Revival at Smith & Wesson?

[Maksim 1,504]

Just an article that came across me on Morningstar.

 

Smith & Wesson® Secures Two Texas Law Enforcement Contracts

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SWHC), parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary 159-year-old company in the global business of safety, security, protection, and sport, announced today that it has been awarded firearm contracts in Texas from the Austin Police Department and from the San Antonio Police Officers Association. Both organizations converted to firearms from the Smith & Wesson Military & Police (M&P) Series.

 

 

Austin Police Department

 

After making the decision to switch over to a standardized departmental side arm, the Austin Police Department began actively taking submissions from a number of manufacturers in the firearm industry. Once the test and evaluation period had concluded, the agency selected the Smith & Wesson M&P40 polymer pistol as the new standard agency side arm.

 

As part of the full department conversion, the Austin Police Department ordered 1,775 M&P pistols chambered in .40 S&W. The new side arms are manufactured with standard features, which include three interchangeable grips sizes, ambidextrous controls, and the ability to disassemble the firearm without pulling the trigger. In addition, the M&P40 pistols have been equipped with night sights and three magazines as requested by the department.

 

"This decision by the Austin Police Department marks the first time in 20 years that the agency has chosen to issue a standard firearm to its officers," said Mario Pasantes, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Global Professional Sales. "Prior to this, officers within the department were able to select from an approved-for-carry list of firearms that included a variety of choices from multiple manufacturers. We view the department's selection of our M&P40 as an endorsement of the winning attributes of the pistol. The Austin Police Department now joins hundreds of other agencies that have selected the M&P for use in the line of duty."

 

San Antonio Police Officers Association

 

The San Antonio Police Officers Association has ordered 550 Smith & Wesson M&P15A patrol rifles for individual officer purchase. The Smith & Wesson M&P15A has been custom ordered by the private organization and the rifles are approved for on-duty use. The San Antonio Police Officers Association selected the design specifications of the new patrol rifle and allowed officers the ability to customize their individual firearms by working with Smith & Wesson's specialized services and capabilities. The M&P15A rifles were made available with added features such as engraving, individual officer badge numbers, and other individual officer identification marks.

 

Pasantes said, "Throughout our company's history, Smith & Wesson has focused its attention on meeting the high performance standards and specialized needs of military and law enforcement professionals. Our law enforcement support services are structured so that departments can hand pick those elements that directly meet the needs and qualifications of their particular agency. As a result, within the San Antonio Police Officers Association, officers were able to customize the M&P15A rifles to meet their personal preferences, while still conforming to the list of standard specifications required by the agency."

 

Introduced in 2006, the Smith & Wesson M&P Rifle Series has become a premier patrol rifle for professionals throughout the United States. With over 16 different configurations available, the M&P Rifle Series has been selected for service or as an approved-carry firearm by over 425 law enforcement agencies in the United States.

 

Safe Harbor Statement

 

Certain statements contained in this press release may be deemed to be forward-looking statements under federal securities laws, and we intend that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor created thereby. Such forward-looking statements include those regarding our view that the Austin Police Department's selection of the M&P40 is an endorsement of the winning attributes of the pistol and the structure of our law enforcement support services to allow departments to hand pick those elements that directly meet the needs and qualifications of their particular agency. We caution that these statements are qualified by important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include the demand for the our products and services and other risks detailed from time to time in our reports filed with the SEC, including our Form 10-K Report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2011.

 

About Smith & Wesson

 

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC) is a U.S.-based, global provider of products and services for safety, security, protection, and sport. The company delivers a broad portfolio of firearms and related training to the military, law enforcement, and sports markets.

 

Industry Contact: Matt Rice

 

SOURCE Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation

 

 

Myself personally, I dont buy many new guns, but the few new guns I bought were all Smith & Wessons. Scary time to be working for Glock. More and more departments are picking up the M&P, more and more competitive shooters are picking up the M&P's as well.

[vjf915 456]

The M&P45 is on my short list. Tasty gun.

[Rifleman1 32]

Holy cow Maksim, you went over 10,000 posts...

[Old School 611]

S&W has been working hard and should be rewarded.

 

It's very important that you don't need to pull the trigger for disassembly.

 

Especially when you're a nit wit and can't remember to clear the chamber.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Myself personally, I dont buy many new guns, but the few new guns I bought were all Smith & Wessons. Scary time to be working for Glock. More and more departments are picking up the M&P, more and more competitive shooters are picking up the M&P's as well.

 

I think your wishing this but sorry brother, Glock has built such a solid reputation that even grampa old school likes them.

[Maksim 1,504]

I think your wishing this but sorry brother, Glock has built such a solid reputation that even grampa old school likes them.

 

 

Ray ray,

 

Here is some food for thought...

 

Look at the top guns in USPSA Production division. Mostly CZ's and M&P's.

Price Request Quotes, mostly M&P's over glocks.

S&W is far behind on backlogs of M&P guns.

 

Our squad at Old Bridge... 12 people, 1 glock.

 

3 Sig P226

2 Beretta PX4

2 1911s (Kimber and SA)

1 M&P

1 Glock

1 CZ TS

1 EAA Tanfo

 

Forgetting one more, but was not a glock.

 

You can call any dealer and get any glock within 3 days. You can't get an M&P if you want one. The price on some 9L's and Pros in the used market is upwards of $700.

[Old School 611]

Ray ray,

 

Here is some food for thought...

 

Look at the top guns in USPSA Production division. Mostly CZ's and M&P's.

Price Request Quotes, mostly M&P's over glocks.

S&W is far behind on backlogs of M&P guns.

 

Our squad at Old Bridge... 12 people, 1 glock.

 

3 Sig P226

2 Beretta PX4

2 1911s (Kimber and SA)

1 M&P

1 Glock

1 CZ TS

1 EAA Tanfo

 

Forgetting one more, but was not a glock.

 

You can call any dealer and get any glock within 3 days. You can't get an M&P if you want one. The price on some 9L's and Pros in the used market is upwards of $700.

 

 

Maks- You for one should understand marketing. GLOCKS are the cheap and dirty entry gun, especially in "Production".

 

Early on my daughter went to a S&W sponsored camp(Jery Miculek's wife's thing) and I almost standardized on the M&P.

 

But for a new competitor GLOCK was much more friendly. So there you go.

 

I'm sure your squad is other than new to the sport. And, is interested in more exotic pistols as you can see.

 

Don't get the wrong impression. I like the M&P line. But it's all in the presentation of the bait.

 

And we all know GLOCK has been dropping their draws to the police market, virtually giving pistols away. Now S&W is following suit.

 

I'm glad to see S&W bounce back after some real military/police screw-ups in the past.

 

Gaston all said and done still has about 50% of the police market but that may change.

[Babaganoosh 192]

I put in for permits just to buy an MP 40. I like it more than the glock. I would go XD but they refuse to make 15 round mags so they can go scratch.

[reloaderguy 30]

I think your wishing this but sorry brother, Glock has built such a solid reputation that even grampa old school likes them.

 

 

Sorry. I don't own any Glocks and have no plans to buy any.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

25 years of making basically the same gun says something. Not trying to discredit S&W but it's just a wanna-be Glock.

[reloaderguy 30]

Ray ray,

 

Here is some food for thought...

 

Look at the top guns in USPSA Production division. Mostly CZ's and M&P's.

Price Request Quotes, mostly M&P's over glocks.

S&W is far behind on backlogs of M&P guns.

 

Our squad at Old Bridge... 12 people, 1 glock.

 

3 Sig P226

2 Beretta PX4

2 1911s (Kimber and SA)

1 M&P

1 Glock

1 CZ TS

1 EAA Tanfo

 

Forgetting one more, but was not a glock.

 

You can call any dealer and get any glock within 3 days. You can't get an M&P if you want one. The price on some 9L's and Pros in the used market is upwards of $700.

 

 

I'll take my CZ Shadow Target over a Glock or M&P anyday!

 

[Ray Ray 3,566]

I'll take my CZ Shadow Target over a Glock or M&P anyday!

 

I understand, and that's a nice looking firearm. Not something I'd want to carry all day as I wouldn't want to scratch it. Hence a Glock!

[djg0770 481]

S&W succumbed to the Hilary lock. F them.

[CageFighter 236]

Holy cow Maksim, you went over 10,000 posts...

 

thats bc he has tooo much time on his hands!

[CageFighter 236]

I love my Gen4 Glocks, never a FTF or even a hiccup!

Now....if I can only get my hands on a G34 Gen4 for USPSA Production, I'd be a HAPPIER camper!

[Rifleman1 32]

I enjoyed shooting my first Glock I just had to get another one. In the shoot off comparison against the M&P, Ruger P89, Smith & Wesson M&P9, Springfield Armory XD9, Sig Sauer P226, I preferred the Glock in four important areas - grip/trigger comfort, accuracy, ease of cleaning, cost to purchase/operate.

[M4BGRINGO 139]

I shot my buddies Glock in .40 cal and my 96FS (also .40 cal). I liked the Beretta much better. Now, I just picked-up a S&W 610 and LOVE shooting .40 out of that gun!

 

I don't really have any desire right now to buy any polymer handguns. Maybe one day, but I love my revolvers.

[bry@n 195]

I have to say that the M&P is a very nice gun. Good for S&W and they're American.

[Sivl32 27]

I enjoyed shooting my first Glock I just had to get another one. In the shoot off comparison against the M&P, Ruger P89, Smith & Wesson M&P9, Springfield Armory XD9, Sig Sauer P226, I preferred the Glock in four important areas - grip/trigger comfort, accuracy, ease of cleaning, cost to purchase/operate.

 

 

I could not get used to the grip on the Glocks I just do not like the way they feel at all.. that is why I went Springfield. probably gonna handle a M&P tomorrow.. have one more permit and need to decide on whats next.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

Even beretta's getting into the game. Nano is the single stack polymer gun that all the glock owners have been wanting.

[StarWarsGeek45 5]

I'll take a Glock over virtually anything else any day.

 

Why?

 

I'm not a competition shooter. I'm not big on style, nor am I big on spending money. Mainly because I don't have a lot of it.

 

Glocks run great, run dirty, take a beating, and work just fine. They may not be pretty, but they are affordable, reliable, and have a long standing reputation.

 

Sure, maybe other guns are "better" for competition. But I'm not looking for something to knock down plates with in a match.

[Maksim 1,504]

I'll take a Glock over virtually anything else any day.

 

Why?

 

I'm not a competition shooter. I'm not big on style, nor am I big on spending money. Mainly because I don't have a lot of it.

 

Glocks run great, run dirty, take a beating, and work just fine. They may not be pretty, but they are affordable, reliable, and have a long standing reputation.

 

Sure, maybe other guns are "better" for competition. But I'm not looking for something to knock down plates with in a match.

 

 

Ya know, they also spin the same thing the other way, A glock is a great competition gun.

 

 

I just dug out a virtually new in box glock 37 that I had sitting around. Picked it up, and holy hell I forgot how ungodly the grip is on the gun, the trigger is blah. Took out a Springfield XD, what a light and day difference.

 

Why spend money on it even knowing "it is not a competition gun, not pretty, and not ergonomic"?

 

The whole cheap arguement, a glock costs as much as an M&P, an XD, or a CZ. Better yet, a Sig Sp2022 is avail for even less, $400 new or so, and it is a sig.

 

Are glocks reliable? Sure... but are they that much more reliable over any other gun out there? Where is the proof?

 

Btw, there will be a new Glock 37 very soon listed in the marketplace.

[Tactical Turtle 11]

25 years of making basically the same gun says something. Not trying to discredit S&W but it's just a wanna-be Glock.

+1

[hd2000fxdl 422]

As far as Glocks comments, I have a G-19 Gen 3 and it's a great gun that I keep for HD, it feed anything, no issues at all, and hopefully in the very remote chance I ever had to use it to protect myself and/or family I am not going to be too upset that it may be held by the PD and who knows when I would get it back. Actually I was thinking about picking up a Hi-Point just for this purpose but with OGAM I don't want to waste a P2P just yet with what I want to pick up first.

 

Like them or not, they do work, they do what they are intended to do and do it well, they are not the best or worse but I think everyone should have at least 1, just like everyone should have a wheel gun and a shotty and a 22LR Pistol and Rifle. and a___ and a ___ and a ____..

 

As far a the S&W's ohh yea, everyone should have a a couple of these and 1 sould be a wheel gun.

[axeman_g 128]

I loved my gen2 g19.... but I sold it to step into a gen4 g19. The gen4 felt horrible and the wife hated it. Since it is the bedside gin it had to go. Another p99 in the house. As soon as I can I am going to start shooting ispa again with it.

 

I liked the mp9 .... but did not love. Glad to see s&w fighting back.

[Jon 264]

I'll take a Glock over virtually anything else any day.

 

Why?

 

I'm not a competition shooter. I'm not big on style, nor am I big on spending money. Mainly because I don't have a lot of it.

 

Glocks run great, run dirty, take a beating, and work just fine. They may not be pretty, but they are affordable, reliable, and have a long standing reputation.

 

Sure, maybe other guns are "better" for competition. But I'm not looking for something to knock down plates with in a match.

 

First off, glocks and m&ps cost the same, so the price argument is out the window.

 

Every m&p owner I know has never had a malfunction.

 

Now onto competition... What makes a good competition gun? The ability to run through half a case of ammo quickly, accurately, without cleaning, and without malfunction. Think about it...

[DevsAdvocate 112]

Just an article that came across me on Morningstar.

 

 

 

 

Myself personally, I dont buy many new guns, but the few new guns I bought were all Smith & Wessons. Scary time to be working for Glock. More and more departments are picking up the M&P, more and more competitive shooters are picking up the M&P's as well.

 

Good for them. But the winning of a few contracts does not mean Smith and Wesson is completely owning Glock... If I remember correctly, Gaston's group still holds the lionshare of all LEO contracts, and have for quite some time. Heck, how many Glocks does the NYPD use on it's own?

 

As a Glock owner, I do have some issues with them though...

 

Like:

-Why no single stack compact 9mm? This would dominate the CCW market

-Why no single stack full-size .45? They make the Glock 36, why not make something bigger with a thin grip. Given the popularity of 1911s, this could be as close to a "Glock 1911" that we can get.

-Why no Glock pistol carbines? Berretta makes them and gets a decent market share out of it. You can build them to both civilian and LEO markets by offering semi-auto and select-fire variants. Plus, you can use those 33-round 9mm mags now, lol

 

Glocks are great, but the company is missing the boat on a lot of potential offerings to the civvvy market. But seeing as LEO is their top earner, they won't care about products aimed at us peons.

[DevsAdvocate 112]

Ray ray,

 

Here is some food for thought...

 

Look at the top guns in USPSA Production division. Mostly CZ's and M&P's.

Price Request Quotes, mostly M&P's over glocks.

S&W is far behind on backlogs of M&P guns.

 

Our squad at Old Bridge... 12 people, 1 glock.

 

3 Sig P226

2 Beretta PX4

2 1911s (Kimber and SA)

1 M&P

1 Glock

1 CZ TS

1 EAA Tanfo

 

Forgetting one more, but was not a glock.

 

You can call any dealer and get any glock within 3 days. You can't get an M&P if you want one. The price on some 9L's and Pros in the used market is upwards of $700.

 

12 people not a statistically significant number make. One can also say "12 people, only 1 M&P" according to your groups firearm demographic.

[DevsAdvocate 112]

I'll take a Glock over virtually anything else any day.

 

Why?

 

I'm not a competition shooter. I'm not big on style, nor am I big on spending money. Mainly because I don't have a lot of it.

 

Glocks run great, run dirty, take a beating, and work just fine. They may not be pretty, but they are affordable, reliable, and have a long standing reputation.

 

Sure, maybe other guns are "better" for competition. But I'm not looking for something to knock down plates with in a match.

 

Glock 34s are very nice competition guns. Though, for something like that, I would do some trigger work. But rarely are competition pistols left stock, usually some modification or professionalization is done to make it a better shooter.

[Vlad G 345]

S&W succumbed to the Hilary lock. F them.

 

 

That would make some sense if you could actually buy one with a lock. Most if not all are produced without a lock or the silly mag safety. It is more of a SKU then an actual product as most shooters order the one without those useless bits and so do police departments. If they forced it down your throat, you'd have point, but they don't.