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S&W M&P 380 Shield EZ


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Looks like S&W have added to the Shield family.

 

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms#/?series=179

 

Not sure I'm a fan of the grip safety on it. Available with or without thumb safety

 

OVERVIEW

 

Built for personal protection and every-day carry, the M&P380 Shield EZ is chambered in 380 Auto and is designed to be easy to use, featuring an easy-to-rack slide , easy-to-load magazine, and easy-to-clean design. Built for personal and home protection, the innovative M&P380 Shield EZ pistol is the latest addition to the M&P M2.0 family and provides an easy-to-use protection option for both first-time shooters and experienced handgunners alike.

 

Other Features

Easy to rack slide.

Crisp, light trigger with tactile and audible trigger reset.

Includes (2) Easy to Load 8-Round M&P380 Shield magazines.

Grip safety - grip pistol to fire.

Windage adjustable, white dot rear sight (tool included).

Can disassemble without pulling trigger.

Grip texture optimized to size and recoil.

Tactile loaded chamber indicator (TLCI) - can see and feel if there is

a round in the chamber.

Available with or without ambidextrous, manual thumb safety.

Picatinny-style equipment rail for lights or lasers.

Perfect size for nightstand or carry, or a day at the range.

Reversible magazine release.

Thin and lightweight - can be comfortably carried all day.

Optimal 18-degree grip angle for natural point of aim.

Armornite® durable corrosion resistant finish

 

SPECIFICATIONS

 

SKU: 11663

Model: M&P® 380 SHIELD EZ Manual Thumb Safety

Caliber: .380 Auto

Capacity: 8+1

Barrel Length: 3.675" / 9.3 cm

Overall Length: 6.7"

Front Sight: White Dot

Rear Sight: Adjustable White Dot

Action: Internal Hammer Fired

Grip: Polymer

Weight: 18.5 oz / 524.5g

Barrel Material: Stainless Steel - Armornite® Finish

Slide Material: Stainless Steel - Armornite® Finish

Frame Material: Polymer

Purpose: Concealed Carry, Home Protection, Personal Protection

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I'm not a huge fan of .380 but if it helps better arm someone with strength issues who might otherwise go without, call me a fan.

 

My (new to me) Sig 938 is the bomb. Easy to rack, and easy to pull sao trigger. So far, even on my bad days, I can rack the slide on this one. Admittedly, I use the rear sight to get a grip on it, but you do what you must.

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I'm not a huge fan of .380 but if it helps better arm someone with strength issues who might otherwise go without, call me a fan.

 

My (new to me) Sig 938 is the bomb. Easy to rack, and easy to pull sao trigger. So far, even on my bad days, I can rack the slide on this one. Admittedly, I use the rear sight to get a grip on it, but you do what you must.

Also was never a big fan of .380 but what you have is better than what you do not and I believe the round performance is better than what it was. It often also seemed to be more harsh recoil wise than other 9's but perhaps due to the smaller packages they keep trying to achieve.

 

Regular sized Shield didnt fit me quite right so if this is slightly smaller...but Im still not digging the grip safety for some reason.

 

Note internal hammer and not striker. Actually looks larger and not a smaller version than regular Shield

 

Initial reviews

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/2/5/smith-wesson-introduces-mp380-shield-ez-pistol/

 

http://www.gunsandammo.com/first-look/first-look-easy-to-rack-sw-mp-380-shield/

 

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2018/02/06/shield-ez/

 

Does it have a place?

http://www.recoilweb.com/sws-new-mp380-shield-ez-does-it-have-a-place-134749.html

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I am sure it is a soft shooter, but nothing to make me want to ditch my G42 as it looks big. That grip safety makes Springfield's look like fine art!

Lol I was thinking the same thing. They must of taken some pointers from Springfield’s engineers and figured out a way to make it even less aesthetic. Easy rack slide is a good feature, but there are a lot of other options in that category. Low capacity considering the size compared to an LCP.

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Regular sized Shield didnt fit me quite right so if this is slightly smaller...but Im still not digging the grip safety for some reason.
This is actually bigger than the original shield in every dimension.

 

 

Apparently they didn't get the memo that women prefer smaller guns due to their smaller frame and tighter clothes. I predict this is a flop , I think a 6+1 striker fired .380 with an easy rack to slide would be a winner. You know, kind of like an LCP.

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Regular sized Shield didnt fit me quite right so if this is slightly smaller...but Im still not digging the grip safety for some reason.
This is actually bigger than the original shield in every dimension.

 

 

Apparently they didn't get the memo that women prefer smaller guns due to their smaller frame and tighter clothes. I predict this is a flop , I think a 6+1 striker fired .380 with an easy rack to slide would be a winner. You know, kind of like an LCP.

 

Want a .380 with an easy slide pull? Try a Sig P290RS Striker fire..... My wife is one of those ladies who doesn't have the upper body strength to rack any gun but this one takes the cake. I recommend it to our female students looking for something easy to rack.

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The Guns & Ammo article linked above does a good job of explaining why the S&W engineers did what they did. It seems every design decision was made with ease of racking and operation in mind.

In five years or so I imagine my arthritis will be bad enough that I'll be in the market for something like this. It's 2.5 oz lighter than the old Beretta 86, which was the previous champion for easy racking (because you didn't need to). I'm not a fan of the Walther PK380 (mainly the safety) and the Browning .380 is ridiculously overpriced. (and who even knows if it will be around in five years?)

 

Smaller guns like the G42 are too snappy for some people, so I think this Shield will do well in its self-appointed niche. Julie Golob did a nice Facebook Live presentation about the Shield 380 EZ on Wednesday that made me want to order one. She is very persuasive.

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The Guns & Ammo article linked above does a good job of explaining why the S&W engineers did what they did. It seems every design decision was made with ease of racking and operation in mind.

 

In five years or so I imagine my arthritis will be bad enough that I'll be in the market for something like this. It's 2.5 oz lighter than the old Beretta 86, which was the previous champion for easy racking (because you didn't need to). I'm not a fan of the Walther PK380 (mainly the safety) and the Browning .380 is ridiculously overpriced. (and who even knows if it will be around in five years?)

 

Smaller guns like the G42 are too snappy for some people, so I think this Shield will do well in its self-appointed niche. Julie Golob did a nice Facebook Live presentation about the Shield 380 EZ on Wednesday that made me want to order one. She is very persuasive.

That Walther safety is a steaming pile of garbage. I've never seen that before, it's slide mounted like a Beretta 92, but it leaves the hammer ccked and allows the trigger to drop it with a trigger pull? Whoever designed that needs to be loaded into a cannon and shot to the moon.

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I've spent years looking for a center fire gun that the wife can handle and maybe this will finally be it.

 

She has bad arthritis and cannot handle a stiff slide, much recoil or heavy weight. The only guns she's been able to handle so far are all .22 rimfire and they aren't reliable enough for me to trust them.

 

I will definitely be take a hands-on look at this gun.

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I’m eager for this gun to come out. I’m in no ways their target demographic, but I love the concept and considering how much I love the feel of the full-sized M&P’s, I’d love to get my hands on a single stack, compact M&P. I might carry it, but I’d probably really enjoy it at the range even more. The idea of a hammer-fired gun in such a small package is also incredibly appealing, like a lighter Beretta 84 or 85, and the grip safety instead of a manual safety is also super nice as well. It’ll also force shooters to get a nice, high grip on the gun.

 

I’m definitely on board, and I’ll be eager to try out all of the aftermarket parts.

 

Oh, and it’s MUCH better looking than the regular Shield.

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  • 2 weeks later...

full review at link

 

http://www.recoilweb.com/initial-grandmas-gun-range-report-mp380-shield-ez-134921.html

 

..."Initial Grandma’s Gun Range Report: M&P380 Shield EZ

 

We first laid hands on the new M&P380 Shield EZ by Smith and Wesson in late December of 2017. Everything about this gun was designed to live up to the name, from the lightweight caliber, to the slide specifically designed to be easily grasped, to the load assists on the magazines.

 

Something that initially struck us as odd was the actual size of it; larger than a 9mm M&P Shield or Glock 43, and almost exactly that of the old Bersa Thunder 380.

 

Instead of basing the Shield EZ on the current crop of the popular striker-fired Shields, by all appearances it’s a hammer-fired M&P22 Compact that’s been converted to .380 and had some extra safeties added. If you want to get into all of the specifications of this gun, see this piece here.

 

If you look through the reviews and writings thus far about this new .380 offering from Smith and Wesson, a common mantra has been, “this gun isn’t for us.” What they mean to say is that this is a pistol for someone unwilling or unable to use something like a Glock 43. This could be due to inexperience, lack of interest, the muscle degradation that comes with age, or perhaps a disorder such as fibromyalgia.

 

We also suspect this is the reason for the N+1 safety features on the firearm–while we doubt anyone at S&W would ever advocate just throwing a gun into a purse sans holster, they probably knew that’s what would happen with a heap of these pistols. Even odds there won’t be a round chambered either. This is Grandma’s Gun."...

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  • 1 month later...

Consumer Advisory

 

https://www.smith-wesson.com/mp-380-shield-ez-consumer-advisory

 

Like any firearm, the function of the M&P 380 Shield EZ Manual Thumb Safety pistol can be influenced by the type and quality of ammunition used with the pistol. In the case of the M&P 380 Shield EZ Manual Thumb Safety, we have found that in very rare circumstances, ammunition that produces a high level of felt recoil can cause the manual safety to move from the fire to the safety on position during firing. Should this occur, you will not be able to fire the next round unless and until the manual safety is reset to the fire position.

 

At Smith & Wesson, we are committed to designing and producing firearms that meet the highest quality and performance standards. To ensure that every Smith & Wesson handgun meets our standards for reliability and performance, as of April 4, 2018, we have engineered the manual safety so that it will be less susceptible to the influence of ammunition weight, velocity and loads.

 

Any M&P 380 Shield EZ Manual Thumb Safety pistol produced before April 4, is eligible for a no-cost upgrade. To determine if this consumer advisory applies to your pistol, please utilize our serial number verification tool on our consumer advisory page.

 

https://www.smith-wesson.com/mp-shield-380-ez-consumer-advisory-serial-number-lookup

 

If your pistol is subject to this advisory, please call Smith & Wesson at 1-800-331-0852 or email us at MP380EZAdvisory@Smith-Wesson.com. A FedEx return label and shipping instructions to facilitate the return of your M&P 380 Shield EZ pistol will be mailed to you promptly. If you have any questions, you may call 1-800-331-0852 for more information.

 

WARNING: READ AND FOLLOW THE WARNINGS IN YOUR OWNERS MANUAL. NEVER USE PLUS-P (+P), PLUS-P-PLUS (+P+); OR RELOADED AMMUNITION WITH THE M&P 380 EZ. ALWAYS USE FACTORY MANUFACTURED AMMUNITION PRODUCED TO SAAMI SPECIFICATIONS.

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Is there +P or +P+ .380?

Magtech, Underwood, CorBon, and Buffalo Bore make +P loads in 380acp. I don't know of any +P+ 380acp rounds.

 

FWIW, the Beretta Pico is designed to handle +P 380acp rounds. I've seen a review or two where the reviewer removed one of the recoil springs (the Pico has two) to make it cycle correctly with regular P loads.

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My wife bought one. She is a small person, and has trouble racking the slides on many semi-autos. She loves the thing, and has no trouble racking the slide. It is exactly the same size as the .22 Compact S&W makes.

 

The grip safety is not an issue, at least not with either of us.

 

I'm quite a bit larger than my wife, and I can rack the slide with two fingers, that's how easy it moves. Plus, they have protrusions near the rear sight that make it easy to grab the slide.

 

I'll bet it'll be a huge seller for S&W.

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My wife bought one. She is a small person, and has trouble racking the slides on many semi-autos. She loves the thing, and has no trouble racking the slide. It is exactly the same size as the .22 Compact S&W makes.

 

The grip safety is not an issue, at least not with either of us.

 

I'm quite a bit larger than my wife, and I can rack the slide with two fingers, that's how easy it moves. Plus, they have protrusions near the rear sight that make it easy to grab the slide.

 

I'll bet it'll be a huge seller for S&W.

 

Thanks...from the specs page you can't tell its the same as the 22C. Holster page at Desantis lists both with same model number which confused me as they said it was molded for the gun.

 

I know it is subjective, but how is recoil? A few 380s Ive shot actually can seem snappier than some 9.

 

While not a .380 fan (nor a grip safety on this one), I am interested in seeing an EZ in person but haven't found any LGS with one yet.

 

Wonder if they are just making the safety stiffer? It was unsaid but sounds like the events may have been with the +P ammo.

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  • 3 months later...

Now that the 380 EZ has been out for a while, I was wondering if any more people had experience with it and feedback?

 

Arthritis and other hand challenges have me giving consideration for something new that is easier to rack and less perceived recoil. Being the same size as the 22C is also nice since the 22C I looked at felt good in the hand.

 

I know what I need to do is find a range where I can do a rental.

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My 76 year old father loves his. Very soft recoil and easy to manipulate. Even the mags have an easy to load lever. All in all a great design.

 

My wife (multiple sclerosis) won't shoot my 9mm, but likes the MP EZ. So much so that she bought one this afternoon.

 

Shoot Point Blank had them with and without the thumb safety. On sale this weekend.

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Thanks. Not 76 YO yet but nerve, muscle, and strength hand issues with arthritis and other things that arent going to get much better have me more seriously considering 9mm alternatives but not the mouse pocket guns.

 

Point Blank (Naperville) had none last time I was there

 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

edit: shoot! $340 is pretty good price. Ive seen them online for around $310-330 but then there is transfer fee. Others have listed them for close to retail $390. ..and free 5 shot test fire of SW firearms in rental case. Need to open my PointBlank emails more often.

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For others who may be interested, the August issue of Gun Tests compared the Shield EZ with 2 other .380s, an SA 911 and a PPK/S. They gave the S&W 380 Shield EZ a solid A rating.

LOL, they tested a PPK/S designed in the late 1930's and a derivative of the Colt Mustang designed circa 1980's based on the 1911? Doesn't seem fair at all. Or are gun manufacturers really this short on ideas.

 

Why hasn't anyone done a modern take on the H&K P7?

Easy to rack? Check

Grip to **** is out front, more reliable, more safe

No more additional active safeties needed

9mm in a 380 sized package

 

It seems like the S&W EZ (with the grip safety) and the junkie Walther CCP (with the gas delayed blowback) are trying to be like the HK P7 but come up short.

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