Video—ARTV: Inside the Smith & Wesson Performance Center

by
posted on August 20, 2018
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Smith & Wesson opened its Performance Center in 1989 in order to create custom race guns, eventually expanding to a variety of guns ranging from hunting rifles to carry guns. What makes S&W Performance Center firearms unique is that although many of the firearms might contain special features that are typically found only in "one off" custom guns, the manufacturer produces them in large enough quantities to keep them affordable and available to everyone. Many Performance Center guns—like the Ported M&P Shield—originate from standard designs and are then customized and tuned for precision, while others are created from the ground up to include hand cutting and fitting. Overall, Smith & Wesson prides itself not only on its products but also its employees, with some of its workers being the third generation of their family to work for the company. Check out this segment from a recent episode of American Rifleman TV to learn more about Smith & Wesson's Performance Center.











Additional Reading:
NRA Gun Gear of the Week: Smith & Wesson Performance Center Ported M&P9L with Red Dot Sight
NRA Gun of the Week: Smith & Wesson Performance Center Ported M&P9 Shield


Latest

NRA Supports Hunters For The Hungry Programs
NRA Supports Hunters For The Hungry Programs

NRA Supports Hunters For The Hungry Programs

In 2025, Hunters for the Hungry programs across the United States will have extra support from the National Rifle Association, thanks to NRA Foundation donors.

Preview: Hornady Security RAPiD Safe Night Guard

The latest security product to leverage the company’s RAPiD Safe touch-free radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, Hornady Security’s Night Guard is a ruggedly built handgun safe sized perfectly...

Hecho en México: The Mendoza RM22 Rifles

Mendoza Firearms claims that its RM22 rimfire rifle is the first indigenously produced rifle to be exported to the United States.

Preview: MGE 1911 Grips

Mammoth Grip Exchange is a small startup company that specializes in crafting replacement stock sets for M1911-pattern pistols in a dizzying assortment of exotic materials...

Gun Of The Week: Mossberg 990 Aftershock

For this Gun Of The Week episode, American Rifleman staffers hit the range with the Mossberg 990 Aftershock, a non-NFA, shotshell-firing firearm that provides plenty of power in a compact package.

The Armed Citizen® Nov. 14, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.