Extensions to Military & Police(TM) Series, Pro Series, Night Guard(TM)
Revolvers, New Classics Models and Thompson/Center Arms Hunting Firearms
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Smith & Wesson
Holding Corporation (Nasdaq: SWHC), parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp.,
the legendary 157-year old company in the global business of safety, security,
protection and sport, announced today that it unveiled several new models and
extensions to its Smith & Wesson and Thompson/Center Arms firearms brands at
the 2009 Shooting Hunting & Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show held in Orlando,
Florida, last week. The new product lineup featured extensions to the
Company's popular Military & Police (M&P) Polymer Pistol and Rifle Series, as
well as new pistol and revolver models in the Pro Series, Night Guard Series
and Classics lines. In addition, Thompson/Center Arms also unveiled three new
hunting rifle product platforms, as well as a number of product extensions to
the ICON(R) family of bolt-action rifles.
Sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the four-day SHOT
Show is the largest trade show of its kind in the world. Featuring 1,800
exhibiting companies encompassing more than 715,000 square feet of space, the
31st annual SHOT Show attracted more than 48,000 industry professionals
representing all 50 states and numerous foreign countries. Among the firearms
launched at the trade show event were:
Smith & Wesson
-- M&P Pistol Series - Compact and full-size M&P pistols, in all
calibers, are now available with an optional frame-mounted
ambidextrous thumb safety.
-- M&P15 Rifle Series - Three new AR-15 style rifles were introduced,
including a fully automatic rifle for military and law enforcement
agencies and models with a piston impingement operating system. Smith
& Wesson also launched a dedicated .22LR platform (M&P15-22) that
provides sport enthusiasts with a popular rifle design chambered in
the more economical ammunition.
-- Night Guard Series - Two new mid-size revolvers were added to this
line, which is designed for personal concealed carry and home
protection.
-- Pro Series - Three new pistols were added to the series, capitalizing
on the success of John Moses Browning's popular 1911 design, including
a 3" compact model suitable for concealed carry.
-- Classic Series - Five new retro-revolvers were launched, all based on
past models from Smith & Wesson's 157 year-old history.
Thompson/Center Arms
-- ICON bolt-action rifle - New long action calibers with a corrosion
resistant Weather Shield finish were introduced.
-- Triumph Bone Collector Series - This new series is comprised of new
muzzleloaders designed in collaboration with Professional Hunter
Michael Waddell.
-- ICON Precision Hunter - This brand new bolt-action rifle has been
engineered for long-range hunting applications.
-- T/C(R) Venture - This mid-range, new market entry is an economical
bolt-action rifle with match grade barrel that carries the
Thompson/Center Arms quality with an economical price tag and is
capable of shooting 3 shots within 1" of accuracy at 100 yards.
"As the premier trade convention in our industry, SHOT Show has always
served as an important venue to unveil a variety of new products and
services," said Michael Golden, Smith & Wesson's President and Chief Executive
Officer. "This year, we expanded our very popular M&P Pistol and Rifle Series
with several new introductions designed to answer the needs of both law
enforcement professionals and recreational shooters. During the show, we also
unveiled three new hunting rifle product platforms, and a number of ICON
bolt-action product extensions under the Thompson/Center Arms brand, each
designed to address a specific market segment, and each to perform as a
frontrunner in both accuracy and innovation. The T/C Venture product line is
particularly exciting and very timely, because it extends the high-quality,
Thompson/Center Arms brand into a more affordable segment of the large,
bolt-action market."
Smith & Wesson was named "Company of the Year" during a special ceremony
hosted by SHOT Business. SHOT Business recognized Smith & Wesson for the
Company's numerous contributions and overall dedication to the shooting sports
industry. Smith & Wesson's Elite Gold(TM) Shotgun also received the coveted
Best of the Best award from Field & Stream magazine. The Best of the Best
awards were announced earlier this year and Field & Stream presented the
actual awards during SHOT Show in order to recognize the recipients among
their peers. In addition, the Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center was also
recognized by the NSSF for its participation and active leadership in the
First Shots program. The First Shots program was designed to help introduce
and educate first time shooters to the sport of handgun and long gun shooting.
About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation, a global leader in safety, security,
protection and sport, is parent company to Smith & Wesson Corp., one of the
world's largest manufacturers of quality firearms and firearm safety/security
products and parent company to Thompson/Center Arms Company, Inc., a premier
designer and manufacturer of premium hunting rifles, black powder rifles,
interchangeable firearms systems and accessories under the Thompson/Center
brand. Smith & Wesson licenses shooter protection, knives, apparel, and other
accessory lines. Smith & Wesson is based in Springfield, Massachusetts with
manufacturing facilities in Springfield, Houlton, Maine, and Rochester, New
Hampshire. The Smith & Wesson Academy is America's longest running firearms
training facility for law enforcement, military and security professionals.
For more information on Smith & Wesson, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to
www.smith-wesson.com. For more information on Thompson/Center Arms, log on to
www.tcarms.com.
Contacts:
Liz Sharp, VP Investor Relations
Smith & Wesson Holding Corp.
(480) 949-9700 x. 115
lsharp@smith-wesson.com
Industry Contact: Gary Giudice
Blue Heron Communications
(800) 654-3766
gary@blueheroncomm.com
SOURCE Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation
Web Site: http://www.smith-wesson.com
http://www.tcarms.com
