Facts About Smith and Wesson: History, Locations and Information

New Englanders Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson founded Smith & Wesson in 1852 with their first partnership based on the invention of the lever-action repeating pistol. Though the brand is world-famous, there are a few facts about the  gun proprietors not everyone knows.

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1. The pair faced financial difficulties and was forced to sell their company to Oliver Winchester, a shirt manufacturer. Winchester took their design and created his own company — Winchester Repeating Arms Co.

Despite the setback for Smith and Wesson, the pair continued to produce firearms.
In 1856 Smith & Wesson produced a small revolver that was the first fully self-contained cartridge in the world, as recounted on the Smith and Wesson website. 

2. Learning from their mistakes of the first partnership, the pair went on to secure patents for the Model One to protect their design and created a lucrative firearms business.

Other Smith & Wesson successes include:
— .32 caliber double action revolver (1880)
— First hammerless revolver (1887)
— .38 caliber Model 10, which was used by the United States military, later became known as the .38 Special (1899)
— .357 caliber Model 19 (1935)
— .44 caliber Model 29 (1955)

3. The Model 10 is Smith & Wesson’s most successful product and the weapon has evolved with time. Once used by the military, the gun later became the sidearm of choice for police officers across the country.  According to Dury's Guns, more than six million Model 10s have been produced. The gun remains the weapon of choice for home defense and is considered a favorite among collectors.

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4. Smith & Wesson has been a major contributor to the handgun market since the company was founded. Today they are considered one of the world’s largest manufacturers of firearms, with company operations in Massachusetts and Maine.

5. The company also operates the Smith and Wesson Academy, where law enforcement from all over the world – including 50 countries – attend for state-of-the-art firearms instruction.

Smith & Wesson’s history is preserved by the Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation, which was founded by a pair of collectors eager to insure the history is retained. The foundation has stored the records of the company for more than 100 years, which takes up approximately 500 boxes. The materials reside in the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum, located in Springfield, Massachusetts.

This article does not constitute legal advice. Check the current gun laws before purchasing or traveling with a firearm.

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