Smith & Wesson Acquires Battenfeld Technologies

In a $130.5 million deal, Smith & Wesson Holdings is acquiring shooting accessory company Battenfeld Technologies according to a press release issued this morning. This move will give S&W a huge foot in the accessory market, an area that they have not strongly pursued in the past.

Missouri-based Battenfeld Technologies owns a number of popular brands including:

• Caldwell
• Tipton
• Wheeler Engineering
• Frankford Arsenal
• Bog-Pod
• Golden Rod
• Lockdown
• Non-Typical Wildlife Accessories

These companies cover a wide range of firearms accessories including gunsmithing, reloading, cleaning, storage and more.

But, what does this mean for Smith & Wesson…

I’ve used a number of products from these companies, and have generally found them to be good products at reasonable prices. For example, the Caldwell E-MAX line of electronic ear protection offers what I think is one of the best values in the industry. I own several pair of these, and they make introducing new people to shooting so much more enjoyable.

Smith & Wesson’s acquisition can be a huge advantage for the gun maker, as they now have instant access to a broader piece of the shooting market. Not only do they now have engineers and R&D teams to develop new things, they also have the infrastructure to get them to market.

Additionally, Smith & Wesson will likely be able to utilize existing Battenfeld Technology agreements with retailers like Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shops and Gander Mountain. This may also help S&W with product placement in Amazon and MidwayUSA, companies that Battenfield already enjoys a relationship with.

S&W will also take control of multiple patents that are currently held by Battenfeld. Popular products like the Caldwell Lead Sled and Wheeler FAT Wrench are currently protected by patents. The patents will allow S&W to develop additional products using those technologies, and to license the right of use to other companies for an additional revenue stream.

The deal is expected to be completed by the end of December 2014. With the timing being very close to the SHOT Show, I would not expect to see any major differences in the company displays in January. However, that will likely change significantly by the time the 2016 show rolls around.

December 2015 Update

Smith & Wesson announced the acquisition has been completed. Subject to adjustments, the deal was for $130.5 million. We will see if anything is obviously different at the SHOT Show in January, but I expect the real changes will be more obvious at the 2016 SHOT Show.