[Boats]

What would you do with it? (Thanks to nightcrawler for the idea).

[GoldenLoki]

Breech "the" contract.

GL

[Wildalaska]

Get rid of the integral locks, disavow all Smegmas, bring back blue revolvers, then sell the comapnay and move to Pattaya Beach, Thailand

WildomygodshesgotasummonsfordivorceAlaska

[Schuey2002]

I'd give everyone who bought a S&W during the Clinton Administration a refund.. :D

[Okiecruffler]

I'd do something about that nasty little plastic recoil clip on my 22A, I'd try to convince everyone that the Sigma line was just a bad dream, and I would start an ad campaign to try to repair the reputation of what was a really great American company.

[WonderNine]

Officially declare "The Contract" null and void.

Beg for gun owner's forgiveness.

[AR-10]

What WonderNine said.

Then I'd round up about two hundred samples of their wheelguns for my collection.

[Kahr carrier]

Get rid of the MIM parts.:)

[owen]

I don't understand what the problem with MIM is other that it doesn't case harden well.

Go ahead, get rid of MIM parts. Add $100 or more dollars to retail cost of the gun. cut your volume in half. Great Idea.

[New_comer]

I'll stash away all models of their wheelguns...

Yes, wheelguns! :D

[mack]

Apologize, file legal motions to formally reject the their agreement with the government, refuse to sell any guns to any federal agencies, and finally make a decent auto-loader.

[Mastrogiacomo]

Sell it! :cuss: But since it's not worth much anyway, I'd make a .38 in a longer barrel (no snub nose), larger like a model 60, with a soft grip and easy on the hands. Since they don't exist though and I don't frankly care for Smith and Wesson -- sell it. :evil:

[10-Ring]

Hire a real PR depeartment & reshape the grips on the semi autos to something that fits ME better.

[Spackler]

Bring back the 10mm auto pistols.

Add the option for frame decockers on all autos.

Remove the light rail from the TSW auto pistols.

Remove the large "rollmarks" (laser engraving) from the autos.

Bring back the nice blued autos (not the ugly flat black of the value line).

Two-tone autos as a cataloged option.

Make the SSV guns (short-slide version) standard production guns.

Bring back the single-stack 4013 (8+1) to compliment the double-stack 4013TSW (9+1).

Bring back the 3913NL, one of the best autos that S&W ever produced.

[J Miller]

Many good ideas here.

I would totally reorganize the company.
Get rid of the key locks.
Get rid of the MIM and return to hammer mounted fireing pins.
Reintroduce the big bore BLUE steel revolvers to regular production.
Publicly renounce the agreement with the Klinton administration.
Get rid of the magazine disconnects in the automatics.
Plus do a lot of the ideas mentioned above by other posters.

Get the best legal council I could to make sure I could keep the S&W name, then move the company to a gun friendly state.

[jsalcedo]

I would just go back to pre 1972 product line and tooling.

Smith and Wesson has had many brainfarts with their semi autos
except for the 52 and the 39. All the others felt like was holding a
2x4.

Next I would declare the HUD agreement null and void and take out full page ads in most major newspapers explaining the sellout
and what was done to make things right.

Then I would reintroduce S&W models from the 19th and early
20th century will all original markings and make them suitable for modern ammunition.

[45R]

Make more "politically correct" guns for everyone. Say peace out to Klinton and make some more toys.


I'd also have to clean up that SW99.

[Standing Wolf]

If I were suddenly appointed Lord High Poobah of Smith & Wesson, the first thing I'd do would be to terminate the agreement with the Snopes Clinton-Liar Gore régime. I'd raise quality control standards. I'd make all firearms available without integral locks. I'd bring back blued firearms.

I doubt Smith & Wesson's going to do any of that, so it's going to have to do without my dollars. I don't do business with anti-Second Amendment bigots.

[Coffee357]

I would:
- End the gun of the month club.
- Bring back the blued guns.
- Bring back the Model 439 and 639 WITHOUT those razor edges behind the trigger (scallop them like the 1911a1)
- bring back the 3" model 13 and 65 and the 581/681
- Drop the lock and put the firing pin back on the hammer
where it belongs.
- I MIGHT find another trigger system for the sigma series
and boost the quality (the gun feels great! just hate the trigger!)
- Find a way to end the agreement and PUBLICIZE IT!

That a good start?

Coffee

[Dave Bean]

Don't try to pull the wool over us by declaring the Agreement to be dead (selectively not being enforced by the current Presidential administration, because the next admin might want to enforce it).

S&W would have to change the Agreement to be non-enforceable and legally non-binding (in short, burn it !!!!) before I spend one cent on any S&W product.

Dave

[MountainPeak]

I agree with Dave Bean on this one. I truly believe the current management of S&W has absolutely no intention of ever complying with "the agreement", "sell out" or whatever you want to call it. I'd just feel better if someone would confince me it is dead and buried forever. I own several of their older revolvers in the beautifull high luster blue they use to make. I'd bring them back. I've seen some of their recent ones they put out and they are getting close. To bad it took a boycott and loss of some of their faithfull to manufacture remakes of some of the "oldies, but goodies". I haven't shot any of the new ones so I can't speak to their accuracy or reliability. My guess is they have been working hard to regain the old "die hard" Smith guys, so I assume quality has picked up there too!

[Byron Quick]

1) I would enter into negotiations with the Bush Administration to kill the agreement legally. If those negotiations failed it would be due to the Bush administration failing to agree to end that agreement. I would then publicize that fact by releasing the full transcript of the negotiations.

2) Bring back the blue guns.

3) Produce a quality 1911 in .45 ACP and 10mm...at least.

4) Definitely get rid of the integral locks.

5) On the past features discontinued to reduce costs, I would bring them back by special order-you want the features then pay the freight.

6) Continue MIM as necessary but also produce enough steel parts so that those who want can have them-once again you've got to be willing to pay the freight.

[trapshooter]

1. 'Officially' trash the nefarious 'agreement'.

2. Bring back the blue wheelguns, with the bright blue, maybe as a PC product, but without the 'prettifying' engraving, etc.

3. Convince Walther that the 99 needs an exposed hammer to be a real gun.

4. Make a line of 10MM autos again.

5. Reverse the decision to halt production of the 696.

6. Lose the stupid trigger lock garbage.\

7. Apologize to my customers for former managements stupidity and spinelessness, and promise not to cave in.

8. Doing all of the above, make money like a moose.

[Marcus]

1) Loose the agreement

2) Bring back at least one standard grade 10mm (1006 or 1066).

3) Introduce a line of standard grade SA autos based on the 945 and loose the Colt.

4) Loose some of the 10,682 different autoloader variants that aren`t selling.

5) Either seriously refine the assembly and QC of the Sigma,restyle and rename it or toss it altogether. IMO the design is capable of being an "improved" Glock but the build quality and general lack of refinement kill it.

6) Add a limited production Performance Center scandium framed compact 10mm (1066 slide with a 457 sized frame).

7) Bring back the blued bigbores.

8) Add short muzzle braked .500 Mountain gun for "wow factor",truly sick individuals and those more worried about grizzlys than carpal tunnel. :evil: Marcus

[Round Gun Shooter]

I would definately legally do something about the agreement. But first, I would contact retirees from the company and seek their input as to what has been done to the manufacturing process and what they would like to see brought back from a quality position not a nostalgia position.

I would then talk to the current production staff and see what their ideas were.

Finally, I would go through all warranty registration cards and do a costly mailing to customers as to what they would like to see.

When all this is completed, I would impliment the most popular responses from all groups, raise the prices to cover the research and implementation of the ideas, and put a smaller product line on the market.

I would keep the basic revolver line as is, push the S&W 1911 line to include 9MM, 40S&W, and 10MM. I would only keep the full size Hi Cap 9MM and 40S&W as a LE firearm since no one likes them anyway. And I would scrap the scandium line completely.

Next I would address the S&W restraints and make sure there was a complete line. The computer based Identi Kit would be perfected as well as breath testing equipment to assure a presence in the LE market place.

When all this is done, I would implement a S&W Firearm show held 2 times a year at the Springfield Training facility where firearms users could see what we were working on and see the firearms test fired by S&W Employees. Factory tours would be given and the customer would be shown just what it takes to make the firearms.

Will all this ever happen? No way. Should some of it happen?? Yes it should. Rather than cutting corners to please non gun marketing people, they should develop a new dedicated following.

But no one ever listens to me anyway :banghead:

[Dionysusigma]

Uh... um... 'scuse my ignorance, but what is this "agreement?" I've heard it mentioned a lot, but never figured out what it was... :uhoh:

As for changes in the company--I'd discontinue the SW99, any of their scandium "scratch and flake away" frames, and bring back more blued models.

[Ky Larry]

1. Trash the 'Agreement."
2.Bring back the blued revolvers.
3. Go back to the excellent triggers S&W used to have on their revolvers.
4.Do market research to find out what people want and concentrate on making fewer models but making them better.

[Brian Williams]

1 Get rid of the agreement and the lock.
2 work to nullify the '32 NFA, 68 GCA, 86 Machine gun, 94 AWB
3 restart the Gun of the month club, but listen to what THR and SWCA and Smith wessonForums want.
4 Make any gun you want.
5 do something with the auto line?????
6 re introduce the 39-2
7 do the BLUE gun thing
8 seriously rework the scandium line
9 Move it to a more gun friendly, cheaper state
10 have S&W seminars with shoots like GSSF
11 bring back P&R


Here is what I would offer for revolvers
5 frame sizes; J, K, L, N, X
2 frame types; Target, Fixed sights (Barrel would follow suit)
2 grip types; Round, Square
4 frame materials; Steel Blue and Stainless, Aluminum, Scandium
3 barrel weights; Tapered MG, Medium, Heavy
4 hammer types; Bobbed, Combat, Medium, Target
3 trigger widths; Combat, Medium, Target
2 trigger types; Smooth, serrated
11 Standard Barrel lengths; 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6.5, 7, 8, 10, 12
2 cylinder fluting; Fluted, Non fluted
etc.

5x2x2x4x3x4x3x2x11x2= 126,720 models of revolvers
5x2x2x4=80 frame types

[Ala Dan]

Well, lets see?

1. Can the "sweetheart agreement" that S&W made with the Clinton Cronies and the government ;)

2. Develope sound financial support. :)

3. Return to the day's when the word "PRIDE" was put into S&W's craftsmanship.

4. LISTEN to the consumer, by doing away with the use of MIM parts, intergal lock designs, ballistic fingerprinting, etc.

5. Reintroduce older, popular Smith & Wesson model's.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[HSMITH]

The first thing that needs to be done is APOLOGIZE to law abiding citizens for the agreement, and then denounce it. Petition GW and crew to nullify it. Then remove that lock, it is an insult to make it mandatory. I WOULD offer it as an option at extra cost to customers that wanted it but I would not insult the majority by making them take it. Then I would bring back blued guns, and start a gun of the month club with voting from customers determining what gun was made for each month.

If they denounce the agreement I might consider a new gun. If they denouce it and remove the lock I WILL buy a new gun. If they do nothing as they currently are they will not get my support in any way. I have purchased 3 new to me S&W revolvers in the last 30 days alone, at premium and more than new prices but to get pristine older models. I could have bought 4 new ones and probably would have if the company was one I was willing to support.

Yes I am a "lock-whiner" as they are called here, and yes I vote with my wallet with companies like S&W.

[Ol' Badger]

Make the .500 in a Snubby. Lets say 2 inch barrel!

Yea thats the ticket.

:evil: :evil: :evil:

[feedthehogs]

Mastrogiacomo,
Your looking for the SW model 14-7. Just as you described.

[Cool Hand Luke 22:36]

1. Abrogate the agreement by any means necessary

2. Move the company to a gun friendly state.

3. Produce long guns.

4. Produce comemorative derringers and just plain western style derringers.

5. No more MIM parts.

6. Locks only as a no-cost option.

7. Blued guns.

8. J frames in 9mm

[RightIsRight]

I agree with the sentiments reagrding the contract. However, as per the locks, they are optional to use and don't affect the use of the gun.

I have an HK USP and Steyr M9 that both have locks. As soon as I bought them, I threw the keys away. Don't like it? Don't use it.

The ire and energy expressed here against these locks should be directed toward trial lawyers, not companies trying to inure themselves against these rabid money-grabbing jackals who care nothing about society, but only their own monetary enrichment. Gun companies didn't invent frivolous lawsuits, they are only trying to protect themselves from them.

[Old Fuff]

Guys …..

I understand why you feel the way you do about the infamous “agreement” the previous Smith & Wesson owners entered into, but frankly I don’t think you understand exactly what happened.

The agreement was in fact an out-of-court settlement of a lawsuit brought by approximately 30 cities and at least two state attorney generals (New York and Connecticut). While the Clinton administration was up to their eyeballs in pushing it, THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WAS NEVER A PLAINTIFF! Consequently the Bush administration can ignore it (which it has done) and they can refuse to support it in any way (which they have done), but for reasons I’ll explain shortly, they cannot otherwise interfere with it.

As I said, the agreement was in fact an out-of-court settlement with some, but not all of the plaintiffs. It was presented to the court, AND MADE INTO A COURT ORDER THAT WAS BINDING ON ALL OF THE PARTIES, MOST ESPECIALLY THE SMITH & WESSON COMPANY.

Unlike some kind of simple agreement, S&W cannot just disavow a court order. If they do what some of you would like, the plaintiffs (or former plaintiffs, as the case my be) can file a motion with the court asking it to enforce the order, and to impose appropriate sanctions against S&W, and if they did so the plaintiffs would likely win because the agreement contains an ironclad enforcement clause.

And the Bush administration cannot disavow a binding settlement that’s now a court order either. Our Constitutional government doesn’t work that way.

I think the reason one or all of the plaintiffs, who are for the most part big city governments comprised of liberal Democrats, who are dispirited with their many losses in various courts that sided with the handgun industry, decided not to push the issue is because its become too expensive. But if the present S&W management decides to “gore the bull” by publishing full-page advertisements in major newspapers you can be sure their reaction will be to drag the company back into court.

I find it interesting that so many of you have a long list of products you’d like S&W to make (and I agree with most of your suggestions) while at the same time you want the company to commit suicide. Personally I am satisfied that the former owners, who are the ones that really sold us out, took a brutal beating in the financial markets and their stockholders lost a bundle. We are now rid of them and I am delighted. But at the same time I would like the keep the current struggling company around for a while. Given time, they may be able to go into court and get the settlement dismissed. I am sure their own lawyers will let them know when that time comes.

[TekChef]

1.find a way to get out of that court order. There has to be someting about being a new owner or something on that line.
I will not apologize for what the previous owners did. I will take out a ad in firearm mags and other media that would be worth the time to state that: I am the new owner, I am dedicated to 2nd amendment rights, I have legally trashed the "agreement", and I am taking the bussiness out of a anti-gun state.(see 3)

2. as someone said, find workers who used to be in the S&W plant and find out what they tthink would be good to increase quality.

3.pack up S&W and move to a gun friendly state. I am sure Nevada or some other state would LOVE to have jobs and some new tax base. I am sure the commie state they are in now is going to not like their loss of taxes and jobs.

4.all the other great suggestions that some others have made, and finding out what people want..and make it for the best price at the best quality possible.

[Majic]

Fire every one of the sci-fi, video game geeks they got working in the PC design department and burn all of their comic books.
Throw away that brick the semi-auto design teams uses in creating the pistols. Force them to actually look at their own hands for ideas.
Search for a supplier of carbon steel and stop paying blood money to the stainless steel market.
Install the locks on the handguns only as an option.
Hire a team of lawyers solely for the ensuing fight over the agreement.
Open an e-mail hot line and have reps at large regional gunshows for taking suggestions from potential and past buyers. Then actually read and act on them.

[Gabe]

Reorganize their naming system to something more logical. Never have I seen a more confusing way to name products.

[MrPink]

Like many here, I don't like integral locks. I've always said, my gun safe keeps guns a whole lot safer. And nothing is unique about the key for each lock. Almost anybody can get a "replacement" key for S&W, H&K or Springfield and then where are you when your kid's friend unlocks your gun and shoots your kid in the head with it by accident when you aren't home? (the "tragic-we-gotta-stop-this" anti-gun fearmongering position often cited).

That being said, gunlocks are a fact of modern life; legally required for new gun sales in Maryland. Even with a Republican/modestly pro-gun Governor its not likely that law will be repealed. What I'd like to see S&W do is make the integral lock more unobtrusive. That keyhole and the engraved signage around it destroys the classic lines. The Taurus lock is soooo much more stealthy. I understand that Taurus offered S&W free license to use the design but S&W declined. That was a mistake.

Look at what Winchester did with the 94 rifle this year, switching from the hideous cross-bolt safety to a tang safety - evermore so asthetically pleasing. And H&K and the Springfield Armory have been able to incorporate integral locks that you'd be hard pressed to know they are there. It seems as if S&W chose the most garish and hideous design on purpose.

Related to design asthetics, the second thing I would do is have the Performance Center crank out some good looking, classically styled guns. Not all these weird barrel configurations with angular lines and flat sides. The Schofields and Heritage guns were nice, but I mean something more 1950-70s retro in style.

Third, more 3 inch snubbies please. What a great barrel length. Full length extraction versus a 2.5 incher. Purposefully shorter and more asthetically pleasing than a 4 incher.

Fourth, as many expressed more blued guns. Infact, I would love it if the PC made a 3" Model 29, round butt with a ported comp ala the F-comp. Call it an N-comp, I would buy two.

[Dave T]

Isn't it interesting how many people want blued steel revolvers back, and how many hate the "lawyer lock".

To most of the above I would add the following "wish":

I would like to see S&W offer revolvers chambered in 44 Special, and keep them in production. They claim 44 Specials don't sell, yet every time they discontinue a model in that caliber it becomes one of the most desired items on the used gun market. Something doesn't make sense here. If for no other reason, they should keep a 44 Special in production to honor the cartridge as a direct link to the company's heritage.

[stevelyn]

If I were made Emperor of Smith & Worthless I would.........

1) Publicly inform the goobermint the contract entered into with the former socialist administration, by the former socialist owners was null, void, non-existent, and double-dog dare them to enforce it. HUD has no enforcement authority over anything other than the subjects they've bought off w/ low grade, rat-infested housing.:banghead:

2) Publicly apologize to American gun owners begging their forgiveness for S&W traitorous actions. Promise gun owners no contract like that would ever be entered into again with the government or anyone else. Then follow it up by establishing an endowment/PAF to fight further encroachments on our 2A rights. Lead the industry in creating a manufacturers' lobbying group to oppose further gun congressional gun rights encroachments.

3) Lose the internal lock and locate firing pins where they are supposed to be.

4) Thin out the product line to what sells and make needed refinements to the products out there. (The SW1911 comes to mind)

5) Get more involved in competition sponsorship and R&D. The gun industry and consumers benefit from competition like the auto industry and consumers do from racing.

6) After evaluating and assessing tax incentives, land offers, and resource and shipping access, move all operations and corporate HQ to gun friendly states.

[Joe Demko]

1. Hire myself a young, nubile personal assistant who takes dictation.
2. Raise my salary.
3. Fire a bunch of middle-management on a whim.
4. Make lots of "sales trips" w/ personal assistant to places like Aruba.
5. Fire a bunch more middle-management.
6. Raise my salary some more.
7. Get together with my other CEO buddies and appoint each other to the boards of directors for all our companies.
8. Concentrate more on selling frames and other forgings to other gun companies.
9. Cut back on the number of different models of firearms we sell, eliminate the Sigma line altogether.
10. Hire a second young, nubile personal assistant to help the first one with my dictation needs.

[Daniel T]

Old Fluff, thank you for that information.

[cratz2]

Make the .500 in a Snubby. Lets say 2 inch barrel!
A Scandium, 2" snub .500. With wood grips! :D


By the way... this thread is really a blast from the past!

[gabeodog]

Bring back the1006!!
Beef up the revolver line.