Smith & Wesson is one of America's oldest and most influential firearms manufacturers, founded in 1852 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Publicly traded as Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. (SWBI), the company produces revolvers, semi-automatic pistols, and rifles. Smith & Wesson is a SAAMI member.

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Smith & Wesson invented the practical revolver cartridge, created the most famous revolver in history (the Model 29 .44 Magnum), developed the .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum cartridges, and then successfully transitioned to polymer striker-fired pistols with the M&P series. Very few firearms companies have been relevant for 170 years AND remain competitive in the modern market. S&W did it by respecting their heritage while refusing to be trapped by it. The M&P 2.0 competes directly with Glock, and the J-Frame revolver remains the most popular backup/concealed carry wheelgun in America.
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Key milestones:

• 1852 — Founded by Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson in Norwich, CT
• 1857 — Model 1 revolver — first commercially successful cartridge revolver
• 1899 — .38 Special cartridge introduced (still dominant 125+ years later)
• 1935 — .357 Magnum introduced (first magnum handgun cartridge)
• 1955 — Model 29 .44 Magnum introduced
• 1971 — "Dirty Harry" makes Model 29 an American icon
• 2005 — M&P (Military & Police) striker-fired series launched
• 2012 — M&P Shield — the concealed carry revolution begins
• 2017 — M&P 2.0 — addresses first-gen trigger and grip complaints
• Present — SAAMI member; Springfield, MA; SWBI (NASDAQ)

Product Lines

Revolvers (S&W's heritage and ongoing strength):

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The Smith & Wesson Model 686 is the best all-around revolver in production. L-Frame strength handles unlimited .357 Magnum without the battering that eventually cracks K-Frames. Six or seven rounds. 2.5" to 6" barrels. Fires .38 Special for cheap practice and .357 Magnum for serious use. Accurate enough for bullseye competition, tough enough for duty carry, powerful enough for deer. If you can only own one revolver, it's a 686 with a 4" barrel.
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M&P semi-automatic pistols:

M&P rifles:

Other notable models:

Innovation & Technology

S&W M&P 2.0 vs. major striker-fired competitors:

Community & Reputation

Common praise:

• 170 years of firearms manufacturing — longest track record in the industry
• J-Frame revolvers (642, 442) are the gold standard for backup/CCW wheelguns
• Model 686 is the best all-around revolver in production
• M&P 2.0 trigger is a massive improvement over first generation
• Shield Plus competes with P365/Hellcat at a lower price
• M&P15 Sport II is the best-selling entry-level AR-15 for good reason
• Shield EZ is genuinely innovative for new shooters and those with limited hand strength
• Performance Center delivers near-custom quality at production prices

Common criticism:

• M&P 1.0 trigger was mushy and universally criticized (fixed in 2.0)
• Internal lock ("Hillary Hole") on revolvers angers traditionalists
• Some internal lock failures reported (lock engaging during firing)
• Post-2000 revolver fit/finish doesn't match 1960s-1970s "golden age"
• AR-15 offerings are competent but unremarkable beyond Sport II
• M&P 2.0 still isn't quite as refined as CZ P-10 or Walther PDP trigger
• Corporate decisions (2000 Clinton agreement) created lasting boycott

Buyer's Guide

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Bottom line: Smith & Wesson is one of the few firearms companies that's genuinely excellent in both its traditional category (revolvers) and its modern category (striker-fired pistols). The J-Frame is still the concealed carry revolver. The 686 is still the all-around revolver. The M&P 2.0 legitimately competes with Glock. The Shield Plus is the best value in micro-compacts. The M&P15 Sport II is the default first AR-15. S&W doesn't always have the best single product in any category — but across the entire lineup, no other manufacturer offers this breadth of quality at these prices. 170 years of relevance is not an accident.
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References

• Smith & Wesson official site: smith-wesson.com
• Shooting Illustrated: "The Golden Age: Smith & Wesson in the Mid-20th Century"
• American Rifleman: Smith & Wesson model reviews
• S&W Forum: community discussions and model-specific threads
• Guns & Ammo: J-Frame revolver roundup

Read the original article in The Handbook | By Boise Gun Club Editorial Team

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