S&W now to make the "M&P15"

[Brian Williams]

http://ir.smith-wesson.com/phoenix.z...601&highlight=
Article says that S&W is going to make AR-15 type rifles, I wonder where they are going to put the S&W lock and flag???

Smith & Wesson Enters Long-Gun Market with M&P15 Rifles
Company Expands Military & Police Series With Rifles Designed for Law Enforcement, Military, and Sporting Shooters
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Jan 18, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (Amex: SWB), parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary, 154-year old, global provider of products and services for safety, security, protection and sport, announced its initial entry into the market for tactical rifles and will begin shipments in early February of the Smith & Wesson M&P15 Rifle and the Smith & Wesson M&P15T Rifle. These tactical rifles are additions to the Company's Military & Police (M&P) series of firearms specifically engineered to meet the needs of global military and police personnel, as well as sporting shooters.

Michael F. Golden, Smith & Wesson's President and CEO, said, "We are entering the $1 billion market for long guns with products that provide the exceptional functionality and reliability that Smith & Wesson customers have come to expect. We believe the features of these tactical rifles make them strong contenders in the military and law enforcement markets. We also believe that our M&P rifle series fills a tremendous gap in the marketplace by delivering high-quality, feature-rich tactical rifles that will be readily available in commercial channels. As a company that stands for safety, security, protection and sport, the Smith & Wesson brand and reputation have earned a position for us in that market. The M&P15 rifle series is produced entirely in the United States under manufacturing alliances with several American companies."

The M&P rifle series is based upon a combat-proven design and incorporates a full set of standard features currently unmatched in other AR-15-type tactical rifles. Both the M&P15 and the M&P15T (with its high-end accessory package) are rugged, lightweight, semi-automatic rifles. Both are chambered in 5.56mm NATO ammunition and are built to perform under a diverse range of conditions. Reliability features of the gas-operated rifles include a chrome-lined gas key, bolt carrier and barrel. Both the M&P15 and the M&P15T are designed to accommodate a variety of shooters and shooting positions through the use of a six-position adjustable stock.

The M&P15 incorporates a traditional AR-15 design featuring a removable carry-handle and adjustable rear and front post sights, allowing for quick target acquisition and convenient handling. The black anodized rifle measures 35 inches in length when fully extended and has an unloaded weight of 6.74 pounds.

The M&P15T, with its high-end accessory package, features folding front and rear battle sights and a four-sided equipment rail system that allows the addition of accessories, such as lights, laser-aiming devices, and vertical grips. The rifle measures 35 inches in length when fully extended and has an unloaded weight of 6.85 pounds.

The M&P15 and M&P15T join a comprehensive family of Smith & Wesson products designed and manufactured to meet the needs of law enforcement professionals. Other products include a full-line of Smith & Wesson's world-renowned revolvers used for primary duty and backup side arms, the recently announced M&P series of polymer pistols designed specifically for law enforcement and military use, and a wide range of handcuffs, restraint products and tactical vision devices.

Both the M&P15 and the M&P15T will be unveiled at SHOT Show 2006, February 9-12 at the Las Vegas, Nevada Convention Center. The Company expects that editorial coverage in multiple industry publications will occur beginning with that event. Initial shipments of both rifles are expected to begin concurrent with SHOT Show and will be distributed initially to law enforcement agencies for test and evaluation and to the sporting goods distribution channel. The M&P15 will carry a suggested retail price of $1,200, while the M&P15T will retail for $1,700.

About Smith & Wesson

The Company is a global provider of products and services for the safety, security, protection and sport markets. The Company manufactures firearms and handcuffs and is home to America's longest-running firearms training facilities for America's public servants. The Company also markets a variety of products for sport shooters, including firearm safety/security devices, shooter protective gear, knives, apparel, footwear and other accessory lines. The Company is based in Springfield, Mass., with manufacturing facilities in Springfield and Houlton, Maine. Contact (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com.

Certain statements contained in this document may be deemed to be forward- looking statements under federal securities laws, and Smith & Wesson intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor created thereby. Forward-looking statements include the engineering, functionality, reliability, features, capabilities and performance of the M&P series of rifles; the Company's plans to begin shipments of its new rifles in February 2006; the competitive advantages of the M&P rifle series in various markets; the unmatched feature set of the M&P rifle series; the availability of the M&P rifles series in commercial markets; and expected media coverage regarding the M&P rifles series in industry publications. The Company cautions that these statements are qualified by important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Such factors include the acceptance of the M&P rifle series by military and police personnel and other customers; the performance, capabilities, and reliability of the M&P rifle series in actual use; reviews of the M&P rifle series by the media and industry publications; the Company's ability to produce M&P rifles in accordance with their intended features and performance; as well as other risks as identified from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and Annual Reports on Form 10-K.

SOURCE Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation

Liz Sharp, VP Investor Relations of Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation,
+1-480-949-9700, ext. 115, lsharp@smith-wesson.com; or Industry, Gary Giudice of Blue
Heron Communications, +1-800-654-3766, gary@blueheroncomm.com, for Smith & Wesson
Holding Corporation
http://www.prnewswire.com

[beerslurpy]

Direct impingement is so 40 years ago. All the cool children have gas piston setups now. They even make gas piston uppers for the old rifles.

</biased>

[Dave Markowitz]

Between making AR-15s and 1911s, S&W is trying to become Colt.

[mrmeval]

Will it have the stupid lock?

Originally Posted by Brian Williams

http://ir.smith-wesson.com/phoenix.z...601&highlight=
Article says that S&W is going to make AR-15 type rifles, I wonder where they are going to put the S&W lock and flag???

[Old Fuff]

The poor Old Fuff is sitting in his cave blubbering... He always thought the M&P was a revolver... Now his world is turned upside down.

The King is dead... Long live the King????

[TexasRifleman]

Originally Posted by mrmeval

Will it have the stupid lock?

That was a different Smith and Wesson that started that, thank goodness.

The current company is just stuck with it. It would be lawsuit central to un-do that now. Look how long it took Colt to start making non-Series 80 stuff after they introduced it for "safety purposes".

[jungle]

S&W has the know how, but more importantly they actually have some marketing skills and strategy. The market for ARs is huge and Colt has let it slip away by ignoring it. Colt can't even manage to keep the web site going most of the time and has consistently given private AR buyers the "PC" nonsense.

Old Fuff, M&P is now a plastic rifle and a plastic pistol, I guess they wanted the military and police to actually buy something with the M&P moniker.

[thatguy]

Among the most famous and successful guns in history are the Single Action Army, the 1911 and the AR15. All originally from Colt and now the most copied and cloned guns around.

I wish Colt would get off its knees and get back in the game.

I love my S&Ws, but I don't want them making Colts.

[pauli]

Originally Posted by Dave Markowitz

Between making AR-15s and 1911s, S&W is trying to become Colt.

well somebody has to do the job, and colt clearly isn't interested.

besides, i think taurus has already taken over being s&w...

[Otony]

There, there, Old Fuff, easy now. At least they aren't building a MIM Garand.

[engineer151515]

I guess S&W waited to make sure the AR design would "take off".


Think they waited long enough?

[ny32182]

With *numerous* makers already out there producing high quality ARs, I just don't see the motivation for more companies to keep jumping in.

[Radjxf]

The thought of yet another AR= It'll probably have a giant S&W billboard on the handguards!

[Gewehr98]

"Smithchester"?

[TheEgg]

The M&P15 will carry a suggested retail price of $1,200, while the M&P15T will retail for $1,700.

I can see the red ink now. After the first rush of those who just have to have an AR with S&W on the side, the sales will plummet. Then the price will be adjusted.

[Jim Watson]

S&W seems to have guessed right on making a 1911 mutant.
They will probably do well with an AR.

[farscott]

I believe individual shooters are not the marketing focus of the new "M&P15". I expect that S&W will be pitching a one-stop shopping experience for government agencies, especially local police departments. Rather than Glock for pistols, Remington for shotguns, and Colt/Bushmaster/RRA/et al for AR-variants, S&W will deliver a package deal on sidearms, shotguns, rifles, and handcuffs, including armorer training and service. If an agency buys it all, I expect the pricing to undercut those manufacturers who only deliver a piece of the weapons system puzzle.

[Correia]

I believe farscott has nailed it.

[GunnySkox]

S&W + horizontal integration, ftw!

~GnSx

Note: ftw = "for the win"

[Dr.Rob]

While Winchester is going out of business S&W makes a rifle??

What's the world coming to?

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

SMOLT

I'll take a Smolt after the price gets adjusted to market conditions.

S&W is just picking up Colt's slack---since Colt won't do it themselves.

[Coronach]

I believe farscott has nailed it.

I know he has. Not only do you get all of your guns from the same place, with all of the ease of purchasing and bulk discounts that entails, and your service, support and parts there (and believe me, S&W service is excellent), NOW large agencies with ordies can have all of their armourers and gunsmiths S&W trained/certified, and be able to work on everything the department carries. Right now you'd have to send them to at least two different companies for different training.

The agency will see that as a cost savings, and S&W will see it as a truckload of money being backed up to the loading dock. It makes perfect sense.

The only question will be if the market is already too glutted with AR types. But, running with the idea than an AR is an AR is an AR, this allows the agency to deal with one vendor for everything, which many agencies would jump at.

Mike

[adaman04]

Originally Posted by Dave Markowitz

Between making AR-15s and 1911s, S&W is trying to become Colt.

Yeah as in they're trying to become a total sell out to the average American. Internal locks now, next they won't be selling to civilians any more. Weeee!

[Otony]

Correct if I am wrong, while farscott's insights all sound very well (and I agree with them), what shotguns does S&W currently produce?

They have made shotguns in the past, two different series if I recall correctly. One was a cheap feeling sort of thing, and one series seemed to be basically an 870 copy. I would assume they have kept the toolong, or could tool up again quickly enough, but there isn't a "full" package at the moment.

Just to be a nitpicker

[Dienekes]

If a woodchuck could clone, how many clones would he have if all the clones cloned?

Boy, there are going to be a lot of niches for collectors to explore at this rate. Flayderman's 30th Edition is going to weigh about forty pounds in the abridged version.