Timothy Hoffman

Timothy Hoffman is the founder of Hoffman Tactical, LLC, a Knoxville, Tennessee-based company founded around 2020. The private company designs firearm components and systems intended to be manufactured by individuals using 3D printers. Hoffman Tactical's stated goal is to decentralize firearm manufacturing by providing designs and information freely to the public. While the designs are free, the company generates revenue by selling parts kits and tools that assist in the assembly of its designs. The size of the company is not publicly available.

Hoffman Tactical's main offerings are free, downloadable design files for 3D-printable firearm components, particularly lower receivers for AR-15, LR-308, and AR-9 pattern firearms. The company also sells corresponding hardware "combo kits" and "reinforcement kits" needed to complete the printed components. A notable product is the "Super Safety," described as a 3D-printable active trigger system for the AR-15 platform. Hoffman Tactical provides extensive documentation and support information for customers seeking to print and assemble the designs.

As a defendant in all two of its tracked patent cases, Hoffman Tactical is an operating company defending its products. The lawsuits concern allegations of patent infringement related to its firearm trigger designs. The cases have been filed in the Eastern Districts of Texas and Tennessee.

The company's litigation centers on its "Super Safety" design. Hoffman Tactical was sued by Rare Breed Triggers, Inc. and ABC IP, LLC, in late 2025. The plaintiffs accuse Hoffman of infringing on patents for "forced reset triggers" (FRTs). The litigation has drawn attention because it followed a settlement between Rare Breed Triggers and the U.S. government, in which Rare Breed agreed to enforce its patents against competitors. In February 2026, a court granted a preliminary injunction that prevents Hoffman Tactical from selling or distributing the Super Safety design.