Smith & Wesson

Smith & Wesson's official logo

Smith & Wesson Brands .Inc, or more commonly referred to as Smith & Wesson (abbreviated to S&W) is an American firearm manufacturer.

History

S&W was originally formed in 1852 by Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson in Norwich, Connecticut. The company originally started with developing the Volcanic rifle, subsequently having their company renamed Volcanic Repeating Arms and purchased by Oliver Winchester (the founder of Winchester Repeating Arms Company, which the VRA would later be reorganized as in 1866). Wesson stayed with the company long after Smith left it, eventually producing the company's first revolver after Samuel Colt (the founder of Colt)'s patent on the revolver was set to expire. Wesson eventually left Winchester and re=partnered with Smith to form the Smith & Wesson Revolver Company (which would later become the modern S&W). Together, the two began producing a long line of revolvers (which later became in popular demand during the American Civil War). They initially made small caliber revolvers, but began making larger caliber ones after the war ended, some of which would go on to be the first revolvers issued by various military and law enforcement agencies and continue to do so long after.

On Criminal Minds

Many S&W guns (primarily revolvers) have been featured on the show (as well as its spin-offs).

Smith & Wesson guns featured on the show

• Smith & Wesson Model 66
• Smith & Wesson Model 29
• Smith & Wesson Model 10
• Smith & Wesson 5906
• Smith & Wesson Model 28
• Smith & Wesson Model 13
• Smith & Wesson Model 36
• Smith & Wesson Model 67
• Smith & Wesson Model 442 Airweight
• Smith & Wesson Model 65
• Smith & Wesson 4506
• Smith & Wesson 629 Performance Center
• Smith & Wesson Model 19 Snub Nose
• Smith & Wesson Model 64 Snub Nose
• Smith & Wesson Model 60
• Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380
• Smith & Wesson Model 27

Real-World Criminals

The following real-world criminals used S&W guns in their crimes.

• Lee Harvey Oswald - Model 10 "Victory"
• Charles Whitman - Model 19
• Raymond Lee Stewart - Model 60 Chief's Special
• Bernhard Goetz - Model 38
• Richard Farley - .357 revolver and 9mm pistol
• John Ausonius - Unspecified model revolver
• Thomas Hamilton - Model 19
• Israel Keyes - .40 caliber pistol
• James Holmes - M&P Sport
• Evan Spencer Ebel - 9mm pistol
• Stephen Paddock - Model 342

Gallery

Smith & Wesson Model 66

Smith & Wesson Model 29

Smith & Wesson Model 10

S&W Military & Police.

S&W 10

S&W Model 10 HB (Heavy Barrel)

Smith & Wesson 5906

Three 5906s.

5946 variant.

A 5946 inside of a padded case.

A 5946 employed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

A 5906 with the slide retracted.

Smith & Wesson Model 28

An original S&W Highway Patrolman.

Smith & Wesson Model 13

Smith & Wesson Model 36

A Chief's Special, the original name of the S&W 36 which is continued to be produced as a separate variant.

Airweight 37 variant.

36-6 variant.

Model 36 Gold variant.

Texas Hold'em variant.

Smith & Wesson Model 67

Smith & Wesson Model 442 Airweight

Smith & Wesson Model 65

S&W 65

A case full of prop weapons used on Criminal Minds, including a S&W 65 revolver.

A shot of it in a BTS image.

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Smith & Wesson 4506

Early model 4506.

4506-1

Smith & Wesson 629 Performance Center

A 629 without a compensator

With a compensator

A 629 with wooded grips

A 629 with wooded grips and a compensator

Smith & Wesson Model 19 Snub Nose

S&W 19 Snub Nose

Smith & Wesson Model 64 Snub Nose

Smith & Wesson Model 60

Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380

An example of the Bodyguard's size.

Smith & Wesson Model 27

Smith & Wesson Model 38

Israel Keyes committing a robbery with a .40 S&W pistol.

A S&W M&P15

S&W Stealth Hunter

Model 19

A J-Frame S&W revolver

An M1911 pistol made by Smith & Wesson.

Ditto.

Sources

• Wikipedia's article