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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.
Despite being early adopters of several semi-automatic rifles for military use, the French army took several decades to work out a standardized semi-automatic rifle for general service use. The rifle that finally came to being was the MAS-49.
"An armed society is a polite society," goes the famous quote, which is also the inspiration behind Polite Society Industries, a new suppressor manufacturer that now has a complete line available to consumers.
Iconic American firearms maker Smith & Wesson will join NRA-ILA on the road as nation's leading firearm group turns out voters ahead of the 2026 midterm.
The 2026 National Firearms Survey conducted by William English of Georgetown University estimates that armed citizens in America use their guns 2.2 million to defend themselves or others.