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.

 

[29aholic]

Ditto

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

What he said. I have owned a lot of Colt SAA's, but the first time I ever got a Model 29 in my hands it was over. The Colts are long gone now but my Smiths will stay with me as long as possible.

 

[Old cop]

I do own one Colt Cobra purchased in 1968 when I began my LEO career. Over time I've added only S&W since that what my agency issued, and I find their J frames easier to conceal and the QC quite good (IMHO).

 

[anglaispierre]

When I became interested in shooting over here in France, I looked at what handguns were on the market, read up about them, and bought a 686 and a M17 second hand, together with a new CZ 75B auto. The 686 and 75B were top of my list from the start. I did see a 2206 while I was waiting for my permits, but didn't think to reserve it. When my permits arrived I went back to buy it, but it was gone. I wanted a .22, hence the M17. The 2206 later turned up at my club. A French guy had bought it and loves it. Later I bought a NIB 1973 Manurhin Walther PP. Would love a 1911, but money is tight. Whether it will be a S&W or other make depends. I have never heard anything bad about the S&W.

Rifles are another thing. I will probably stick with Winchester, Ruger, CZ.

Je ne regrette rien!

 

[gregintenn]

I bought a model 10 police turn in from a local gun shop on a whim one day for $70. I brought it home, cleaned it up, and decided to see if it would shoot. HOLY CR@P!!!!! It just kept on shooting in the same place! I've shot squirrels with it. I thought so much of it, I bought a well used model 18 at a gun show one day. Same thing. It shot where you pointed it, and fit my hand like it was custon made for me. It's been downhill since then.

 

[pharmer]

Same reason I have always bought GM over Ford. Can't say either is better, Just that one feels "more for me" than the other. While I own both Colts and S&W's, the only Ford I ever had was a '65 Mustang, the last Ford I liked. Joe

 

[PALADIN85020]

As a young man in the early 1960s, it was picture of Jeff Cooper shooting an 8 3/8" Model 29 from the Weaver stance. I knew if Jeff Cooper liked anything, there had to be some well-thought-out reasoning behind it. Turns out, there was. Smith makes fine revolvers.

John

 

[deralte]

Because I have been carrying a S&W for 59 years without any failures. My oldest is a Chief's Special that I bought in 1952.

 

[cp1969]

Elmer liked them. Ed McGivern liked them. Bill Jordan....Skeeter Skelton...and a slew of others.

That alone has probably steered many people to S&W over the years. In my case, it was the M18 that I bought used when I was about 22. I had at the time a High Standard Sport King and a Colt New Frontier. I could not believe how much better the M18 felt and pointed.

I eventually lost possesion of all three of those pistols through stupid trades. I regretted losing them all but the M18 was the only one I replaced and I did so fairly quickly.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

Back in the early '50's I got the gun bug. Started collecting Winchester rifles but the prices went up too much for my wallet. Sold them off & bought Colts. Same thing all over again. Sold & traded for S&W's. First S&W was a M&P .38 Spec. Then a .44 DA, then a .45 Da, then a 22 -32 Target, then a 32 long, etc. By the time I married in 1960 I had 17 S&W's, mostly prewar guns. I'm down to 5 S&W's now, the rest have been given to family members. However I just bought a new 638 & got my 50 buck rebate 2 weeks ago. Using that to have a spring kit put in it. Old S&W collectors are made that way.

 

[loknload]

Back when I started collecting, my first purchase was a Smith Md#37 and I still own it!
I always figured that when you bought a Colt you were buying the name, granted they are nice but back then they were unaffordable to me. Over the years I've owned a few Colt's but I always went for the Smith's.
Smith to me was always the working mans gun! and I liked'em too!