Indeed my good man.
I think this isn’t well known yet, but the action of the TC Icon was designed with tactical rifles in mind, and the TC “Warlord” tactical rifles just came out this year. I made a post about it on another forum, with some links.
I know. I should have said “that I could find in their current lineup” 
Wow. Now THAT is cool!
I currently do not have a precision bolt action repeater (having sold off my Highpower bolt gun), but this one could find its way into the locker.
“Giving them away” is subject to some definition, but not altogether inaccurate. S&W reps have in fact inked some sweetheart deals. Deals like no-cost trades from older S&W models or competitor product, or buys at substantially lower than regular LEA pricing.
If you’re a more iconic customer/good posterchild, if you can offer a foothold to S&W in competitor country, if you’re a longstanding S&W agency considering a switch to GI or others, or if you’re an agency that can influence satellites around you, there’s a deal to be made. Not necessarily free, but certainly better than most would know.
Deliver big, and the troops can get good buys on their off-duty compacts, too.
All this, from mouths at S&W.
Trades with little to no cash involved also help limit issues that might otherwise arise with purchasing/procurement, competitive selection, and public information.
Nothing unique to S&W, but perhaps a little more important there than elsewhere.
As you said, there is nothing unusual or unique here. Beretta did it while I worked there. SIG did it while I worked there. Glock does it all the time.
“Giving them away” is what Glock did with NYSP. That’s a huge difference.