Company Story
1852 - Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson founded the company in Norwich, Connecticut.
1856 - The company was renamed Volcanic Repeating Arms Company.
1860 - The company was renamed Smith & Wesson.
1869 - Smith & Wesson developed the first cartridge revolver, the Model 3.
1899 - The company was incorporated as Smith & Wesson.
1945 - Smith & Wesson began producing revolvers for the military during World War II.
1952 - The company went public with an initial public offering (IPO).
1964 - Bangor-Punta, a conglomerate, acquired Smith & Wesson.
1984 - The company was acquired by Lear Siegler Holdings Corporation.
1987 - The company was acquired by Tomkins plc.
2002 - The company changed its name to Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation.
2010 - The company acquired Universal Safety Response.
2020 - The company changed its name to Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc.