Going to S&W for a tour

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tlfw

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I am a Crew advisor for a Venturing Crew in Texas. If you're unfamiliar, Venturing is the next level to the Boy Scouts. Boy Scouts stop at 18 years of age and is limited to boys, Venturing goes to 21 years of age and can be co-ed. Anyway, our Crew has geared nearly all there activities around 2 things...snow sports (funny coming from Texas, but we have done it) and hunting/shooting. Our last trip before Summer break is going to be a trip to Smith and Wesson. The kids are going to take a tour, learn some history, take some training and shoot some firearms. I don't know who is more excited...the kids or me! I'll see if Smith and Wesson lets me take pictures that I can post...
 
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Me and my wife took the tour of the factory in October of last year. They won't let you take cameras inside the the manufacturing plant and make sure that all who go on the tour have covered shoes.
My wife had on open toed shoes and we had to go back to the hotel and get shoes that had a covered toe.

Besides all that the tour was great, we went from the beginning, where raw steel comes into the factory, to end where the guns are assembled. Although they would not let us in where the assembly is taking place.
Talked to a gunsmith in the performance center through the chain link fence around it. Yes, the performance center is a fenced off area inside the factory.
It is something to see, you will be walking down isles and containers of frames, cylinders, barrels will be right there with people working on them.
One of the best parts of our trip was walking up to the actual factory from the guard house, it will be well worth the trip.
 
I guess Venturing took the place of Explorers? I shot my first automatic weapons in Explorer Scouts. ;) Also rappelled, sailed, hiked, scuba'd, did orienteering, and sold lots and lots and lots and lots of candy bars.

Thanks for supporting such a worthwhile organization!!
 
I've been through the plant several times with the armorers school. It is the gun guys Mecca and you will be walking around with your mouth open. The last time I was there they had just opened a small museum inside the plant. There was an old guy there who worked for years in R&D. I can't remember his name but we talked to him for an hour. He helped develop the hush puppy, the machine gun and several others. He took a lot of time answering questions and you could tell he really enjoyed us being there. It was great. Don't miss it if you get the chance. Jubela is right. Make sure that everyone has good shoes on. They will provide eye and ear protection. You are in for a real treat!
 
I should try and plan one of those with the kids here in West Hollywood....probably wouldn't fly with their Libtard parents...I gave one of Ava's little friends a shoot don't shoot target to take home and it freaked out his parents...but I knew it would...:)
 
sipowicz said:
I should try and plan one of those with the kids here in West Hollywood....probably wouldn't fly with their Libtard parents...I gave one of Ava's little friends a shoot don't shoot target to take home and it freaked out his parents...but I knew it would...:)
Click to expand...

If you really want to enthuse the youngsters and antagonize their parents, consider taking them here: MG Shooters LLC - The Big Sandy Shoot, and watch the videos....
 
Had a tour last year it was great. Circumstances are rather humorous.
A buddy and I decided it'd be fun to make the pilgrimage to Springfield, I called S&W and asked about a tour. Was told 6 people were needed to schedule a tour. I asked the gentleman about the possibility of tagging along on a scheduled tour. After checking he told me we could tag along w/a Cub Scout Troop!!
The kids were kids, lots of energy, lots of questions. When the tour was over because of the Scouts' time constaints, the guide told my buddy and I to hang on. After saying goodbye to the Troop he came back to us and told us we were now going to get a "real" tour.
The guide was a retired S&W worker. We went right up to where his buddies were working, while they were catching up my friend and I had the opportunity to wander around a bit, ask individual workers questions. It was way cool!!
Enjoy, Kevin
 
We don't leave until the end of the month, but the tickets are paid for...we have a pistol shoot scheduled for Saturday to get ready. My youngest daughter is not happy she doesn't get to go. She enjoys shooting more than the entire Crew put together. Her trip will come.
 
TLFW,
I went on a private tour of the plant last October. I was there on business so I got the "VIP treatment" including a tour of areas that were not normally viewed by the public. I have to say I was quite impressed! I even got to meet their Master Engraver. They have a small "museum" that had some beautiful examples of some of their classic models which is worth seeing if you can get in, and I was taken over to their Shooting Academy which is a state of the art shooting range and merchandising facility. Even the food in their employee cafeteria was pretty good. The one thing that stood out throughout my two hour tour was that each and every employee actually seemed to be happy and excited working for S & W, but who knows.......in today's economic climate, I guess most people are happy if they have any sort of a descent job. They were very pleasant, and seemed exited about new products and their quality control. I didn't even have the heart to put in a complaint about the internal lock on their revolvers (LOL).
I think you will really enjoy the tour.

regards,
chief38
 
Well, I have to say that the trip to Smith and Wesson exceeded all of my expectations. Smith and Wesson knew we were scheduled for the tour and had the welome sign at the entrance greet us with a message. I was told about the new entrace gate security device and I have to say that too was quite impressive. They had a video at the end of the tour showing the gate stopping an 18 wheeler going 50 miles and hour dead in its tracks. We were also treated to several special sections on the tour that isn't on the normal tour. We went into the new products area and watched them assemble M&P15-22s, M&P15s and the two new bodyguard 380s. One revolver and one semi-auto. As others have stated, all the workers at the facility were the most pleasant and happy folks. After the tour we went over to the Shooting Academy and several Smith & Wesson instructors took us on the range to shoot several of their products. We had an M&P 9mm, Bodyguard 380 Semi-auto, 38 Special revolver, 617 22lr revolver and the overall winner for the fun factor the new M&P15-22. I will post some pictures of our trip when I get a chance. We only have pictures of pre and post tour...nothing from inside the facility as that is understandibly forbidden. I was able to return to Smith and Wesson on the weekend and help gather a few more items for testing at the shooting range. This time we shoot the 1911 38 Super, Ruger MKII 22lr, Walther P22 22lr, M&P 9mm and an M&P15T in 5.56mm. I know that the boys that went, my wife and myself have now added a few more "necessary" items to Christmas list...
 
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