Since we are sharing our wishes, I will advance mine. Initially, it doesn't involve releasing any new or vintage products, but more so, taking a page out of Glock's book and advance our sport!
By creating the Glock Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF), it is getting Glock owners out to the range, promoting safe gun handling, and developing/nurturing shooting skills, while also cultivating a pool of repeat customers! Currently, the GSSF outdoor courses of fire would require negligible modification to become revolver friendly! The course of fire for every entry (type of pistol) includes:
A) a 5 paper target stage (fired 3 times)
B) a 4 paper target stage with a pepper popper, (fired 3 times) and
C) a rack of six steel plates (fired 4 times).
Typically, paper targets are placed at 5 to 25 yards maximum, and steel is positioned at 11 yards. Initially, GSSF used the NRA D1 "Tombstone" target, but they have recently adopted their own proprietary non-humanoid target.
Each course of fire is scored time plus penalty for dropped points and misses. The aggregate of the 3 stages determines match standings. For the outdoor events, each entry is $30, requires a GSSF membership ($30-35 a year), and they recommend bringing 150 rounds per entry. Members that have either won 3 Glocks in Competition or hold a master classification in the recognized shooting sports are deemed "Masters", while those that have not reached the pinnacle are deemed Amateurs. I am currently classed an Amateur, and can complete each course of fire with 81 rounds of ammunition, except for the Pocket Glock and Major Sub divisions, which I can complete with 54 rounds. For the 2 Amateur exclusive divisions (Amateur Civilian and Amateur Guardian), they have the following subcategories and award a $75 to the highest score in the subcategory: Female, Junior Female, Junior Male, Senior (55+), Super Senior (65+), and Challenged.
Based on entries and membership fees, the GSSF is relatively self sustaining. If a division has at least 10 Masters/15 Amateurs, a pistol is awarded in each class per division. If there are fewer than the stated minimum, first place gets $100, second and third places get Glock swag (currently an E-tool and a fighting knife). All that is really needed is a host club. The average shooting day may run 7-8 hours, but depending on backup, four entries could be fired in under 3-4 hours.
Just imagine how many Smith owners would participate, and how many would become repeat buyers in order to be able to compete in all of the offered divisions! Just visualize if S&W created a SWSSF, and had the following divisions: Snubnose (3 inches or less), Medium bore Combat (4"), Medium bore Target (6"+), Medium bore Semi-Auto, Large bore Combat (40 cal and larger with 4"), Large bore Target (40 cal and larger with 6"+), and Large bore Semi-Auto! There could even be rimfire revolver and rimfire Semi-Auto divisions! Depending upon the number of entries, host clubs get a select number of pistols. Usually clubs keep 1 or 2 for fundraising, while the remainder are raffled off amongst the range officers that make the event possible!
This approach fulfills multiple objectives, but more so, it gets people out shooting safely!
Smith and Wesson, take this seriously and give it some thought!
