Kublai or Magpul clone bipod

[Zen_Seeker]

My son picked me up two bipods for fathers day. I wanted the Magpul in either M-Lok or Picatinny, he got me both, sort of...through a company called Kublai.

The bipod and the box are the same as Magpul, just with a different name. I took them apart, but not the centre bolt, and they look the same. Even the plastic seems the same, along with flex and function. These are more for hunting that LRS but seem fine if a little loose, just like the real ones.

How is it a company can sell a clone or fake out of a somewhat local store? I assume Magpul has a patent and these clones are made using Magpuls CAD or other info but how do they slip through to stores? At airsoft they go for $75 here while, Cabela's Barrie has the real one for $199, other local stores sell them for $150.

Does airsoft get a pass on clones/fakes or doesn't anyone care anymore? Just Crazy.

 

[grelmar]

Lots to unpack here...

Part of it comes down to how Magpul filed the patent - a "device for the stabilization and support of a firearm" is not the same as a "device for the stabilization of a toy" etc. Lawyers can go round and round in circles for years on that kind of thing.

Another part, is that quite often the Aisoft knock-offs, just plain fly under the radar of the bigger companies. Magpul isn't omnioscient - they might not even be aware of the patent infringement. And if they don't know about it, then there isn't an international crack force of patent police wandering around looking for infringements. It's up to the patent holder themselves to enforce the patent.

And with the above two situations, remember that "lawyers and court time aren't free." Best case scenario, Magpul could get a relatively quick injunction if they spotted the fake, say, within a few months of lawyering up and starting the paperwork. They'll be out thousands (possibly tens of thousands) in legal fees and court filings by the time that happens. And the knock off company, just... Vanishes into the ether. Not like they're going to be based in a civilized country where the rule of law is a thing.

As for "how to copy, and make it cheap" - well, it's fairly trivial to scan the dimensions of something nowadays, and reverse engineer a copy. Far cheaper than to invest the time into actual R&D to come up with a new product. Cheap labour in foreign markets, cheap materials (it may look and feel the same, but any polymer/plastic in it will degrade faster over time, the metals will be cheaper grades that might not hold up, etc.), and the whole "no need for lawyers" because you're operating out of a country that explicitly gives a nod and wink to the knockoff market (ie: China), and your production costs go WAY down.

Magpul manufactures out of the US, pays US labour costs, has to do their own R&D (or at the very least pay fair market value for the use of someone else's patents), legal costs, marketing and distribution, etc. etc.

The economics of it, are all in the ripoff artist's favour.

 

[Zen_Seeker]

Lots to unpack here...
The economics of it, are all in the ripoff artist's favour.

Makes me sick just thinking about it. Talked to a buddy who bow hunts and he warned me to NOT by off Amazon as they let fake archery stuff on all the time. He got screwed buying "Carbon Express" arrows that looked real good but turned out to be fake. Broadheads are supposed to be bad as well.I looked into it the other day and learned 90% of the fake items for sale on the internet are from China...even honey!

I get we all wany cheaper things but at the point of shooting ourselves in the foot? Why would a small business even bother iventing somethng if it's only going to get copied and sold under the table and the only recourse is to sue? (And good luck collecting on that...)

Google, Amazon and Ebay need to be held accountable just like a bartender... Mind you they are already force small companies to join or be forced out of business.

FFS...