SMITH & WESSON SAFETY REFORM DEAL New York Gun Control Conflict

Smith & Wesson Agrees to Key Safety Reforms

Smith & Wesson Agrees to Key Safety Reforms

Under mounting pressure from municipalities across the U.S., the Massachusetts gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson agreed to a number of key safety reforms (Daor, 2000). This agreement was believed to be a move by the gun maker to head off lawsuits by states and cities. This turned out to be the case when New York's Attorney General Elliot Spitzer filed suit against the gun manufacturers Glock, Sturm-Ruger, Colt, Beretta, Taurus, Bryco, and Intratec for violation of the state's anti-nuisance law (New York Attorney General Press Office, 2000). This essay will examine the deal reached between Smith & Wesson and why the New York Attorney General (AG) declined to sue this company.

The New York AG's Allegations

The lawsuit filed in a NY court by AG Spitzer had three broad goals: (1) to eliminate gun models that fuel criminal enterprises, (2) stop distribution to dealers who violate the law, and (3) create a self-monitoring system intended to prevent distribution of guns to bad dealers and criminals (New York Attorney General Press Office, 2000). The safety changes that Smith & Wesson agreed to included incorporating trigger locks on all handguns, increasing the size of gun grips to make it harder for children to handle, increasing the tension on triggers to prevent children from being able to...

These safety and distribution changes fulfilled the reforms AG Spitzer was seeking and he therefore dropped Smith & Wesson from the lawsuit against gun manufacturers. A number of other cities and states across the country mirrored Spitzer's response.
Negotiations

The entire revenue generated each year by gun makers is only around $1.5 billion dollars, so lawsuits from 30 government plaintiffs seeking monetary damages could easily wipe out the industry if successful (Dao, 2000). When faced with the magnitude of the potential liability claims, the gun manufacturer Colt decided to stop manufacturing guns for the retail market. However, Smith & Wesson was responsible for supplying close to 20% of the handgun market and could not walk away without causing significant damage to their bottom line. In the end, Smith & Wesson decided to side with states and municipalities seeking to childproof handguns and curb the illegal trade in guns.

The agreement was viewed by some as a new path towards greater restrictions on guns, representing an end-run around congressional gun control gridlock (Dao, 2000). Spearheaded by the Clinton administration and Andrew Cuomo, then secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, implementation of the reforms…