Anybody remember/have a link to the short-lived AICS clone that was made and then halted?

[chainring]

Discussion with a friend about clones in the market (Pro-Fail's blatant Archangel copy of the JAE chassis, for one) and I remembered that someone briefly made a copy/clone of the AICS back years ago. Anybody got a link to that?

Google is completely failing every combination of terms that I have conceived for that search.


Thanks.

 

[Massoud]

Two companies that I'm aware of have made stocks similar to an AICS. One is Roedale Precision who is out of the EU and posts on this site sometimes, he does a Tikka version, and the other was Spartan Precision in Canada who tried to do a Savage version.
Justin

 

[chainring]

Thanks, I'm familiar with those. The one I remember seeing was a direct copy, basically, and AI forced them to stop making it. Got a writeup review in some magazine, etc. before AI stepped in and shut it down. Just can't recall the name of the company..

 

[ORD]

The only one that I can think of, in terms of being a "close" enough knock-off (but nowhere NEAR and identical copy by any means) that AI got a ruling to halt production/sales, was the Gunsite UARS (Ultra Accurate Rifle Stock). Only a few hundred at most were made before everything hit the proverbial fan.

In terms of an IDENTICAL copy/knock-off...not too sure on that one.

Good luck...I'll keep watch on this thread as I too am interested in knowing.

 

[gunnut284]

The only one that I can think of, in terms of being a "close" enough knock-off (but nowhere NEAR and identical copy by any means) that AI got a ruling to halt production/sales, was the Gunsite UARS (Ultra Accurate Rifle Stock). Only a few hundred at most were made before everything hit the proverbial fan.

In terms of an IDENTICAL copy/knock-off...not too sure on that one.

Good luck...I'll keep watch on this thread as I too am interested in knowing.

The Gunsite UARS was what I was going to suggest you may be remembering.

 

[timjoebobbradley]

yeah, UARS. I thought that was a cool stock and was going to buy one, and was a main reason I still think Accuracy intl sucks. Aggressive Patent protection with big lawyers sucks.

 

[remington patriot]

yeah, UARS. I thought that was a cool stock and was going to buy one, and was a main reason I still think Accuracy intl sucks. Aggressive Patent protection with big lawyers sucks.

I don't think you would appreciate it if you spend time and money developing product only to have someone come along and steal your designs to clone it.

 

[timjoebobbradley]

I don't think you would appreciate it if you spend time and money developing product only to have someone come along and steal your designs to clone it.

I don't think Accuracy went out of business because someone was copying their novel designed stock. In fact I know it didn't. Their business plan sucked and they protected their assets with powerful lawyers.

You must like that business plan?

 

[Bruno]

When did they go out of business?

 

[timjoebobbradley]

Let me google that for you

 

[G60]

yeah, UARS. I thought that was a cool stock and was going to buy one, and was a main reason I still think Accuracy intl sucks. Aggressive Patent protection with big lawyers sucks.

AI sucks but you'd buy a copy. okay then.

 

[chainring]

Yep, the UARS is the one I remember.

Never intended to start an AI bash - I completely agree with a company (even a large company...which AI wasn't, really, at the time) defending IP and even the aesthetics of their product if they can. JAE is dealing with a crappy aesthetic ripoff by Pro-Fail of their chassis, with not much they can do about it, apparently. Their experience with the Pro-Mag product just got me to thinking about the similar situation with AI. Not sure if the UARS was a more direct copy and thus something that actually infringed, where the Pro-Mag unit doesn't quite reach that level with JAE?

Anyway, even if there aren't always any direct laws that apply in every case, it's still a crappy thing for some cloner to come in and create a product that looks as close as possible to the brain-child of a hard-working, all-or-nothing small company that is actually innovating - whether they are British or American. I don't know anything about the UARS, and my comments should not be construed as castigating whoever brought that to market. They may have felt like they had something different, or were filling a niche that AI hadn't addressed. They shoulda made sure there were clear differences though, apparently.

 

[patrol120]

AI sucks but you'd buy a copy. okay then.

I typically read this as " I am too broke/tight to buy the real thing, so a copy is good enough. Hey, like my Barska? I paid $30 at the gunshow, its just as good as a NF"

 

[timjoebobbradley]

AI sucks but you'd buy a copy. okay then.

You must have missed the nuance in that post, that was spelled out plainly in my other post:

AI's aggressive business protection through lawyers sucks. AI's business plan sucks (hence they went bankrupt). I did not mention their product sucks, although if you happened to have one of the barrels that split open like a banana you might have been of a different conclusion. You might not have been into guns when that happened and not remember it, who knows?

I did not think the stock was a copy, even back then. I believe the patent was overly broad and the uars stock was different enough to not be a copy, and I personally liked its shape and texture. AI stocks with the skins are not my personal favorite, although I think the ai ax is pretty neat looking, even though I have not handled one personally.

 

[Muffo]

Two companies that I'm aware of have made stocks similar to an AICS. One is Roedale Precision who is out of the EU and posts on this site sometimes, he does a Tikka version, and the other was Spartan Precision in Canada who tried to do a Savage version.
Justin

any Idea if you can buy the spartan precision one. I looked on their website and it has the savage one listed but cant find a price or anywhere to buy it

 

[was21]

This....



wes in az

 

[remington patriot]

I don't think Accuracy went out of business because someone was copying their novel designed stock. In fact I know it didn't. Their business plan sucked and they protected their assets with powerful lawyers.

You must like that business plan?

So you don't protect your assets and everything you work for??????????? You spend your time and money designing something and let me come along and simply copy it and sell it. You good with that?

 

[timjoebobbradley]

So you don't protect your assets and everything you work for??????????? You spend your time and money designing something and let me come along and simply copy it and sell it. You good with that?

If the only reason you have a business is because you have a "really unique and novel design" that you patent and protect aggressively, you are not competing in the marketplace on service, quality of product, or a few other more important reasons. I would be fine with someone taking your market share at that point.

 

[G60]

Are they currently going after any of the dozens of other chassis on the market today?

 

[tomirwin]

I thought I would add something to this.

1. At the time of the Gunsite stock they were the distributor of AI and started to make a stock using AI parts. The law suit was less to do with copying our chassis than to do with breach of contract. We came up with our AICS for Remington 700 and brought it to the market before them. I would not put us in the category of "Aggressive Patent protection with big lawyers"
2. Regarding AI going bankrupt it was more to do with cash flow than bad business plan.
3. If you knew anything about the AW50 with the split barrel then you would know that there was a multi purpose round fired which exploded in the barrel causing catastrophic barrel failure. The barrel ruptured, as designed, and held together with no injury to the shooter.
4. We are not going after any chassis manufacturers and have not sought legal action against anyone.

I hope some facts will help readers understand what really happened and that Accuracy International is a company with customers being our primary focus. After bankruptcy we have grown both worldwide and in the USA and we continue to bring new products to the market based on our customer demands; military, LE and civilian. We are improving our processes and products and reducing lead-time. Our production is growing and we intent to continue the growth in the USA with manufacturing in 3 states and assembly in Fredericksburg, VA.

Tom Irwin
Accuracy International

 

[timjoebobbradley]

I thought I would add something to this.

1. At the time of the Gunsite stock they were the distributor of AI and started to make a stock using AI parts. The law suit was less to do with copying our chassis than to do with breach of contract. We came up with our AICS for Remington 700 and brought it to the market before them. I would not put us in the category of "Aggressive Patent protection with big lawyers"
2. Regarding AI going bankrupt it was more to do with cash flow than bad business plan.
3. If you knew anything about the AW50 with the split barrel then you would know that there was a multi purpose round fired which exploded in the barrel causing catastrophic barrel failure. The barrel ruptured, as designed, and held together with no injury to the shooter.
4. We are not going after any chassis manufacturers and have not sought legal action against anyone.

I hope some facts will help readers understand what really happened and that Accuracy International is a company with customers being our primary focus. After bankruptcy we have grown both worldwide and in the USA and we continue to bring new products to the market based on our customer demands; military, LE and civilian. We are improving our processes and products and reducing lead-time. Our production is growing and we intent to continue the growth in the USA with manufacturing in 3 states and assembly in Fredericksburg, VA.

Tom Irwin
Accuracy International

You have completely changed my opinion of AI, although I do still have one question if I may ask while I have gotten it straight from AI- Did AI prevent or otherwise put pressure on magazine manufacturers? Does AI have a patent on its magazine?

 

[chainring]

I thought I would add something to this.

1. At the time of the Gunsite stock they were the distributor of AI and started to make a stock using AI parts. The law suit was less to do with copying our chassis than to do with breach of contract. We came up with our AICS for Remington 700 and brought it to the market before them. I would not put us in the category of "Aggressive Patent protection with big lawyers"
2. Regarding AI going bankrupt it was more to do with cash flow than bad business plan.
3. If you knew anything about the AW50 with the split barrel then you would know that there was a multi purpose round fired which exploded in the barrel causing catastrophic barrel failure. The barrel ruptured, as designed, and held together with no injury to the shooter.
4. We are not going after any chassis manufacturers and have not sought legal action against anyone.

I hope some facts will help readers understand what really happened and that Accuracy International is a company with customers being our primary focus. After bankruptcy we have grown both worldwide and in the USA and we continue to bring new products to the market based on our customer demands; military, LE and civilian. We are improving our processes and products and reducing lead-time. Our production is growing and we intent to continue the growth in the USA with manufacturing in 3 states and assembly in Fredericksburg, VA.

Tom Irwin
Accuracy International

Thanks for the info, Tom.

 

[tomirwin]

Timjoe,
We did not prevent people from copying our magazines although we told them that we did not like what they were doing. There is no patent on our magazines.
Tom Irwin
Accuracy International

 

[pawprint2]

I don't think you would appreciate it if you spend time and money developing product only to have someone come along and steal your designs to clone it.

I'm in complete agreement, that is why patents should last for at least 100 years! I've seen a bunch of 1911's and mags for sale by other than those with rights to Browning's original patent! Shame on those buying/and those building such a terrible thing. Just to rub salt into it, I've even noticed AR's that are NOT being made by Colt (under Armalite's patent (Stoner's)) I don't know what this world is coming to! Recently, someone told me a group of small manufacturers are building Remington 700 Clones!!!! Buyer beware, can you imagine someone ripping off Remington like that? Plus, it is obvious they can't be as good as a real Remington, as they didn't have to spend time and money developing the product-I hope there aren't any supporters of thieves on this board, I just can't imagine anyone on the hide buying a Remington 700 clone-God Forbid!