Submitting Gun Concept

[Vuk]

As for mailing stuff, you could also email yourself some stuff, or get a notary to sign documents you've produced in regards to the weapon.

As for the rifle - well, it'd be interesting to see a working firearm. I am curious as to how it's shorter with a longer barrel yet not a bullpup (for non-gun folks; a bullpup design is where the magazine/receiver is located behind the trigger, like the current British assault rifle). As far as I know, modular (interchangeable rifle/LMG/etc) systems are already possible with bullpup designs.

CR

lol, that is what I mean by revolutionary. Hopefully I can spark the curiosity of the people at FN as well. lol

To be honest, that sounds like one of a dozen new weapons systems already out there from the SCAR and LMT308MWS to the XCR and ACR.

First, if you and your brother really believe you have a game-changing weapon, get it patented - and do not show it to anyone in the industry beforehand. It is noble that you want to get it in service with the military as soon as possible, but it is also stupid. Even if you gave it to Colt tomorrow, it would be years before it gets adopted.

Once you've got it patented, you really have two options. You can shop the design around to various manufacturers, or you can shop it around to various venture capitalists and build a factory yourself. The former is the far easier option, but the latter is potentially more profitable.

If you want to see the thing in military service as soon as possible, selling the patent to an established major manufacturer (Colt, FN, Beretta, etc.) is pretty much your only option. The military weighs manufacturing capacity and competency heavily in the adoption process, and never goes with small time players - even if their designs are superior.

Speaking of the adoption process, I'm afraid your new weapon will have to be more revolutionary than what you've described so far to replace the AR. There have been plenty of new designs trialed that incrementally outperform it in nearly every respect, but the military seems to be holding out for something truly game-changing (think lasers, energy pulses, or other Star Wars type stuff). The XM8 was a non-starter as well as the SCAR-L(556 version), and they've made it clear that piston-ARs won't even get serious consideration outside of SOCOM.

You should read as much as you can about Robinson Arms and their XCR. Alex Robinson designed and built an excellent modular weapon system in 2004 and has both brought it to the civilian market and military trials. The company's troubles (quality control and customer service issues on the civilian side and being passed over despite beating the competition on the military side) are a testament to the difficulty independent weapon's designers have trying to break into the market.

Good luck.

Actually, we designed the Auto-CAD prototype with the help of one of my brother's professors at his college, and we have emails back and forth about it, but the mailing thing sounds like a good idea too.
Stupid as it may be PJ, it would not be the first time that an important invention of my family's was used without us getting any credit or money from it, so I am simply following precedent. I realize that it would take years to get one the military would accept, and that then there would be the bidding/manufacturing, etc., and that is why we want to get it off as soon as possible.
Trust me, the Vector is quite a bit more 'revolutionary' (for the lack of a better word) than the SCAR or the XM8. As I said though, it is my brother's design, so I cannot say anymore.