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 thePorted 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 segmentfrom a recent episode ofAmerican Rifleman TV to learn more about Smith & Wesson's Performance Center.
Despite the wide acceptance of the .40 Smith & Wesson defensive handgun cartridge in its early years, the round has since faded from armories around the U.S. and replaced by an older, smaller-caliber cartridge.
Zastava USA announced it would be expanding its lineup to include an M72 "RPK" model. Now, in 2025, that model has finally arrived and is shipping to dealers.
A 12-ga. shotgun can be a devastatingly potent defensive platform, but even the tactical models often aren’t configured terribly well for installing accessories.
Available as a TALO distributor exclusive, the Glock 49 Gen5 blends the the longer G17 slide with the comfortably compact frame of the G19, and it also includes Glock's MOS optics-mounting system.