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Smith & Wesson Introduces New .22 LR Pistol To Military & Police Series
M&P15-22P Offers Shooters a Semi-Automatic Pistol Version of Popular Tactical Rifle.

Smith & Wesson M&P15-22P Semi-Automatic Pistol

Smith & Wesson

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. --(AmmoLand.com)- Smith & Wesson® Corp., the legendary 158-year old firearms maker, announced that the company has added a new model to the Military & Police (M&P) Series of firearms with the introduction of a semi-automatic pistol based on the popular M&P15-22 rifle – the M&P15-22P pistol.

Engineered on a dedicated .22 LR tactical platform, the M&P15-22P offers shooters reduced size and weight while retaining the same operating features and versatility of the full-length tactical rifle.

Built on a high strength polymer upper and lower receiver, the M&P15-22P features a 6-inch carbon steel barrel with an overall length of 15 inches. The new pistol operates on a conventional blow back semi-automatic action and is standard with a 25-round detachable magazine.

The M&P15-22P has a barrel twist of 1 in 15 inches and has been fitted with an A1-style flash hider. With an unloaded weight of 51 ounces, the tactical sport pistol can be enjoyed by shooting enthusiasts of all ages offering limited recoil and economical ammunition. To aid in sight alignment, the M&P15-22P is standard with a removable A2-style front post sight and an adjustable A2-style rear sight. The standard sights on the M&P15-22P can be easily removed, providing owners the flexibility to mount a myriad of optics and sighting devices.

The M&P15-22P shares other common design features with the full-length tactical rifle including an A3-style flat top upper receiver with quad-rail handguard along with a single stage trigger.

The new pistol also features a traditional AR-15 style magazine release, bolt catch and a two-position receiver mounted safety. By staying true to the 1913 Mil. Std. design, the pistol will accept after-market rail accessories along with most standard pistol grips and trigger systems.

“With the availability of the new M&P15-22P, consumers have the opportunity to own a unique, multipurpose tactical sport pistol,” said Tom Kelly, Vice President of Marketing for Smith & Wesson. “By condensing the M&P15-22 platform, we are essentially offering shooters the best of both worlds. Now target shooters, small game hunters or any individuals looking to add more excitement to their recreational shooting can have the compact feel of a semi-automatic pistol with all the adaptability and versatility of the full-size M&P15 tactical rifle.”

The Smith & Wesson M&P15-22P will have a suggested retail price of $585. For more information regarding the M&P15-22P and the complete family of M&P firearms, visit www.smith-wesson.com.

About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SWHC) is a U.S.-based, global provider of products and services for safety, security, protection and sport. The company designs and constructs facility perimeter security solutions for military and commercial applications, and delivers a broad portfolio of firearms and related training to the military, law enforcement and sports markets. SWHC companies include Smith & Wesson Corp., the globally recognized manufacturer of quality firearms; Universal Safety Response, a full-service perimeter security integrator, barrier manufacturer and installer; and Thompson/Center Arms Company, Inc., a premier designer and manufacturer of premium hunting firearms. SWHC facilities are located in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Tennessee. For more information on Smith & Wesson and its companies, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com; www.usrgrab.com; or www.tcarms.com.

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Smith & Wesson M&P9 Pistol Named ‘Best in Class’ By Gun Tests Magazine

Smith & Wesson M&P9 Pistol

Smith & Wesson

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. --(AmmoLand.com)- Smith & Wesson® Corp., the legendary 158-year old firearms maker, announced that the company’s Military & Police (M&P) pistol was recently named “Best in Class” for 2009 by Gun Tests Magazine.

At the end of each year, Gun Tests Magazine surveys the work of its testing staff to review those firearms endorsed by the magazine’s testers. The “best of” selections are a mixture of the original Gun Tests evaluations and other information the editorial staff compiles throughout the year. For 2009, the Smith & Wesson M&P9 pistol earned the title of “Best in Class.”

“One of the things that separates our awards from many others is that we don’t accept advertising,” said Timothy H. Cole, Gun Tests Publisher. “By doing this, consumers have confidence that our Best in Class selections are the result of head-to-head evaluations and that the outcomes aren’t influenced by anything else.”

During the magazine’s evaluation of the M&P9 pistol, which was originally covered in the May 2009 issue, the test team was highly complimentary about the design and function of the polymer pistol. The evaluators cited that their first impression of the M&P9 was that it felt extremely comfortable in the hand, was well balanced and was pleasantly devoid of extraneous controls and levers.

Ray Ordorica, the magazine’s senior technical editor, who was the original author of the May 2009 article, was quoted saying “The M&P9 provided as our test gun came in a large case with two different grip inserts to make the backstrap larger or smaller. We liked it as it was, so we left it alone. The sights were fixed, and excellent in all respects. With the M&P9, there will be no cut hands from stovepipe drills. Another nice touch (there were many) was the wavy cut of the slide to form the serrations for slide retraction. The matte-black slide was stainless, and the polymer grip was hefty enough that the gun didn’t have a top-heavy feel even when empty.”

Throughout 2009, the M&P Pistol Series delivered strong results in diverse market sectors. In the law enforcement division, the M&P pistol continued positive growth with several full-department conversions including the Detroit Police Department, North Carolina Highway Patrol, Raleigh Police Department, Tampa Police Department, Milwaukee Police Department, Albuquerque Police Department, Washington State Patrol along with multiple state agencies and sheriff departments. Currently, over 500 U.S. police departments have approved or adopted the M&P pistol for duty use. Likewise, the M&P pistol was used extensively and with great success in numerous national, state and local sanctioned shooting matches. Engineered to become the handgun of choice for global law enforcement and military personnel, the M&P pistol design is based on input from numerous law enforcement and military organizations. The M&P Pistol Series is available in both full-size and compact models and is chambered in 9mm, .357 SIG, .40 S&W and .45 ACP.

About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SWHC) is a U.S.-based, global provider of products and services for safety, security, protection and sport. The company designs and constructs facility perimeter security solutions for military and commercial applications, and delivers a broad portfolio of firearms and related training to the military, law enforcement and sports markets. SWHC companies include Smith & Wesson Corp., the globally recognized manufacturer of quality firearms; Universal Safety Response, a full-service perimeter security integrator, barrier manufacturer and installer; and Thompson/Center Arms Company, Inc., a premier designer and manufacturer of premium hunting firearms. SWHC facilities are located in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Tennessee. For more information on Smith & Wesson and its companies, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com; www.usrgrab.com; or www.tcarms.com .

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