Shield EZ

[chris in va]

My sister bought one of these, so I had to rent one to see what all the fuss is.

S&W really went all out to make this gun user friendly as possible. I'm used to my CZ's and a new P365, so this thing felt and fired like someone took a tenderizer to a ribeye. I was shocked how...ez...everything is to operate. Slide, takedown lever force, magazine follower, massive thumb safety, crazy. Everything people gripe about operating a semiauto has been addressed. Aside from perhaps a tip-up gun, this is the answer for those that need simplicity of a revolver...but don't want a wheelgun.

The trigger was a pleasure too, much crisper than my Sig. Didn't expect that. What also surprised me is how much bigger it is, almost on par with my P01, just without 15 rounds on board. My P365 is a full inch shorter in slide and grip length.

This thing is accurate! My sis was chewing out the center at 15 yards, I believe it.

Now a question, are these rated for +p or no? I realize the recoil spring is really light, but 380 needs all the help it can get.

[gc70]

The EZ is not rated for +P (Owners Manual, page 11).

[USNRet93]

but 380 needs all the help it can get.

Look at this..great carry ammo(altho the EZ is pretty big)...

Lehigh/Underwood/Blackhills

Tested better than some 9mm JHP..

[AmmunitionDepot]

These are very user friendly guns!

[sigarms228]

I tried one after they first came out at LGS factory shoot and I thought it was an excellent pistol for its purpose, a fine shooter with very little recoil and no need to look further for a pistol for someone with problems with weak hands as long as the grip safety is not a problem for them. I was able to rack the slide no problem on the 380 EZ by gripping it just with my thumb and pinky finger as a test. Good job Smith and Wesson. There may be a day when many if not most of us will really appreciate such a design.

[kmw1954]

We bought one for the wife and I to use because it is so user friendly and with proper hand loads very light recoil. Our thinking was that because of the size of the piston, ease of shooting and inexpensive to reload for that it would make a great training gun. This would enable us to work on our trigger reflex and target/sight accusation w/o beating ourselves up. It's working. Both of us have improved our accuracy.

[TBM900]

Welcome to the club!

As I mentioned before I really hate to admit that S&W knocked it out of the park with the EZ. I had a few really bad experiences with some of their products starting in the early 2K's and kept getting bit, I swore off any and all of their new stuff. At an invitational event I got the chance to try an EZ and about fell over, ordered a pair before we left for home.

Im still beating the hell out of them but its looking like they will fall into my carry rotation. Ive already begun using them as training guns for new shooters, and quite a number of friends that have tried them quickly bought their own.

No need to mess with +P or expensive HP's that will only limit penetration (most important) if they even open at all, just run brand name ball and call it a day.

[blchandl2]

I was reluctant to try one after the POS SW9VE I had but I am impressed.

[chrisintexas]

What are the brand name ball ammo you say are good sd in this?

[Sharkbite]

The trigger was a pleasure too, much crisper than my Sig.

Welcome to the world of single action triggers, just nothing else can compare.

[TBM900]

Originally Posted by chrisintexas

What are the brand name ball ammo you say are good sd in this?

In 380 I prefer PPU, then Remington.
The only way to get full, reliable penetration.

[sigarms228]

Luckygunner did an extensive SD ammo test including .380.

Based on their results I would probably use 90 Grain FTX - Hornady Critical Defense if I used a .380 for self defense but it is expensive.

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/sel...llistic-tests/

[TBM900]

Originally Posted by sigarms228

Luckygunner did an extensive SD ammo test including .380.

Based on their results I would probably use 90 Grain FTX - Hornady Critical Defense if I used a .380 for self defense but it is expensive.

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/sel...llistic-tests/

I'm an avid hunter, done so for half a century, with an affinity for handgun hunting.....the FTX doesn't penetrate enough.

Expansion in common duty handgun calibers is largely irrelevant, penetration trumps it by far. Through clever marketing, gel 'tests', inner-nets arguing, and lots of emotion, the ammunition manufacturers have figured out how to get people to shell out big money for ammunition in pretty boxes.

Based on my own experience I want ammunition that penetrates 16" or better in gel, regardless of expansion. I didn't come to this conclusion by shooting blocks of jello and then measuring 'temporary stretch cavity' or 'radial tearing' or whatever other jibberish one often hears on YouBoob. Rather I've found what performs the best in the field, on actual living creatures (with a healthy dose of career experience), then I looked back at those same rounds in jello 'tests' to see what they had in common. The most effective rounds all hit the 'sweet 16' as I call it, everything else is generally fluff.

In a lightweight and relatively slow bullet, you want maximum penetration.

"Oh but the FBI, gun magazines, and YouBoobers say over-penetration is bad because I might shoot through the ninja-assassin attacking me if I don't use the $2 cartridge and hit a little innocent orphan"

No... you are more likely to simply miss the ninja and drill the orphan
ESPECIALLY if you can't afford to practice.

One needs to practice..... A LOT!
And at about $16 per EZ magazine, most can't afford to properly practice with something like FTX.

My personal rules have never let me down (but gimmicky bullets have)

Practice
Placement
Penetration

All else is simply hot air

[chrisintexas]

ppu is hard to find. I wonder if the trigger is too light for sd purpose?

[TBM900]

Originally Posted by chrisintexas

ppu is hard to find. I wonder if the trigger is too light for sd purpose?

All the PPU you could ever want......

https://ammoseek.com/ammo/380-auto/Prvi%20Partizan

Any quality major manufacture should be GTG, PPU and Rem are simply my go-to's.

The trigger is not 'too light', its simply a nice SA which tend to feel much better.

[USNRet93]

Yeegads..$25 shipping!!
Eagle Rock America..since they all use the same services(UPS or FedEx)..why are some $25 and some $11?...

[ChiefTJS]

Let me start by saying I love this little gun! BUT-it is having teething pains with the crazy loaded round stovepipe issue where a loaded round (usually last) stands straight up in the ejection port. I think it's magazine related and it'll get figured out and fixed but at this time I can't recommend the 380EZ for defense purposes. Being a beta tester is a crap shoot and this gun has so much going for it that I made the leap and am paying the price. Still love it though and it'll be well proven by the time I need its features.

[TunnelRat]

Originally Posted by ChiefTJS

Let me start by saying I love this little gun! BUT-it is having teething pains with the crazy loaded round stovepipe issue where a loaded round (usually last) stands straight up in the ejection port. I think it's magazine related and it'll get figured out and fixed but at this time I can't recommend the 380EZ for defense purposes. Being a beta tester is a crap shoot and this gun has so much going for it that I made the leap and am paying the price. Still love it though and it'll be well proven by the time I need its features.

Did you call S&W?

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[603Country]

Never had a malfunction with ours. It’s the first semi that the wife can operate, and she can shoot pretty darn well.

[Siggy-06]

I keep going back and forth about ordering one. I have a LCP and Pico, so I do have some .380 ammo to shoot. Maybe for s&w's next rebate...

[USNRet93]

Just bought a new Glock 42 off GunBroker for way low $..just a suggestion..Great shooter, smaller than Shield but great for this 'recoil sensitive' shooter.

[DPris]

The one here runs fine.
Get with S&W if yours doesn't.
Denis

[TBM900]

Originally Posted by ChiefTJS

Let me start by saying I love this little gun! BUT-it is having teething pains with the crazy loaded round stovepipe issue where a loaded round (usually last) stands straight up in the ejection port. I think it's magazine related and it'll get figured out and fixed but at this time I can't recommend the 380EZ for defense purposes. Being a beta tester is a crap shoot and this gun has so much going for it that I made the leap and am paying the price. Still love it though and it'll be well proven by the time I need its features.

Both magazines do that or just one?
Have you tried different loads?
Checked your grip?
Call S&W?

Ive got a pair and have had zero failures with either after about 2k rounds through each with multiple shooters and experience levels.

[TBM900]

Originally Posted by USNRet93

Look at this..great carry ammo(altho the EZ is pretty big)...

Lehigh/Underwood/Blackhills

Tested better than some 9mm JHP..

While I haven't tried the 380, I have used 9mm and 38/357 on hogs as well as to put down some livestock. The results weren't much different than conventional ammunition including FMJ, Ive put it into the $2 per round gimmick category. It makes for neato slow-motion jello footage, but applies none of that to actual living critters.

[TunnelRat]

When people refer to ballistic gel as Jello and then expect to have their opinions taken seriously, I'm left scratching my head.

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