They got their patent granted this week..
Finally!!
Mabe they will start shipping now??
Well, it's a thought at least..
Check it out..

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1='Herring,+Geoffrey'.INZZ.&OS=IN/

Monty..

Edited to add: I should've checked that link?  It goes to a search engine on the patent office!  What's that all aboot?


Interesting reading.  Adjustable gas piston with a ratcheting design is unique.  I can't wait to see one up close.  [heavy]

Dunno, works if you cut and patse address.

Sorry guys, you have to cut & paste it. I don't know why the direct link does not work but anyway here is the patent # if that helps you find it on the patent index

US Patent # 6,634,274

Here.  This URL works.

[url]http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1='Herring,+Geoffrey'.INZZ.&OS=IN/[/url]

Interesting.  When I search by patent number, among the names I find are "Stoner & Miller" - both are old ArmaLite guys.

I believe Johnson is among the first in 1945 and that's no surprise.

No mention of the SHRIKE.  At least no mention that I could find.

It was granted on 10/21/03

Try this link to view the patent drawings
[url=http://patimg2.uspto.gov/.piw?docid=US006634274&PageNum=1&&IDKey=D72BC95868CC&HomeUrl=http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1%2526Sect2=HITOFF%2526d=PALL%2526p=1%2526u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm%2526r=1%2526f=G%2526l=50%2526s1=6,634,274.WKU.%2526OS=PN/6,634,274%2526RS=PN/6,634,274]Drawings[/url]

bro,
I see there are something like 32 pages but all I get is a blank screen when I try and access.  Probably I'm just doing something wrong.

You need to have Quicktime installed on your computer to view the pages.

OK

What gets me is they started taking orders and money without being granted a patent.  Sounds like they put "the cart before the horse".

Now it really looks like they needed the working captial to continue the project.

I think you're right on the money.  IMHO the SHRIKE people used AR15.com members to raise venture capital.

From their web page:

"Ares Defense Systems, Inc. is located at the US Government's Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Radford, Virginia, USA. Radford Arsenal is a restricted-access military reservation, therefore, all meetings are by appointment only."

How can they be allowed to conduct such shenanigans on a Government facility.

How can anyone send them money?

Should have put that $2500 into a Vector Uzi, and when Shrike comes out, sell Vector and buy Shrike, and still have $2000 left over as profit.

The miniscule amount of discount they offered was not worth tying up that much cash.

Beats the heck out of me.

This whole deal stank (and stunk) from the beginning.  I'm hoping the delivery is just again delayed and that our members don't lose any money.

From [url]http://www.full-auto.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=43;t=000104[/url]


At last, there is light at the end of the tunnel! As most of our customers already know, the Shrike 5.56 manufacturing program has had its share of setbacks, some of which may have been avoided with a crystal ball and others that simply could not be foreseen. Vendor setbacks were a huge disappointment to all and Ares Defense took measures to correct these deficiencies by re-contracting affected components and by also purchasing more capital equipment so that some of these parts could be brought back in-house.

Two days ago on October 21, 2003, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued me the first of several pending patents covering the Shrike 5.56 and related inventions. With proprietary rights now secured and with the imminent issuance of several more pending-patents, Ares Defense Systems, Inc. will soon have more flexibility to discuss the mechanical details of the Shrike 5.56.

In manufacturing news, our barrel manufacturer Lothar Walther Precision anticipates delivering a huge batch of premium-grade barrels [b]by the end of November.[/b] (As a note, Lothar Walther has not been one of the “hold-up” vendors on this program.) The samples they provided us for approval earlier this year were outstanding and they are of very high quality. We’ve received word that our handguard extrusions are [b]deliverable in 6-8 weeks[/b] and we are dealing with three of the main “heavy-hitters” in the investment casting industry for delivery of complex feed components which [b]we should receive by the end of December/first of January.[/b] The investment castings are our longest lead-time parts, but these specific components are very complex in geometry and and would be difficult to manufacture any other way. Once received, final-assembly, testing and shipping should proceed rather quickly.

We anticipate having our website overhauled in the very near future and the older images and outdated information will be replaced with new images of the commercial and military configurations of the Shrike 5.56.

Thanks again to all of our customers for their business and undying patience!

Geoffrey A. Herring
Ares Defense Systems, Inc.
http://www.aresdefense.com



Not by a long shot.

Barrels are due the end of Nov. and they aren't one of the 'hold-up vendors'?  WTF..If they aren't the hold up, why didn't they have them a year ago when they were originally suppose to ship the shrike?

Same goes for the other components. They are dealing with the 'heavy hitters'? Shouldn't they have dealt with them over a year ago?

These components should have been ordered over a year ago. All dealings with vendors should have been completed a long time ago. This whole thing smelled bad from the beginning.

I think frisco and 5sub have it right. They used the pre-sale money for development and have been stringing people along ever since and they are just getting things ordered now.

What worries me more is that if the product (Shrike) ever hits the market, what support/warranty will the vendors provide?

If they had to deceive people to get working capital, no telling what they will do on the back end.

My eggs are better off in other baskets.

Does anyone know when they plan on shipping? I (along with everyone else) have been waiting since last August. Their site hasn't been updated. No one answers the phone. Does anyone know what's going on?

no one ever even fired these things to say it works right or not....it might not be as reliable as regular magazine fed AR's

I sure hope I've got it wrong.

5sub