S&W M&P questions

[Eightball]

So....I was thinking again (bad move, I know).....and I started wondering about the S&W M&P firearms--ALL of them, from the old revolvers, to the new semi-autos, to the rifles, etc. And I was curious--is there a list of which military (if any), and which police forces (where, how many), have adopted the potentially-misnamed M&P platforms, be they revolver, pistol, or rifle? Or is there a link to a generally comprehensive list of the same? Thanks!

 

[9MMare]

Ask/e-mail S&W.

 

[SaxonPig]

Nobody has that kind of information. You're talking hundreds of model variations and thousands of different agencies and departments in many different countries. Even S&W didn't keep track of all the models and buyers to the point of making a comprehensive listing like you seek. Serious S&W collectors are still surprised from time to time when something previously unknown pops up.

 

[Archie]

The Smith & Wesson "Military & Police" revolvers were designed and intended for use by anyone needing a decent revolver with ultimate reliability. To that end, the name "M&P" was a marketing ploy as much as anything else.

Just later the four inch K frame .38 Special was named "Combat Masterpiece" and the J frame was a "Chief's Special".

Not to forget the Colt "Police Positive", "Officer's Model" and "Detective Special".

I think S&W probably had visions of lucrative contracts of police and military contracts. Obviously, they did get many police contracts and fewer military orders. Still, the Military & Police or model 10 as it was known in later days, was carried in many police officer's holster and many were used by individuals in various military forces around the world. The ill fated 'Aircrewman' - a Military & Police revolver with an aluminum frame - was used by the U. S. Air Force for a few years in the 1950s.

To provide a comprehensive list of all of them is beyond my knowledge or interest in doing the research.

 

[gglass]

he M&P History:
The Smith & Wesson M&P (Military & Police) has always been a highly respected revolver from its introduction to today. Introduced in 1899, it became the standard by which every other medium-frame double-action revolver would be judged--as well as serving as the launching platform for one of the most influential handgun cartridges in history: the .38 S&W Special. The popularity of the M&P (aka Model 10) revolver grew so quickly that it was the most widely used police revolver in the free world.

The M&P line grew into a new brand of semi-auto handguns in 2006, and has become the biggest product launch in S&W's history. The company has been producing semi-auto handguns for more than 60 years, but it was not until 2006 that Smith & Wesson would roll out a semi-auto worthy of the M&P logo. Before embarking on the process of building a new pistol, S&W personnel conducted extensive interviews of law enforcement and military agencies, competitive shooters, and civilian gun owners. The information enabled engineers to include a number of features these varied groups thought were desirable. If you are going to build the finest modern tactical pistol, it is a good idea to get input of those who will use it.

Since its introduction in 2006, the M&P has won more than 370 LE agency "issued weapon" contracts. (More new contracts than any other brand in that time period)

The NEW M&P semi-auto really is a worthy heir to the brand's name and reputation.

 

[Oyeboten]

The company has been producing semi-auto handguns for more than 100 years

What 'semi-auto' Handgun was S&W offering in 1908?

 

[gglass]

My apologies... In my zeal to get a positive message out about the M&P pistol line, I should have said "more than 60 years". I believe that Smith & Wesson developed the first Model 39 in the late 1940's for Army trials.

It just seems and feels like a hundred years ago to me. The gist of the statement is simply that semi-automatic pistols are nothing new to Smith & Wesson.

 

[fastbolt]

Yeah, just trying to keep current on the number of domestic LE agencies and foreign military, law enforcement and security forces adopting the newest family of firearms to carry on the M&P designation is becoming increasingly difficult.

You can read through the last couple of years of press releases at the S&W website if you want to invest some time ...

http://ir.smith-wesson.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=90977&p=irol-news

These are the 2 latest press releases:
http://ir.smith-wesson.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=90977&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1329515&highlight=
http://ir.smith-wesson.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=90977&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1328832&highlight=

Contained within the second one it states, "To date, 570 domestic law enforcement agencies have adopted or approved the M&P for duty use while 251 domestic law enforcement agencies have approved or adopted the M&P15 rifle."

I think I saw somewhere in an earlier press release that there were something like 20 foreign countries where some forces/agencies have adopted various firearms in the new M&P product line, and that's probably dated info by this time.