We’ve re-printed her blog post from Core77.com with permission. Copyright 2012 Core77.com – Barbra Eldredge. Keep an eye out for our APO SHOT Show Wrap-Up next week. NSSF did a great job on this years exhibition.

SHOT Show 2012: APO’s Custom Firearms

Gear heads love to mod their cars and shooting sports aficionados love to mod their guns. It makes sense then that Ashbury Precision Ordnance (APO) developed a unique modular firearm that enables user customization and changeability. Their SABER-FORSST Modular Rifle Chassis System lets one choose between interchangeable options for the gun’s shoulder stock, center, and barrel/forend while sporting rails that accommodate non-proprietary accessories like sights.

I had the opportunity to fire one of the newest incarnations of the system, the ASW50. “ASW” stands for Asymmetric Warrior—asymmetric war is the kind of conflict where the combatants are not equal in resources and military power. Think guerrilla warfare. Think insurgency. The ASW50 is a long-range “precision tactical rifle” with manageable recoil and an easy trigger. It may look a little imposing, but with this rifle I was able to hit a spade-shaped target 300 yards away (and I’m no crack shot).

More interestingly, APO’s parent company Ashbury International runs a Rapid Product Development Center that helps users bring customization to a whole new level. Firearm components, just like many other industrial products, are CAD drawn and CNC produced. If I had a brilliant idea for a new trigger mechanism or a maybe bump-firing butt-stock, I can send my sketch and concept to Ashbury’s RPDC and have it made into a reality. I spotted several companies at SHOT that performed CNC machining or metal injection molding but Ashbury’s was the only one that offered to manufacture products without pre-made CAD renderings.

Obviously there is no better time to launch this site than during the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Media Day at the Range was an outstanding success, and the first day of the show was wicked busy! We are meeting tons of new people and appreciate your interest in our products. Our new HUNTER chassis and soon to be released Modular Hunting Rifles are getting alot of attention. We are astounded with the great reception our new ASG Airsoft Sniper Rifle is receiving here at the SHOT Show. Check out this video interview we did yesterday at the show! The ASW338LM is truly the “wicked stick”! More to come from the 2012 SHOT Show.

In addition to it’s sexy appearance, the Ashbury ASW338 LM airsoft rifle will be compatible with VSR10 internals, compatible with standard AEG barrels, cast aluminum construction and weighing in at a realistic 6kg (13.2lbs). Out of the box, the ASG APO ASW338 LM sniper rifle will clock in at 330 FPS with endless upgrade opportunities. To top it off, will be adorned with authentic Ashbury Precision Ordnance (APO) licensing. ASG and VFC have done a magnificent job building a faithful representation of our rifle! Also our thanks to the Everything Airsoft website for their coverage. This ASG Airsoft Rifle is one BAMF!!

If you are a member of the media or trade press attending the SHOT Show this year, please stop by and see the ASG Ashbury ASW338LM Sniper Airsoft Rifle and shoot the real ASW338LM_20A2 Precision Tactical Rifle. Check out all the smokin hot new Airsoft replica’s at the ActionSportGames Booth #2643. We look forward to meeting you at our Ashbury Booth #26407.

Contact Bob Collins at ActionSportGames USA 805/522-7707 for information on where to purchase the ASG Ashbury ASW338LM Sniper Airsoft Rifle. You can also visit the ActionSportGames Website (www.actionsportgames.com)

Safe travels to Las Vegas!

We’d like to greatly thank Armada Magazine for including our APO equipment and information in their Armada Compendium Special Operations Equipment 2011 “Land Power= Firepower + Mobility” article that came out in December 2011 (copyright Armada Magazine). Please visit the Armada Magazine website to read the entire edition. Stay tuned for the soon to be launched new Ashbury Precision Ordnance Mfg website!

Hi everyone, we got the first prototypes of our new SABER® HUNTER Forend hot off the FDM machine. This particular HUNTER is configured for a Remington 700 Long action (RLA-A1A). The new HUNTER forend has been contoured with tradition long gun lines, sporting a heavy rearward taper. So when you bring your non-shooting hand to the rear and pull the rifle into your shoulder it fills your hand. What a nice feel! This particular prototype is textured with a non slip surface molded into the forend.

It takes all of about 15 minutes to uninstall the barreled action out of the factory stock and install it into the new SABER® HUNTER chassis. Torque the action screws to 65 inch pounds and it’s off to the range you go. Before we zeroed the rifle I started to fit the rifle to me, using the fully adjustable shoulder stock. We set the cheek piece for the proper sight alignment with the 5.5-22×56 NSX Night force rifle scope. Then I set the length of pull for a good fit, shooting off of a tripod support.

After getting the length of pull dialed in, the HTA shoulder stock also allowed for the recoil pad to move up and down; we’re sure you’ve felt the agony of shooting a large caliber light weight hunting rifle with the recoil pad only “half way” in your shoulder pocket! It’s a bone rattling experience, but not with the SABER® HUNTER! In addition to the other ergonomic features of the HUNTER chassis it also uses a nifty AI type 5 round detachable magazine.
On this model there are 4 flush cups and 2 sling studs for mounting slings, bipods or shooting stick attachments. We’re getting input from the hunting community on the final configuration. Stay tuned for the upcoming video of us at the range with the new SABER® HUNTER chassis with a custom .300 Remington Ultra Magnum (RUM) featuring the “little bastard” muzzle brake made by American Precision Ordnance. Please stop by our SHOT Show booth #26407 and take a look see!

1st Place: 3rd Group Special Forces (Airborne)

2nd Place: IRISH DEFENSE FORCES

3rd Place: 1st Special Warfare Training Group (SWTG)

Below are a few pictures from the vendor range day.

Great job everyone!

A US Army Sniper Instructor firing the ASW308 with a LRA Light Tactical Bipod, S&B 3-12x50 day optic and AAC 7.62 SD suppressor. Most down range targets consisted of tank hulks at around 400m. Army snipers picked out small targets on the hulks and hammered them!

As usual the ammunition provided by RUAG was superb! The ASW308 20" Pinnacle Series barrel really performed well with the SWISS-P 176gr TARGET and delivered sub MOA performance! Over the course of the vendor demo attendees quietly fired over 150rds. This was most excellent!

The firing points provided a bit of a challenge having to shoot through tall grass. The LRA bipod was moved to the rear of the Quattro Forend, legs fully extended to get the necessary height and still was rock solid. The SABER field monopod was completely extended.

Here's a view of the targets thru a VECTOR 21 binocular laser range finder w/BE-10xT optical range enhancer at approximately 400M.

Another Sniper Competition attendee getting down behind our rifle.

Lots of good vendor support for the sniper competition. In addition to the ASW308 we brought along our ASW50 outfitted with an AAC Cyclops suppressor.

In addition to the ASW50 (the big package) on the table that little guy is an RSA-A3 MOD-1 made for the Rem700 Short Action and other short action clones.

The ASW50 has been making strong progress in on-going tests delivering 1MOA accuracy with MK211 ammunition. Of course we never go to a range shoot without our trusty Sniper Field Tool Kit.