West Virginia State Police and Wyoming Highway Patrol Upgrade to New Smith & Wesson® Pistols

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Aug. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SWHC), parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary 159-year old company in the global business of safety, security, protection and sport, announced today that the West Virginia State Police and the Wyoming Highway Patrol recently chose to upgrade their current department-issued side arms with new pistols from Smith & Wesson. The West Virginia State Police selected the Smith & Wesson Model 4566 TSW pistol and has received 750 pistols chambered in .45 ACP. The Wyoming Highway Patrol selected the Smith & Wesson M&P40 pistol and is currently in the process of transitioning its officers over to the new duty firearm.

West Virginia State Police

After evaluating competitive firearms, officials within the West Virginia State Police Department chose to continue using the Smith & Wesson 3rd Generation Model 4566 TSW metal frame pistols. The new firearms ordered by the department feature two new enhancements over the previously issued side arms. As requested by the department, the new pistols feature a Picatinny-style equipment rail for optional accessories and a Melonite® finish for increased durability. With the deployment of the new pistol, Department officers are currently using Smith & Wesson products for both their pistol and their patrol rifle duty firearms.

The West Virginia State Police issued the following statement regarding the new firearms:

"The West Virginia State Police Department has selected the Smith & Wesson 4566 TSW pistols in addition to the recent procurement of the Smith and Wesson M&P15 patrol rifles. Smith & Wesson's Law Enforcement support team has been exceptional in the understanding and insight provided for the selection of these weapons for the West Virginia State Troopers. The West Virginia State Police expects to maintain this professional relationship with Smith & Wesson to ensure that its troopers are adequately equipped to help ensure the safety of the public and the law enforcement officers themselves."

Wyoming Highway Patrol

The Wyoming Highway Patrol has received 237 M&P40 pistols that replace currently issued, firearms supplied by a European manufacturer. Officials at the Wyoming Highway Patrol indicated that they selected the .40 S&W polymer-frame pistol because of its enhanced ergonomics, accuracy and the ability to customize the firearms to each individual officer's preference.

James Debney, President of Firearms for Smith & Wesson, said, "We are pleased to continue our longstanding relationship with the men and women of the West Virginia State Police and we are pleased to begin a new relationship with the officers at the Wyoming Highway Patrol. Together, we have concentrated our efforts on supplying these first responders with the high-quality, professional products on which law enforcement officials have come to rely from Smith & Wesson. Our M&P40 and 4566 TSW pistols, along with our M&P15 tactical rifles, were engineered to meet the exact specifications of each department and all three models adhere to the strict qualifications we place on every Smith & Wesson firearm in terms of quality, durability and accuracy."

About Smith & Wesson

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SWHC) is a U.S.-based, global provider of products and services for safety, security, protection, and sport. The company delivers a broad portfolio of firearms and related training to the military, law enforcement, and sports markets, and designs and constructs facility perimeter security solutions for military and commercial applications. Smith & Wesson companies include Smith & Wesson Corp., the globally recognized manufacturer of quality firearms; Universal Safety Response, Inc., a full-service perimeter security integrator, barrier manufacturer, and installer; and Thompson/Center Arms Company, Inc., a premier designer and manufacturer of premium hunting firearms. Smith & Wesson facilities are located in Massachusetts, Maine, and Tennessee. For more information on Smith & Wesson and its companies, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com; www.usrgrab.com; or www.tcarms.com.

Industry Contact: Matt Rice
Blue Heron Communications
(800) 654-3766
[email protected]

Liz Sharp, VP Investor Relations
Smith & Wesson Holding Corp.
(480) 949-9700 x. 115
[email protected]

SOURCE Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation