ABC IP, LLC et al. v. Paul Michael Guy
Case Overview: ABC IP, LLC et al. v. Paul Michael Guy d/b/a Southern Customs Guns & Ammo, et al. Court: U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia (Albany Division) Case Number: 1:26-cv-00071-LAG Filing Date: May 28, 2026 Plaintiffs: ABC IP, LLC & Rare Breed Triggers, Inc. Defendants: Paul Michael Guy d/b/a Southern Customs Guns & Ammo, & Paul Michael Guy, an individual Nature of Action: Civil lawsuit alleging willful patent infringement with a demand for a jury trial.
Executive Summary
Plaintiffs ABC IP, LLC (the patent owner) and Rare Breed Triggers, Inc. (the exclusive licensee) have filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Paul Michael Guy, individually and doing business as Southern Customs Guns & Ammo (SCGA). The complaint alleges that the Defendants are actively making, using, selling, and/or offering for sale unauthorized products—specifically the “(3-Position) Super Safety” trigger modification mechanism—that infringe upon the Plaintiffs’ intellectual property.
Plaintiffs contend that these products directly copy their patented “forced reset trigger” (FRT) innovations and safety mechanism designs engineered for semi-automatic firearms. Because the Defendants are reportedly continuing promotional and retail operations via their business Facebook page despite the existence of these valid protections, the Plaintiffs are accusing them of willful infringement, opening the door for enhanced damages.
The Technology in Dispute
The lawsuit centers on firearm trigger engineering—specifically the transition from standard semi-automatic mechanisms to advanced forced reset trigger (FRT) mechanisms:
- Standard Semi-Automatic Trigger: Relies on a traditional disconnector functionality. When a round is fired, the rearward movement of the bolt carrier cocks the hammer on the disconnector. The user must manually reduce pressure on the trigger member to let it reset, which releases the hammer from the disconnector so it can engage the trigger sear before firing again.
- Forced Reset Mechanism (The Patented Invention): Eliminates the typical reliance on manual trigger finger return. Instead, it utilizes a specialized cam and lever system cycled by the firearm’s bolt carrier action. This mechanically forces the trigger member forward into its reset position during the action cycle and briefly holds it there until the bolt returns to battery, allowing for an accelerated, highly efficient firing sequence.
Breakdown of Infringement Claims
Patent Infringement (Counts I – V)
The complaint asserts that the Defendants’ “Super Safety” device (marketed as partial component kits, complete component kits, and preinstalled assemblies in complete firearms or receivers) infringes upon five distinct U.S. Patents owned by ABC IP and licensed to Rare Breed Triggers:
- Count I: U.S. Patent No. 12,038,247 – Focuses on a novel device for accelerating a firearm’s firing sequence utilizing a moving cam lobe, rotated by the cycling action, to mechanically force the trigger member back into its set position.
- Count II: U.S. Patent No. 12,031,784 – Covers an extended trigger member locking mechanism featuring a generally upward extending portion (lever arm) configured to make actuating contact with a surface of the cycling bolt carrier to move the assembly between locked and unlocked positions.
- Count III: U.S. Patent No. 12,529,538 – Pertains to a safety mechanism employing a multi-recess cam selector and an upward lever. It protects a three-mode component that allows a platform to switch between a first mode (standard semi-automatic), a second mode (active forced reset), and a third mode (“safe” position preventing trigger movement).
- Count IV: U.S. Patent No. 12,578,159 – Protects a firearm trigger mechanism operating in a standard semi-automatic mode and a forced reset semi-automatic mode using a reciprocating bolt means, specifically tracking the geometry where a cam lobe forces the trigger toward its set position.
- Count V: U.S. Patent No. 12,636,403 – Covers a dual-mode forced reset configuration where the cycling of the action causes direct hammer contact with the trigger member to mechanically reset the assembly, selectively toggling between standard disconnector operations and forced-reset operations.
The Plaintiffs also allege contributory and induced infringement, asserting that the components (such as the cam or lever arm) have no substantial non-infringing use and that the Defendants actively instruct and induce customers to assemble infringing fire control groups.
Remedy & Relief Sought
ABC IP and Rare Breed Triggers claim severe economic and irreparable operational harm due to these unauthorized manufacturing and sales practices. They are asking the federal court for:
- Injunctions: Both preliminary and permanent injunctions to immediately halt Paul Michael Guy and SCGA from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the Super Safety kits or any related infringing components.
- Damages & Accounting: Full financial compensation adequate to remedy the infringement, calculated as lost profits or no less than a reasonable royalty, alongside a formal accounting of sales.
- Punitive Multipliers: Asking the court to treble (triple) the awarded compensatory damages due to the “egregious and willful” nature of the patent infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 284.
- Legal Fees: A formal declaration that this constitutes an “exceptional case” under 35 U.S.C. § 285, requiring the Defendants to fully pay the Plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees and legal court expenses.
