Fake LaRue, Magpul, and Knight's accessories

Taman

Taman

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Read edit at bottom of this post.

I would've posted this over a week ago, but I am currently in a tropical paradise while the rest of you are still in Canada. Fortunately for you, I have a moment of sobriety right now to post this!!!

Last week a CGN member came by to install an 11" LaRue rail he had bought off the EE, but as soon as he removed it from his bag, I knew I had some bad news for him. I started asking him where he got it, how long ago, how much $, etc... but eventually I had to tell him he was sold a fake.

Now there are a number of things to look for to determine if your rail is genuine, but I am both lazy and not near my rifles... so instead you can read this post some guy already made on ar15.com:

Click here! Read the 7th post in that thread.

laruefakes.jpg


In the example above, you have a genuine 7" rail and a fake 7" rail. If you do not own or have not handled a real one, you might mistake the fake for the real thing. These fakes have been floating around the U.S. for quite some time now, and I would imagine they have been in Canada for awhile. I believe they encompass all lengths/models.

Incidentally, there have been airsoft replicas of UBR's sold as genuine as well. Click here for Magpul's Bulletin regarding counterfeit UBRs.

As Magpul has stated in the document above, using airsoft/fake accessories on a real firearm can be potentially dangerous. If you have a fake rail or buttstock I would suggest you not mount it, let alone use it. Basically all of the high end names like LaRue, KAC, Magpul, Daniel Defense, and others have fakes/airsoft clones out there.

From what I understand, the most popular/numerous fakes out there are counterfeit/airsoft KAC vertical foregrips followed by counterfeit/airsoft KAC rail systems. I am not any sort of expert on this, so take that for what its worth. Maybe someone will be super awesome and post some info on verifying Knight's stuff?

Bottom line is just like purchasing anything else: buyer beware. Research your purchase, ask questions, be sure about what you are getting. The internet is full of information on literally everything once you wade through the s**t. You should use it.

Edit: The purpose of this post was to provide information to those who may not have known that they were sold a fake/airsoft clone. If you seriously think that an airsoft LaRue rail will compare to the real thing that is your business. Not all of these items were intended to be sold as the real thing; in fact, Magpul actually licences a copy of the UBR for airsoft sale. The problem is when these fakes are sold as the genuine article.
 
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It makes sense to not put "airsoft" parts on a real firearm in most cases.
But heres my argument and experience.

I don't think I'd trust critical components like flashhiders, stocks

As a range junkie I recognize that there are a large number of us who don't rely on our ARs to fend for our lives nor do we have an endless budget to buy and dispose of expensive hardware on trial a basis.

I respect LaRue, Eotech, MagPul etc for their innovation and design, and support them by buying their products. Knock offs are stealing if there are patent or trademark infringements.

I had once moment of weakness and that is for an EOTech 3x magnifier and LaRue Rail
that would have been a $700+ purchase gone wrong had I done that for real. I bought them to decide if I needed the real thing and as it works out I don't at least not for that coin. That $700 will go to an ACOG perhaps.

If there was an easier way to fit the genuine article and sample it prior to buying then I would never have bought a knock off.

I'll be them to the local airsoft community where they eat this stuff up. In my experience the airsoft equivalents are easily identifiable as toy parts.
 
RedDuc said:
In my experience the airsoft equivalents are easily identifiable as toy parts.
Click to expand...

Nope. Some of these parts I absolutely guarantee you, nor anyone else, is able to distinguish between the airsoft piece, and the genuine part.

Now, this talking simply about the cosmetic appearance. The actual metalurgical composition, is obviously going to be another issue. And in the case of actually using these items for operational work, is a huge factor.
 
The "Made In China" should give it away. lol

Seriously tho, if a part comes flying off your rifle, it'll suck in any situation. Be it a defence scenario, or just having your buddies at the range bust a nut laughing at your cheap gear.


I do agree with using some parts cheaply if you want to try them our before making a big purchase tho. Why buy $800 optics just to find out you don't like them and have to sell at a loss, when you can buy ChiCom, beat it up and throw it away - if you decide you like it, then get a real one.
 
Don't get me wrong and have the impression that I condone or support buying or using any knock off part. They are inferior, stop.

If you use a Chinese knock off optic you will get junk from the start. Most of them have major issues, such as, reticules not staying put... And with a scope, that is a big issue from the start. Better not even touch stuff like that at any time. It is like throwing your money in the garbage.
 
Plenty of easy to find fakes if you look in some airsoft sites... Compare those with real pictures and you'll have a pretty good idea what's fake...
 
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Hokus Grey said:
The "Made In China" should give it away. lol

Seriously tho, if a part comes flying off your rifle, it'll suck in any situation. Be it a defence scenario, or just having your buddies at the range bust a nut laughing at your cheap gear.


I do agree with using some parts cheaply if you want to try them our before making a big purchase tho. Why buy $800 optics just to find out you don't like them and have to sell at a loss, when you can buy ChiCom, beat it up and throw it away - if you decide you like it, then get a real one.
Click to expand...

That's be true...but sometimes the airosoft version can't even do thesame job to justify comparing it to a real one. ie. airsoft eotechs have ghosting issues which true eotechs don't. Yes, they would mount thesame and might weigh thesame but the function of the repo is way different and I don't think they could take thesame punishment as a product made for real firearms.
 
Only way to avoid this is to only buy from reputable dealers who get all the parts directly from the Mfg. or the Mfg.'s official distributor.

I bought some fakies for my airsoft kit, but it doesn't look anywhere close to the real deal.

EG:
IMG_0309.jpg


Only real thing on there is the EOTech 512... Everything else is airsoft (albeit, higher quality than your run of the mill airsoft).
 
A general rule I follow is based on price - too cheap equals a knock off. I am not opposed to using knock offs as a trial buy to see if I like the concept or style ( thinking here of things like red dot sights etc ) and if I do like the idea then consider the purchase of a genuine article. I would also buy replica items like bayonets for display etc. I wouldn't buy a knock off that potentially affected the structural integrity of the firearm. Of course, the problem here isn't so much the obvious knock off's, it is the conterfeit being passed off as the real thing, I don't think anyone really expects the $150 ebay special to be as good as the Leupold but when you pay $1500 you do expect the real thing.
 
I bought a Chinese clone Raimpoint Micro, with a clone Rarue mount off of EBAY BECAUSE I WANTED TO TRY OUT THE CONCEPT before committing the BIG bucks for a real set.

Ok fine,
I didn't like the way this set up worked for me on my M14. I found the sight picture simply too "micro" for my old eyes. So I went to an EO XPS.
This trial with a cheap clone set up saved me a LOT of money.

So I sold the Raimpoint/Rarue at a gunshow, full disclosure, no guarantee as to durability or longevity, to a guy with a Chinese Clone AR 15 M4rgery...
who was tickled pink at the thought of a Chinese Clone Aimpoint micro and Larue on his Chinese Clone Norc M4gery.

At the next gunshow he made a point of stopping by and telling me how happy he is with his Clone AR15 and optics.
YPMMV

PLUS,
I just picked up a GENUINE Eotec XPS from a guy who bought it, then after a few days of major frustration, found out the EO didn't work well for him due to astigmatism/holo reticle pixelation.
once agin,
YPMMV

So which situation made the most sense??

I think there is a place in MY life for some airsh!t/Chinese Clone stuff. I go through a LOT of kit, trying different configurations to try and find that perfect set up.

Even though my wife lets me spend whatever $$$ I want on my hobby [ and I let her spend her money on her horse ] I don't have the MAJOR loose coin to buy every new toy that catches my eye. But I DO have the pocket change to try the Clone versions. and if I like them,
then I can consider investing in the Genuine article.
And with the BIG prices you pay for Genuine brand names like Larue, Knight, etc.,
you really are INVESTING, not merely purchasing.

PS: and are you REALLY SURE your genuine brand name expensive kit was not made in the same Chinese factory as the cheap "over run" "knock offs"?
Really REALLLLLLY SURE???

LAZ 1
 
Personally I think companies that manufacture fakes are the lowest form of pirating and blatant theives. However if somebody wants to offer a low cost clone alternative and deliberately markets it as a knock off and not the "real thing" and pays the originator a royalty than this would be fine-but they dont do this. The reality tends to be some ####bag communist company hiding behind the veil of the Peoples republic of China where civil actions are meaningless and royalties almost unheard of. These companies will eventually destroy all the good companies in the west as they spend nothing on orginality, research or design but instead make a quick buck off ripping off somebodies elses idea. Legal enforcement in smuggled fakes in Canada is very weak as well.

BTW if I had to guess in the case of post #1 the top rail is the real thing and the bottom is the fake....
 
I think the issue here is that people are buying stuff without disclosure. We are talking counterfits, not knockoffs here. Sucks to buy something thinking you are getting a real good deal, meanwhile, you are overpaying on a knockoff.

If you bought a rifle for 2000 +, why the hell would you put a 50 dollar red dot on it. My buddy bought one, it lasted 2 mags and it turned right off. CHanged the battery, same thing.

you get what you pay for
 
Devil's Advocate:

If it is not OK to buy cheap Chinese knockoff accessories then why is it OK to buy cheap Chinese knockoff rifles?

I certainly hope none of the people posting here about the evil's of buying knockoff accessories own or have owned anything from Norinco? Cause that would be HYPOCRITICAL.
 
I saw a Fakepoint magnifier go through a local shop. Owner was sure it was the real deal because of looks and the box/manual and sold it as a real one.

The Airsoft copy's I've seen looked exactly the same right down to the well printed manual.

koldt said:
Nope. Some of these parts I absolutely guarantee you, nor anyone else, is able to distinguish between the airsoft piece, and the genuine part.
Click to expand...
 
Suputin said:
Devil's Advocate:

If it is not OK to buy cheap Chinese knockoff accessories then why is it OK to buy cheap Chinese knockoff rifles?

I certainly hope none of the people posting here about the evil's of buying knockoff accessories own or have owned anything from Norinco? Cause that would be HYPOCRITICAL.
Click to expand...

My Norinco firearms say Norinco on them...they are not misrepresenting themselves as Colt or Springfield.
 
I think a lot of people here are missing the point... the Airsoft UBR was never meant to be a Magpul ripoff on a real firearm and is priced and built accordingly. It's made for zero recoil airsoft guns for the airsoft market where having authentic markings scores gucci points in the staging area.

It's the fruadsters on BOTH sides of the pond that take the airsoft ones and sell them as authentic Magpul gear that is causing this specific problem. The manufacture never endordosed nor specified that their products were firearm worthy and infact most my airsoft equipment specfically warn against use on a real firearm.
 
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