s&w shield ez 9mm

[Balrog]

My advice: if you can't get the EZ grip safety to work reliably for you, please don't blame this on the gun.

Simpler is better when it comes to operating a pistol for self defense. I want to have to correctly do as few things as possible. I also like a pistol that can operate normally even if the gun is gripped in less than ideal position. All autos are going to be dependent on grip of course, but some more than others.

 

[halfmoonclip]

Since the grip safety operates the firing pin safety, holding it down with a grip sleeve seems a bad idea. Conceptually, it seems a lot like the Swartz grip safety.
The Centennial has a long double action trigger, and a rebounding hammer for drop safety.
For the OP, consider one of the somewhat larger 365 varieties, like the 365X. It isn't a sharp kicker, even if 9mm (if you avoid +P), and the .380 iteration should be really easy. The SIGs have really great gripping grooves on the slide, which is half the battle in racking the slide. I find the 365 easier to rack than a G42, due to the grooves.
Moon