Six weeks late, I know...

[S.R.Custom]

...but the hot news at S&W is that they ash-canned their marketing director and "shifted the duties" of two others. (Heh.) Prolly has something to do with the fact that the stock value has dropped from a high of about $22.00 to a buck-fifty-three in a year...

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080925/smith_wesson_personnel.html?.v=1

Meanwhile, 80 more employees at T/C were also ash-canned.

But that's O.K. Everything is under control. They've shifted concentration to expanding their line of snubby revolvers with pink handles. Scroll down for the full, dazzling effect:

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=11101&storeId=10001&categoryId=15702&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=15701&top_category=15701

Leland Nichols, S&W's 'shifted' sales guru, has said that "Following and exploiting market trends is for morons. That's why we've chosen to focus our efforts at developing sporting arms for those who practice alternative lifestyles. Your 'domestic life-partner' will love the new offerings."

O.K. So I made that last bit up. But it may as well be true. There still aren't any 327 magnums in the S&W product line... :-?

[runfiverun]

i knew something was up when i heard they were gonna drop the 4" 625.
good god they shoulda been expanding the line to 10 mm 41 and 44 special.
maybe i would own more than one s&w.

[leadeye]

All my S&Ws are 25 years old or older. I think if they stick with the models they were running in the 70s and 80s they would do well. When you go to a show that's what people are looking for. I keep looking for a good K-38.

[KYCaster]

i knew something was up when i heard they were gonna drop the 4" 625.



I went to my first ever IDPA match last weekend. I took my 5" 625 cause its the only gun I own that I thought would fit in with the other shooters. They told me it isn't legal in their game...."it doesn't fit in the box".....needs to be 4".

Does that mean that S&W no longer supports IDPA and Bill Wilson?(or did they ever?) Looks like they're cutting out a pretty good nitch market.

....but then I didn't have a Bill Wilson approved tactical vest...or a BW approved holster...or BW approved moon clip holders....or etc., etc., etc.

Jerry

[mike in co]

I went to my first ever IDPA match last weekend. I took my 5" 625 cause its the only gun I own that I thought would fit in with the other shooters. They told me it isn't legal in their game...."it doesn't fit in the box".....needs to be 4".

Does that mean that S&W no longer supports IDPA and Bill Wilson?(or did they ever?) Looks like they're cutting out a pretty good nitch market.

....but then I didn't have a Bill Wilson approved tactical vest...or a BW approved holster...or BW approved moon clip holders....or etc., etc., etc.

Jerry

no, you did not have a 'smithed 1911.....how the rules were written...to support 1911 smiths.....the problem is...inspite the rules..it did not turn out that way......i have no use for idpa...yes i have qualified and shot idpa...... i'll stick with three gun , nra action and ipsc..and ..and...but no idpa.

mike in co

[Suo Gan]

To any S&W employee, take that ugly, funcky, keyed safety off your revolvers. It just plain ruins the look of the gun.

[mold maker]

My son owns our only S&W, a 22 semi that the rear sight keeps falling off of. It cost $20. to have the broken screw drilled out and replaced. (4 times)
We own 17 Ruger's and not one hiccup. We spend the savings on primers and powder.

[Heavy lead]

Just because Smith's stock is down, doesn't mean they're in trouble. There are a lot of good corporations out there that are worth one quarter or less from where they were a year ago. Now, with that said, I like my Smiths (and Rugers, and Colts, and Kimbers, and Taurus DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A COMPARISON) IMO Smith has put way too much effort and money into the 500 and 460 lines with their super pointy Hornady ammunition. I know we have a lot of guys here that use and like the big guns like that, but come on Smith, give us some handguns that we carry in holsters. Myself I have 3 625's, 2 657's, 1 642, and one 14-2 K 38 masterpiece. None are for sale and all are great handguns. Now, I just have to get a 610, a 627 (set up with moon clips) a 686 non-fluted 5" full lug barrel, and maybe a 617, and I'll be happy. For myself, I'm sure the 500's and 460's are fine weapons, but I've got a 416 Rigby for that big stuff.

[AZ-Stew]

KYCaster,

Obviously that 5 inch 625 isn't for you. I have a nice pre-lock, firing-pin-on-hammer 4 inch M586 I'll trade you for it. [smilie=1:

Regards,

Stew

[redneckdan]

.i have no use for idpa...yes i have qualified and shot idpa...... i'll stick with three gun , nra action and ipsc..and ..and...but no idpa.

mike in co

I hear ya. Got a bad taste in my mouth after they flipped out at me for doing speed reloads instead of tactical or reload with retention. I practice how I would do it for real. I'm not going to fumble around to retain a half or 3/4 empty magazine.

[KYCaster]

KYCaster,

Obviously that 5 inch 625 isn't for you. I have a nice pre-lock, firing-pin-on-hammer 4 inch M586 I'll trade you for it. [smilie=1:

Regards,

Stew


Wow!!!! The people on this board are great folks. Where else would you find a generous offer like that.

Thanks Stew, I'll give it some thought and get back to you. :coffee:

Jerry

[dakotashooter2]

Leland Nichols, S&W's 'shifted' sales guru, has said that "Following and exploiting market trends is for morons. That's why we've chosen to focus our efforts at developing sporting arms for those who practice alternative lifestyles. Your 'domestic life-partner' will love the new offerings."

If I read the above statement correctly he just called himself a moron!!!! [smilie=1:

[Boerrancher]

I don't own a Smith, because every time I think about buying one the Morons that are in charge of S&W do something so stupid that it takes my about 15 years for my temper to heal up from. I had just been looking at smith's again and now this.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[dominicfortune00]

I like my two Smiths, a Brazilian contract 1917 in 45ACP, and a M&P Model 10, US Property Marked, in 38 Spl.

Don't much like the new ones.

[S.R.Custom]

I don't own a Smith, because every time I think about buying one the Morons that are in charge of S&W do something so stupid that it takes my about 15 years for my temper to heal up from. I had just been looking at smith's again and now this.

I'm glad I could help. :)

[Buckshot]

...........Well ya gotta remember, the average age of members of this board. I'm sure a lot of us shot our dad's and maybe grandad's good ole Smiths, along with some nice Colts when Colt still made guns. So a lot of us like THOSE kinds, and not so much the new kinds :-) In addition people just HAVE to have something new, as the stuff that's been produced for decades is just so, pedestrian. Just because it works is no excuse to keep on making the same ole stuff.

I don't know what name the current 20 - 30 year old generation has been tagged with, but some of them are rather silly. I have to admit my son in law (great kid, bless his heart) was all excited about his new phone. You can flick your finger and make the screen scroll up and down and sideways, shake it and it does something else (maybe like shaking an Etch A Sketch?) I dunno, and really couldn't have cared less, but I acted all, "Like WOW man! :-) I'm NOT going to sit on the couch for a couple hours playing with my freaking phone.

They can get all hooked up on the hot, or current words. Like 'Billit'. What is a 'Billit'? A friend of mine on the Practical Machinists BB had gotten a medium-small CNC mill to make simple hot rod and motorcycle aluminum accesories. At a small swap meet he had some of his first stuff out on the table and he said every other person who stopped wanted to know, "Is this 'Billit' aluminum?" It's 7075 T651 aluminum. So they'll say, "Oh", and lay it back down to wander off with their hands in their pockets. Gotta have that pure 'Billit' aluminum stuff :-)

Polished blued carbon steel is just so.....so ......... common, ya know? Just like most everything else, it's gotta be new and trendy to sell.

.................Buckshot

[FISH4BUGS]

....are all at least 40 years old (except for the 640). A 1956 5 screw 29 44 mag which is my primary shooter. This is a vitrually hand built gun. My 357 is a 1960 Model 28 6", smooth as glass. The M&P Target 38 is early post war - 1948.....can shoot the hair off a fly's butt at 25 yards. The K22 is early post war also - 1948.
They just don't make them like that any more.....but no one else does either.

[AZ-Stew]

KYCaster,

No rush, Jerry. Don't strain yourself getting to the Post Office.

Regards,

Stew

[OeldeWolf]

Buckshot:

Billet means a solid piece of metal. As versus welded up or otherwise assembled.

So if he machines them from a solid piece, then they are formed from billets.

Maybe now he can sell a few of them. :)

[runfiverun]

no he won't, they ain't gonna pay for quality.
they just want the name.
sad actually, maybe that is part of whats wrong with this country today.
all mass manufacturing and "brand" names.
sadly, i remember when all the good stuff was available locally. by honest workmen.

[TAWILDCATT]

I have a model 10 bull barrel with Bomar rib,ruger 22 5" bull target an a AMT 1911 thats a tack driver.yes I have a mod 37??its air weight 3"
oh for the old and better guns.I was thinking like you guys,all this new stuff and new cal that are not any better than mine.:coffeecom[smilie=1:
somebody stole my coffee and the smilies are to far to right.only does it when I post.