GRACE, Idaho, Sep 15, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Heritage Safe Company, a licensee of Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (AMEX:SWB), parent company of the legendary 151 year-old handgun maker, Smith & Wesson Corp., announced today that its Smith & Wesson safe sales are on track to exceed its 2003 sales goal by 25 percent.

Heritage Safe Company, who contracted with Smith & Wesson in November, 2002 to design, manufacture and distribute several artisan-quality safes for firearms, attributes its success to the line's quality craftsmanship, extensive installation education program for dealers and its unparalleled product warranty.

"The Smith & Wesson line has been well received by our dealers and their customers," said Susan Conroy, director of marketing for Heritage Safe Company. "Our quality is unmatched and we make owning a Smith & Wesson safe a great experience by helping our dealers successfully deliver and install our products with ease for the customer."

"Heritage Safe Company and Smith & Wesson combine the best of two great companies by offering superb quality products with the all important service and care that is personalized by these two organizations," said Ed Pennington, owner of Ohio Valley Trading & Exchange, an authorized Heritage Safe dealer in Athens, Ohio. "The outstanding security, fire rating and appearance of the new Smith & Wesson safes have proven to be a major hit with our customers."

Headquartered in Grace, Idaho, Heritage Safe Company represents excellence in vault manufacturing and craftsmanship with its line of high-quality, hand-crafted security safes. The Company also offers a product warranty that is unparalleled in the industry and includes:

    --  Lifetime coverage for forced attack, forced entry, fire,
        flood, tornado, hurricane, earthquake

    --  5-year lock and paint coverage

    --  The only extended warranty in the business, including lifetime
        lock and paint protection

    --  Free return freight for repair or replacement

Every Smith & Wesson safe is produced to the highest security standards, using only American-made materials. Each highly stylized safe is custom-made to meet the needs and preferences of every customer including:

    --  Minimum 60-minute, up to 90-minute fire protection

    --  Up to 22 active lock bolts that extend a full 2 inches --
        twice as far as most brands

    --  Solid steel door

    --  Concealed internal hinges to disguise the direction of opening
        and deter attack

    --  Automotive-grade high-gloss paint and finish

Additionally, Smith & Wesson selected Heritage Safe Company as its licensee for these products due to its established dealer relationships and track record for outstanding customer satisfaction. Heritage Safe Company offers each of its authorized dealers extensive before- and after-sale support by taking an active role in the safe installation process, educating dealers on the product attributes and ultimately ensuring the best value safe on the market.

"At Heritage Safe we want every consumer to have the peace of mind of knowing their valuables and firearms are protected from theft and unauthorized use," said R. Troy Nielsen, president of Heritage Safe Company. "We custom manufacture every safe with this level of security in mind and are pleased to be part of the Smith & Wesson line of personal safety and home security products."

The Smith & Wesson line of safes are sold at most sporting goods and specialty firearm retailers across the country. For more product information, or to become a Smith & Wesson safe dealer, log on to www.heritagesafe.com.

Smith & Wesson is a registered trademark of Smith & Wesson Corp. Smith & Wesson and Heritage Safe Company are independently owned and operated. Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation and its affiliated companies do not endorse or assume any liability for the acts or omissions of Heritage Safe Company.

About Heritage Safe

Founded in 1993 by Ron Neilsen and Troy Neilsen, Heritage Safe Company is headquartered in Grace, Idaho, and has led a deliberate and focused journey to become one of the largest residential safe manufacturers in the industry. Heritage Safe Company is committed to promoting safe and responsible gun ownership and offers a number of distinct safes to fit every consumer need. After recently teaming up with the 151-year-old handgun maker, Smith & Wesson, Heritage Safe Company created the Smith & Wesson safe line with distinctive styling. Heritage Safe Company offers a number of larger in-home safes that feature state-of-the-art bolts, solid steel doors, internal hinges, U.L. listed locks and much more. For more information on Heritage Safe Company, visit the company's Web site at: http://www.heritagesafe.com.

About Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation is the parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., one of the world's leading producers of quality handguns, law enforcement products and firearm safety and security products. Law enforcement personnel, military personnel, target shooters, hunters, collectors and firearms enthusiasts throughout the world have used the Company's products with confidence for more than 151 years. Smith & Wesson Corp. also manufacturers and markets Smith & Wesson branded handcuffs and other products utilizing its metal working expertise. For more information, visit http://www.smithandwesson.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements in this press release about the company's future expectations, including the development of licensing and branding opportunities, and all other statements in this release, other than historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27 A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21 E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. It is important to note that actual results and ultimate corporate actions could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements based on such factors as softening consumer demand based on national or political events or based on consumers' personal satisfaction or desire for our products for a variety of reasons (style, quality, etc.); or the inability to leverage the name Smith & Wesson in the licensing categories selected by management to pursue; or a perceived or actual decline in the quality of products produced among other factors. Such "forward-looking statements" are subject to risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended April 30, 2002 and Forms 10-QSB for the quarters ending July 31, 2002, October 31, 2002 and January 31, 2003.

SOURCE: Smith & Wesson

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SOURCE: Smith & Wesson