On July 25, 2013 Magpul Industries, Corp. filed suit in United States District Court, Colorado, alleging that four companies infringed on their patents by manufacturing, distributing and selling magazines utilizing Magpul’s designs.
The four companies named in the suit are Big Rock Sports/Swampfox, Cole Industries, Plinker Tactical and Promag.
You can read the details of the Complaint here.
I will admit that at first glance the magazines in question look a lot like the Pmag. In fact the similarity is enough that it has caught my eye while walking through the isle at the local “Firearms Supercenter”. I recognized the familiar waffle pattern on the body of the mag, but not the package surrounding it.
That is where my experience with the magazine ends. The prices were close enough to the Magpul product not to tempt me to purchase one.
Magpul posted the following statement on their website:
“Magpul Industries Corp announced today that it has filed patent infringement lawsuits against four companies for offering for sale, selling, and distributing magazines for AR15/M16 compatible weapons in violation of Magpul’s patents. The company’s lawsuits allege infringement of Utility Pat. No. 8,069,601 for a novel ammunition magazine, in addition to numerous Magpul design patents.
“The lawsuits, filed in United States District Court, Colorado, provide another example of Magpul’s dedication to protecting its valuable brand while sending a warning to others attempting to infringe on our innovations. “These patents exemplify the industrial design-focused spirit at Magpul, which drives us to create novel solutions that enhance user experience with our products,” said Duane Liptak, Director of Product Management and Marketing for Magpul Industries. “People who use Magpul products have high expectations and a great deal of trust regarding the value, quality, and amount of thought put into every design we release. As such, we cannot allow others to misappropriate the patented technology that helps us generate that consumer confidence and trust.”
“The lawsuits are the largest and most significant to date brought by Magpul, and are part of the company’s ongoing proactive efforts to combat the unlawful production, distribution, and sale of products that infringe on its valuable intellectual property rights.
In the interest of full disclosure, both Magpul Industries, Corp. and ProMag Industries have provided products for us to review in the past.