Why Smith & Wessons??

[Retired LTC USAR]

I can only assume that 99.9% of the members here Smith fans. My question is why? Why do you favor Smiths more than other manufactures of handguns?

For me, the first handgun I shot was a K22. My father had far more Smiths than any other kind, and I guess I grew up liking Smiths more than any other kind.

What is your story???

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Probably because at the time a lot of us were growing up S&W and Colt were the only game in town when it came to revolvers and the only semi auto's were the 1911, the High Power, the Walther and later on the 39.

 

[Andy Griffith]

"It's like a fellow I once knew in El Paso. One day, he just took all his clothes off and jumped in a mess of cactus. I asked him that same question, 'Why?'"

"And..."

"He said, 'It seemed to be a good idea at the time.'"



Also, S&W's are (or used to be) a lot easier to collect without as much cash invested. That has changed in the last 20 years.

 

[Texas Star]

I like their styles, the feel of the action, and the way they lie in the hand, with the right grips. They're accurate and reliable, and hold their cylinder timing far better than do most Colts.

And the trigger pull and overall refinement is greater than Rugers. (Which are admittedly stronger, in most models.)

They also have strong historical backgrounds, for many models.

T-Star

 

[wbraswell]

It happened when I first held an N-frame, a 25-2.

 

[jdh]

Why did you pick the brand of car you drive?

 

[oldman45]

A S&W is owned for the same reason a piece of chocolate pie is eaten. They are good.

S&W has a great warranty, very dependable and extremely well made.

While I disagree with the plastic guns, I sure like the S&W product line and so do millions of others.

 

[bitstream]

I'm partial to the fact that my S&W has never, ever failed to fire and/or eject when the trigger is pulled. That's kind of a good thing to me.

 

[Iggy]

When I needed my first hand gun, S&W's were less expensive than Colt's.
That meant a lot to a newly married cop earning $340.00 a month.

As time has passed I have come to trust S&W guns implicitly and see no reason to change.

Colt's were too expensive then and still are as far as I am concerned.
The other brands just never entered the picture.

The old saying "Dance with the the one that brung ya" seems to be appropriate.

 

[snake charmer]

I'm here because I own some S&W guns, they weren't my first or favorite but I can get correct info about them on this forum.

 

[NFrameFred]

As usual with what we like and dislike, it's a personal thang . . .

For me, it always started out with the aesthetics, and that garnered I guess from influence of books and mostly TV and movies. To me the quintessential semi-auto is a 1911; the same standard applied to a 357 magnum brings to mind a picture of a model 27, usually with a 3 & 1/2" barrel; and a 44 magnum ? Harry's 6 &1/2" model 29, of course. Later field experience in hunting and competition taught me an appreciation for 98% of the remainder of what S&W offered in the revolver line.

Now, I've owned and enjoyed most of the Colt and Ruger revolvers, but the Colt's were always over-priced to my way of thinking and a just a slight bit more "dainty" in their construction than the S&W's; and except for the single action offerings and the 22 autos I've always found most Rugers to be aesthetically unappealing, so after almost 40 years of shooting, swapping and collecting the vast majority of my revolvers say S&W on the side plates.

We like what we like, and I was always one to try the Brussels sprouts prior to announcing I didn't care for them. If you like the sprouts or the other companies offerings I say vive la diffe'rence ! That's my asked for explanation/opinion and I'm entitled to it!

 

[H Richard]

The hand fit quality and smooth reliable functioning. They are built like a Swiss watch, and rugged to boot. Sort of like a Rolex of revolvers. (Qualifier: I have only one S&W built in the 90's and none newer).

 

[feralmerril]

I do own quite a few colts too. Also winchesters. Smiths remain the best built today as colt dont make DAs anymore. Ruger? I have a couple SAs, the DAs always looked over heavy and didnt have the fine finishs. Always looked rugged but more like just a tool

 

[venomballistics]

the single biggest hurdle to accuracy is the trigger.
of all the guns I looked at prior to my first handgun.
Smith won hands down

 

[truckemup97]

Colt's were too expensive then and still are as far as I am concerned.
The other brands just never entered the picture.

Bingo. I own a few Colt's, but I own a lot more S&Ws. When I got interested in handguns, I knew that I would buy more than a couple. Since I'm not independently wealthy, I gravitated more towards the Smiths. IMO, they are just as aesthetically pleasing (if not more so in many cases), they shoot and handle better, and they are much more reasonably priced.

 

[DeadAye]

My first handgun was a Model 10 - I still have it 40+ years later.
My first auto was a 1911 - The Army kept it though. I still carry a Commander now and then. Usually a S&W M49 though.

I've owned Colt, Ruger, and S&W revolvers - The ones that I have now are all S&W (ALL are steel - NO plastic, NO locks, NO way). They just feel right to me. The others just didn't. As an added bonus the triggers are superb and they ALWAYS work

 

[Bat Guano]

In the best examples, the S&Ws seem to have that extra (probably unnecessary) quality, plus the ridiculously long service life we like. I like, have, and use some Rugers, and they have less elegance but a little more anvil toughness. Different company philosophy and born of different eras. Both are more than up to any service you might put them to, and a real bargain in the long haul.

I can get along very nicely without Colt DA revolvers, Charter Arms, Taurii, and all the others, but life would be bleak indeed without the prospect of some nice S&Ws in it.

 

[JohnnieB]

I can only assume that 99.9% of the members here Smith fans..............
.... Why do you favor Smiths more than other manufactures of handguns?

I'm a Wesson fan rather than a Smith fan. Dan Wesson that is.

I like S&W revolvers for their triggers, but only 15% of my revolvers, none of my pistols and none of my long guns are S&W.

I would have had more, but I was upset with the European influence on some of their corporate decisions a few years back.
They seem to have gotten their corporate head back on straight, but I didn't buy anything with their logo on it during that era.

However, I do believe in redemption, so 5 of the 8 revolvers I've purchased in the last two years have been S&W.

John

 

[turnerriver]

Why Smith & Wesson

My First center fire handgun was a 6" model 10.When I
received it as a gift I was 16;my buddys & I thought DA revolvers
should be Smith & Wessons,single actions & autos should
be Colts.Colt DA revolvers were viewed as being a little
effete.I'm 58 now & no longer think of Colt DA's as
less than-I have some & like them. Smith & Wesson
double action revolvers still are the standard though-
always have been & always will be, for me at least.
Regards,
turnerriver
SWCA # 1426

 

[NKJ nut]

I have no interest in the new S&W revolvers, but I love the older guns. Especially the N frames. I have never much cared for their semi-auto's though they are good guns. My two favorite carry guns are a Glock 19 and a SIG P220, mainly the Glock 19 for the last couple of years.