Ares Airsoft have released a new airsoft sniper rifle that can be easily disassembled and stored away easily. The Ares Airsoft MSR-WR is a spring powered Bolt Action airsoft sniper that allows for tool less assembly and takedown. You can easily stow it away after an airsoft game and you do not need a long case for it.

Here is what the Ares Airsoft website says about the MSR-WR:

"MSR-WR is the latest spring power (bolt action) airsoft of ARES. The cutting edge feeding system improves the overall mechanism, which allows MSR-WR to have a trim and neat body for better mobility. From now on, bringing heavy equipment to the field is not the only option for airsoft snipers. With tool-less assemble and take down system of MSR-WR, everything you need are stored in a small tactical case."

Sounds good? An airsoft rifle that can be easily stowed away in a small case.

However, we received a letter from the CEO of Nemesis Arms, David Ives, sent via email by his wife and Vice-President, Kathleen Ives, starting that the Ares Airsoft MSR-WR is an unauthorised airsoft replica of their Vanquish Rifle:

To whom it may concern,

My name is David Ives of Nemesis Arms.  My wife and I own and have operated our small company for many years.  We have designed and manufacture the finest take down sniper rifles, named the Vanquish and others similar models.  We work hard and pride ourselves in the firearms industry.  Our Vanquish model is used and well respected in many professional agencies.  It has come to our attention that Ares airsoft of Hong Kong has produced our Vanquish rifle with no regard of respect to our intellectual property.

We do not condone this action and we would like to bring this matter to the public attention.

Thank you for understanding.

David Ives
President
Nemesis Arms, Inc.

The Nemesis Arms Vanquish is not exactly an obscure product as it is used in some of Hollywood movies and TV series such as Bourne Legacy, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Daredevil, and Hawaii Five-O. Other than the name difference, it is unmistakable that Ares Airsoft MSR-WR is based on the Vanquish.

We asked Mrs. Ives if they have ever been in discussions with Ares Airsoft with regards to taking a license but they not replied. We also sent an email to Ares Airsoft last Wednesday for what they have to say about this issue, but as of this writing they have not replied.

It is a problem in the airsoft industry where airsoft manufacturers tend to take liberties on manufacturing airsoft replicas of real world weapon designs without taking a licence.  We do not know if Nemesis Arms have a design patent on the Vanquish though it is said to be a take down rifle built from a small action version of the .50 EDM Arms Windrunner M96 according to IMDB. If not a design patent, they should have a “trade dress” protection of the Vanquish if it is recognised as associated with the company producing them.

Bigger companies can perhaps shrug off such unauthorised replication as it may not affect their bottomlines or use their lawyers to fend off such attempts, but for the smaller companies, it can affect them as they can lose potential revenues from the sale of unlicensed airsoft replicas.

Oh well, the intellectual property battles between firearms makers and airsoft manufacturers continue with no end in sight.

Top Photo: Nemesis Arms Vanquish (Source: Nemesis Arms)