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Smith & Wesson opened its Performance Center in 1989 in order to create custom race guns, eventually expanding to a variety of guns ranging from hunting rifles to carry guns. What makes S&W Performance Center firearms unique is that although many of the firearms might contain special features that are typically found only in "one off" custom guns, the manufacturer produces them in large enough quantities to keep them affordable and available to everyone. Many Performance Center guns—like thePorted M&P Shield—originate from standard designs and are then customized and tuned for precision, while others are created from the ground up to include hand cutting and fitting. Overall, Smith & Wesson prides itself not only on its products but also its employees, with some of its workers being the third generation of their family to work for the company. Check out this segmentfrom a recent episode ofAmerican Rifleman TV to learn more about Smith & Wesson's Performance Center.
Without a doubt, the Smith & Wesson Model 29 is one of the 20th century’s most shootable, collectible "superstar" revolvers. Here are a few little-known facts about the gun.
While folding and takedown firearms chambered for full-power rifle cartridges may be niche defensive tools, the dark situations in which they shine brightest aren’t going away anytime soon.
Traditionally, Ruger has offered a range of left-handed rifle models for the southpaws among us, and now, the company's Gen II American rifles are available in a left-handed variant, starting with the Ranch models.
In 2026, Kimber developed its 1911 DS Warrior, an American-made, double-stack design that is intended to be an affordable entry point into Kimber's double-stack handgun line.
When most shooters think of rifling-twist rates, they mostly think of rifles with their high BC projectiles, but the rpm of a bullet also plays a part in terminal performance.