S&W Applies for Patent on M&P15-22
Smith & Wesson have just applied for a patent on their AR-15-patterned .22 rifle, the M&P15-22.
U.S. Patent Application 20100162604: LIGHTWEIGHT, LOW COST SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLE
A lightweight and low cost semi-automatic rifle includes an upper receiver, a lower receiver, and a forend fabricated from injection-molded polymers. The rifle permits firing .22 LR or similar low-power ammunition from an AR-15 style frame, operates on the blowback principle, and provides a fully functional bolt catch and extractor/ejector/deflector.
@Chris: They’re trying to take advantage of the current state of the patent office in the US. They are granting patents for things that should never have been accepted. This patent application should be denied for nothing more than previous art.
Whoops, never ming, i just looked at the picture again and saw what I thought was the barrel was actually the buffer tube
Why is the magazine in the patent picture backwards?
@MrMaigo,
I don’t think they’d try to do it if they weren’t confident they had a shot. Read the patent, that should answer any questions you have.
Maigo: I agree. What makes it different? I mean, there is a whole slew of manufacturers out there making ARs and whatnot.
Is it really different enough to patent?
“..low-cost”..yeah to them. For the consumer? probably in the neighborhood of $400.
“… or similar low powered ammunition.” .22 magnum AR-15?