When it comes to engineering, Americans can engineer among the best of them. Feats like the Golden-Gate Bridge in San Francisco, NASA’s Chandra orbital X-ray observatory or the Hoover-Dam. There is one piece of engineering genius that the yanks should be proud of and those are the products of one of the oldest firearm manufacturing companies in the world, Smith & Wesson. Undoubtedly, there are probably no gun owner in the world that hasn’t heard of Smith & Wesson.
Smith & Wesson has a history that stretches back to pre-Civil-War America. The company was founded by 2 business partners, Horace Smith and Daniel B Wesson in Norwich, Connecticut in 1852. Smith & Wesson rifles became a popular choice for both the union and confederate sides during the American Civil-War and soldiers would often make private purchases not for fighting but simply for self-defence. Due to the ever-increasing popularity of their firearms, in 1860, Smith & Wesson expanded their operations and also started designing new cartridges. In 1870, Smith & Wesson started producing heavier calibre firearms and the famous cowboy six-shooter was born.
Today, Smith & Wesson is still a popular choice for the military, police and gun enthusiasts all over the world. Of all their firearms, the .44 Special is still a popular choice. Also known as the ‘bulldog’ or the ‘snubnose’, the .44 special is the perfect firearm in regards to stopping power and ease of concealment. With an exposed 63.5 mm barrel and an exposed hammer, the .44 Special is perfect for single action or double action fire and, like all Smith & Wesson firearms, a breeze to clean and maintain. Firearms like Smith & Wesson, Colt, Remington and Springfield have simple designs but the simplicity of their designs is what makes these firearms the pinnacle of American engineering efficiency.
 |
