U.S., Gun Maker to Work Out Pact

Government officials and Smith & Wesson pledged Thursday to work out differences over “clarifications” the gun maker posted on its Web site concerning its landmark settlement with the Clinton administration.

The clarifications relate to a small portion of the agreement dealing with restrictions on gun show sales.

The company said a requirement that its dealers make background checks and impose other restrictions on sales applies only to the sale of the gun maker’s firearms.

Smith & Wesson also said criminal background checks it agreed to for gun show sales would apply only to firearms sold by licensed dealers and not used guns sold by private citizens.

Government lawyers have declined to say if they disagree with that interpretation, but lawyers for some municipalities have suggested the restrictions were meant to apply to all weapons sold by a dealer.

In a joint statement, the U.S. Treasury Department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Smith & Wesson said “the agreement is in full force.”

Due to the March 17 deal, Smith & Wesson was dropped from many lawsuits that federal, state and local governments had filed against gun makers.

“Clearly, there will be questions that need interpretation as we go along, as this agreement is historic and without precedent,” the statement says. “We will address those questions as they arise.”

It went on to call suggestions the gun maker was reneging in any way “inaccurate and misleading.”

Smith & Wesson’s Web site said the company would abide by other major parts of the agreement. It said Smith & Wesson would still include external safety locks with all handguns, install internal locks within two years and work on developing “smart” technology that limits a gun’s use to its rightful owner.