10 minute read
GREAT LEAP FORWARD
share the same overall design elements and shooterdriven ergonomics.”
Ever have a customer lose a spring or detent? UTG PRO lower receivers feature a captured buffer detent and a rear takedown pin housing.
“Threaded steel pins replace the typical use of roll pins throughout the uppers and lowers, easing installation for first-time and even well-versed builders,” Ding says. “Common parts compatibility was a key must-have. Outside of the originally designed parts for the true ambidextrous lower, the majority of standard drop-in and aftermarket handguards, lower parts kits, bolt carrier groups, and fire control groups are compatible with the new UTG PRO receiver.”
When Leapers began work on this project ergonomic considerations were top of mind. “A shortened and flared mag well allows for compatibility with most, if not all, magazines and drums,” Ding says. “Its aggressive inner flaring speeds up magazine insertions, and ambidextrous trigger finger swells in line with the outer ledge of the mag well provide a deliberate trigger finger index for users with large hands. Ambidextrous ledges milled into the middle of the receiver provide trigger-finger indexing for medium-sized hands, and cutouts in the trigger guard provide the same for smaller hands.”
The billet receivers are precision CNC-machined from industry-standard 7075-T6 aluminum and finished in Type III Class II matte black hard-coat anodizing. The design of the receiver removes excess materials without hindering reliability while providing a modern aesthetic look unique to the UTG PRO. Overall receiver geometry reduces snag points and hot spots.
“Adding to the already exacting standards in quality control and tight tolerances, a lower to upper receiver tensioning screw comes standard,” says Ding. “It is important to note that both UTG PRO lowers remain fully compatible with most uppers in the marketplace, but obviously may not match up from an aesthetic standpoint.”
A tapered rear flattop upper provides shooters with a better purchase on charging handles with or without gloves and is particularly useful if the user has to “mortar” their rifle to clear a severe stoppage malfunction. The flattop also is machined with an additional Picatinny, a welcome bit of additional real estate.
Stand-alone receivers are available in three versions: UTG PRO Stripped Ambi Lower, UTG PRO Stripped Standard Lower, and UTG PRO Stripped Upper. Receiver sets are available in two options: UTG PRO Stripped Ambi Set and UTG PRO Stripped Standard Set. Booth #72305
Leapers UTG is also broadening its product mix to include a brand new line of AR billet upper and lower receivers.
(leapers.com)
DID YOU KNOW
Your attendance at the SHOT Show® directly supports the mission of NSSF® – your industry’s trade association. Its strengths and successes on behalf of the industry are fueled by you and your business.
NSSF.ORG/MEMBERSHIP
BALANCING ACT
The ability to multi-task is a key attribute for a successful company executive. Just ask Mark Smith, CEO of Smith & Wesson.
by Slaton L. White
Life at the top isn’t easy. Company CEOs need a skill set that includes the ability to keep a lot of balls in the air at the same time. And, if the
company is publicly owned, as is the case with Smith & Wesson, those balls include investors, the SEC and other government regulators, along with of course, shareholders, Wall Street analysts, dealers, and customers.
Mark Smith, president and CEO of Smith & Wesson, knows this well. A busy man, he is currently overseeing the company’s move to Tennessee as well as the rollout of the new products that are so vital to the company’s ongoing financial health.
THE MOVE
Smith & Wesson has a long history with Springfield, Massachusetts, and it’s been a mainstay of the region’s economy since 1852. But last year, S&W announced it was leaving Springfield for Maryville, Tennessee. It’s part of an ongoing exodus by firearm manufacturers away from states with anti-gun legislatures or business environments that inhibit growth.
When the company announced the move in late 2021, it said it intended to move its headquarters and significant elements of its operations to Maryville, just south of Knoxville. At the time Smith said, “This has been an extremely difficult and emotional decision for us, but after an exhaustive and thorough analysis, for the continued health and strength of our iconic company, we feel that we have been left with no other alternative.”
He specifically cited proposed legislation in Massachusetts that, if enacted, would prohibit the company from manufacturing certain firearms in the state. “These bills would prevent Smith & Wesson from manufacturing firearms that are legal in almost every state in America and that are safely used by tens of millions of law-abiding citizens every day exercising their Constitutional Second Amendment rights, protecting themselves and their families, and enjoying the shooting sports.”
Because the products in question make up more than half of Smith & Wesson’s profits, the company felt it had no alternative but to relocate to a more firearm-friendly state. Smith indicated that the company vetted a number of locations, and then made the decision to relocate 750 jobs and its headquarters to Maryville. Key factors in the decision included support for the Second Amendment, a business-friendly environment, quality of life for S&W employees, cost of living and affordability, access to higher-education institutions, availability of qualified labor for its operations and headquarter functions, and favorable location for efficiency of distribution.
As part of this strategic move, the facility in Springfield will be reconfigured, but will remain operational. Forging, machining, metal finishing, and assembly of revolvers will be done there. The new facility that is being built in Maryville will contain the company’s headquarters, plastic-injection molding, pistol and longgun assembly, and distribution.
Ground broke last year, and Smith recently told SHOT Daily, “The move to Tennessee is in full swing. We’re working tirelessly to ensure that we continue to service our customers as we prepare to move to Maryville. Construction of the building is progressing well. At this point, we have walls raised around the plant, and structural steel for the office space is now going up. Parallel to construction, we’ve started a remote office in downtown Maryville that houses over 60 employees.”
THE EQUALIZER
It’s no secret that new products are the lifeblood of the industry, and Smith is pleased with the recent launch of the Equalizer, a new microcompact 9mm.
“We’re excited about the introduction of the Smith & Wesson Equalizer. We saw the traction around our Shield EZ product and heard the consumers asking for certain features that weren’t available in the original version. We took the opportunity to listen to our consumers and came up with a more broad-based option that fits nicely between the Shield Plus and Shield EZ offerings we already had in the market.”
Smith believes consumers will eagerly embrace this new arrival. “The Smith & Wesson Equalizer is truly an all-purpose pistol,” he says. “We’ve included features like an optic-ready slide, under-mounted rail, and a 15-round magazine to accommodate those who would use it for home defense. You can also size down the entire gun and run it with a 10-round flushfit magazine for an ideal concealed carry footprint. Compatibility with Shield Plus magazines and using the same holsters that were available for the 9mm Shield EZ ensured that there was an abundance of aftermarket support already available for consumers looking to buy right away at launch. For those who needed the easier-racking slide, we’ve introduced our next-gen EZ technology to the Equalizer, resulting in a much-easier racking slide. And for those who have issues loading the magazine, we’ve included a Maglula loader to overcome that hurdle.”
DEFENDING THE SECOND AMENDMENT
If all this isn’t enough on his plate, last summer Smith had to deal with the U.S. Congress, specifically a hearing by the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Reform Committee, the sole purpose of which was to vilify the industry. He was unable to attend in person due to a scheduling conflict, but he delivered a robust defense of the industry in a forceful statement that was posted on the company’s Twitter account: “Some have had the audacity to suggest that after they have vilified, undermined and defunded law enforcement for years, supported prosecutors who refuse to hold criminals accountable for their actions, overseen the decay of our country’s mental health infrastructure, and generally promoted a culture of lawlessness, Smith & Wesson and
For those who need an easierracking slide, S&W has introduced its next-gen EZ technology to the Equalizer, resulting in a much easier slide rack.
other firearm manufacturers are somehow responsible for the crime wave that has predictably resulted from these destructive policies. But they are the ones to blame for the surge in violence and lawlessness, and they seek to avoid any responsibility for the crisis of violence they have created by attempting to shift the blame to Smith & Wesson, other firearm manufacturers and law-abiding gun owners.
“We will continue to work alongside law enforcement, community leaders and lawmakers who are genuinely interested in creating safe neighborhoods. We will engage those who genuinely seek productive discussions, not a means of scoring political points. We will continue informing law-abiding citizens that they have a Constitutionally-protected right to defend themselves and their families. We will never back down in our defense of the Second Amendment.”
The statement eloquently sums up another vital quality required by an effective CEO: leadership. Booth #14743
(smith-wesson.com)
NEWPRODUCTS
by slaton l. white
1 3
2
4
1 KICK’S INDUSTRIES HIGH FLYER SHOTGUN CHOKE TUBES
Designed specifically for the waterfowl hunter, High Flyer extended and angle-ported chokes can handle both steel shot or non-toxic loads. Manufactured from 17-4PH stainless steel with a black finish, the chokes are offered in four sizes: Improved Cylinder, Modified, Full, and XFull. The conical parallel design improves the pattern, and the diagonal ports reduce felt recoil and muzzle jump for faster, more accurate follow-up shots.
Kick’s chokes are both externally marked and laser marked for quick identification and do not require a wrench for installation or removal. Available in 10, 12, and 20 gauge and .410 bore, sizes that fit virtually any factory shotgun on the market today. SRP: $67-70. Booth #12277
(kicks-ind.com)
2 GENERAL INSPECTION GI-6V
GI’s 6V is a high-speed ammunition-inspection system that uses patented, precision laser gauging for unmatched accuracy and repeatability for all profile dimensions. In the same system, an eight-camera multi-view vision system provides 360-degree part coverage for visual defect detection, resulting in complete dimensional and visual inspection. The 6V is flexible, and changeover for different-sized calibers can be completed in a matter of five minutes or less. Booth #52334
(geninsp.com)
Got a multitude of pistols? Get the Multi-Caliber Pistol Cleaning Kit from Otis. It has been designed to tackle a wide range of pistols, including those chambered in .22, 9mm, .40, and .45. This kit includes everything a shooter needs to service and maintain pistols and features solid-brass rod sections. Each kit contains .22, 9mm, .40, and .45 caliber bronze bore brushes, cotton mops, and pierce-point jags with the size marked on the stem; 50 1-inch-square cotton patches and 20 2.5-inch-square cotton patches; .5 fluid-ounce FP-10 Lubricant Elite CLP; and a white nylon all-purpose brush to remove carbon or powder residue. Booth #12254
(otistec.com)
4 GOSAFE MOBILE FIREARM STORAGE
GOSAFE reimagines firearms storage by putting the safe inside the gun rather than the gun inside a safe. Both the Mobile Safe and Mobile Mag fit safely and securely inside the firearm, in the same manner as OEM magazines, accessible only via a unique-to-user key. Once the firearm is locked in GOSAFE mode there is no possibility of an unauthorized user intentionally or accidentally gaining access. The patented technology allows gun owners a mobile security solution to seamlessly go from loaded and ready to locked whenever and wherever they are. Currently compatible with all holster varieties and generations of Glock, GOSAFE will be available for Smith & Wesson M&P and SIG P320 models in 2023. Booth #43862
