It took us a while to transfer Koba's Corner from idea and agreement to reality. But the wait has been worth it, we are now bringing you the place in internet where real master designer speaks to the airsoft users, this the Koba's Corner!. We have made the best effort to translate the questions and responses, but given the special technical language and topics in hand, there might be some minor inaccuracies.

Submitted by callsign 47, serial no. 2601059-NO468, United States

1. How long does it take you to design your guns/the H&K VP-70M?

Koba: "Basic designing goes for three months. All in all it takes six months to complete the design."

This doesn't include the mass manufacturing -admin

2. What got you into airsoft in the first place?

Koba: "Since I was a child, I love something that makes a sound and moves. I started having interests in gun from motor, camera, action movie and mechatronics. So, about the guns, I'm interested in the rear side mechanism rather than the body parts."

3. Do you have any family members who will carry on your legacy in the future?

Koba: "Now the primary members of Tanio koba are composed of my son and three selected subordinates from MGC (the airsoft manufacturer where Koba was the Vice President, see the Tanio Koba interview for more details -admin). My wife and my son's wife are taking care of accountant."

4. Why did you become a freelance designer? I'm sure Tokyo Marui would love your help in making super-rare guns like the H&K MP-7 and the FN F2000...

Koba: "I was planning to stay in MGC for lifetime, but my boss didn't like the mechanism and the gun. So I became freelancer looking for my dream. Since the Desert Eagle (Tokyo Marui gas blowback) of 10 years ago, I have been designing gas blowback mechanism for Tokyo Marui. However, they are now in position where they can take do it by themselves."

5. You speak very highly of Heckler and Koch...what about it's competitor, Fabrique Nationale Herstal (FN)? What's your opinion on these Belgian fellows?

Koba: "FN is another company I admire. As for HP, I prefer FN to GM. If I have a chance, I'd like to try FIVE-SEVEN pistol and others since FN is releasing brand new concept and more unique gun than HK (Heckler & Koch) in recent years."

6. Which gun you designed is by far your favorite?

Koba: "When I'm making a product, I like it the best. Then I like the next one when I'm making it. I guess professionals are just something like that."

8. (from ditzy girlfriend) Do you like sushi a lot?

Koba: "Sushi is very healthy food. I eat it more than once per a week. Combination of sushi and Japanese green tea is good for your skin so do not forget this point when you are dating!"

Submitted by Kevin Walker, California, USA

1. Please explain how your Tanio Koba Twist barrels function. There is a lot of confusion in the United States to how a rifled barrel works with hop-up. How does this system improve the range of the BB and why is it's performance linked to the velocity of the BB.

Koba: "Since the BB is underpowered, its muzzle velocity declines if it touches to the inner surface of the barrel. Therefore, you cannot let BB touch to the surfaces of the inner barrel while inside it. But you cannot expect any effect from grooving (the “twists” inside the Tanio Koba Twist Inner Barrel) with that method. On the other hand, hop up rubber can make BB spin to up and down and run inside of smooth barrel in gentle straight zigzag course. This zigzag point of contact is affected by some variety of conditions like shape of BB or side gap of contact point with the hop up rubber. It changes each shot just little bit and there is a limit as long as there is a clearance of BB and inner barrel.

With this hop up effect, I made small difference in level with minimum air loss and make this difference in level as a zigzag contact point. This difference in level gives the regular direction bias to BB and the air current in the middle of the groove leads BB to the second contact point. BB doesn’t move straight precisely like a spinning trajectory, but just makes a regular bias trajectory making regular zigzag movement. In this fashion it keeps regular trajectory effect with the balance of hop up rubber. Therefore, it improves grouping quality, but it doesn’t improve the range and the muzzle velocity in comparison with the normal hop up barrel.

After all, the theory of so-called KOBA Twist Barrel is just something like a trick of “KOBA magic!” as written in PR or instructions. Even so, it became very popular in the world. I myself got surprised! I’m very glad about it."

WHOW! –admin

2. Airsoft seems to be limited in development by the use of round BB projectiles. Everyone knows that the ballistics of a round object are inferior in comparison to an oval or bullet shaped projectile. Asahi seem to have made some progress when they invented and sold the "blade bullets" for their ill fated M700 and M40 series of rifles. I would rather own and use an airsoft gun that used a more aerodynamic projectile (like a real gun) that was stabilized by rifling. The average maximum distance or effective range seems to be around 30 meters and most people in the U.S. would prefer to see these maximum effective ranges increase without using higher velocities or risking injury to others. Does Kobayashi San see any solutions to this problem of the short range of airsoft guns? Here in the U.S. the majority of airsoft guns are purchased for casual fun, but a growing number of people like me are using them for skimishing (war games) and we are frustrated by the limited range of the guns currently available.

Thank you for answering my questions.

Koba: "I think that no matter how “toys” and “models” become elaborate, if it gets the function of the real product, it’s not a toy or model anymore whether or not it is full-size or downsized. In such case it’s just a “real product with incomplete function”. For example, air gun that shoots cal 4.5 lead bullets - this is a real gun with less power. “Steam Loco, which people ride on the roof” this is a “model”, but they have very cute “half size railroad” in Scotland in which people can get to ride tightly - that is the “real!”. Just like this, if we think airsoft gun with same logic and with gun body and bullets, I cannot describe it as “well-made toy gun” even if it doesn’t have enough power

However, is there in the future modern airsoft gun that can reach to the point expected, but in the harmless level? For me (myself who has above-mentioned concept) it’s really glad that American people have the same theme as mine; “maximum effective range increase without using higher velocities or risking injury to others,” even the country history and the gun history is the most intimate in the world and people prefer high-powered thing in United States. I haven’t come to the conclusion yet, but I’d like to make it come true someday."

Submitted by callsign marty, serial no. 2200264-ZQ747, USA

Hi Mr. Kobayashi,

My question is regarding the following. I was wondering if you ever think that airsoft bbs will evolve into a pointed projectile? (much like modern bullets.) I would think that it could be a possibility though I'm not sure how much change would be involved. (i.e. magazines would need to be redesigned and so would the loading tools.) If this ever did take place then pieces like your twist barrel would become even more useful and I would imagine that engagement distances would lengthen some. I am interested in what you have to say. Thanks for your time.

Koba: "I think the pursuit of best trajectory performance has already reached the limit. Therefore, if you require higher quality of trajectory performance, BB should change it’s shape into different shape from round. We are researching soft pellet that is not ball shape (like BB), but this is not ready to present at this stage. When this soft pellet has been completed, it is mandatory for structure of loading tool to be different as well.

At this point, the Twist Inner Barrel is just one example of irregular trajectory adjusting method as “unique trajectory of round bullet” with the combination of hop up effect. With the soft power pellet, which is not ball-shape, the result might be different. Unexpected incident is not only the 911!"