JcMack
Member
Did you comply? Or buy.
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Remember the S&W boycott?
- Thread starter JcMack
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Bought. I don't believe in putting an American gun manufacturer, employing fellow Americans, out of business.
Terry C
Member
My newest S&W was made in 1988.
Not really a boycott, they just haven't been making anything that I really wanted in this century.
Now that new no-lock Centennial looks nice (until I look at the MSRP
)...
Not really a boycott, they just haven't been making anything that I really wanted in this century.
Now that new no-lock Centennial looks nice (until I look at the MSRP
)...
Faulkner
Member
I think that in our free market society S&W had every right to conduct business as they see fit and I supported and still support their freedom to do so.
I also happen to think that selling out to the Clinton Administration was a dicision that put S&W between a rock and a hard place, but I'm glad that the S&W company leadership of that period is gone.
I did not buy any S&W products during the boycott period, but I have since.
I also happen to think that selling out to the Clinton Administration was a dicision that put S&W between a rock and a hard place, but I'm glad that the S&W company leadership of that period is gone.
I did not buy any S&W products during the boycott period, but I have since.
OP
JcMack
Member
I did buy a few in 2000-2003. Used only. I remember looking at a couple Smiths in shops and being nudged and informed by customers reiterating the ban. I was buying LN desirable guns for pretty good prices.
cmort666
Member
I abided by the boycott and encouraged others to do likewise.
Now, it's a boycott by default. I'm almost exclusively interested in S&W revolvers and have a safe full of them. I wouldn't buy any of the current S&W revolvers.
I have a middling interest in the M&P semi-autos, but don't have the money.
Now, it's a boycott by default. I'm almost exclusively interested in S&W revolvers and have a safe full of them. I wouldn't buy any of the current S&W revolvers.
I have a middling interest in the M&P semi-autos, but don't have the money.
william iorg
Member
My newest S&W was made in 1988.
Not really a boycott, they just haven't been making anything that I really wanted in this century.
Now that new no-lock Centennial looks nice (until I look at the MSRP
I know several shooters who still hold the Klinton days against S&W.
I didn’t like the Mim parts and locks – I still don’t own an S&W with a lock, but I have overcome my distaste for the look of Mim parts.
I want a 327 Carry comp but the ports and the price are tripping my up. Believe it or not I can get around the price in my mind but the port bothers me. Why the rush to ports and ultra-light firearms?
I have a 3” Model 317 Airlight and the blue box weighs more than the gun. This presents problems shooting the gun off hand. Sitting or using sticks this is a good gun but offhand it is pretty light for good shooting.
S&W doesn’t seem to have any shooters on staff; all of the emphasis seems to be on concealed carry and new semi-collectables.
cmort666
Member
And the cosmetics of the newer guns lead me to believe that some of their designers watch way too much Japanese animation. They look like if you put enough of them together, they'll form a giant robot.
Out West
Member
I bought S&W products during the "boycott".
Out
West
Out
West
I had mixed feelings about the boycott and didn't pay any attention to it, or anything else, when it came to buying handguns. If I wanted it, I bought it.
As I recall, the government was going to go after all the gunmakers, since S&W was the biggest, they were going to be first as all the others would probably follow suit. S&W called a meeting of all the other gunmakers that were going to be affected to pool their resources, join together and fight it as one. All the other companies said "no". I think they wanted S&W to fight it alone, do what they can but lose a lot of money in the meantime, maybe even enough to go out of business, then they would walk in and say "O.K., we'll take what they fought for, where do we sign?". I can't really blame S&W for what they did there. But I do blame them for what they did to their product line and overall quality.
As I recall, the government was going to go after all the gunmakers, since S&W was the biggest, they were going to be first as all the others would probably follow suit. S&W called a meeting of all the other gunmakers that were going to be affected to pool their resources, join together and fight it as one. All the other companies said "no". I think they wanted S&W to fight it alone, do what they can but lose a lot of money in the meantime, maybe even enough to go out of business, then they would walk in and say "O.K., we'll take what they fought for, where do we sign?". I can't really blame S&W for what they did there. But I do blame them for what they did to their product line and overall quality.
S&W does have shooters on their staff, they're called "Team S&W" and they are into action pistol games. The products are also influenced by Thunder Ranch, which is where you can pay to learn how to shoot action pistol games, and by the assorted magazine writers who make their own markets. What they do lack is people that know about real handgunning for real gunfights and real day to day living. Elmer Keith, Ed McGivern and a whole host of old gunfighting lawmen, either real or phony, that wouldn't own a new S&W product. And their semi-collectables aren't worth a nickle compared to the originals that they are trying to copy.
I agreed with the boycott and did not buy new Smith's at that time. I think that the only way to hold the line against the GUNGRABBERS is to present a united front. It was unfortunite that the progun workers of the companies felt the backlash , but the owners/investors needed to be taught the lesson that you do not bite the hand of those that feed you. We saw that with the gun writer/hunter who said there was no place for AR's in the hunting field and more recently with the owner of Cooper Rifles when he supported Obama in the last election. As an aside, is Cooper really gone from the Rifle Company? I know at the time several of us cancelled rifles we had on order.
I abided by the the boycott and I feel it was successful in sending a message to the firearms industry that "we the people" would not tolerate the manufacturers caving-in to the Clinton administration.
If you will look back, the boycott got national attention and and sent a clear warning to the firearms industry that their sales would suffer if they went along with the gun-hating liberals in charge of the country at that time.
I still don't buy S&W's with that ugly & worthless lock.
Don
If you will look back, the boycott got national attention and and sent a clear warning to the firearms industry that their sales would suffer if they went along with the gun-hating liberals in charge of the country at that time.
I still don't buy S&W's with that ugly & worthless lock.
Don
william iorg
Member
I do enjoy thinking about the speed shooters - I don’t imagine I will ever get close to their skill. The speed shooters and other gamers cannot generate more than a mild interest for me.
I believe we have a number of “modern” gunwriters who could promote “useful” S&W firearms for them. I am thinking of Ross Seyfried, John Taffin, Terry Murbach and perhaps Jim Wilson and Bart Skelton. Terry Murbach coined the name: “Trail Masterpiece” for S&W and they didn’t recognize the magic in the name.
Certainly the current Handloader magazine is staffed with a number of S&W fans who know how to use the firearms in the field and for fun shooting.
If the boycott was so successful how come the Smith's still have the lock?
biglew0923
US Veteran
There was a boycott?
OP
JcMack
Member
Bill presented the 10 round mag. as an alternative.
The boycott didn't accomplish a thing and never officially ended as far as I know, it just went away. S&W changed their goals from making the greatest guns to making the greatest profits, which is probably stopping more people from buying their products than the boycott did ten times over, and they still don't care and are still making a profit. If you kick a stone you move it from it's place, if you kick a boulder all you get is a sore toe while the boulder stays the same. S&W is a boulder, a lot of folks just don't get it.
