Smith and Wesson "Aims" To Increase Growth...

Move over, Dirty Harry!

No pun intended here, but S&W (to anyone who knows JACK about firearms) has rested on it's laurels for way too long, and is now getting ready to reclaim it's share of the marketplace. Nice thing, as it's been an AMERICAN-OWNED AND OPERATED gun manufacturer for 155 years. With the rollout of it's newest firearm, the M&P (Military and Police) pistol (seen at left), it hopes to nab some serious defense and law-enforcement contracts. And it looks like they do have a winner here.

Recently, S&W has had a negligible share of the law-enforcement market. Glock has had a 65% share and is the most widely used pistol on the hips of LEOs. I do know some officers that carry the S&W Sigma in .40 cal, and that's not a bad weapon. The tried and true auto pistols (like the M39 and M59 series) from S&W are roughly relics from the past. They're all steel, weigh substantially more than the newer players on the block, and are looking a bit long in the tooth. Still, I always liked the 5900 series..had a reload that tore the cartridge case open, blowing off the walnut grip. No damage to me, and the bullet still hit the target, but S&W x-rayed the frame and slide, checking for fractures, bench-tested it, and sent it back GRATIS! How cool is THAT? Nice to know they stand by their products! BTW...I only use *new* ammo now...!
Smith & Wesson has been producing the SW99 (and now the newer SW990-top) under license from Walther (maker of the P99-bottom right). Personally, I can find no equal to this pistol. it's light, smooth operating, and thanks to German engineering is one of the finest pistols for the money out there. Another personal favorite of mine would be the Springfield Armory XD (x-treme duty-bottom left) auto pistol in 9mm or .40 cal. This baby has been put through some SERIOUS tests (frozen in ice, buried in sand, encased in mud, and even run over by a truck), and comes up shooting every damn time, even after 20,000 rounds without a hangup or misfire! And to think this is IMPORTED from CROATIA! And while the SIG P229 is the pistol of choice for the NYCPD (as well as some federal agencies), it is a bit pricey, as is the H&K series of composite guns. But when dealing with life and death, you DO (and will) get what you pay for.

Now while I like the Glock (Philly police were selected for the pilot program back in the mid- 80s), it doesn't do much for me other than have "the name". No external safety is a big minus to me. It does have a nice weight to it, but most ALL composite pistols these days are in the 24-29 OUNCE range, so it's a tossup.

With the military contract on the venerable Beretta M92F (9mm) coming up for bid this year, it's no surprise that an American company wants to bring that contract back home to our soil. And (imho) S&W could make a damn good go of it. This could be a contract worth about $310 MILLION for the winner. And it would be nice to see a lot more American pistols back on the hips of soldiers and LEOs (like the old .45).

But the new CEO of S&W, formerly of Black & Decker, Stanley, and Kohler, isn't just looking at handguns. He's got his innovative "sights" set on long guns as well. Smith and Wesson will soon be marketing a line of shotguns, and even a bolt-action hunting rifle. And it's all (still) being done right here in the USofA!

It's nice to see an American company with a promising future for a change.