Third Party magazines, Licencing?

[Kamicosmos]

So, I'm wondering: Do third party manufactures have to have a licence or permission from the original manufacturer to make mags for guns?

Example: Everyone is crying foul cause Ruger won't make 30 rounders for Mini-14, or any hi-caps for their autos. So, why hasn't Mec-Gar or ProMag filled this 'obvious' demand?

I myself am curious if anyone is going to start making large (30+) mags for the Beretta Storms, especially the larger caliber ones like 40 and 45. It can be beretta or someone else, I'm not that particular.

So, what's the deal, anyone know? Patent/copywright infrigement or something?

 

[HankB]

A magazine may well be covered by a patent. If that's the case, anyone else can start making an exact duplicate (less trademarks and such) right after the patent expires.

Heck, they can start making duplicates of the GUNS after the patent expires - look at all the AR15 clones on the market. Copyrights on the operating manual or name are a different matter - if someone wanted to duplicate the original Mini-14, they could, but they couldn't call it a Mini-14, since Ruger has probably trademarked the name "Mini-14."

IIRC new patents now last 20 years . . .

 

[lee n. field]

Example: Everyone is crying foul cause Ruger won't make 30 rounders for Mini-14, or any hi-caps for their autos. So, why hasn't Mec-Gar or ProMag filled this 'obvious' demand?

I don't know about licenseing issues, but ProMag does make full capacity magazines for the Ruger. I got an email from Natchez a week or so ago saying they were in and available.

 

[cslinger]

The problem isn't typically finding somebody who makes magazines for your application.

The problem is finding somebody who makes magazines for your application that actually WORK. So now we are back to factory, Mec-Gar, Novak, ACT, Wilson Combat, Chip McCormick and Metal form as the ones with the best reps.