Don't get me wrong, I agree with you on needing a dependable gun for protection. From your experience and those of others I would never carry a Smith with an internal lock for protection.

However, I also don't like the locks - period. I think this opinion is shared by others as well. So even for range guns I will not buy a Smith with an internal lock. My point is I believe many of us have guns we really don't "need", but have them because we enjoy having guns. Bottom line is I suspect my collections of Smith handguns would be larger if they were more available without locks.

I am a customer that will buy more than I "need" but you have to offer a product that I like. Perhaps these Brits do not understand that a big part of their market is people who own multiple guns far in excess of what they "need."