Advice to Smith?

[.38SuperMan]

Smith is about to become my new neighbor just 25 minutes from my home. Alcoa & Maryville are two small town back to back towns and total about 45,000 residents. I’m just a few minutes away in a little town of less than 10,000. In small communities like this, there’s a good probability that you would eventually meet people that work for a Smith.

With that in mind, what would you advise Smith to do to improve the shooting industry and their line of guns? My advice would be to revisit their classics again but drop the lock, go back to the original blue finish of the original 27, a one piece barrel and drop the mim parts and forge, machine and care harden like in the 50-60’s. Even if prices have to rise substantially start producing a real classic and ultimate quality of gun again.

What advice would you give?

 

[jjmIII_Ruger]

Well I like all your ideas. I'd just add, invest in people. Start a training/hiring program and do everything possible to acquire talented workforce. Good machines and materials still need people. That has to be a major focus and workforce has been an issue for all companies. I hope there are proper incentives to lure existing talent to the new location. Did I read revolver manufacturing is staying in Springfield?

 

[shocker]

Did I read revolver manufacturing is staying in Springfield?

Yes you did. As far as OP's wishes, those ships sailed long ago.

 

[diyj98]

Drop the internal locks……

Another thing that will never change

 

[Ruger 13]

Smith is about to become my new neighbor just 25 minutes from my home. Alcoa & Maryville are two small town back to back towns and total about 45,000 residents. I’m just a few minutes away in a little town of less than 10,000. In small communities like this, there’s a good probability that you would eventually meet people that work for a Smith.

With that in mind, what would you advise Smith to do to improve the shooting industry and their line of guns? My advice would be to revisit their classics again but drop the lock, go back to the original blue finish of the original 27, a one piece barrel and drop the mim parts and forge, machine and care harden like in the 50-60’s. Even if prices have to rise substantially start producing a real classic and ultimate quality of gun again.

What advice would you give?

Good luck with dat!

 

[M29since14]

Well I like all your ideas. I'd just add, invest in people. Start a training/hiring program and do everything possible to acquire talented workforce. Good machines and materials still need people. That has to be a major focus and workforce has been an issue for all companies. I hope there are proper incentives to lure existing talent to the new location. Did I read revolver manufacturing is staying in Springfield?

I couldn’t agree more. Technology and a big fat wallet don’t replace a skilled workforce that gives a damn about what they’re doing. That type of workforce has always been a struggle to arrange, and it probably always will be. You can’t make people care. You have to find people that care, and then try to take good care of them. It will be interesting to see how S&W fares in TN. I hope it goes well.

 

[Hair Trigger]

With that in mind, what would you advise Smith to do to improve the shooting industry and their line of guns?

Not likely to happen, but....Get Mr. Peabody and Sherman to set the WABAC machine to 1975 and stay there.

 

[Protocall_Design]

It took JM 10 years to get them to make an 8 shot 9mm. I doubt if they would listen to any of us.

 

[Laketime]

Better chance at talking GM into making original Bel Air’s again.

 

[ken158]

Just because they move into your neighborhood does not mean they will give your thoughts or comments any attention even if you could manage an audience. The majority of workers they will hire will be in it for the paycheck and not as gun enthusiasts. This will be a gated facility and anyone without an appointment wont make it past the guard gate.

 

[.38SuperMan]

I didn’t say I was going knocking on their door. No such plans. Just a simple question.

 

[Ackley1952]

Guess you guys want to go back to the cardboard boxes too. Come on guys give them a break.

 

[.38SuperMan]

Here’s an example of electroless nickel on my model 15-3. I bought it thirty years ago and my son and I used it in USPSA competitions. The finish was worn but mechanically fine and I wanted something that would standup in bad weather and take thousands of draws from a holster. I had the front sight replaced and a slick trigger job done and getting ready to add MOP panels as soon as they arrive.

I bought the gun for fun not as an investment and really don’t care if I destroyed the collectors value or not. This is one I’ll most likely keep and pass to my son.

I’m not a collector, I’m an accumulator. I won’t buy a gun Thats rare or too pristine to shoot. I recently passed up a new in box no dash 36 for that reason. But a common garden variety gun that has some wear, I wouldn’t feel the least bit bad about having a nice well done finish put on it.

 

[Duckfood]

As another future new S&W neighbor, my best advice would be to hire me!!!

Outside of that, as everyone has been preaching for years, drop the lock... But, since the Blount County plant, per my understanding, will not be producing revolvers, so, I guess that rules that out...

So, my next option is to focus on you employees... Happy employees will generally be more productive and make a better quality product...

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Dump ALL of those ugly full useless underlugs.