It is a well-known fact that Smith & Wesson tried to replace the lazy amphersand with its cousin, the backwards amphersand. S&W management hoped to increase production with a less lazy character.
While it was more energetic, the backwards amphersand insisted on doing everything bass-ackwards and thus actually slowed production instead of speeding it up as had been hoped. It had to be replaced almost immediately by the modern amphersand we now know so well.