I'll contribute to this thread only as it pertains to keeping information relevant where Vudoo is mentioned. I'll not make any comments as they may pertain to Bergara or any dialogue that may or may not be going on between the two companies. I know the CEO there and have communicated with him numerous times in the past prior to their rimfire endeavors and fully intend to do everything possible to make this more about this shooting community than what is typical in situations like this.
The questions above are the right questions. As fas as me/Vudoo using any Remington "IP" in the development of our shooting system, the answer is, absolutely not. I could go into the true definition of IP, but I'll not do that here. What I will say is, Vudoo, like many companies, use a common footprint for the sake of the end user. That common footprint (which includes the trigger interface) is regarded as open architecture given it's time in market (no different than the 1911, Glock, 10/22, etc).
All other features in the V-22 action and any future actions I may be working on are divergent to anything else featured in the Remington. Vudoo IP as it pertains to the V-22 surrounds the technology involved in it's production and the approach to creating a system that provides an unprecedented level of accuracy from a mid-lock rimfire repeater. We guard this very closely which is what led to the DEFTI description of the entire approach. We do not advertise what DEFTI is or what it means....that's just for us and is the nucleus to everything we do. Please don't ask what it means....
The magazine is highly unique to Vudoo and didn't exist before I did it. Again, the design is based on a common footprint, but the divergent features are what separates it from other magazines. No different than the action, the magazine design is all about the end user and to solve the right problems as I viewed them amongst the shooting community. This community was working hard to deal with areas of difficulty as it pertained to the direction I saw this discipline going (I've given credit to Hoser and the 40X mafia for getting me to thinking down this path). As I stated above, the IP is the outer form of the AICS as it relates to rimfire use....there's no simpler way to describe the approach and the IP is the property of Vudoo Gun Works. The reason I developed the 40X repeater conversion was to test the magazine, not to actually perform as many conversions as I did, followed by the multitude of conversions by Jelrod1.
I have been very open about competition in the community. I've promoted it. I/we came out of the gate at Vudoo stating we're not for everyone and we understand why. The design is very specific to our mission of providing a true-to-scale platform that removes any questions about gear and puts the onus of improvement on the shooter. It was not to create the most economical platform, so I will not take measures (castings, MIM, cheaply made barrels, cheap materials, etc.) I consider to be short cuts to serve my own agenda or that of my company. A properly executed design was placed well before what is the typical approach in this industry to introducing product. Simply put, my agenda and that of my company is to offer the very best, no compromises, in everything we do, and it has re-shaped the use of rimfire. This is the path we'll continue down. For those that can't quite get there with the Vudoo, I've helped them with their CZ's, Savages and other brands to drain the most out of what they have, again, because it's really about the shooters.
Going forward, this will unfold the way it unfolds. If you have questions of me/Vudoo, please ask them, but understand there will be things I won't/can't answer. That's where patience and trust comes into the mix, not division. I/we, don't take this community for granted, as it's what we've chosen to do for quite a long time to come.
Thanks,
MB