Smith & Wesson back at No. 1

[Cool Hand Luke 22:36]

Must be all those terrorists & gang members snapping up those military-style 50 cal assault revolvers.
_____________________________________________________

Smith & Wesson recaptures ranking as top U.S. handgun maker

August 1, 2004, 5:57 PM EDT

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Strong sales of revolvers and pistols during the past year have helped Smith & Wesson recapture its ranking as the top handgun maker in the United States from Sturm, Ruger & Co.

Springfield-based Smith & Wesson had been the handgun sales leader in the early 1990s. Its rival in Southport, Conn., took the top spot after Smith & Wesson signed a safety deal with the federal government which many customers believed curtailed their constitutional right to buy guns.

But Smith & Wesson sold nearly $82 million in handguns in the fiscal year ending April 30, a 25 percent increase over the previous year, the company reported.

A spokesman for Sturm, Ruger did not dispute Smith & Wesson's claim to have recaptured the top ranking, The Republican of Springfield reported Sunday. Sturm, Ruger reported $60.2 million in handgun sales in the calendar year 2003, according to financial filings.

Sturm, Ruger remains the nation's largest maker of firearms of all types _ including rifles and shotguns _ with total firearms sales in 2003 of $130 million.


http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ct-brf--smithampwesson0801aug01,0,6294029.story

 

[Jason Demond]

Well it wasn't any of my money that made that happen!



Only pre-agreement for me!

 

[4v50 Gary]

Not me either. I think I still have a "good gun certificate" and should use it to buy a Schofield.

 

[benewton]

Nor mine.

I read this news earlier, and found it "unfortunate".

I see no reason to change my view.

 

[Jiml3]

I'm happy. I see no need to punish them for the sins of the previous owner.
The company is back in the hands of an American who had nothing to do with the politics of the past British ownership. They make excellent products, have great customer service and have a proud past with the exception of the previous owners. I wish them continued good luck.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Only pre-agreement for me!

Me, too. I don't do business with companies that try to "negotiate" our Second Amendment civil rights.

 

[Wolfy]

For all you folks that complain about S&W ant the "agreement" it is dead.

Stop buying Taurus products if you don't deal with companies that broker away our rights. NJ signed legislation to develop a smart gun and 3 years after the AG deems that a working model has been designed only smart hanguns can be sold in NJ. Working means that it can fail to function 25% of the time. You all want to take a guess which was the first and ONLY company to jump on board?

If you guessed Taurus you are a winner yet no one on this board says they will boycott Taurus. Why? I will never buy one of the products because if no company signed this agreement then it would be a useless piece of legislation. Taurus didn't even wait for the ink to dry before they jumped on this project that is how little they care for our right!!!



Does anybody else care?? If it can happen in NJ then it can start happening in other states we need to stand together.

Stepping down from my soapbox.

 

[Peetmoss]

"For all you folks that complain about S&W ant the "agreement" it is dead.

Stop buying Taurus products if you don't deal with companies that broker away our rights. NJ signed legislation to develop a smart gun and 3 years after the AG deems that a working model has been designed only smart hanguns can be sold in NJ. Working means that it can fail to function 25% of the time. You all want to take a guess which was the first and ONLY company to jump on board?

If you guessed Taurus you are a winner yet no one on this board says they will boycott Taurus. Why? I will never buy one of the products because if no company signed this agreement then it would be a useless piece of legislation. Taurus didn't even wait for the ink to dry before they jumped on this project that is how little they care for our right!!!



Does anybody else care?? If it can happen in NJ then it can start happening in other states we need to stand together.

Stepping down from my soapbox."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I believe Colt is publicly persuing "Smart gun Technology also. I would also bet that every major manufacture is at least quitely working on the idea.

 

[Wolfy]

Peetmoss if Tarus sales took a hit the way S&W sales did maybe the other manufacturers wouldn't persue this venue.

 

[Das Pferd]

So do all you S&W haters not buy VW's because the company was started by Hitler and ran on Jewish slave labor for a while?

Do you smoke even though tobacco was the main reason slavery abounded in this country?

Its all subjective.

 

[Rexrider]

So.... exactly how many American firearms manufacturers do we have? How many can we afford to lose?

In my opinion, I think we need to think long and hard about how far we want to go to drive an American firearms Co out of business.

Did S&W deserve the boycott after their "agreement"? Yes, absolutely. I had no problems completely ignoring the S&W brand and took my money else ware.

But a lot has changed since then. S&W IS an American owned Co now. Their "agreement" is pretty much null and void at this point. Even if it wasn't, the current owners did not create that situation. The American's working in the plant did not create that situation either. Remember them? You know.... people like you and I trying to make a living and get by. I wonder how many regular workers were behind that "agreement" and endorsed it? Or maybe they just had to go on working knowing that the Co shot themselves in the foot and hoped they had a job down the road.

Once I knew S&W was had new owners I looked at them again. Last year I purchased a 908s, which has proven to be a well-made reliable handgun (ask my wife, she shoots it more than I get to). I have a 686 high on the want list.

Had S&W not been sold off and continued down the path they were on, then it would have been a shameful end for what was once a great firearms co.

Everyone deserves a second chance. I seriously doubt S&W will ever dance with that devil again.

Cheers
Rexrider

 

[dukeofurl]

Buying pre-agreement S&W's - just because is retarded.

An example I quoted a while back went like this

You have a favorite restaurant and enjoy sitting down with your family and having a nice time. The restaurant is owned and operated by a pro-2nd family.

The family sells their business to new owners that are rude, inconsiderate, can rub 2 pennies together and make Lincoln cry and are antis. Service is slow, portions are terrible, and your most recent experience was dismal at best.

Do you continue giving them business? A regular NO would suffice, but a HELL NO would work better. Do you blame the previous owners for the new management? I dont.

The new owners run the place into the ground. 2 months later a different group opens the place back up. Everything is copasetic again and to your liking. You enjoy the new place and give them your busiess.

The point is as others have illustrated, you cant hold current management accountable for what did or didnt happen on their watch. Ok, the agreement was a bunch of BS. Fine. Gun owners boycotted S&W. They lost millions. Gun owners won.

In conclusion: GET OVER IT!

I think I'll write S&W a letter thanking them for their excellent service of my K frame.

 

[Swamprabbit]

I, for one, am happy to see S&W coming back up for air. I also like seeing good looking revolvers starting to reapper in gun dealer showcases.

To me, the S&W agreement fiasco is now history. The new ownership has changed that for me.

 

[WYO]

I haven't bought an S&W since the agreement, because I do not view non-enforcement of the agreement as the equal of not having an agreement. BTW, did not the agreement preclude S&W from making firearms that are capable of taking magazines holding more than 10 rounds? If that is true, it should be interesting to see what happens on September 13.

 

[StopTheGrays]

Who said this and was a major source of the AWB law passed in 1994?

* "No honest man needs more than 10 rounds in any gun."
* "I never meant for simple civilians to have my 20 or 30 round magazines or my folding stock."
* "I see nothing wrong with waiting periods."

 

[rock jock]

This is good news, even if I haven't bought a new S&W in years.

 

[Wolfy]

StopTheGrays

The answer to your question is William Ruger.

 

[StopTheGrays]

Correct. I figure more people should rightly be pissed at him and his company just as much as they are at S+W for their past actions.

BTW, I sold the last of my Rugers in the Spring, I may buy from them in the future but their products will not be my first choice.

 

[Atticus]

I was a boycotter, but I recently purchased my first new S&W. That was primarily due to the excellent service I received from them when I had problems with pre- agreement revolvers.

As with any other corporation, the officers at S&W have a duty to their shareholders to make the most money possible. And while I don't agree with their stand, I can certainly see the financial benefit of staddling the fence. Recent financial performance proves that it was likely the correct decision. It would be nice if they were to take the agreement to court and be done with it. However, that would take millions of $. A struggling and/or bankrupt company would never be able to do that. Perhaps someday they will.

Personally, I cannot see how or why any of the current gun manufactures can be counted on to defend the rights of American civilians. What have they done in their own countries to protect the rights of their citizens? Brazil, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Austria ??? You've gotta be kidding.

What has Ruger or Colt done here in the US?

There are companies that I would, and do, strongly support such as Bushmaster and Kimber.....but then they don't make pocket snubbies.

 

[LawDog]

They didn't, and won't, get any of my money.

And due to some hard lobbying on my part, my department has switched over to Hiatt brand restraints. Not a big contract as far as agencies go, but I'm proud of my effort.

LawDog

 

[Atticus]

"Personally, I cannot see how or why any of the current gun manufactures can be counted on to defend the rights of American civilians. What have they done in their own countries to protect the rights of their citizens? Brazil, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Austria ??? You've gotta be kidding. "

Hiatt? Add the British owned leg iron company to my list. S&W and Bill Ruger put more guns in the hands of Americans than anyone else. Have they done or said stupid suff? Absolutely! But the enemy of my ememy is not my friend.

Edited to add: I respect anyone's decision to boycott anyone. But it works both ways. It's a decision we have to work through on our own.

 

[J Miller]

Smith & Wesson is #1 in handgun production again. Too bad.
Well I sure didn't help them. Nor will I.

Even if I could get past the agreement that is just waiting till they need it, I cannot stand the key locks. No way, no how, no shape nor form.
I will not buy a gun so equipped no matter who makes it.
If S&W wants my business, (I'm aware they don't), the agreement will have to be legally abrogated and the key locks gotta go.

As for their customer service..............it sucks. I've tried several times to get them to overhaul my 25-5 and they told in as many words that they don't want to be bothered with it. So be it.

I'll buy a Ruger, a stronger, better made, more durable product.




Joe

 

[Grey54956]

For those of you who still despise S&W for their pact with the devil, which by the way is quite dead, please check out Ruger's new Mk III pistol, as well as there newest centerfire autos. You will notice chamber loaded indicators, which are every bit as ugly (if not more so) than S&W's "locked" flag. Ruger also has the integral lock, as well. Sounds like they pander to the least gun friendly states just as much as S&W if not more so.

 

[Wolfy]

Grey54956 I saw a MKIII and the loaded chamber indicator is huge!!! I would never own one of these they are ugly.

 

[Iron Mike]

S&W

I would definitly buy another S&W, its now American owned and the old managment is gone.how many gun companies can we afford to lose, to say nothing about American jobs.