I don’t much care for pink guns. Â Too many of them are simply the standard model firearm, dipped in pink and marketed as a “gun for girls.” Â However, I do like pink guns with attitude. Â That is exactly what Smith & Wesson is selling through Talo Distributors.
S&W is making two custom versions of the company’s M&P15-22 rifle. Â Both are in “pink platinum” finish. Â Pink platinum is the same finish that the custom Walther P22 pistols were made in last year. Â 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. Â 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.
In 2005, Smith & Wesson filed a patent application for a “high velocity ammunition system and firearm.” Â The abstract stated the bullets fired from this handgun would achieve muzzle velocities in excess of 25,000 fps!
Let’s put 25,000 fps into context…
25,000 fps is more than 17,000 miles per hour.
This is more than 22 times the speed of sound.
The .221 Fireball shot from a single shot pistol is the fastest SAAMI-spec handgun cartridge at about 2700 fps.
Federal’s 220 Swift load only manages 4250 fps at the muzzle from a rifle.
When I started reading the patent application, I expected that the 25,000 fps was a typo. Â It just seemed so far outside the realm of possibility to achieve those speeds from any conventional firearm, much less a handgun.
Smith & Wesson has been busy retaking the law enforcement and personal defense world with their M&P series that there weren’t too many new things to view at their booth this year. However, I did find the VTAC II M&P 15 and I thought I’d share it with you. Nothing earth shattering in design, but a nice combination.
This is a standard semi-auto M&P15 .556 mm AR-15 style rifle with Viking Tactical (VTAC) furniture, which compliments the M&P 15 nicely. S&W made this a mid- length platform and claims that this will lower recoil and increase accuracy, along with higher 2nd shot hit probability.
Smith & Wesson announced a new AR-style pistol chambered in .22 LR: the M&P15-22P. The M&P 15-22P is a polymer framed semi-auto pistol based on the S&W M&P 15-22 rifles.
The new S&W handgun has a 6″ carbon steel barrel with a 1:15 twist, and weighs 51 ounces (unloaded). The detachable magazine holds 25 rounds of .22LR ammunition.  This is the same standard capacity magazine that is used in the M&P15-22 rifle.  So, if you have one of those, you can swap mags between the two guns.
The M&P 15-22P features a full-length optics rail along the top of the gun, and a mini-quad rail for lasers, lights, can openers and Romulan cloaking devices. A swivel point attachment is also included for attaching a single point sling.
The Smith and Wesson Bodyguard 38 is a new “hammerless” revolver like those found in the Centennial line. Â Unlike those guns, the new Bodyguard 38 has a polymer frame and integral laser. Â It is one of two new compact handguns called Bodyguard introduced by S&W at the 2010 SHOT Show.
First, the basics, it is a five-shot, 38 Special revolver that is rated for +P ammunition. The hammer is fully concealed, and the gun is double action only. The gun is black with a grip. At first glance, it looks a lot like a model 442. But, this revolver is actually very different.
The Bodyguard 38 is a polymer-framed revolver, the first-ever by Smith & Wesson. This means that Smith had to go back to the drawing board to design this firearm. The lower frame (roughly from the rear of the cylinder back), is polymer, while the upper frame (surrounding the cylinder and housing the barrel) is aluminum. As you might expect, the revolver is very light, weighing only 14.3 ounces.
A significant change on the Bodyguard 38 is the relocation of the cylinder release. Instead of being mounted on the side of the frame, the release has been moved to the top of the frame, where an exposed hammer would normally be. Since the cylinder release is along the midline of the revolver, it is now ambidextrous.
Speaking of the cylinder, one of the problems sometimes cited by owners of Smith & Wesson J-frames is the extractor rod is too short to reliably eject fired brass. This is an annoyance at the range, but a possible deadly problem in a self-defense shooting. While not full length, the rod on the Bodyguard 38 is noticeably longer to provide a more sure ejection of spent cartridges.
Smith and Wesson lists the barrel length as 1.9″. Traditionally, S&W has listed the barrel length of their “snubbies” at either 1 7/8″ (1.875″) or 2″. I assumed that Smith was rounding up the 1.875″, but the company rep insisted the barrel length was exactly 1.9″.
Sights are fixed and black. The rear notch seems wider than the notch on the 442/642, but that is my impression only. I didn’t measure them, and the Smith rep was not sure.
Significantly, the Smith and Wesson Bodyguard 38 ships with an integrated laser from Insight Technology. The red laser mounts high and back on the right side of the frame. The laser is adjustable for drift and elevation. Two laser modes are offered: steady and pulse. To activate the laser, the shooter may turn the unit on by pressing a button on the unit.
Smith & Wesson announced a new AR-style pistol chambered in .22 LR: the M&P15-22P. The M&P 15-22P is a polymer framed semi-auto pistol based on the S&W M&P 15-22 rifles.
