New Smith & Wesson Automatic
by Jerry Webb

23 May 2005

I am going to break the news here first, before even the gunzine gurus know about it (Roy Huntington has got nothing on me).

S&W has been asking my agency to wait an extra year before choosing a new duty gun. The S&W honchos have promised a new duty pistol that is superior to Glock and the XD. I have been very skeptical to say the least, and believed the hype to be over the SW990L which is a warmed over Walther P99.

S&W begged and pleaded, and continued to promise an ideal police gun. They are determined to win back a substantial police market. My agency has carried S&W handguns for most of it's existence, and the PD dates back to 1816! The last time we carried something other than S&W was Colt in the '50s. Knowing our history with the company, S&W is giving us FREE guns and leather gear if we choose the new secret gun. Pretty hard to pass on that offer.

The PD was starting to get skeptical too, so S&W brought a pre-production prototype for us to shoot, and the actual evaluation guns should arrive in 2-3 months.

I have to say I am impressed. S&W has designed this new gun from the ground up. They did not "copy" another gun like in the past, but they have "borrowed" features from many other guns. Some highlights:

• Stainless Steel slide that is blackened like SIG
• Polymer frame with interchangeable grip/backstrap
• The frame has a steel insert similar to the STI 1911
• The trigger is Glock-like: long DAO pull, short reset
• The ergonomics are more like a 1911 than a Glock
• Magazine disconnect as requested by PD
• .40SW caliber, 16 round capacity, a .45acp will follow
• No manual safety or other gadgets or doo-dads
• Completely modular design with a drop-in trigger group

The gun is soft shooting and the current version has a 4" barrel. They will offer a 5" and a compact, and most internals will be interchangeable.

Look for this pistol in the gunzines by fall. If they can actually produce this gun as well as the prototype, S&W will FINALLY be back in the hunt!