Heritage & History

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.

:::callout
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.
:::

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):

Frame	Models	Caliber	Capacity	Price Range	Application
J-Frame (small)	642, 442, 340PD	.38 Spl / .357 Mag	5	~$450-$800	Concealed carry; backup gun
K-Frame (medium)	Model 19, Model 66	.357 Mag / .38 Spl	6	~$700-$900	Duty; range; all-around
L-Frame (medium-large)	Model 686	.357 Mag / .38 Spl	6 or 7	~$700-$900	Home defense; target; the "do everything" revolver
N-Frame (large)	Model 29, Model 629	.44 Mag	6	~$900-$1,100	Hunting; "Dirty Harry"
X-Frame (massive)	Model 500	.500 S&W Mag	5	~$1,200-$1,500	Most powerful production revolver; hunting

:::callout
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.
:::

M&P semi-automatic pistols:

Model	Size	Caliber	Capacity	Price Range	Key Feature
M&P9 2.0	Full-size	9mm	17+1	~$450-$550	Duty/home defense; improved trigger over 1.0
M&P9 2.0 Compact	Compact	9mm	15+1	~$450-$550	Concealed carry / duty
M&P Shield Plus	Micro-compact	9mm	10+1 / 13+1	~$400-$500	P365/Hellcat competitor; excellent value
M&P Shield EZ	Compact	9mm / .380	8+1	~$400-$450	Easy-rack slide; perfect for weak hands/new shooters
M&P 5.7	Full-size	5.7x28mm	22+1	~$550-$650	High-capacity; FN 5.7 competitor
M&P10mm	Full-size	10mm Auto	15+1	~$550-$600	Full-power 10mm; bear country

M&P rifles:

Model	Type	Caliber	Price Range	Key Feature
M&P15 Sport II	AR-15	5.56 / .223	~$650-$750	THE entry-level AR-15; best-seller for a decade
M&P15-22	AR-15 (.22 LR)	.22 LR	~$400-$450	Dedicated .22 AR; best training platform
M&P10	AR-10	.308 Win	~$1,400-$1,600	.308 AR platform
M&P FPC	Folding PCC	9mm	~$550-$600	Folds in half; uses M&P mags; truck/backpack gun

Other notable models:

Model	Category	Price Range	Notes
SW22 Victory	.22 target pistol	~$350-$400	Excellent target .22; threaded; adjustable sights
CSX	Metal-frame micro-compact	~$500-$550	Aluminum frame; SAO trigger; unique in class
Performance Center	Custom shop	~$800-$2,000	Enhanced versions of standard models

Innovation & Technology

Innovation	Year	Impact
Self-contained cartridge revolver	1857	Eliminated percussion caps; founded modern revolver
.38 Special cartridge	1899	Most enduring handgun cartridge; 125+ years of service
.357 Magnum	1935	First magnum handgun cartridge; still the LE standard
.44 Magnum	1955	Most powerful handgun cartridge of its era; hunting standard
M&P polymer striker-fired	2005	S&W's successful answer to Glock
Shield EZ easy-rack	2018	Accessibility innovation; new shooters / weak hands
.500 S&W Magnum	2003	Most powerful production handgun cartridge
M&P FPC folding carbine	2022	Folds to 15"; takes M&P mags; new category

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

Feature	S&W M&P 2.0	Glock 17/19	Sig P320	CZ P-10	Springfield XD
Trigger	Good (much improved)	Adequate	Good	Very good	Good
Ergonomics	Very good	Polarizing	Very good	Excellent	Good
Grip texture	Aggressive (excellent)	Adequate	Good	Good	Good
Aftermarket	Very good	Best in class	Excellent	Growing	Moderate
Street price	~$450-$500	~$500-$550	~$500-$600	~$400-$500	~$450-$550
LE adoption	Widespread	Dominant	Growing	Limited	Limited
Track record	Very good	Legendary	Good	Good	Good

Community & Reputation

Segment	Reputation	Notes
Revolver enthusiasts	Legendary	THE American revolver brand; 170-year legacy
Law enforcement	Strong	M&P series widely adopted; revolver heritage
Concealed carry	Excellent	Shield Plus and J-Frames are top recommendations
Competition	Strong	Performance Center models; M&P used in USPSA/IDPA
Collectors	Revered	Pre-1980s revolvers are the gold standard
New shooters	Very good	Shield EZ specifically designed for new/elderly shooters
AR-15 market	Solid	M&P15 Sport II is the default entry-level AR

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

If You Want...	Get This	Why
Best CCW revolver	642 Airweight (~$450)	15 oz; hammerless; .38 Spl; the pocket revolver standard
Best all-around revolver	Model 686 4" (~$800)	.357/.38; 6-shot; L-Frame strength; does everything
Most powerful revolver	Model 500 (~$1,300)	.500 S&W Mag; because you can
Best-value striker 9mm	M&P9 2.0 (~$475)	17+1; good trigger; competes with Glock at lower price
Budget concealed carry	Shield Plus (~$430)	10+1 / 13+1; best value in micro-compact class
New/elderly shooter	Shield EZ 9mm (~$430)	Easy-rack slide; easy-load magazine; designed for accessibility
Entry-level AR-15	M&P15 Sport II (~$700)	Best-selling budget AR; reliable; everything you need
.22 AR trainer	M&P15-22 (~$420)	Dedicated .22; not a conversion; best AR training platform
Truck / backpack gun	M&P FPC (~$575)	Folds in half; takes M&P mags; 9mm PCC
Target .22 pistol	SW22 Victory (~$370)	Accurate; threaded; adjustable; great suppressor host

:::callout
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.
:::

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

---

Join the Discussion

What's the one S&W gun that made you a fan of the brand, and would you still pick it today or have you moved on to something else?