FWIW:
Some of you are aware of the the small number of stainless-steel HP clones made by a Baford Arms in this country a number of years ago.
I saw one at a big gun show in my area this weekend. There were 2 or 3 guys that specialize in collecting very obscure, rare and very limited production autopistols (commonly production prototypes, very limited-production test runs, etc.) that had their items in 3 glass display cases. (Among their items was a South African-made stainless-steel Mamba 9mm very briefly imported by Navy arms a number of years ago and a Walther Model 6, a blow-back auto in 9mm that was experimented with during WWII.) The Baford Arms clones were made in very small quantities (53) in 1988 in Tennessee. This one had a rounded hammer, and a thumb safety similar to the C&S aftermarket item. Finish quality was not the greatest.
The story from them was that when FN/Browning heard about the item they threatened them with a patent infringement suit. This probably isn't correct 'cause all the patents used in the HP should have expired generations ago. Probably the threat of any kind of lawsuit was enough as a very small company can be very easily financially destroyed by legal action by a much larger company like FN.
Some of you are aware of the the small number of stainless-steel HP clones made by a Baford Arms in this country a number of years ago.
I saw one at a big gun show in my area this weekend. There were 2 or 3 guys that specialize in collecting very obscure, rare and very limited production autopistols (commonly production prototypes, very limited-production test runs, etc.) that had their items in 3 glass display cases. (Among their items was a South African-made stainless-steel Mamba 9mm very briefly imported by Navy arms a number of years ago and a Walther Model 6, a blow-back auto in 9mm that was experimented with during WWII.) The Baford Arms clones were made in very small quantities (53) in 1988 in Tennessee. This one had a rounded hammer, and a thumb safety similar to the C&S aftermarket item. Finish quality was not the greatest.
The story from them was that when FN/Browning heard about the item they threatened them with a patent infringement suit. This probably isn't correct 'cause all the patents used in the HP should have expired generations ago. Probably the threat of any kind of lawsuit was enough as a very small company can be very easily financially destroyed by legal action by a much larger company like FN.