Hey everybody, we’re back with another episode of “Meet the Sponsors”. Today we’re going to have a little Q&A with Robert Buchanan, owner of one of the largest retailers in the industry, Airguns of Arizona (AoA).
Q. Assume that the readers have never heard of Airguns of Arizona. Give us a little history on how AoA came to be.
A. AOA has grown from the seed of passion. A burning desire and interest of all things related to airguns, combined with the lack of availability in the Phoenix area, was the fertilizer that sprouted the idea of an airgun store. The sport of Field target (still in its infancy at the time) provided a great avenue to fun competitive shooting and acted as the launching pad for the Airgunners of Arizona field target club. AOA started from humble beginnings in the corner of the families’ auto repair store. The name Airguns OF Arizona was originally chosen so that it would appear at the top of the local phone book listing! My how times have changed.
Q. What separates AoA from the rest of the competition?
A. Quality people driven by excellence and a passion for the sport. A first class repair and tuning facility with factory trained technicians, modern equipment and workstations, and our own in house video production team and photography studio. We also have an expansive warehouse, an indoor testing facility, and a showroom worthy of the world’s best customers.
Q. What is the Extreme Benchrest and what role does AoA play?
A. The Extreme Benchrest competition sprang from humble beginnings to showcase the long-range capabilities of high power airguns. EBR has become the largest most well respected long-range multi-faceted airgun competition in the world. http://www.extremebenchrest.com/
Q. What is Airgun Only Adventures?
A. Airgun Only adventures is another way for AOA to explore and expand the growing sport of airguns. We use our staff's hunting experience to bring others on guided airgun hunting adventures. We have traveled the world to showcase the amazing capabilities of many of our products and have a lot of fun while meeting salt of the earth people. I (Robert Buchanan) and my staff are humbled by the generosity and kindness shown to us by the people we have been blessed to make company with.
Q. The Bushbuck .45 secured 7 of the top 10 slots in the Extreme Big Bore competition this year. Tell us more about the Bushbuck; how it came to be, and where you see the future of Big Bores?
A. We are very proud of the success of the Bushbuck .45. It has been AOA's answer to satisfy the high end big bore airgun market. Kip Perow, our staff hunting expert, has been the driving force in the development and production of the Bushbuck. The Bushbuck is made from the highest quality materials and accuracy tested components with a lifetime warranty.
Q. Previously AoA handled all of the warranty work for FX Airguns. Now that FX has a dedicated warranty center in the USA, what are the plans for your repair department?
A. Yes the 17 year relationship with FX and AOA parted ways in 2017. AOA enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship with FX managing the responsibility of sales, promotion, warranty and service work. AOA will continue to sell FX airguns. FX USA will perform warranty repairs for FX products, but AOA will of course help our customers when possible. AOA has the best factory trained staff to perform specialized tuning and services. Air Superiority is a new division in the AOA group that will be expanded and promoted in 2018, with future video tutorials and specialized services. Our repair department prides itself in testing all of our premium guns before shipping them out.
Q. You’ve been known to work directly with manufacturers to offer special “exclusive” models; most recently your collaboration with Diana and the AM03 Stealth. Is there anything else in the works?
A. We take a lot of pride in the influence we maintain with our factories. The USA market poses unique challenges and the factories depend on us to provide them with the special requirements and performance specifications the American customer demands. Our staff travels the world to help design new products for the future. We have many exciting products coming from Daystate, Brocock, Diana and MTC as well as others. Stay tuned!
Q. What is the PAD van & where can it be found?
A. The PAD van is the finest mobile airgun showroom and mobile support vehicle in the industry. Of course it’s just metal, plastic and wood. The real heartbeat of the van is the operator, Larry Piercy. Larry drives the USA kicking the tires so to speak of potential airgun dealers for PAD. The van can also be seen attending many of the nations airgun events to service customers needs. The support vehicle has sine wave power converters that allow for on board computers or air compressor operation and gives Larry the needed tools to repair a gun, fill a tank or take an order. All services are labor free. We are open to recommendations on where to go next. Give Larry a call if you would like to have our van and Larry at an airgun or shooting event.
Q. I heard you guys have a mascot? Who or what is Target?
A. Yes we do have a Mascot. A few years ago I was walking down the aisle at Petsmart and made the mistake of stopping to look at a green cheek conure. After a few squeaks and head bobs he was in a box and on his way home. Because I am a fan of irony I named him Target. Target has the run of the store and is rarely in his cage. Most of the time he can be found riding on the shoulder of one of our techs. If he looks sociable, that’s because he is. He’s definitely not afraid to stick his beak in your ear and give you “what for” (piece of his mind). Target can also be seen attending the Extreme Benchrest with us, he really is part of the AOA family.
Q. Rumor is that AoA is giving away a stellar prize in 2018. What is it & how do our viewers enter for a chance to win?
A. YES we are giving away a custom made ARKONIK Land Rover Defender 90 restored from the ground up by the artists at Arkonik in Bath, England. You can go to their web page to see the high level of quality they put into each and every truck they restore. The Land Rover Defender is an icon across the globe much like the high quality airguns we import! To enter one can purchase many of these fine products to receive a free entry form that must be sent in for the Drawing in mid-summer this year. The winner will be announced at the Extreme Benchrest 2018. We hope our customers will purchase goods from the makers that are involved in this the greatest promotional give away in the airgun industry. Please take a look on our web page www.airgunsofarizona.com under each brand : Daystate, Brocock, Diana, HW and others.
Q. What’s next for AoA
A. What's next for AOA? Only the good Lord knows. We have been blessed to earn our living from what is most people's leisure and fun. I appreciate that fact a lot, and not a staff member at AOA takes this for granted. Sure we need to make a profit, many families lives depend on us as their only source of income. For this we say thank you to all of our clients and suppliers, each of you are special to us and we will continue to improve and supply you with the best products and services at a fair cost. You can tell from our web page
that we like to do business the old fashion way. Give us a call; we’d love to hear how we’re doing, how we can improve, and how we can fulfill all of your airgun needs.
Thanks for your time Robert, I hope y'all enjoy this interview!
Click on this banner to navigate to AoA's website or give them a call 480-461-1113
Q. Assume that the readers have never heard of Airguns of Arizona. Give us a little history on how AoA came to be.
A. AOA has grown from the seed of passion. A burning desire and interest of all things related to airguns, combined with the lack of availability in the Phoenix area, was the fertilizer that sprouted the idea of an airgun store. The sport of Field target (still in its infancy at the time) provided a great avenue to fun competitive shooting and acted as the launching pad for the Airgunners of Arizona field target club. AOA started from humble beginnings in the corner of the families’ auto repair store. The name Airguns OF Arizona was originally chosen so that it would appear at the top of the local phone book listing! My how times have changed.
Q. What separates AoA from the rest of the competition?
A. Quality people driven by excellence and a passion for the sport. A first class repair and tuning facility with factory trained technicians, modern equipment and workstations, and our own in house video production team and photography studio. We also have an expansive warehouse, an indoor testing facility, and a showroom worthy of the world’s best customers.
Q. What is the Extreme Benchrest and what role does AoA play?
A. The Extreme Benchrest competition sprang from humble beginnings to showcase the long-range capabilities of high power airguns. EBR has become the largest most well respected long-range multi-faceted airgun competition in the world. http://www.extremebenchrest.com/
Q. What is Airgun Only Adventures?
A. Airgun Only adventures is another way for AOA to explore and expand the growing sport of airguns. We use our staff's hunting experience to bring others on guided airgun hunting adventures. We have traveled the world to showcase the amazing capabilities of many of our products and have a lot of fun while meeting salt of the earth people. I (Robert Buchanan) and my staff are humbled by the generosity and kindness shown to us by the people we have been blessed to make company with.
Q. The Bushbuck .45 secured 7 of the top 10 slots in the Extreme Big Bore competition this year. Tell us more about the Bushbuck; how it came to be, and where you see the future of Big Bores?
A. We are very proud of the success of the Bushbuck .45. It has been AOA's answer to satisfy the high end big bore airgun market. Kip Perow, our staff hunting expert, has been the driving force in the development and production of the Bushbuck. The Bushbuck is made from the highest quality materials and accuracy tested components with a lifetime warranty.
Q. Previously AoA handled all of the warranty work for FX Airguns. Now that FX has a dedicated warranty center in the USA, what are the plans for your repair department?
A. Yes the 17 year relationship with FX and AOA parted ways in 2017. AOA enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship with FX managing the responsibility of sales, promotion, warranty and service work. AOA will continue to sell FX airguns. FX USA will perform warranty repairs for FX products, but AOA will of course help our customers when possible. AOA has the best factory trained staff to perform specialized tuning and services. Air Superiority is a new division in the AOA group that will be expanded and promoted in 2018, with future video tutorials and specialized services. Our repair department prides itself in testing all of our premium guns before shipping them out.
Q. You’ve been known to work directly with manufacturers to offer special “exclusive” models; most recently your collaboration with Diana and the AM03 Stealth. Is there anything else in the works?
A. We take a lot of pride in the influence we maintain with our factories. The USA market poses unique challenges and the factories depend on us to provide them with the special requirements and performance specifications the American customer demands. Our staff travels the world to help design new products for the future. We have many exciting products coming from Daystate, Brocock, Diana and MTC as well as others. Stay tuned!
Q. What is the PAD van & where can it be found?
A. The PAD van is the finest mobile airgun showroom and mobile support vehicle in the industry. Of course it’s just metal, plastic and wood. The real heartbeat of the van is the operator, Larry Piercy. Larry drives the USA kicking the tires so to speak of potential airgun dealers for PAD. The van can also be seen attending many of the nations airgun events to service customers needs. The support vehicle has sine wave power converters that allow for on board computers or air compressor operation and gives Larry the needed tools to repair a gun, fill a tank or take an order. All services are labor free. We are open to recommendations on where to go next. Give Larry a call if you would like to have our van and Larry at an airgun or shooting event.
Q. I heard you guys have a mascot? Who or what is Target?
A. Yes we do have a Mascot. A few years ago I was walking down the aisle at Petsmart and made the mistake of stopping to look at a green cheek conure. After a few squeaks and head bobs he was in a box and on his way home. Because I am a fan of irony I named him Target. Target has the run of the store and is rarely in his cage. Most of the time he can be found riding on the shoulder of one of our techs. If he looks sociable, that’s because he is. He’s definitely not afraid to stick his beak in your ear and give you “what for” (piece of his mind). Target can also be seen attending the Extreme Benchrest with us, he really is part of the AOA family.
Q. Rumor is that AoA is giving away a stellar prize in 2018. What is it & how do our viewers enter for a chance to win?
A. YES we are giving away a custom made ARKONIK Land Rover Defender 90 restored from the ground up by the artists at Arkonik in Bath, England. You can go to their web page to see the high level of quality they put into each and every truck they restore. The Land Rover Defender is an icon across the globe much like the high quality airguns we import! To enter one can purchase many of these fine products to receive a free entry form that must be sent in for the Drawing in mid-summer this year. The winner will be announced at the Extreme Benchrest 2018. We hope our customers will purchase goods from the makers that are involved in this the greatest promotional give away in the airgun industry. Please take a look on our web page www.airgunsofarizona.com under each brand : Daystate, Brocock, Diana, HW and others.
Q. What’s next for AoA
A. What's next for AOA? Only the good Lord knows. We have been blessed to earn our living from what is most people's leisure and fun. I appreciate that fact a lot, and not a staff member at AOA takes this for granted. Sure we need to make a profit, many families lives depend on us as their only source of income. For this we say thank you to all of our clients and suppliers, each of you are special to us and we will continue to improve and supply you with the best products and services at a fair cost. You can tell from our web page
that we like to do business the old fashion way. Give us a call; we’d love to hear how we’re doing, how we can improve, and how we can fulfill all of your airgun needs. Thanks for your time Robert, I hope y'all enjoy this interview!
Click on this banner to navigate to AoA's website or give them a call 480-461-1113
