trade secrets?

Yep I Know J.S.I.U, and open the wallet! Now a problem that some of us runs into. Trying to find information on products so we might be able to use a different manufactures part in lue of original .I purchased a walther ppk 380 and want to put on a laser rear sight. Needed to know the width of a glock beaver tail opening so we could have a rear sight laser pressed in. Called the Laser-lite co. and was told it was a trade secret and wouldn't release such information.Found a gunsmith that had the information we needed, so with a micrometer the ppk was a bit narrower in width then the glock which is about the thickness of a playing card. The reason for the rear sight laser is because We are going to change grips from plastic to Rosewood with thumb depression. Beautiful grips. Other wise the laser site would have to be in the plastic grip replacement.Cutting back the rear laser site would be the answer rather then re-grooving the slide assembly on the ppk 380.I can't see where there would be a danger in releasing such specks. That information on trade secrets would be, If I was to manufacture a slide assembly to be sold to any person for the same purpose as I have in mind.Installing a rear laser sight on a ppk 380.No one makes a side grip laser in rose wood. I Know J.S.I.U, and blame Laser-lite for with holding information that can be had by any reputable gun smith.We have E.Mailed most everybody we could think of including S/W, walther, other gum manufactures and no reply. Any one have similar problems? Done ranting. now. LOU

lotta trouble to go thru just to shoot your toe off Lou :shock:
Them trade secrets are how folks keep the prices out of reach...
Them little loop screws(??) I was looking for a little while ago were 5 euro (almost $7) each plus shipping with the name of the cab manufacturer..... Wife found them at a supplier thru where she works for .70 euro ($1)....
I had to know, so ordered 1 of the other ones. Got a nice little box that said Fritzmeier on it, opened it up and you couldn't tell the screw from the ones she got me...

Lou - in future go to Hurley Gun Parts or Numeric (sp?) as they have many diagrams and very helpful staff. May save you some time.

Now on to a similar scenario but this about using alternate parts. As we all know many parts are made in different configs from a few manufacturers. I recently aquired an Oliver RC77 that have been converted to 12V with the obligatory Delco Remy (DR) 10si 1 wire alternator.

Issue now is that the side panels no longer fit without modification. As panels are original I did not want to cut them up or modify so I began the search for a compact 1 wire alternator with sufficient voltage.

Immediate reaction from many was DR is the only one making a 1 wire alt. and the GM is the standard. Digging further I have found Isuzu reefers (on 18 wheelers) use one, Kubota uses one as did the John Deere 3020. Niether Isuzu nor Kubota will share dimensions or manufacture unless I buy the alt. As we all know there are NO RTNS ACCEPTED ON ELECTRICAL PARTS so I was not going to spend $$ just to get dimensions.

Premiliminary investigation suggests the JD alt. will fit. Now imagine the horror and outright disgust I have received trying to find a JD alternator to mount on 1951 Oliver RC 77 so I can keep side curtains. Cant believe some of the tractor police screaming sacriledge etc.

Tractor has already been upgraded to 12v 1 wire I just want to have the side curtains mounted to have it look original at first blush. Seriously doubt someone is going to be able to identify if I have a JD alt. on it or some other brand.

Getting off my soap box.

some of the older tractors here shared the same starter and alternator. Some exact, some with a different tooth count or case position (remove screws/bolts and turn/rebolt)... Drastic difference in price depending on which tractor you were buying for.....

Shepfl Had the same problem with finding an alternator for the O.C 46 crawler. Persistence paid off. some one hacked the side panel up using an alternator the size of a generator from Hoover Dam but we made sheet metal part that was factory sized. lol. Now hoping to find out that the rear sight from the glock opening is close enough to modify the rear laser sight to the PPK 380.Thanks for the information, Gonna look and see if they can help with he space information.
Regards LOU.

Dave, Don't that just gripe your soul? Hunt and Hunt for similar parts that can fit even with modification? Even find parts cheaper then from one supplier to another. Same part, cheaper price,(including shipping/handling.Can't get over the reasoning ( protected trade secrets) that information is already available to a gun smith to use. I found the same situation occurred when we re-worked the 706 Hyd tubing and tines on the cylinders. Parts un-available for that older model tractor. yatta yatta yatta. Any way Dave, I promise that Victor will hide all the bullets from me so my feet won't be in need of medical attention lol. (Barney Fife time.) regards LOU.

Well, it boils down to they don't see anything to gain from providing you information that they spent time and money to obtain. You don't say if you posed the question in such a way that they thought giving you the info would make them a sale, or if you were intending to use their product at all.

had a buddy in school that got him a 22 revolver that looked like one from a western movie... had a nice holster tied down and slanted just right like Little Joe and was practicing his "fast draw"... figured he could shoot much quicker if he cocked it before going into his stance and drawing....

shot himself in the foot on the first draw........

Bill. Done everything in my power to be rewarding to the company by telling em I would purchase their product( They are the ones who mfg it)if I was to be sure the rear site would be able to be installed with little or NO MODIFICATION!!!!When seeking any type of information, I'm ALWAYS pleasant and appreciative when dealing with the reps,Engineers,ect.Never an attitude problem from me, until I get some smart azz to give me some chit. Rarely happens though. LOU

Dagnabbit (Hoss reply)People do some DUMB THINGS WITH FIRE ARMS. Hurt themselves, kill others,BAD SCENE!!!

(quoted from post at 04:15:56 12/06/11) Bill. Done everything in my power to be rewarding to the company by telling em I would purchase their product( They are the ones who mfg it)if I was to be sure the rear site would be able to be installed with little or NO MODIFICATION!!!!When seeking any type of information, I'm ALWAYS pleasant and appreciative when dealing with the reps,Engineers,ect.Never an attitude problem from me, until I get some smart azz to give me some chit. Rarely happens though. LOU

Click to expand...

Maybe the guy (person) was just an idiot and didn't know the answer... Trade secret sounds better than I don't know......

Companies do this and take a chance. At the risk of going off topic, allow me to mention tractors. The hitch on an Allis Chalmers WD45 is far better than a 3 point hitch. As the load weighs heavier, it pulls the front of the tractor downward, making it highly unlikely that you would ever flip the tractor. Why is it that today none of the massive array of tractors have this belly hitched system? I'm not old enough to have watched this unfold, but many old timers have told me that had they bought one of the tractors that did use this, all A/C, they could only use implements by Allis Chalmers. The 3 point hitch that we all know waived their patent so that implements form other makers could be interchanged with their tractors, making their tractors more marketable. If any of you know this to be a myth circulated around old tractor folks, please tell me how the belly hitch used on WD45's is not more widely used, as it is a far better system? My point is that when a company that produces both the a base product as well as accessories, they take a calculated risk when they make their base products to match only their acc.