ABC IP, LLC et al. v. CF Tactical, Inc
Case Overview
- Case Name: ABC IP, LLC et al. v. CF Tactical, Inc.
- Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas (Houston Division)
- Case Number: 4:26-cv-04561
- Filing Date: June 9, 2026
- Plaintiffs: ABC IP, LLC and Rare Breed Triggers, Inc.
- Defendants: CF Tactical, Inc.
- 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 Texas-based firearms and parts retailer CF Tactical, Inc.. The federal complaint alleges that the Defendant is actively marketing, advertising, and selling unauthorized products via its digital storefront—specifically the Atrius Development 3 Position Forced Reset Selector compatible with milspec AR-15 platforms.
Plaintiffs contend that these products directly infringe upon their extensive intellectual property portfolio protecting “forced reset trigger” (FRT) firearm innovations. Because the Defendant reportedly continued marketing these selector systems despite documented access to libraries of the relevant legal protections, the Plaintiffs are accusing them of willful infringement, opening the door for enhanced damages.
The Technology in Dispute
The lawsuit centers on advanced firearm trigger engineering—specifically the mechanical transition from standard semi-automatic mechanisms to patented forced reset trigger (FRT) assemblies:
- Standard Semi-Automatic Trigger: Relies on a traditional disconnector mechanism. When a round is fired, the user must manually release rearward finger pressure on the trigger so the disconnector can hand the hammer back off to the main trigger sear before the firearm can be discharged again.
- Forced Reset Mechanism (The Patented Invention): Eliminates the necessity of traditional disconnector dependency during accelerated sequences. Instead, it utilizes specialized locking bars, cams, or lever systems cycled directly by the firearm’s reciprocating bolt carrier. This mechanically forces the trigger forward into its set reset position during the action cycle, allowing for an accelerated, highly efficient firing sequence without converting the firearm into an automatic weapon.
Breakdown of Infringement Claims
Patent Infringement (Counts I – IV)
The complaint asserts that CF Tactical’s product offerings (sold via shop.cf-tactical.com) infringe upon four distinct U.S. Patents owned by ABC IP, LLC:
| Count | Asserted Patent | Technical / Mechanical Focus of Claim | Infringing Device Context |
| Count I | U.S. Patent No. 12,038,247 | Overarching dual-mode trigger utilizing a moving cam lobe to physically force the trigger member back into its set position. | Atrius Selector |
| Count II | U.S. Patent No. 12,031,784 | Extended trigger locking device featuring an upwardly extending deflectable lever arm actuated by direct contact with the cycling bolt carrier. | Atrius Selector |
| Count III | U.S. Patent No. 12,578,159 | Novel firearm mechanism for accelerating firing sequences utilizing multi-mode operations and specific internal sear surface geometries. | Atrius Selector |
| Count IV | U.S. Patent No. 12,636,403 | Structural claim focusing on the physical interaction profiles between hammer hooks, trigger members, and safety selectors. | Atrius Selector |
Indirect and Contributory Infringement
- Inducing Infringement: The suit highlights that the Defendant takes active steps to encourage, promote, and instruct customers on how to install and operate the selector kits within compatible lower receivers, fully aware that these actions induce direct patent infringement.
- Contributory Infringement: Asserts that components sold by the Defendant—such as the standalone cams or cam lever arms—are specially designed and adapted to be used in a fire control unit to forcibly reset a trigger mechanism, carrying no substantial, non-infringing purpose.
Remedy & Relief Sought
The Plaintiffs claim severe, ongoing economic and reputational harm due to these unauthorized retail sales. They are requesting that the federal court grant the following relief:
- Injunctions: Both preliminary and permanent injunctions to immediately halt CF Tactical, Inc., its corporate principals, and its agents from manufacturing, importing, marketing, selling, or advertising the Atrius selectors or related components.
- Damages: Full financial compensation adequate to compensate for the infringement, calculated as lost retail profits or no less than a reasonable royalty, alongside pre- and post-judgment interest.
- Punitive Multipliers: Asking the court to treble (triple) the final calculated compensatory damages under 35 U.S.C. § 284 due to the “egregious and willful” nature of the patent violations.
- Legal Fees: A declaration that this constitutes an “exceptional case” under federal law (35 U.S.C. § 285), requiring the Defendant to pay all of the Plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees, costs, and associated legal expenses.
