Gun maker [Smith and Wesson] banks on Pentagon

International Herald Tribune ^ | 11 April 2006 | Leslie Wayne

[TC Rider]

S&W really dropped the ball in NC. They had a large order of revolvers, sold to the corrections department, actually start to fall apart in the space of a year or so. They should have moved quickly to replace them with the new M&P, instead they waited till it was on the front page of the papers before even taking notice.

[TC Rider]

Think Dirty Harry

[stompk]

"Smith & Wesson is coming back to life, thanks to an expanding Pentagon budget and growing spending by the Homeland Security Department."

go Clinton and Wesson !! /sarc

[thinkthenpost]

The model 29 shots a 44 magnum. The Smiths are nice guns, but the more powerful handgun rounds rattle your teeth, a Model 58 in 41 magnum might draw blood. I think the Rugers both Blackhawk and Redhawk are more comfortable to shoot, and a Bisley Blackhawk can be shot all day. That's my opinion there, probably worth about what you paid for it.

[LouAvul]

A model 29 is a 44 magnum revolver. A 44 bullet actually measures .429 inch.

The 29 is what Clint Eastwood carried in "Dirty Harry."

Prior to that movie the S&W M29 sold for about $250, retail. After the movie the 6.5 inch barrel 29 sold for $500, if you could find one.

I've owned several. Now only own one (6.5 inch barrel) but am looking for one in four inch barrel.

[llevrok]

Regardless of the maker, isn't the issue that the Euro wimp 9MM's do not have enough knock down power for close combat as is the "norm" in the middle east (rather than an officer's gun during the cold war)?

In other words, the .45 cal = Slow but Blow

[Dead Corpse]

Great. Now, if they can figure out how to chamber an auto with their .500 or .460 loads, I'll have my sights set on purchasing one.

I don't need another 9mm and I won't buy a .40. I was looking into a two-tone Springfield XD in .45 ACP for my Wife. Maybe if S&W has decently priced offering there..

[Rodney King]

Yeah... I just find the whole double-action concept silly. The trigger pull should be the same EVERY TIME. So, DA only, or SA, is the only way to go.

[Gaffer]

The only S&W I own is a WWII cherry Victory Model 38. I decided a few years back during the Clinton Occupation that I'd never 'buy' a current S&W because of their capitulation to the anit-gun movement. They are a northern based company with northern thinking employees who probably are voting Democratic.

[TC Rider]

I don't need another 9mm and I won't buy a .40. I was looking into a two-tone Springfield XD in .45 ACP for my Wife. Maybe if S&W has decently priced offering there..

I got to shoot a buddies XD in .45 this weekend. Points real nice and felt good in the hand. The grip may be a bit stout for small hands.

[Andonius_99]

S&W makes a heluva 1911 clone...thing is damn near a nail-driver...

[ExcursionGuy84]

I'm thinkin', I'm thinkin'...I don't know why but I'm thinkin'.

[dangerdoc]

"only need one handgun"

Sacrilege!

[ExcursionGuy84]

...a Model 58 in 41 magnum might draw blood.

Actually, I happened to read an article in Boar Hunter magazine a few months past that exalted the virutes of the .41 as a perfect compromise between .357 and .44;

a good, plain "do-anything-anywhere-anytime" revolver.

[Dead Corpse]

I picked one up off a table at Saxet last month. It does have good point, but the grip was a bit small for my hands. It'd be good for hers though. She has those gorgeous long fingered "ring model" type hands. Fairly strong, although I still end up opening most of the bottles/jars around the house.

It's the fairly compact size coupled with a decent sized round in a no nonsense package that I liked. That, and it has nothing to do with one of Gaston's drastic plastic pieces.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

"...new chief executive, Michael Golden, who once sold power tools for Black & Decker ...."

A prototype for a new S&W handgun?

[Zeppo]

I have always liked S&W revolvers but only need one handgun.

My exact sentiments last year when I first took a pistol course. Before I knew it, I had five handguns in the safe (just in the last month I got an XD in .45 ACP and a full-size 1911 - the S&W revolver was number three out of the five). Do I really 'need' all of them? No, not really, but it's a good way to improve my competence with firearms to be exposed to the different models...

[absolootezer0]

A model 29 is a 44 magnum revolver. A 44 bullet actually measures .429 inch. The 29 is what Clint Eastwood carried in "Dirty Harry." Prior to that movie the S&W M29 sold for about $250, retail. After the movie the 6.5 inch barrel 29 sold for $500, if you could find one.

two little bits of trivia. first, eastwood shot specials, not magnums. second, shortly after dirty harry the market was suddenly flooded with "slightly used" 29s. friend of mine picked up a 29dx that was described as "cylinder loaded once, one round fired." i won't tell you the obscene (low) price he got it for.

[lakeman]

Hey now I own a 500 and a 460 xvr and they are awesome in the field for deer and the 460 shoots 45 long colts all day very enjoyable.

[rahbert]

My choice would be the re-issued Schofield Model 3...