Rare Breed Triggers and ABC IP File New Patent Lawsuit Against Sker Industries
Case Overview: ABC IP, LLC et al. v. Sker Industries LLC
Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (White Plains Division)
Case Number: 7:26-cv-04425
Filing Date: May 28, 2026
Plaintiffs: ABC IP, LLC & Rare Breed Triggers, Inc.
Defendant: Sker Industries LLC
Nature of Action: Complaint for Patent Infringement (Jury Trial Demanded)
The federal patent enforcement campaign surrounding forced reset trigger technology has expanded into New York. On May 28, 2026, ABC IP, LLC and Rare Breed Triggers, Inc. filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Sker Industries LLC in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The 65-page complaint accuses Sker Industries of infringing five utility patents by manufacturing and marketing alternative fire control components and kits designed to replicate or facilitate “Super Safety” forced reset functionality.
The Parties
- Plaintiffs: ABC IP, LLC (a Delaware entity holding ownership of the patents by assignment) and Rare Breed Triggers, Inc. (a Texas corporation operating as the exclusive licensee). Rare Breed is prominent within the firearm industry for its development and licensing of forced reset trigger (FRT) mechanisms.
- Defendant: Sker Industries LLC, a New York limited liability company listed with an address in Rye Brook, New York. The complaint alleges the company markets and sells the accused trigger components online via https://skertactical.com/.
The Technology & Asserted Patents
A standard AR-15 pattern trigger relies on a disconnector to capture the hammer after cycling, requiring the user to manually release pressure and let the trigger reset forward before firing again. In contrast, a forced reset trigger mechanism utilizes the mechanical energy of the moving bolt carrier to actively force the trigger forward into its reset position, bypassing the traditional function of a disconnector.
The plaintiffs allege that Sker Industries’ multi-position trigger systems and components—which allow users to select between traditional disconnector semiautomatic operation, active forced reset functionality, and safe modes—directly infringe a portfolio of five utility patents:
- U.S. Patent No. 12,038,247 (Issued July 16, 2024): Covers an accelerated semiautomatic firing device utilizing a rotating cam driven by the cycling action to force a trigger reset.
- U.S. Patent No. 12,031,784 (Issued July 9, 2024): Details an extended trigger locking mechanism featuring a deflectable or foldable extension portion actuated by the forward movement of a bolt carrier.
- U.S. Patent No. 12,529,538 (Issued January 20, 2026): Focuses on a three-mode safety mechanism employing a multi-recess cam selector to guide or restrict trigger travel.
- U.S. Patent No. 12,578,159 (Issued March 17, 2026): Covers an alternative layout for a multi-mode trigger mechanism that uses a cam lobe to force a trigger member toward its set position.
- U.S. Patent No. 12,636,403 (Issued May 26, 2026): Describes a dual-mode forced reset mechanism permitting mechanical selection between a traditional disconnector mode and an active forced reset mode.
Infringement Claims & Allegations
The complaint contains five distinct counts—one for each patent—claiming direct, induced, and contributory infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 271.
Sker Industries allegedly sells these fire control systems under names such as the “Enhanced Skeletonized Super Safety AR-15 Trigger Kit,” “Skeletonized Super Safety AR-15 Trigger Kit,” “Flat Face Super Safety AR-15 Trigger Kit,” and “Mil-Spec Super Safety AR-15 Trigger Kit”. The plaintiffs note that the product lines are offered across multiple retail variations:
- Partial Parts Kits: Consisting of modified trigger components, specialized detents, or individual fire control elements intended to interface with a standard AR-15 hammer and disconnector to create an infringing assembly.
- Complete Fire Control Groups (FCG): Packaging a modified cut trigger, hammer, disconnector, customized selector components, pins, and springs to deliver full active-reset capabilities out of the box.
- Pre-Installed Systems: Complete kits pre-assembled directly inside a receiver housing or complete firearm assembly.
Plaintiffs allege that Sker Industries engages in induced infringement by actively promoting, advertising, and providing installation instructions on how to set up the components to achieve forced reset functionality. They further allege contributory infringement, asserting that these specially machined parts have no substantial non-infringing uses outside of generating an infringing fire control group. The complaint asserts that the infringement is willful, stating the defendant has proceeded despite an objectively high likelihood of infringement.
Relief Sought
ABC IP and Rare Breed Triggers are seeking comprehensive legal and equitable remedies from the New York federal court:
- Preliminary and Permanent Injunctions to bar Sker Industries and its affiliates from manufacturing, marketing, or selling the accused trigger kits and components.
- Compensatory Damages formatted as lost profits or a reasonable royalty to rectify the economic impact on the plaintiffs’ business.
- Treble Damages (up to three times the calculated compensatory award) based on the willful nature of the alleged infringement.
- An award of attorneys’ fees and litigation costs, declaring this an “exceptional case” under federal patent statutes (35 U.S.C. § 285).
The plaintiffs are represented by the law firms Fish & Richardson P.C. and Wood Herron & Evans LLP, and have demanded a trial by jury. Sker Industries has not yet filed its responsive pleadings or formal counterclaims.
