Surefire's rails are made out of casting. I also have my suspicion that ARMS SIR started life as casting due to its geometry.
Most of the toy stuff, like the airsoft stuff, could be made out of zine alloy. It could be made aluminum as well.
Fake LaRue, Magpul, and Knight's accessories
- Thread starter Taman
- Start date
Surefire's rails are made out of casting. I also have my suspicion that ARMS SIR started life as casting due to its geometry.
Most of the toy stuff, like the airsoft stuff, could be made out of zine alloy. It could be made aluminum as well.
He meant "zinc".
patents expire, do you not find it funny that it is only recently that the chinese started marketing an ar15/m16 rifle ?? the 1911 and the m14 oatents have probably been expired for 20 years....
do you call a kimber, springfield or paraord inferior quality because most of them do not pay colt for usage of the design ?? (paraord does but only for the series 80 safety parts) Springfield and Kimber went with older design safeties for the reason they could avoid paying for them.
Norinco makes a well made firearm for the price, the m14 recievers are recognized as SUPERIOR to springfield armory, the 1911 slide and recievers are recognized as BETTER then colt as far as metal quality.... where norinco does not shine is in barrels and fit and finish, but then your not paying a premium for a well finished firearm, your paying for a norinco which is a servicable gun, but does not have the best fit and finish.
Do I buy norinco... no, but thats because I am a snob and like fit and finish, do I recommend norinco for new shooters, HELL YEAH, for the cost of an inexpensive gun they can buy that much more ammo to practice.
The purpose of the original post was to provide information to those who may not have known that they were sold a fake/airsoft clone. If you(the reader) 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, I believe Magpul actually licences a copy of the UBR for airsoft sale. The problem is when these fakes are sold as the genuine article.
Exactly.
They're having difficulty keeping up with demand as it is. Mark LaRue has made it clear that his first priority is American units in the field. LaRue will even go so far as to delay U.S. civilian orders to fill military orders. That said, I would like to see more availability here.
Skooch has chosen to reveal himself as the CGN member that bought the fake on page 4. He didn't tell me who sold it to him.
Exactly.
They're having difficulty keeping up with demand as it is. Mark LaRue has made it clear that his first priority is American units in the field. LaRue will even go so far as to delay U.S. civilian orders to fill military orders. That said, I would like to see more availability here.
Skooch has chosen to reveal himself as the CGN member that bought the fake on page 4. He didn't tell me who sold it to him.
Last edited:
I don't think I am allowed to reveal the culprit. I will in PMs, should anyone ask. He has recieved a negative trader rating and i have not recieved a response from him. I find it very hard to beleive that the seller did not know what he had. Taman knew what he was looking at, but if he hadn't, it was apparent once we tried to install the rail.
Reading this all is very interesting for me.
Let me open up with my opinion.
These so called fake parts (Larue KAC Tangodown Aimpoint....) are made for airsoft guns for the airsoft market. The reason they are copies of the real thing is because they are used as toys. They were never meant to be sold to people who are mounting these toy parts to real live firearms.
The biggest issue is not these toy parts, it is sellers who try to sell these as genuine gun parts.
In the rest of the world (Asia Europe...) People take airsoft pretty seriously. These people treat airsoft seriously because of local firearms prohibitions. Airsoft is the closest legal thing they can own to a real firearm.
Real gun parts fit into this prohibition, you cannot legally import KAC rails or Aimpoint sights to many of these countries. The solution was to make lookalike copies to bypass these export restrictions. (many also import real gun parts as airsoft toys to bypass import restrictions)
This really has nothing to do with copyright infringement or anything, 2 totally different markets, that somehow got muddled into the same lump due to uninformed gun buyers and shoddy sellers.
Let me open up with my opinion.
These so called fake parts (Larue KAC Tangodown Aimpoint....) are made for airsoft guns for the airsoft market. The reason they are copies of the real thing is because they are used as toys. They were never meant to be sold to people who are mounting these toy parts to real live firearms.
The biggest issue is not these toy parts, it is sellers who try to sell these as genuine gun parts.
In the rest of the world (Asia Europe...) People take airsoft pretty seriously. These people treat airsoft seriously because of local firearms prohibitions. Airsoft is the closest legal thing they can own to a real firearm.
Real gun parts fit into this prohibition, you cannot legally import KAC rails or Aimpoint sights to many of these countries. The solution was to make lookalike copies to bypass these export restrictions. (many also import real gun parts as airsoft toys to bypass import restrictions)
This really has nothing to do with copyright infringement or anything, 2 totally different markets, that somehow got muddled into the same lump due to uninformed gun buyers and shoddy sellers.
It does when they try to copy the MFR markings on the product, packaging and manuals/directions.
They could contact the OEM and say "listen, we are going to make an AS copy and mark it as a copy of XX" This would go a long way to stop people buying something they didn't want and possible legal issues.
You can argue both ways.
For the airsoft market, buyers want the closest replica to the real deal, hence the packaging and markings are as close to the real thing.
If the real makers could cater more to the airsoft crowd, perhaps this would not be an issue, many would rather buy the real thing but they cannot because of legal issues. (Magpul and Daniel Defence has made their airsoft line lately)
http://www.madbullairsoft.com/Engli...ath=16&zenid=3ec55cc13f7e2bc251a7edb3b48d911d
Nobody wants to buy something marked ### replica toy part, it wont sell to the airsoft market.
But yes, it does get confusing when you try to sell it to users of the real firearms market.
For the airsoft market, buyers want the closest replica to the real deal, hence the packaging and markings are as close to the real thing.
If the real makers could cater more to the airsoft crowd, perhaps this would not be an issue, many would rather buy the real thing but they cannot because of legal issues. (Magpul and Daniel Defence has made their airsoft line lately)
http://www.madbullairsoft.com/Engli...ath=16&zenid=3ec55cc13f7e2bc251a7edb3b48d911d
Nobody wants to buy something marked ### replica toy part, it wont sell to the airsoft market.
But yes, it does get confusing when you try to sell it to users of the real firearms market.
Early on in my gun addiction I caved and bought some cheapie chinese crap thinking it'd be fine for my little 10/22. The crap that didn't break out in the bush broke around the house, and none of it ever worked as it was supposed to (by a looong shot). One flashlight, one red-dot, one scope, and one vertical grip in the garbage.
I learned the hard way that what you pay for is what you get, and that's why all you'll ever see on any of my rifles are names like EoTech, Magpul, ACE, and YHM (which can be kinda rough in its own right, but better than chinese stuff).
As far as knockoffs of namebrand kit, I guess you just gotta do your homework and buy in person or brand new from a reputable vendor.
I learned the hard way that what you pay for is what you get, and that's why all you'll ever see on any of my rifles are names like EoTech, Magpul, ACE, and YHM (which can be kinda rough in its own right, but better than chinese stuff).
As far as knockoffs of namebrand kit, I guess you just gotta do your homework and buy in person or brand new from a reputable vendor.
Well to be fair there have even been some reputable dealers that have been burned with fakes in the past. It's possible that a seller may not even realize they are selling a fake; If they were sold it as if it were genuine, they may have thought "I don't understand why this LaRue/Knight's/Magpul crap is so goddamn expensive!!! I'm going to sell this and buy something from UTG or CAA for 1/4 the price!!!"
The hope in posting this information is that anyone reading this will be more aware that this does happen once in a while, and hopefully you will be able to protect yourself.
The hope in posting this information is that anyone reading this will be more aware that this does happen once in a while, and hopefully you will be able to protect yourself.
HaHaHa .50 bmg I have seen .50 cal knock the rectangle out of average brand name rifle scope. I find that hard to beleve any airsoft part would last even one round from a.50 bmg when it can't stand the recoil from a 5.56 even
Starscream
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
A lot of the time the manufacturers do seek and buy liscenses to put on authentic markings onto parts and guns.
Tokyo Marui (a major airsoft manufactor) has P226 and P228 series that are fully lisenced and endorsed by Sig Sauer, and they the 550 is liscensed from Swiss Arms.
Western arms has full liscenses from Colt (1911 and 2011 series), SVI (2011), Beretta (92 series), and S&W (Sigma).
Classic Army has gotten really good at this. Licenses from Armalite and LWRC. Steyr mannlicher upped the ante too with the CA AUG. Not only fully liscensed, CA got permission to use the same glass reinforced nylon polymer that is used in the real steel version.
Systema changed the rules with the release of their PTW. Almost anything you could put on a real steel M16 would fit onto the PTW. There were reports of bad upper recievers so the airsofters would buy worn out or unwanted AR15 upper recievers (aka: cheap ones), do maybe two minutes of dremel work and then put all the other parts back on.
Now these suckers cost $2000+ each but they've sold just as well as the $400 inexplicably. Systema marketed it effectively and the other manufactures caught wiff of how the wind was blowing and starting modifying parts and bodies to accept minor real steel parts such as mag release buttons, rails, handguards, etc.
And before yuo ask... I refuse to pay more money for a basic airsoft gun then buying a real gun AR15 and two cases of ammunition. It's just plain stupid.
Yep airsoft is arguably prohibited. But the loophole is importing it for things like props for movies. These typically end up on youtube.... yada yada. All this is probably well discussed in canadian airsoft forums.
Again there is legitimate airsoft that uses copyright under authorization from the original and then there is "brown box" airsoft from some obscure asian factory.
It has it's place. Namely to keep the riff raff out of real steel... (i kidd)
There seem to be some cross over brands like NCSTAR that service both niches.
The obsession with gear is evident in both.
and to keep this on topic.
Airsoft *parts* are not regulated to any great degree. US government and CBSA don't typically stop toy parts across the border. (Whole toy guns are a no no)
I agree with the buyer beware principles and moreso supporting the reputable Canadian dealers buy purchasing legitimate parts at fair prices.
p.s.
I don't get the difference between a replica and a copy.
Norinco is a copy = lethal but legit.
Tokyo Mauri = replica, non-lethal, prohibited and illegal.
Wish I never sold my Airsoft AUG.
