18Aug05

New S&W "M&P" Service Pistol, soon to be introduced, from a friend close to the project:

"The M&P is not intended for the pistol aficionado. That is, it is not an ' expert's gun,=80=99 like many, contemporary 1911 clones. It is a n elemental, service pistol, intended to be used and carried, well and safely, by the average police officer and CCW holder.

It is eminently functional, easy to maintain at the user level, comes apart

and goes back together easily, and can't be reassembled incorrectly. It is also easy to maintain at the armorer level, with complete parts interchangeability; no fitting necessary. The trigger (borrowed from the S IGMA) is a reasonable compromise between speed and deliberation. Interchangeable grip panels assure a functional fit of nearly any size hand. A durable, non-glare finish provides protection against corrosion and excessive wear.

Competitively priced. Self-decocking. Not pretty. This is a gun intended

to successfully compete for institutional business with current heavy hitters, Glock, SIG, and H&K. S&W is serious about this gun. All parts an d components are produced in-house. Likewise, all tools necessary to make co mponents."

Comment: S&W's recent, blundering missteps are all well know, and S &W has been rightly criticized, but we all need to give this new gun a fair hearin g. If S&W produces another lemon, shame on them, but S&W's rebound, ba ck into the status of "major player," is good news for everyone. G ood competition makes for superior products, and a strong, American presence in this indust ry is in the best interest of all of us.

/John