Are magazines open source?

Status
Not open for further replies.
F

Frye

Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2010
Messages
18
I was wondering, for guns that use other manufacturers magazines (e.g. Keltec Sub2000 or the Kriss) do they have to pay a license to use the magazines or is it fair game that Glock magazines just happen to work in their firearms?

Do you think it would be discouraged for copyright infringment or would it be encouraged for the fact that they sell more magazines?
 
I don't think you can patent the specific shape of your magazine well so it would be hard to enforce.
If someone comes up with a new & unique way like the PS90 they could probably patent and block it. Though in that case they haven't, there are other guns that take those mags. Whether that is because they chose not to I do not know.
 
Why would I not want another gun maker to use my mags? That would be like HP trying to stop other companies from designing computers that will work with their printers.

If I were Glock, I would openly encourage other gun makers to design their guns to run Glock mags, and then I'd work out a deal to sell them a grunch of my mags to package with their new gun.
 
That's what I imagined too. Was just wondering if anyone had ever heard of a company getting upset about another company using their mags. Since Glock mags are so abundant and relatively cheap, compared to other magazines, I'd love to see more companies make firearms that are compatible.
 
^^^^^
Oh, and you can patent gestures now, too. So "tilt n lock" is now off limits, as is "tap, rack, bang" ;)

What a dumb world we've come to live in. Granted, S&W got aroud Colt by spinning the cylinder the other way.

*Ron Perlman's voice* --"Stupid...stupid never changes..."

TCB
 
Patents apply to manufacturing 'things'

Patent protections apply to manufacturing a device using someone else's research and engineering.

So if one designed a firearm to employ - as mentioned - Glock magazines, the firearm would not be subject to patent restrictions, but manufacturing magazines would require an agreement (and royalties, no doubt).

But if Glock could sell more magazines, why would they object - especially for a firearm type they didn't make?
 
In general, devices and other things can be patented when they have a useful feature not found in or obvious from something made, used, sold or published before.

Devices and things can also get a "design" patent based on how they look.

If you buy a particular patented device from the patentee or the patentee's licensee, there is an implied license that attaches to that particular device and it can be used or resold by anyone.

If a company were to advertise that its gun can be used with a Glock (TM) magazine, the gun company would want to make sure that it took steps to make sure that the public would not wrongly assume that the gun came from Glock (TM).
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top