What is Smith & Wesson M&P?
[[File:S&W M&P .40 left side.JPG|thumb|right|250px|{{Center|Smith & Wesson M&P 2005 in [[.40 S&W]] caliber}}]] '''Smith & Wesson M&P''' ('''M'''ilitary and '''P'''olice) is a [[series]] of [[handgun]]s named after the [[wikt:famous|famous]] [[20th century]] [[Smith & Wesson]] service [[revolver]]s.<ref name=Supica391>Jim Supica; Richard Nahas, ''Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson'' (Iola, WI: Gun Digest Books, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc., 2016), p. 391</ref> They are designed mainly for [[military]], [[police]] and [[Personal defense weapon|personal defense]] use.<ref name=Supica391/> They are offered in [[caliber]]s including: [[.22 Long Rifle|.22 LR]], [[.380 ACP]], [[9×19mm Parabellum]], [[.357 Magnum]] and [[.45 ACP]].<ref name=milfact>{{cite web |url=http://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.asp?smallarms_id=824 |title=Smith & Wesson M&P (Military and Police) Semi-Automatic Pistol (2005) |publisher=MilitaryFactory.com |access-date=January 14, 2017}}</ref> == History == In 1852, gunsmiths [[Horace Smith (inventor)|Horace Smith]] and [[Daniel B. Wesson]] formed the partnership Smith & Wesson.<ref name=histS&W>{{cite web |url=https://www.smith-wesson.com/company/history |title=History of Smith & Wesson |publisher=Smith & Wesson |access-date=January 14, 2017}}</ref> After having financial troubles, in 1854 they sold the company to a [[shirt]] [[manufacturer]] named [[Oliver Winchester]].<ref name=histS&W/> In 1866, Winchester renamed the company [[Winchester Repeating Arms Company]]. That same year Smith and Wesson formed the second company called Smith & Wesson, which is still in operation.<ref name=histS&W/> [[File:M&Prevolver.jpg |thumb|left|150px|{{Center|Early Smith & Wession M&P Victory model revolver}}]] In 1899, the company produced their now-famous Military & Police pistol.<ref name=ScarlataST>{{cite web |url=http://www.shootingtimes.com/handguns/handgun_reviews_mp_080806/ |title=Smith & Wesson M&P: A Semiautomatic Pistol Worthy Of Its Name |author=Paul Scarlata |date=January 3, 2011 |website=S