2011: The Year of the Court Battle

txshurricane · 07-11-2011, 08:02 AM

Our favorite firearms manufacturer is preparing to spend some time defending the SIG 516 piston-operated rifle in civil court proceedings, it seems.

Not only has LWRC filed a lawsuit for patent infringement of their "self cleaning gas operating system" (U.S. patent #7461581)....but now Adams Arms is filing for infringement with regard to their patent for "inverted piston operating system" (U.S. patent #7971518), which was pending until July 7th - the same day the suit was filed (well, what a coincidence!).

Sig will, of course, try to settle with these companies. If settlement terms are agreeable, then those of us looking forward to acquiring a SIG 516 in the future have nothing to worry about. But if LWRC is seeking to stop distribution of the rifle - and have a good enough legal team - then we may be seeing the beginning of the end for the 516 in its current form.

sigp229r · 07-11-2011, 06:56 PM

Wow... Thanks for the info!!!

360glitch · 07-11-2011, 09:00 PM

Very interesting...

dlm1188 · 07-21-2011, 07:48 AM

I really want to believe that SIG didn't intentionally or at all copy a patent of another manufacturer, but anything is possible I suppose. My biggest issue is that I'm a firm believer in competition and it's lawsuits like this that I believe hinder progress. If SIG can produce a better product with the same concept technology, then I think the firearms world is all the better for it. It's just not better for someone's pockets, so crap like this happens. Hope for the best prepare for the worst. I was looking forward to buying a 516 once I moved out of CA. Let's hope I still can in two years!

rowen36 · 07-25-2011, 01:40 PM

Thanks.

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07-11-2011, 08:02 AM	#1
txshurricane SIG News Contributor Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Greater Houston, Texas Posts: 659	Our favorite firearms manufacturer is preparing to spend some time defending the SIG 516 piston-operated rifle in civil court proceedings, it seems. Not only has LWRC filed a lawsuit for patent infringement of their "self cleaning gas operating system" (U.S. patent #7461581)....but now Adams Arms is filing for infringement with regard to their patent for "inverted piston operating system" (U.S. patent #7971518), which was pending until July 7th - the same day the suit was filed (well, what a coincidence!). Sig will, of course, try to settle with these companies. If settlement terms are agreeable, then those of us looking forward to acquiring a SIG 516 in the future have nothing to worry about. But if LWRC is seeking to stop distribution of the rifle - and have a good enough legal team - then we may be seeing the beginning of the end for the 516 in its current form.

07-11-2011, 06:56 PM	#2
sigp229r Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: California Posts: 1,706	Wow... Thanks for the info!!!

07-11-2011, 09:00 PM	#3
360glitch Forum Admin Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Clinton, MS Posts: 1,176	Very interesting...

07-21-2011, 07:48 AM	#4
dlm1188 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: California Posts: 472	I really want to believe that SIG didn't intentionally or at all copy a patent of another manufacturer, but anything is possible I suppose. My biggest issue is that I'm a firm believer in competition and it's lawsuits like this that I believe hinder progress. If SIG can produce a better product with the same concept technology, then I think the firearms world is all the better for it. It's just not better for someone's pockets, so crap like this happens. Hope for the best prepare for the worst. I was looking forward to buying a 516 once I moved out of CA. Let's hope I still can in two years!

07-25-2011, 01:40 PM	#5
rowen36 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: montrose co. Posts: 100	Thanks.