Opinion of Smith & Wesson?

[Archie]

I like the old ones...

Webley5 makes valid points about the current ownership of S&W, but I'm still not happy with the current products.

I like real S&W revolvers and a couple of autopistols.

Real S&W revolvers have barrels held in place by friction pins, firing pins mounted on hammers, one piece barrels, no pointless barrel underlugs, mostly steel frames and a complete lack of internally mounted, cater-to-the-stupid, pinhead safety locks.

When they start making real revolvers again, I'll buy another one. I'd love a new version of the Second Model Hand Ejector - made the way they're supposed to be made.

The Model 41 target pistol is still made fairly well, unless there's a lock on that now, as well. I have a Model 52 that is a joy to shoot. They don't make that at all any more, of course. Instead they have a variant in 9x19. It's stainless steel only, I believe. The Model 39 is a historical piece and a suitable arm for self-defense, save the marginal caliber. I'll buy one when I can find one I can afford. I'd buy a new one - if the frame were still the alloy version, the slide blued and no chicken plucking lock.

Sadly, modern S&W revolvers are just cheap knock-offs of S&W revolvers.

 

[drrpg01]

No offense to anybody, but S&W and Taurus are in different stratospheres in terms of quality, so you should not expect a similar polling outcome. I only buy pre-lock S&W though.

 

[Sevens]

I didn't figure my opinion and experience yesterday deserved it's own thread, so I'll put it here.

I'm a big fan of S&W, I own five currently and I hope to own more. I've got four revolvers-- 3 K-frames, one L-frame, and a 3rd Gen semi-auto.

Yesterday I was in a store that had a manufacturer's show going on. Company reps from Taurus, Remington, Winchester, Leupold, Savage and Smith & Wesson all had representatives.

So I chatted with the S&W guy. Apparently, the best I could tell, he knew neither his former nor his current product line as well as I did. When I asked him if the frame size of the .40 and the .45 cal M&P's were the same, he looked in the brochure and said, "I don't know, I wonder if it's in here?"

He also didn't seem to know what the other current gun makers are selling.

He seemed friendly enough, but I guess if you fit the shirt that has the logo on it, you too can be a Smith & Wesson factory rep. Either that or they just send the least valuable guy they have to do the little weekend junket to Cornfield, Ohio and save the real reps for the bigger shows.

 

[customizedcreationz]

Someone not like a SW ? Yeah I guess I ve seen some crappy SW's in my time. But the most part they are fine machines !

 

[drrpg01]

I would say the fact that you can readily purchase a 40 year old S&W revolver that functions as well as one created out of the factory yesterday (as long as it's been well-maintenanced) pretty much testifies to their quality.