S&W Historic Milestones
This Appendix was omitted from the 6th Edition of Standard Catalog of S&W due to lack of space. Copyright Richard Nahas and Jim Supica.
Do not copy or reproduce without permission. For permission, contact SupicaLLC@outlook.com
1808 Horace Smith born
1825 D. B. Wesson born
1853 First S&W partnership formed to make Volcanic style lever action repeating pistols
1854 Patented .22 rimfire cartridge
1855 Rollin White patented bored through cylinder Volcanic lever action production turned over to Oliver Winchester & Co.
1857 Second S&W partnership manufactures the first S&W revolver:
1857 October, Model 1, .22 rimfire serial Number 2 sold for $12 and $1 for Cartridges is Sold to William Amadon in Springfield MA.
1860 Move to new factory on Stockbridge street- Company Employs 57 persons
1861 Model 2 introduced in new .32 rimfire cartridgeCivil War begins
1862 Company now has 154 employees
1866 Company now has 300 Employees
1867 Begin marketing efforts in Europe with the Paris Exhibition
1870 Model 3 introduced; S&Ws first top break, first .44 caliber, and first Centerfire Revolver
1871 First Russian military contract Walter H. Wesson begins work at the factory as a clerk.
1873 Horace Smith retires; D.B. Wesson president and purchases Horace Smith’s Interests
1876 .38 S&W cartridge introduced in Baby Russian
1878 .32 S&W cartridge introduced in .32 single action revolver
1880 S&W’s first double action: .38 DA
1881 Joe H. Wesson begins work at the factory
1886 S&W’s first safety hammerless: .38 Safety
1893 Horace Smith dies on Jan 15th
1896 S&W’s first hand ejector revolver: .32 HE 1st, first I frame
1899 .38 Special cartridge introduced in the first K frame: .38 M&P
1905 "5th screw" added to hand ejector frames
1906 Daniel B. Wesson dies on Aug 4th at age 81; Walter H. Wesson is named president1908 .44 Special cartridge introduced in the first N frame: .44 HE
1915 Joe H. Wesson named president
1917 * U.S. Enters WWI
1918 19 U.S. Army takes over management of plant for WWI production
1920 Harold Wesson named president
1922 Revolvers are now stamped “MADE IN USA”
1924 The company makes small water motors.
1925 Officers: Harold Wesson President, D.B. Wesson is Vice President, F.H. Wesson is treasurer, George Chapin is Clerk
1929 William Gunn Joins S&W as a floorsweeper
1935 .357 Magnum cartridge introduced in first .357 Magnum handgun: "The Registered Magnum"
1941 * Pearl Harbor Bombed & the U.S. Enters WWII
1946 C.R. Hellstrom is named president, 1st non family member as president
1949 Move to new plant on Roosevelt Ave.
1950 First J frame in .38 Special: The Chiefs Special
1951 First alloy J & K frames developed1952 First alloy frame Airweights shipped to US Air Force
1955 Model 39 introduced: first American 9mm DA End 5 screw hand ejectors; begin 4 screw hand ejectors, Introduction of the .44 Magnum
1957 Model numbers introduced for all handguns.
1961 End 4 screw hand ejectors; begin 3 screw hand ejectors
1963 Carl Hellstrom dies unexpectiantly (April 6) William Gunn is named as president
1964 .41 Magnum introduced
1965 The Wesson family sells S&W to Bangor Punta/ Alegre Sugar Corp. First stainless steel handgun introduced:The Model 60
1971 Model 59: the first wonder nine
1973 James Oberg is named president -A net income of $8.3 Million is realized.
1979 First stainless steel 44 Magnum Model 629 Introduced
1980 L frame revolvers introduced with 3 letter serial prefix. (AAA0001)
1982 Second generation semi-auto DAs introduced Pinned barrel eliminated on hand ejector Revolvers Counterbored cylinder eliminated on magnum hand ejectors
1984 Lear Siegler purchases Bangor Punta thereby acquiring S&W on Feb 24th.
1986 Forestmann and Little Holding Co. Purchases Lear Siegler and sells S&W to Tompkins Corp.
1987 Tomkins PLC. of London purchases S&W reportly for $113 Million
1988 Stephen Melvin is named president Jan 1 1988. Third generation semi-auto DAs introduced
1990 .40 S&W cartridge introduced in Model 4006
1992 Ed Schultz is named president1994 Sigma series of polymer frame semi-autos introduced
1995 Seven Shot .357 Magnum introduced Don Hinmon President in absence of Ed Schultz
1996 Ten Shot .22 Long Rifle revolvers Models 17 & 617 introduced .357 Magnum introduced on a stainless "J" frame, all J frames redesigned (J Magnums) 1st Female sales manager in S&W History- Laurel Young .380 Caliber Introduced in Sigma Series
1997 8 Shot all alloy .22 handgun introduced (Airlite) 5 Shot L frame .44 Special introduced Sept- Start shipments of handguns w/ Master trigger locks
1998 357 Sig caliber Pistol introduced Jan-New design of K,L,N, frames begins-Complete by Sept
1999 Revolvers in J Magnum frame size with titanium cylinders introduced , SW99 Walther/ S&W introduced Many Models dropped from production
2000 Blue carbon steel revolvers dropped (except 2) from regular production line Schofield Model 2000 introduced March- Ed Shultz & the Clinton Administration reach agreements on trigger locks and other Gun Safety issues. Introduction of alloy/ scandium/ titanium .357 Magnum J frame Revolvers at SHOT Show S&W names George C. Colclough as President in October
2001 Smith & Wesson purchased by Saf-T-Hammer Corp. of Phoenix, AZ – Bob Scott Named President in May
2002 S&W trades on the Stock Exchange for approx. $.75 & Internal lock system is introduced
2003 Roy Cuny named President Introduction of .17 Hornady Caliber & The S&W .500 Magnum at SHOT Show.
2004 Mike Golden Named President of Smith & Wesson Holding
2005 45,000 Model 500's are shipped by July, S&W holds 1st “Club 1852" Model 460 Introduced at SHOT Show Model M&P Polymer Autoloader introduced
2006 Model 15 M&P Rifle introduced Stock Price hits over $6.25 S&W Holding Co. purchases Thompson Center Arms
2007 Shotguns & i-Bolt Rifles introduced Stock Price Hits over $21.00
2011 Z frame introduced in the Governor Revolver.
2013 M&P10 Rifle introduced2016 Smith & Wesson Holding Co. changed to American Outdoor Products
2017 Matt Buckingham -President of S&W Firearms
2019 Lane A. Tobiassen -President Firearms division
2021 Gross income hits $1 Billion
2021 S&W relocates HQ to Maryville TN. Nov. 5,
2021 Groundbreaking M&P 12 Shotgun introduced
2022 Mark Smith named CEO of S&W Brands
2023 S&W Announces operations at its new facility in Maryville TN . Oct 7,
2023 The SD9 2.0 pistol is first product with “Maryville TN” S&W introduces Aluminum frame pistols.
2024 1854 Rifle introduced as a Commemorative to the lever action Volcanic Pistol