AmmoLand.com

By Tom McHale

My Gun Culture

USA --(Ammoland.com)- On the first day of Christmas, I hope my true love gives to me… A Smith and Wesson M and P…

We’ve got a love / hate relationship with the .357 Sig cartridge. Love the power, feeding characteristics, reliability, .357 Magnum-like ballistics from a semi-auto, and sheer joy of shooting it.

Smith & Wesson M&P .357 Sig

Hate the price of factory ammo, leaving precious .357 Sig brass on the ground at lost-brass matches, and some of the quirks of reloading.

However, we’re thinking the Smith and Wesson M&P would make an outstanding platform for this round. There’s something about the shape of the Smith and Wesson M&P grip that is just, well, shootable.

The more round profile makes it particularly comfortable and facilitates control under recoil We’ve shot the M&P in .40 S&W and found it outstanding. And fun.

Smith and Wesson’s M&P in .357 Sig offers a polymer frame with 15+1 round capacity. Tritium sights would be on it – of course. And ours would not have the optional frame mounted safety. Personal preference there.

Want that.

About: Tom McHale describes himself as a conservative gun-totin’ bible-clingin’ literary assault dude who enjoys finding humor in just about anything. His web blog My Gun Culture is an irreverent, twisted look at gun news bordering on the ridiculous. It covers shootin’ stuff, loud noises, defending your own, the occasional mall ninja, and about 200 years of the American way. “These are the (partially) true stories of… My Gun Culture” says Tom. Visit: www.mygunculture.com

Filed under: Shooting Industry News by MyGunCulture 2 Comments »

Massachusetts State Police and Vermont State Police Select Smith & Wesson M&P Pistols

Smith & Wesson M&P45 - Black

Smith & Wesson Military and Police

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. --(Ammoland.com)- Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SWHC), parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., a U.S.-based leader in firearm design and manufacturing, today announced that it has received contracts from the Massachusetts State Police and the Vermont State Police for new duty firearms from the M&P Pistol Series.

The Massachusetts State Police has selected the M&P45 pistol, while the Vermont State Police has adopted the M&P40 pistol as its new service firearm.

Both of the statewide law enforcement agencies have initiated the transition process and Troopers are currently using the M&P pistol in the field.

Massachusetts State Police
As the nation’s oldest statewide police agency, the Massachusetts State Police has a rich history of service to its citizens and support of national events. Employing over 2,300 Troopers and 400 civilian support staff, the agency is responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulations across the state. To better assist its Troopers with these responsibilities, the Massachusetts State Police has ordered 2,500 M&P pistols chambered in .45ACP.

During the agency’s independent testing and evaluation process, the M&P45 was judged against the department’s previously standard sidearm, as well as numerous other competitive products. At the conclusion of the trial, the M&P45 was selected due to its ergonomic design, accuracy, reliability, and the pistol’s ability to be customized to meet individual preferences. Smith & Wesson will support the firearm contract with a full range of services including armorer’s training. In addition to the M&P45 pistols, the Massachusetts State Police previously adopted the M&P15 tactical rifle from Smith & Wesson that currently serves as the State issued patrol rifle.

“We are extremely pleased with the decision by the Massachusetts State Police and the Vermont State Police to transition to the M&P pistol,” said Mario Pasantes, Smith & Wesson’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and Global Professional Sales.

“We take pride in supplying law enforcement professionals with highly advanced, duty proven equipment, and we believe the M&P Series lives up to that standard. Selected for numerous awards and trusted by both officers and civilians, the popularity of the M&P pistol has been enduring. Today, over 800 law enforcement agencies have adopted or approved for duty use our M&P products. Our commitment to those who have put their trust in Smith & Wesson is steadfast.”

Pasantes added, “We are especially honored to serve the Massachusetts State Police, our home state force. Our employees take great pride in aligning with local law enforcement, and we look forward to expanding our relationship with the Massachusetts State Police and to seeing the M&P45 on the hips of our State Troopers.”

Vermont State Police
Through its contract with Smith & Wesson, the Vermont State Police has ordered 390 M&P40 pistols. During its open evaluation process, the M&P40 pistol received high marks by the Vermont troopers for its low perceived recoil, reliability during testing, and consistent performance. The new side arms are being supported with a full range of services from Smith & Wesson, including armorer’s training and advanced firearms training courses.

About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC) is a U.S.-based leader in firearm design and manufacturing. The company delivers a broad portfolio of firearms and related training to the global military, law enforcement, Federal and sports markets. Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation companies include Smith & Wesson Corp., the globally recognized designer and manufacturer of quality firearms, and Thompson/Center Arms Company, Inc., a premier designer and manufacturer of premium hunting firearms. Smith & Wesson facilities are located in Massachusetts and Maine. For more information on Smith & Wesson and its companies, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com.

Filed under: Gun Gear, Shooting Industry News by Ammoland No Comments »