NEW: S&W M&P Shield .380 EZ

[Redcoat3340]

New to me at least entry by Smith and Wesson. A Shield-sized M&P in .380 which is advertising as having a very, very easy to rack slide and a grip safety ala 1911s.

Opinion on S&W Board is it's aimed at those with limited hand strength who have trouble racking a regular centerfire slide (women and oldsters).

Wondering if anyone's actually seen/handled one.

Looks interesting and seems to be anticipating aging gun users and targeting women who want a SD weapon. (I mentioned this on another thread but I thought I'd call it out to those who aren't reading the other one.)

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

I like the idea of the grip safety and manual safety. Different.

 

[tranders]

I like the idea of a 380 that isn't tiny. I had the Bodyguard 380 and it was difficult for me to shoot and almost impossible for my wife.

 

[MAKster]

I like the idea of the grip safety and manual safety. Different.

Based on the videos available it seems the grip safety blocks the trigger from moving and it also needs to be squeezed to disengage the firing pin block. Does anyone know exactly what functions the thumb safety performs. Does it lock the hammer and sear? All the manual says is that you can rack the slide with the thumb safety engaged.

 

[zaitcev]

I like the idea of the grip safety and manual safety. Different.

Actually... S&W used to sell a gun that 1) fired the same cartridge, 2) had the same magazine capacity, 3) was otherwise the same size - until 2013. How soon we forget.

As far as the grip safety, please take a look at this (also the same size and offers 8+1 rounds of .380 ACP):



So the 380 EZ seems to me more of "exactly the same" than "different". About the only thing that's different about the Smith's latest gun is the hammer being shrouded.

What S&W really brought to the table is a much lower price, which I welcome very much, because I expect them to maintain a basic standard of quality at least.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

Yeah, okay. You’re right. This isn’t the only one of these large-frame .380’s ever made. But hardly “more of the same”. They aren’t all that common these days.

I’m not familiar with all S&W products. But i do know that I would certainly give this one to an aging parent who needed it.

I’m not convinced they’d be able to handle the weight of a 1911-style pistol and would be concerned that most smaller-sized .380’s out there would be too lively to handle well.

This gun sounds like the jitterbug phone of the gun world. That’s not a bad thing—it certainly has a place for many folks, I think.

 

[Robbins290]

Actually... S&W used to sell a gun that 1) fired the same cartridge, 2) had the same magazine capacity, 3) was otherwise the same size - until 2013. How soon we forget.

As far as the grip safety, please take a look at this (also the same size and offers 8+1 rounds of .380 ACP):

View attachment 778807

So the 380 EZ seems to me more of "exactly the same" than "different". About the only thing that's different about the Smith's latest gun is the hammer being shrouded.

What S&W really brought to the table is a much lower price, which I welcome very much, because I expect them to maintain a basic standard of quality at least.

Which model is that? i might have missed it?

 

[Hasaf]

Which model is that? i might have missed it?

I would suspect that he means the PK380, mine is stamped "Smith & Wesson." I made the following comment in the other M&P shield thread:

It looks like S&W lost the PK380 and developed their own product to fill that segment. This indicates that the full size 380 segment is probably selling quite well.

 

[Robbins290]

Ya, i forgot about that one. I think the Walther part keeps throwing me off.

 

[kokapelli]

Actually... S&W used to sell a gun that 1) fired the same cartridge, 2) had the same magazine capacity, 3) was otherwise the same size - until 2013. How soon we forget.

As far as the grip safety, please take a look at this (also the same size and offers 8+1 rounds of .380 ACP):

View attachment 778807

So the 380 EZ seems to me more of "exactly the same" than "different". About the only thing that's different about the Smith's latest gun is the hammer being shrouded.

What S&W really brought to the table is a much lower price, which I welcome very much, because I expect them to maintain a basic standard of quality at least.

I am one of those older people that can no longer rack the the slide on most guns. I have gone to mostly 380 Guns that have relatively easy to rack slides and of those the Browning 380 1911 is my favorite. It looks like a standard sized 1911 but actually is 20% smaller and much lighter.

 

[zaitcev]

I am one of those older people that can no longer rack the the slide on most guns.

Exactly... In addition, the 1911-380 has an exposed hammer, that one may pre-cock to make the racking easier. The 380 EZ has a shrouded hammer, but it offers easy to grip slide protrusions, so it can be grabbed like the bolt on Ruger Mk.something.

 

[MAKster]

Not sure why this is so confusing to some. The Walther PK380 is manufactured by Walther in Germany. S&W acted as Walther's US importer for many years. Every imported firearm is required to include the name of the importer. The Browning 1911-380 has nothing to do with S&W.