that's where the love affair ended --- with just the tip!

With Magpul taking the firearms world by storm with their MOE line, it did not take long for Magpul to make its way to the airsoft fields, and into my arsenal. I looked at both my MOE and the Diablo, and wondered, "If these two had a child, it would be a beast!"

First, I tried to find an outer barrel that would sit the Diablo flash hider flush within the MOE handguard with no luck, so the project took the back burner until I could figure it out. For a few years I looked to manufacturers to see my vision and make it a reality, but the Diablo seemed to have its 15 minutes of fame come and go before it happened. That was my breaking point, I decided to track down a 14mm x 1.5" tap and die set to chop a barrel myself.

I found what I was looking for at Midway USA and started the project again. I ended up meeting another airsoft modder who was in my opinion, breathing new life into the designs of airsoft replicas, Nai from Abunai Concepts in Hawaii and we just clicked! Great minds think alike and boy, do we have a lot more than his Goblin & my MOE Diablo in store for the airsoft world, so keep your eyes peeled for some sexy, functional new builds from Yakuza Customs & Abunai Concepts!

I discussed with the Shogun if he is interested in proposing his MOE Diablo concept to either Magpul PTS and MadBull Airsoft, two competitors who might just be interested in having some melding somewhere, for business' sake. Frankly, the airsoft manufacturers are actually missing on tapping modders and custom builders like Shogun. Their designs can only go so far and getting design inspiration from the modders and gunsmiths, they can make radical, if not incremental, changes to their existing line-ups and still be able to have airsoft players buy their products.

Definitely, Shogun would love to have his design mass produced by the manufacturers with the provided that he also earns from such which would surely motivate him to design even more products. Just imagine such approach would spur more designs from various airsoft modders when they see their design up there on the shelves of airsoft retailers. If this happens, it will cause an explosion in crowdsourced airsoft gun designs and it's actually good business, just ask the guys from Threadless. We hope the airsoft companies would be reading this.

Abunai Concepts, the other inspiration for Shogun and Yakuza Customs, is actually based in Oahu, Hawaii. Yakuza Customs also represent Abunai Concepts for the Mainland U.S.  For those who wanted something unique for their airsoft guns, Nai understands how you feel and would be able to turn your vision into reality. Let's let him tell more about himself:

I got into doing custom builds seriously about 2 years ago. I got tired of seeing the same builds and same types of ideas just getting thrown around and around again. For me I want to have everything I build be custom, head turning, and above all functional. So now I'm not only looking at making custom builds but creating custom parts and accessories, to breathe a fresh new line of gear into this stale industry.

What can I say deep down, I'm just a mad scientist.

You've got to guys with some good airsoft gun concepts that, as mentioned earlier, you may or may not like, but sometimes this is all more about taste. But if you do combine taste with performance, then better have that vision of an airsoft gun that you want and prepare a budget for it. Shogun and Nai will b ready to turn that vision and reality.

I have posted more photos of the MOE Diablo and other custom builds from both Yakuza Customs and Abunai Concepts at the Popular Airsoft Facebook Page. You can comment on them and if you want to get in touch with both guys, you can contact Shogun here, and Nai here.