Friday’s opening of the Smith & Wesson Academy’s training facilities on their 236 acre campus seemed more like a welcoming party for the newest neighbor on the block then S&W’s return to the training category.
As the name implies, it’s a downsized version of their full-size Echelon modular pistol. With a shorter barrel (four inches), smaller grip module and a 1.25” grip width, you might expect the 9mm unit to be a bit more, er…snappy.
For several years, the optic sitting atop my well-worn “field grade” .22 rimfire hasn’t changed. The rifle and the Burris
Most of the buzz has focused on the patent’s statement regarding the P320’s safety system which, AST’s 2023 announcement stated “exposed an element of risk for its users due to documented unintended discharge” and the fact the inventor, Brian McDonald, was at one point an employee of SIG SAUER.
Reputations, it is said, take a lifetime to build and a second to destroy. Reputations can be rebuilt over time. But it requires assiduous attention to detail and an unwavering dedication to doing the right thing.
Silencer demand is about to skyrocket, but the two other categories — short-barreled weapons (rifles and shotguns) and the nebulous “any other weapons” — also represent growth segments for smart companies.
From my chair, I can’t see any convincing argument against better ammunition, better guns, better optics or simplified technology. Especially if those advancements contribute to more humane harvests and fewer wounded or lost animals.
Bigger, more diversified companies will find their way through a “challenging environment. For others, the challenge has proven too tough to overcome. Smaller companies are increasingly shuttering, albeit quietly. Others are passing their businesses on to stronger groups.
I find myself reflecting on the fact that we are seeing some of the long-burning lights of our industry flickering and going out. The thing I realize most is that the work they’ve poured themselves into continues, principally because they’ve built their businesses on trust, dependability, and accountability.
Speaking with manufacturers, distributors, and dealers this week, I’m being told that while every company or industry category is down, consumer purchasing patterns indicate very deliberate buying.
