ABC IP, LLC and Rare Breed Triggers, Inc. v. Cactus Ammo LLC and Grant William Bourne
Case Overview
- Case Name: ABC IP, LLC and Rare Breed Triggers, Inc. v. Cactus Ammo LLC and Grant William Bourne
- Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona (Phoenix Division)
- Case Number: 2:26-cv-04873-DJH
- Filing Date: July 13, 2026
- Plaintiffs: ABC IP, LLC and Rare Breed Triggers, Inc.
- Defendants: Cactus Ammo LLC and Grant William Bourne
- Nature of Action: Civil lawsuit alleging willful, contributory, and induced 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 Arizona-based firearms component retailer Cactus Ammo LLC and its corporate principal, Grant William Bourne. The federal complaint alleges that the Defendants are actively marketing, advertising, and selling unauthorized trigger conversion systems—specifically the “Atrius Forced Reset Selector” (Atrius Selector).
According to the complaint, the Defendants leverage their social media channels on Facebook and Instagram to promote these active-reset systems. Plaintiffs contend that these products directly replicate and infringe upon their utility patent portfolio protecting forced reset trigger (FRT) firearm engineering. Because the Defendants reportedly proceeded with commercial distribution and published digital setup video content despite explicit notice of these legal protections, the Plaintiffs are charging them with 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 the custom trigger selectors distributed by Cactus Ammo LLC (marketed via cactusammo.com) infringe upon four distinct U.S. Patents owned by ABC IP, LLC:
| Count | Asserted Patent | Technical / Mechanical Focus of Claim |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
Indirect, Contributory, and Willful Conduct
- Induced Infringement: The suit highlights that the Defendants take active steps to induce infringement by hosting step-by-step instructional setup videos online. These technical walkthroughs guide end-users on how to integrate the unlicensed Atrius selector parts directly into standard AR-platform lower receivers.
- Contributory Infringement: Asserts that secondary hardware distributed by the Defendants—including specialized standalone safety selector cams, linkage pins, and mechanical lever arms—are custom-engineered uniquely for an infringing fire control unit and possess no substantial, non-infringing application.
- Egregious Intent: Plaintiffs argue that because the Defendants expanded retail operations after receiving clear notice of the utility patents, their continued commercial sales represent a willful disregard of federal property rights.
Remedy & Relief Sought
The Plaintiffs claim ongoing, severe financial and operational market harm, requesting that the federal court provide the following relief:
- Injunctions: Delivery of both preliminary and permanent injunctions to immediately halt Cactus Ammo LLC, Grant William Bourne, and their digital storefront networks from manufacturing, importing, selling, or advertising the Atrius selector kits or matching firearm assemblies.
- Damages: Full compensatory recovery to address the economic impact of the infringement, measured as either complete lost retail profits or a calculated reasonable royalty structure, along with pre- and post-judgment interest.
- Punitive Multipliers: Requesting that the court treble (triple) the final calculated compensatory damages under 35 U.S.C. § 284 due to the deliberate and bad-faith nature of the design violations.
- Legal Fees: A declaration finding this lawsuit to be an “exceptional case” under federal statute (35 U.S.C. § 285), shifting the burden to the Defendants to cover all case costs and the Plaintiffs’ reasonable attorneys’ fees.
