Video—ARTV: Inside the Smith & Wesson Performance Center

by
posted on August 20, 2018
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
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 the Ported 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 segment from a recent episode of American Rifleman TV to learn more about Smith & Wesson's Performance Center.











Additional Reading:
NRA Gun Gear of the Week: Smith & Wesson Performance Center Ported M&P9L with Red Dot Sight
NRA Gun of the Week: Smith & Wesson Performance Center Ported M&P9 Shield


Latest

Scotus Ar 15 Ban Cases F
Scotus Ar 15 Ban Cases F

Three Reasons the U.S. Supreme Court Should Reaffirm that AR-15 Bans are Unconstitutional

The Supreme Court has finally agreed to review the constitutionality of AR-15 bans. As the mainstream media is unlikely to give a fact-based analysis of these bans, here are three points that should be in every article about this challenge.

America 250th Anniversary Ammo Offerings

We’re celebrating the 250th anniversary of the greatest country on Earth, and we have some new limited-edition munitions to commemorate that achievement.

Tennessee Police Department Adopts the Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol

Beretta USA recently announced that a major metropolitan police department in Tennessee has approved, and begun to field, the A300 Ultima Patrol shotgun, a more-affordable model recently introduced by the company.

America’s Lever Revolution

America is known across the world as a nation of gun owners, but only one firearm action has the distinction of being uniquely American: the lever-action.

Power Package: The Springfield Armory Heatseeker Pistol

Springfield Armory is jumping into the bolt-action handgun market with its new-for-2026 Heatseeker pistol, which is based on the company's Model 2020 rifle action.

The Armed Citizen® July 6, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.