Steyr sueing Sig

[graffex]

Not a sig fan even remotely, until the p320 which I've put hands on but have yet to shoot. This seems like weak sauce severely to me. Doubt I'll be spending any money at steyr anytime soon either. Thoughts?

https://www.google.com/amp/www.thetr...army-p320/amp/

SIG SAUER is riding high following the announcement that their P320 handgun has been accepted for service by the U.S. military to replace the aging Beretta M9. Naturally everyone else in the gun manufacturing world, especially those who were their competition during the selection process, are trying to throw spanners in the works and keep the guns from actually being delivered. Today’s complication comes from Steyr Arms, who claim that they have a patent on the removable chassis system that makes the P320 (and P250) series handguns unique.

The complaint filed May 3rd in U.S. district court for the northern district of Alabama references Steyr’s patent US6260301 (filed in 1999 and approved in 2001), which is for a handgun with a removable chassis. From the patent:

A pistol comprising a housing; a barrel slide movably mounted on the housing for movement in a firing direction with respect to a barrel; and a trigger mechanism located, at least in part, within the housing, the improvement which comprises a multifunction metal part removably insertable within said housing, said multifunction metal part being provided with guides for the barrel slide and means for supporting the trigger mechanism, said multifunction metal part and housing are each provided with a transverse hole which receives a shaft for connecting the housing and the multifunction metal part together, the housing has a rear wall which is provided with a recess for receiving a projection on the multifunction metal part the multifunction metal part includes control means for locking said barrel in the barrel slide.
That does, in fact, sound a whole lot like the P320/P250 chassis system that SIG SAUER uses in their handguns. That’s the secret sauce that makes the P320 so modular and perfect for the Army’s competition.

So Steyr Arms claims that they had the idea for a modular chassis first, SIG SAUER infringed on their patent without a license, and they want it to stop. Steyr Arms is demanding a prelimenary and permanent injunction against SIG SAUER selling any of these firearms. It remains to be seen what impact this will have on the military adopting the P320 handgun, and how much of the lucrative contract award might be funneled off towards Steyr Arms as a license payment.

[Kain]

Why now?
Why not when the 250 came out? And aren't there other companies other than Sig using a chassis system in their handguns? They being sued too? Something not tracking here.

[Dionysusigma]

As far as other companies using a removable chassis, none that I can think of (aside from AR trigger "cassettes" and HK trigger packs).

From the patent itself ( https://www.google.com/patents/US6260301 ), a few interesting points stand out:

Publication date Jul 17, 2001
Filing date Aug 13, 1999

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[snip]
8. A hammer can also be provided instead of the sear.

[snip]

The description of an exemplary embodiment is not intended to limit the invention in any way to a specific method of construction or method of operation of a pistol.

and also, this at the very bottom:

Jan 15, 2014 AS Assignment
Owner name: STEYR MANNLICHER GMBH, AUSTRIA
Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:STEYR MANLICHER HOLDING GMBH;REEL/FRAME:032019/0961
Effective date: 20131004
Sep 23, 2015 AS Assignment
Owner name: STEYR ARMS, INC., ALABAMA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:STEYR MANNLICHER GMBH;REEL/FRAME:036663/0166
Effective date: 20150923

I'm wondering if these last two (which, to my untrained eye) are restructurings and the new setup has decided to go ahead with this.

When does the patent expire?

[Lefty223]

In the end Steyr will get a royalty per gun delivered, as that is how the game is played in the big leagues boys!

[Vandal]

Why now?
Why not when the 250 came out? And aren't there other companies other than Sig using a chassis system in their handguns? They being sued too? Something not tracking here.

Why now? Sig recently won a major contract and Steyr can smell money. Part of me hopes Sig fights it.

[Texaspoff]

Why now? Sig recently won a major contract and Steyr can smell money. Part of me hopes Sig fights it.

I'm with ya on that. The 250 didn't generate enough revenue to warrant the paperwork.... Waiting for the law suit against Beretta for the Nano and the APX, also removable chassis system weapons, bet we don't see one.

Just in.....Company (XXXX) files suit against Sig for using the same shade of black as they do on their slide.

EDIT: I stand corrected, it appears Steyr did file a complaint against Beretta for the Nano, but again, didn't go after the P250 design originally.

TXPO

[556BlackRifle]

This will be interesting to watch. I looked and couldn't find a patent on the P250 removable chassis. Maybe Styer has a legitimate suit....

[TMS951]

Did Sig file any patents?

Why did Sig not know about Steyrs Patent?

Reading Steyrs patent it seems legit that Sig infringed. Did Sig knowingly do so with the intent of paying a royalty if it came down to it?

[Texaspoff]

Did Sig file any patents?

Why did Sig not know about Steyrs Patent?

Reading Steyrs patent it seems legit that Sig infringed. Did Sig knowingly do so with the intent of paying a royalty if it came down to it?

Could be, they may have figured it would be easier and cheaper to pay them royalties. These big companies know how things work. The 250 wasn't a hit and Sig figure if someone called them on the carpet they would quit making them. The 320 hit it big time and they figured if the same happened, they would just pay it out, and with the big contracts, that shouldn't be a problem.

Glock received an undisclosed amount from S&W for their infringement and S&W survived. I'm sure Sig will fair just as well.

TXPO

[Grand58742]

Screw it. Sig should just buy Steyr out.