Month: June 2012

Categories
General Information

Walther is a “shrinking piece of business”

Walther Logo

Smith & Wesson and Walther have begun to part ways. According to information released by S&W in an earnings conference call on June 28, 2012, it is pretty clear why the split is coming: sales and margins.

But the split is not a complete parting of ways. In fact, 2/3 of the current agreements between the two companies will remain in place.

According to James Debney, President and CEO of Smith & Wesson Holding Corp., there are three separate agreements between Smith & Wesson and Walther:

  • S&W is the exclusive distributor of German-made Walther firearms,
  • S&W manufactures and distributes Walther PPK pistols made in Houlden, ME, and
  • Walther manufactures S&W M&P 22 pistols in Germany.

Of these, only one is ending in 2013: Smith & Wesson’s importation and distribution of German-made Walther guns. That contract will expire on April 30, 2013. The other two contracts will remain in place, and will be valid for two more years. Future negotiations could extend those agreements.

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Categories
General Information

S&W: Record Quarter, Record Year

Smith Wesson Logo

Smith Wesson LogoSmith & Wesson announced a record quarter and record year for sales and income.  Here are the highlights:

  • For the quarter ending April 30, 2012, S&W’s sales were up almost 28% year over year.
  • For the quarter ending April 30, 2012, S&W’s income was $17.8 million.
  • For the fiscal year ending April 30, 2012, S&W produced a record number of units, generated a record amount of cash and brought in a record amount of income ($26.4 million).

For anyone who tracks Apple stock, these numbers seem anemic, but for Smith & Wesson, they are very good indeed.

According to a Smith & Wesson press release, these records were driven largely because of the popularity of the M&P line of pistols and rifles.  The M&P continues to nibble away at Glock’s share of the law enforcement market, and more and more consumers are flocking to the guns.  Read a few of the popular gun blogs out there and you’ll see that everyone is drinking to Kool-Aid.

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Categories
Rifles

Gilboa Snake

Giloba Snake

The Silver Shadow Gilboa Snake (previously reported as the DBR) is a double-barreled AR-style combat rifle.  The end result is a rifle that fires two rounds with each pull of the trigger.

Giloba Snake

The rifle is chambered in 5.56 NATO and uses a piston system (not direct impingement).  Both barrels are about 9.5″ long, are chrome lined and have a 1:7 RH twist.

Unloaded, the gun weighs about 9.4 pounds.  According to the US Army, a standard M4 weighs about 7.5 pounds with a sling and loaded magazine.  So, figure a little more than two extra pounds for the extra metal.  Semi-automatic and full-auto versions are being made.

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Categories
Military

FN SmartCore

FN SmartCore
The FN SmartCore is essentially a "black box" that records data on military rifles and transmits the data, in real time, to battlefield commanders.

The FN SmartCore was rolled out at the EUROSATORY 2012 last week.  Formerly known as the FN Black Box, the SmartCore is very similar to the recording devices found in airplanes that the project was originally named after.

FN SmartCore
The FN SmartCore is essentially a “black box” that records data on military rifles and transmits the data, in real-time, to battlefield commanders.

The SmartCore is an electronic system that records and examines the firearm’s use for a variety of purposes.  It does several rather mundane things like help armorers keep track of which weapons are in need of service.

One of the more interesting aspects of the recorder is its ability to transmit use information to military commanders.  This allows the chain of command to know specifically which units are engaging the enemy, and at what location, without the need for radio communications.

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Categories
Rifles

Pink Rifles from Smith & Wesson

pink smith wesson MP15-22

I don’t much care for pink guns.  Too many of them are simply the standard model firearm, dipped in pink and marketed as a “gun for girls.”  However, I do like pink guns with attitude.  That is exactly what Smith & Wesson is selling through Talo Distributors.

pink smith wesson MP15-22

S&W is making two custom versions of the company’s M&P15-22 rifle.  Both are in “pink platinum” finish.  Pink platinum is the same finish that the custom Walther P22 pistols were made in last year.  I liked the paint scheme on the Walther, and I like it even more on the M&P15-22.

The “standard” pink platinum M&P has an M4-type adjustable stock, quad rail handguard, 16″ threaded barrel, A1-type flash hider and a 25-round magazine.  The receiver has a full length Picatinny rail, which allows the easy installation of optics if the standard iron sights aren’t your cup of tea.

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