Originally Posted by
NoVA5326
Firstly, let me say as former end user I am fond of FN's wares. On the original DoD SCAR dev team, etc.. and have appreciated the value of FN enabled belt fed messages in lands afar. Additionally, I have been in the Industry (technologist, senior management, or investor) for 20+ years
This seems like a stretch... Ruger's "SFAR" Small Framed AR infringing upon FN's "SCAR". It's usually the sign of a sclerotic and dying company, turning to regulatory burden, when these sorts of maneuvers happen. The firearms community is fickle and this smells like fodder to make meme material.
IMO Ruger's $900 308 AR in no way competes with FN's $4000+ SCAR. Not in advertising direction, intended market segment, differed distribution channels, shelf space, actual use cases of the rifle, or other normative industry metrics. Firearms are a relatively spendy and well researched individual purchase and no one is confused between a $1K and $4K rifle with very different value propositions, , radically different form factors, operating systems, magazines etc.
IMO this is a grifter approach, seeking tremble (triple) "damages" to simply pirate off a company more successful in the lower segment of the marketspace. "3. That FN be awarded a full disgorgement of the profits secured by Ruger as a result of its unlawful activities pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 1117, and that said award be trebled as provided by law."
For a good laugh a read of the suit linked is worth it. FN laughably claims marketplace confusion and deception. This is obviously not true..
What this feels like to me is that FN America is full of excuses for shoddy sales numbers and telling the European parent co (absolutely ignorant of the US marketplace and the savviness of US customers) Ruger stole all their customers.
If FN wants to suck less, they should innovate, get some relevant SKU's out on a useful cadence and embrace customer service in the US not Euro version. They'd be better off spending in the right direction to start making non clunky silly wares, marketing the crap they have, or even lobbying for the 2A marketplace than by fratricide of another US Gun Co over BS. However, FN America is probably a little regarded stepchild of the Euro parent and doesn't have enough leash to get it right the more dynamic US market.
Ruger has a shocking good product development funnel and year after year reliably cascades new sku's for retailers over the much larger lower end segment. I'm not sure I'd push retailers to ponder who the more valuable mfgr is to their bottom line.
