Jim's Recollection... My Tokyo Trip #4

Post by Jim

I'm on fire today so here's my 4th instalment (believed to be the most anticipated) - the UNCLE GUN shop!

Courtesy: Arms Magazine Sep 2007



I went to this shop on the 2nd last day of my Tokyo trip and boy I couldn't wait...then I found that I was fooled by the map shown on the magazine...it was way longer than I expected and I almost drop dead when I got there (the ad claimed 5 mins walk from the station but it took almost 15 minutes even for fast walker like me...).

Of course I got back to live once I reached the door...and my companion was almost starved to death so he went to the eatery several shops next to it (me too but I'd to get into the shop first no matter what...it was 3pm and we only had small breakfast early in the morning).

And once inside...dreams come true as I'd never seen anything like this...a shop almost totally devoted to modelguns - and plenty of it! So first I walked around and everybody's staring at me maybe because I looked too excited...once it's done I started to look carefully...

The first gun that caught my sight was the KSC's Beretta M93R - yes I typed Beretta because it was a 93R with everything - original box, instruction manual - and most of all the authentic Beretta marking...






I always prefer the 2nd version than the 1st version as I reckon the diamond shape gas port looks better...


Just isn't too sure what's "Natural" model means...






And here I'll pair it with a new 93R Proto showing the differences -



The metal insert - the old model have the shorter one so therefore it looks better...



Even the grips - the old one looks better...but in return I like the Proto's mag more...

This M93R was placed in the middle of the glass cabinet and was the only gun resting in the acrylic gun stand - even the shopkeepers reckoned it was precious...

Without further to do I told this nice guy in suits to take it out for my inspection...



The other 2 shopkeepers onsite were also wearing suits - wanted to look more metro or what...

Here are more of the shop inside...






From these piles of pre-owned modelguns I chose these after two and a half hours of treasure digging:




I'd never seen a metal finish modelgun before so once I saw it I put it in my cart - and this was the best one out of all 3.

One thing I don't like about Marushin's Browning Hi-Power is the grips - it is too thick for gripping...

Compared with a Tanaka M1935...



...but in return this one comes with a chrome barrel - I always like the look of a chrome barrel (chamber) on a blued pistol (apart from Beretta as well as other pistols showing most of the barrel...)

And then - I'd finally found Hudson's Tokarev here - out of the 2 available I chose this one...



Shame on the "stain" on this HW pistol (this pic didn't show the full extent...)

I'll get a black felt tip soon and paint the middle of the insert so then it'll look EXTREMELY realistic...



I regret getting this one in...when I saw this I got carried away but then the gripping just isn't right and the smell of the rust is just too painful for collection (a bargain though - just look at the price tag)...

Then finally - my dream gun since I was a kid...

Suzuki's Beretta M92SB! When I was 9 I started to get into guns and I saw this on a Japanese magazine with a photo taken from this
angle...since then I always dreamt of this...

More...















Shame the rounds used isn't realistic at all (those inside the bag are from metal Luger P08...)




All the guns I picked came boxed - what the pics above didn't show was the section in the middle of the shop - modelguns "with the guns only" (no box, no nothing...) - a black metal Kokusai Colt Lawman MKIII caught my eyes (I was told it was made in the 80s but how can it be...?) but I'd been way over-spent so I'd stopped right there...

Furthermore, all the guns in the middle are wrapped in sandwich bags so if the Customs have to go into it then I'll be a dead meat...

I'd already risked buying the M36 before so here I couldn't think too much about it...

Final episode - my encounter with the Japanese Customs...coming soon...

Post by shazhib

UNCLE is truely only modelgun shop within metropolitan Tokyo now. They carry tons of modelguns (including old ones). But major drawback is, they are very expensive. I've been there couple time, but never bought anything because of the price. If you have any opportunity to visit Tokyo, I do recommend to swing by. It worth watching some of rare models on display, as well as pile of modelguns. FYI, the guy in suit in those photo still works there.

cheers,

Post by Jim

Shazhib ,

According to their website they'd relocate from near the racecourse to Shinjuku - right?

What I forgot to mention - I saw some extremely cheap "junk" modelguns at the back of the shop - a junk MKK Uzi only cost JPY 5,000 ...

Off topic - when Airsoft started to flourish in the 80s, modelguns lost their popularity quite rapidly (especially in the mid-80s - I observed this phenomenon from some GUN magazines from the 80s as I could hardly find any reference to modelguns) - then modelguns revived in 1989 ~ early 90s when MGC and others start to put more effort to make more "realistic" modelguns (notably the Beretta series)...but then MGC died in mid 90s it showed that modelgun is dying once again...

Now I believe modelgun will not die - but will remain as a cult favourite even in Japan...if UNCLE somehow gone out of business then it means modelgun is really dead...

Thanks Shazhib...although I expected more feedbacks than what it's now but I'm quite happy by posting something like this...

Post by allenb

Hi Jim, thanks for taking the time to post these most interesting recollections.
If only I could have been able to visit Japan during the best years of the modelgun industry!
I remember a Suzuki Beretta being for sale on this forum, but I never bought it as I knew nothing about the quality of Suzuki modelguns.
Hope the final installment isn't a horror story with customs!

Post by Spencerman

I myself have nearly bought a Suzuki 92, but my credit card would go into meltdown if I ever went into any of the shops that you have described here! I too am holding my breath for the customs installment, almost as much as I await the new season of 24! Edge of the seat tension in a review, this stuff is excellent. Keep it coming soon, I can hardly wait for the end of the story where everything turns out ok and you get away with the guns and the girl (although she hasnt been mentioned yet)!
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Post by MadMike

Jim, that's just great! I love this post about U.N.C.L.E., and sure I'd love to visit their shop too. I keep on checking their website, but I feel that most of their guns are rather high priced. Do you know if they have an E-mail adress?

By the way, the picturs are top notch, showing a few "real freaks"
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"It's a hardball world, son. We've gotta keep our heads until this peace craze blows over."

Post by Claymore

Great stuff jim what i would give to win the lottery and go and buy the shop up, i envy you having visited the place but how did you stop yourself from buying loads more i dont think i could of, credit card max out i think

Post by 2sharp

jim wrote:

Thanks Shazhib...although I expected more feedbacks than what it's now but I'm quite happy by posting something like this...

I think most of us are speechless... i know i am!

Post by Jim

Thanks everyone...now I'm touched...I didn't realised I'd shown bitterness before but now I think I did...I'll retract...

Don't expect too much for the wrap-up since the pics already given away the ending nice and clear...but it really scared the shit out of me when I thought I would face the music...I did lose something during the ordeal though...

I think I'll lose more if I went all of way to Japan and then kept the wallet nice and warm inside my pocket (after all the airfares, hotels, traffic cost...)

Allenb - yes back in the days there would be several different models released by several makers at once instead of several variations of the same model released every few months now...

Spencerman - when you says that the guns are expensive it depends on how you look at it - at least they'll be cheaper than those selling in the UK...but bear in mind there aren't that many nice Francky & Shazhib that're willing to deal with international orders (no offence to fellow Japanese forum members but in general Japanese are quite self-protected and they tend to keep the best for domestic uses...OUCH!).

You may have to wait longer for the new 24 than my final instalment until the screenwriters finish the strike (at least I won't strike...won't dare to do so in the Chinese society)

Markus - there might be an email address for UNCLE but I doubt they can handle English - but wait...you learnt Japanese isn't it? But the chance for them to ship guns out from Japan is quite remote...

Finally Claymore - I would love to buy more but several factors prevented me from doing so:
1) At the time of shopping I wasn't sure if I could bring all these home...
2) I wanted some carbines & assault weapons but it would be difficult for me to check in...(so many attractive items in Japan that guns was only part of my shopping list...)
3) Financially...I was fresh from uni back then and many people had already criticised me for spending like this in Japan...
4) I was afraid that my house ran out of space with so many in my collection...now I'm facing this problem...

But NO...I won't sell any of it!!! (for now at least...)

Post by Doc

Really cool Jim that you have taken the time and effort to put up these posts .
A nice little insight into "shopping abroad" and Im sure most of us would have loved to have tagged along there with you .


Edit : I was about to have a UK government rant but this isnt the thread .

Nice stuff Jim ..thanks for that

DOC
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We need guns...lots of guns....

.... well anything mechanical that can kill people is interesting ...

Post by Jim

Is there any chance that Gordan Brown will change the situation...or just couldn't be bothered...?

I think robbing a bank with either a deact or a blankfirer will be more realistic and effective than a pfc gun...but I know all the shit - the situation in Australia is more hopeless than the UK...

I posted my experience mainly because I want to make this forum lively once again and at the same time encourage fellow members to post more...even "photos only" helps. Cerwyn got my idea so I thanked him by heart ...

Not kidding...I used my meal and sleeping time to prepare these for the last few days so after this I'll lay back a bit on this forum as my workload is slowly getting heavy once again until Chinese New Year (Feb)...you won't see these nagging posts from me for some time but I'll drop in short posts definitely...