This article is a stub, intended primarily to serve as a linking point for articles on S&W firearms
Smith and Wesson is a name which has, until recent time, mostly been associated with revolvers. Like Ruger, they went through a period where they were perceived by the American gun community as being a traitor to the greater cause of the Second Amendment. From 1987 - 2001, they were owned by a British company named Tomkins and were the only major firearms manufacturer to sign a certain agreement with the Clinton administration. This caused a very effective boycott which culminated in their sale to Saf-T-Hammer in 2001. One of the first releases from the new Smith & Wesson was the 500 S&W revolver, shooting the new 500S&W round. The history of the company is better left to Wikipedia, so further reading is better performed at the link below.