I get a lot of questions about items we use in video here's a current list of items I get questions about: Badlands Velocity Jacket: amzn.to/2VqCSPq Cross Baseball Cap: amzn.to/32sgEyf Peltor 3M 100 series hearing protection: amzn.to/2ARWwIO Mechanix Gloves: amzn.to/382FSnZ
This video was important to me, my mother became a firearms owner a week before New year's and her choice was SCCY, the actual issue is she is 60yrs old and actually has arthritis, Tim pointed out the main problems she and I discussed not having the strength to chamber a round because the slide is too sturdy and struggling to load more than three cartridges in her magazine. All this news bike my heart and we discussed the EZ for half and hour because I own the original shield in this video because I'm a broke veteran first year truck driver 🥺 but I'm glad to see someone who cares and do a review 🥇(bravo zulu) also the ads for truck vault&red wood were intriguing, and I'm getting that Badlands velocity jacket for my trip to thunder ranch. Great Job MAC, TIM, Mrs. MAC, Little Tim, Coppers Custom🤝
M&P pistols, and their regular Shield single-stack offspring, are striker-fired guns. The EZ actually uses an internal hammer. In a hammer-fired pistol, the act of cocking the hammer provides much of the initial braking force on the slide, and this allows for the use of a much lighter recoil spring.
A great reason for a law suit against the state of Comifornia, as this gun will not be sold there. Sounds like discrimination against handicaps and women to me.
Why wouldn't it be able to be sold in CA? I would assume 10rd mags could be purchased for it.. oh wait, it's a single stack shield isn't it.. now I'm puzzled
yup, that thumb safety was killing me but now that they have the non thumb safety models I freaking love these guns and actually carry them occasionally. They just shoot so well; it's hard to understand unless you've shot one.
I feel sorry for your wife, but I understand her problem my hands are, to be polite stuffed, and I have found issue with many 9's that are like moving a house with your hand.
Seeing the boy shoot this gun and have that good of recoil mitigation really helped in making a decision about this gun.my mother and daughter need one of these.great video as always
Actually MAC, you made the term "dingus" popular. Heard many other channels call it that like it was a normal thing, and when I mention it to other people irl, they know exactly what I'm referring to.
It was Jeff Cooper that originally used the phrase, I think it was in relation to hammer and not being in condition 1 with a 1911, "caught with your dingus down", or something similar (a lot of time has passed).
FINALLY they’ve made an “easy to rack slide” gun....like with many many things, the tech to do it was always there...but the first to do it reaps the big score...way to go S&W!!! 🙏💪🇺🇸💪🙏
@@elsea8901 that was certainly a contributing factor. Walther never has been too popular here in the US with their more modern designs anyway so that didn't help. A do know the gun got some negative publicity after they had to be recalled due to a drop safety issue however they are quite good I hear. I know of a disabled vet that carries it because one of his hands is non-functional.
@@Anonymous8421 with my mother having both the ccp and the 380ez and having the chance to shoot them both back to back. I can without a doubt tell you the ez is easier to manipulate and load.
Great video! As a NRA Certified Pistol Instructor I have been using both for my new students. I start them with the M&P .22 compact and move them up the ranks to .380 EZ, 9mm EZ, then to the 9mm shield. Great teaching tools as well as guns that all can manipulate. My wife has terrible arthritis in her hands, but can load the magazines, rack the slide, and handle the recoil of the .380. Keep up the great videos, I encourage my students to watch them.
My wife switched from the g42 to the ez9 also. She did have trouble racking the slide on the g42 but could do it. She absolutely loves her new ez9. She is willing and ready to go shoot more often now.. her accuracy has greatly improved with it also. She has always been able to shoot pretty good, but the g42 was more of a challenge for her. The is shooting a lot tighter groups with the ez9.. I highly recommend them.
ky gun runner same thing with my mother. We got her the ez380 after her having a walther for a while and now actively asking to go shoot and practice with it
I really like the concept. I may be a 20-something buff dude who's blessed with great health, but there are a lot people who aren't that lucky. People with disabilities, illnesses, or just physically weaker individuals in general may find it difficult to operate a "regular" firearm.
@0000 0000 ??? I think you're overthinking this. My comment wasn't meant to be a statement about the different possibilities that could unfold during a shooting. It was me making fun of his low-key brag.
I really appreciate that you didn't approach the 380 EZ as a "women's gun" and that you emphasized that it's really good for *people* with weaker hands, whatever sex they may be. It's also a really great gun for novice shooters, who won't be used to the heavier slide pull. Great video!
@The_Descendant II I agree. It only took me a couple of shots to get used to the grip safety. It actually makes me focus on having a proper grip on the pistol. My EZ 9mm feels more like my 1911 than any other pistol I've handled, which is part of the reason I bought the EZ.
I love my EZ 9mm without the manual safety. It feels more like the 1911 in my hand than any other pistol, and I love how it shoots. It has replaced my Glock 43X as EDC. Good luck finding one to buy nowadays.
@@rainy8990 I don't doubt it one bit that they'd go like hotcakes. Not only are they good for women and older adults, I just like the way it feels in my hand and the way it shoots. I don't think you can go wrong with Smith and Wesson. I like the trigger much better than my Glock 43X.
Even bodybuilders can have trouble with grip strength after a gym session. And if you can't shoot your self defense gun when you're at your weakest, then how good is it?
My aunt chose the 380 when we we're getting her a carry permit she's a complete novice and didn't have the grip strength to pull a DA revolver trigger (which someone talked her into some years back and it just gathered dust). From my experience shooting it and helping her train, it's definitely a good beginner gun especially for those people only have one gun or only want one gun. It's flexible enough to stretch into multiple roles fairly effectively; small enough to carry, in a decent carry caliber, can be pressed into home defense use, and is pleasant enough to shoot for extended target practice sessions. At the end of the day if you buy a gun you don't enjoy shooting, you're not going to practice, and if you don't practice you'll never gain proficiency. Don't let the guy behind the counter talk you into something you don't actually want; pick a gun you like and can use effectively and will actually train with because training is the most important.
You're always so thorough! The only other person I've seen who's talked about the re-assembly challenges that are non-intuitive, particularly the grip safety. Great stuff as always!
S&W 380 EZ is ideal for new shooters who are apprehensive about shooting a handgun. I frequently have visitors from Mexico and Asia. They tend to be of smaller stature with smaller hands. They’ve never even seen a real handgun, but have seen scores of movies that left them leery of firing a gun. These are so light recoiling and pleasant to shoot. They are also accurate enough for shooters to enjoy good results.
Bought my daughter ez 380 for Christmas . She loved it. I must admit I love shooting it as well!! She had no problems with anything. Loading , shooting it and no problems with grip safety or manual.
My wife preferred the Shield Plus 9mm over the Shield EZ 9mm. She actually wasn’t crazy about the grip safety. She thought there was too many safeties and it didn’t feel great in her hand. However, my buddy of mine, when I took him shooting for the first time, he loved the EZ. He shot all my handguns from Glock, Smith, Ruger, etc. The EZ fit his hand and he shot it well. He liked the safeties as it gave him peace of mind as a first time shooter. My wife had shot several handguns but didn’t carry at the time. I still have my EZ 2.0 in 9mm and do like it. But I do not carry it. I either have the Plus or the 2.0 compact in 9mm and even in 2022/2023, I find myself taking my Shield 2.0 in 40, even with it’s limited round count. But the important thing here is I have more experience shooting and carrying the 40 so I still capable when I have it. Plus it’s thin and light, easy summer carry. The EZ is also thin and light but the size of a Glock 19, so it’s still concealable, but all the safeties under stress is a thought. I do love my 1911s but I do not carry them. However the grip safety and thumb safety on a 1911 is second nature to me. Anyway the EZ is still a good reliable handgun. Hopefully this helped someone 2 years later. You know TH-cam recommending videos and I just thought why not, I already own it but let’s watch.
Very cool pistol(s)... Especially in .380. I'm guilty of sometimes forgetting that not everyone can comfortably manipulate many "standard" handguns, and it's awesome to see a company put so much time and effort into addressing an underserved and somewhat niche market. Well done S&W! Seems like you definitely have a winner on your hands with the EZ series.
When this pistol was 1st released I just rolled my eyes at the marketing, and I have to admit I was 100% wrong. I just picked up a lightly used .380 Shield in order to teach my 12 year old daughter on center fire pistols and I am very impressed with this pistol in just about every way. The only thing I personally do not like it the grip safety, other then that it's extremely comfortable and easy to manipulate and a soft shooter. It's a great choice in either caliber for any type of shooter as far as I am concerned.
My wife has hand strength issues. Finding a semi-auto for her was difficult. She has both EZ’s now. Very happy with them. Two other pistols with easier to rack slides are the CZ P10-C and the Bersa Thunder 380.
I could not rack my husband's CZ p-10c and he got me the 380 ez after our house was broke into and we discovered the only thing I could do with his gun is throw it at someone 😂. I love my EZ though and has been great
convinced me. I just sold my new SCCY 9mm and bought the 380 EZ. I think I will love it. My arthritis hands will really like it I think. I think the 380 will not kick like the 9 did either. I did purchase the newer model with no thumb safety. thanks for a great video.
I have both models of the EZ now and love them both. My wife totes her .380EZ w/ confidence. Now, I'm a full size guy, w/ no physical ailments (yet) but just like these guns! All the factory bells & whistles + Light weight, compact, full grip, safety paddles, mounts a light / laser, etc. I mounted Hi-vis night sights on the .380 (a Big plus!) You can also carry either gun in a OWB, Serpa holster, for a Glock 19. (I glued in a strip of leather, to buffer any movement, and it fits like a glove!). I don't have ANY phobia with the grip safety, since I have hammer hands.
That is so weird me and my mother were just looking at the ez line yesterday. She likes it alot and i have to say i kinda like it myself the action is so much smoother then my p365.
@@Militaryarmschannel update on the mp 380 ez my mother just bought it yesterday and. I noticed out of the box it was having issues with racking a round but i was messing around with it and. I think the issue is that the slide is to light for round to go into battery. So i would lightly tap the back of the slide and it would go home i don't know if anyone else had this issue or not
Because of arthritis in her hands, it was difficult for my wife to operate the slide on her gen 1 Shield. As she does not carry one in the pipe, doing a quick slide operation in an emergency might be problematic. I asked if she’d like to try out the new shield 9 mm easy. We stopped at our local Academy store, she tried it she bought it immediately. She loves it! Now we just need to work with her carrying one in the pipe, but at least she can jack the slide back easily with her new gun. Thank you Smith and Wesson!
My 10yr old wanted one (.380), yep, the gold one, he was told to maintain his A/B Honor Roll Status...lol So it goes without saying, he can put that thing into action in about 5sec., we did some practicing, he can field strip and re-assemble it in about 20sec, I really like the fact the he understands what a "functions check is" in the reassembly process,then again his old man was/is a Master Gunner (25yrs)... And he's pretty accurate. I really like this weapon!
I absolutely love my Shield 2.0. S&W really scored high with these M&P lines. I used to be a Glock only guy because it’s what I used in the police academy and what I carried on duty and was all I ever was exposed to. I’m no longer a police officer so I got my CCW but I hate using a holster to carry concealed. So I attached a Technaclip on my Glock 19 and like to carry in appendix but since the trigger safety isn’t much of a safety at all I had do the no no and carry the gun without a round in the chamber because I didn’t want to blow my nuts off. I don’t like not having my gun charged and instantly ready. So I checked out the Shield because of the thumb safety. Let me tell ya I instantly changed my mind about Glocks. I still love Glocks but this Shield by far out performs them. It shoots so smooth and the sight picture is so much better. I carry it in appendix with the Technaclip without near the concern that I had with my Glock.
3:18 Trigger finger is not the only thing that can fire a gun. For some people (me included), the manual safety is NOT for when my hand is on the gun, controlling it, but rather it's for when the gun is not in my hand (in the holster, safe, anywhere else). It's like the car door locks. I don't lock the doors when I'm in the car (the car may lock them when I start to drive though), but when I leave the car, I lock the doors as I don't like unauthorized access. Manual safety is the same, I don't like unauthorized discharge when my hand is not on the gun. Yes the safety is between my ears but that only works when my hands are controlling the gun. All other times I like to disable the trigger to be sure :)
I bought the EZ 380 for my son and daughter for Xmas, i have a Sig P365 for my edc, i was amazed how easy the 380 was to load, rack and shoot, even people at shooting range were asking what kind of gun it was. I would highly recommend this gun for women and senior citizens.
The best and biggest selling point for this S&W is watching Mac Jr in my opinion, seeing how flat shooting, and how he's able to handle that recoil as well as his old man, oh yeah that's a huge WIN for S&W in my book. Hell I don't have any issues, and wouldn't mind running one of these new EZ pistols.
I have the 9 EZ and really don’t understand some people’s problem with the grip safety. I can’t even tell it’s there. It makes the trigger pull so much better than my older M&P Shield with the dingus trigger. And yes, it’s well broken in. I do not have weak hands or wrists, and Still love the EZ. It is just a great all around single stack
I own EZ380 and EZ9mm. I have peripheral neuropathy and soon these will likely be the only ones I can carry. I am 70 with multiple medical issues as well. These allow me to continue to be able to protect myself and my wife if I can't get to my long guns which I can hand just fine. These pistols will also make it possible for me to get to my long guns esp Semi-auto sporting rifle which is light and easy to handle even with the nerve damage in my hands. I'm an example of who these EZ pistols were designed for no doubt.
Excellent review, thanks for pointing out the internal details. I went to the trouble of ordering a no-thumb-safety EZ off of the internet and having it sent to a local FFL because the locally-sold models all had the thumb safety. Very happy with the EZ.
I've joked that my Shield came with a 5 round and a 6 round mag. I'm old but I'm not weak, yet, I found it all but impossible to fully load the mags without massive effort. No way my wife could even rack it. She doesn't carry, but for a home gun for her this looks ideal.
My fiancé loves the 380 EZ. She’d never held a gun before we got together. I started taking her to the range and she enjoyed it. We rented the 380 EZ a couple of years ago and she liked it enough that I bought her one...and then cerakoted the slide pink for her.
I recently saw another comparison video of 9mm's: Shield 2.0 vs Shield EZ 9. The recoil spring weights were measured using a digital (fishing) scale, but worked fine. Standard shield was 23 lbs. of pull. The EZ 9 was about 13 lbs. Of pull! So 10 pounds +/-, easier to rack and load.
@@spetersen634 I should drag out my Boga Grip, fishing scale (since its world record, certifiably correct) and check both of my guns. Just to satisfy everyone's curiosity & my own! S&W should really advertise that info. If / when I can check it, I'll let you know.
So far out of all the vid's I've watched on the EZ line of pistols there is one thing not mentioned about them. That is these pistols are remakes/upgrades of the Colt 1903/08 model of pistols. Main difference is that the originals were blow-backs an these are locked breech. Plus the new ones have better thumb safeties, sights, an the use of polymer in the frame. I for one love the EZ models, not because I'm 62yrs young, listed by the military as disabled or anything such as this. I like them because they are excellent pistols, an I hope SW comes out with an enlarged version in .45acp. Probably not, but I can dream. So for those on the fence about these two pistol's, hop off an go buy one, or buy both. You'll be glad you did as these are just fantastic pistols for self defense, plinking, an other chores in the shooting world.
I own all 3 models . You are correct the slide on the 9mm shield is very stiff. I have arthritis in my hands and found it hard to load and operate the gun properly. I purchased the 380 model first and was happy with the feel and ease of loading and operation of the gun. Purchased the 9mm version as soon as I could fined one. Very hard to find at the present. The 9mm shield is now my carry gun and I am very happy with it. Full disclosure this makes 4 S&W guns I now own love the brand and want to thank them for making a hand gun that older people women and people who may need a little help can use. Hats off to S&W.
My dad got a 380 after an arm injury. It's a fun gun to shoot and he can operate it without assistance. One gripe is that the last round every once in a while, due to either the light mag spring or the ammo was hot, will go "slug up" and catch between the breech face and the chamber instead of feeding.
Just picked up a 9mm without safety today partially based on your review. I'll clean & lube then shoot in a couple days. Can't wait. Very close, in size, to my CZ P-01 but feels quite a bit lighter. Thanks for your time and honest review.
Great review MAC. My neighbor has the 380 PC version and he needed it. He is nearly 70 and has weak hand strength to rack the slide. I like this new 9m version. Thanks for the great and informative review.
Thank you for such an informative video. I have the S&W EZ .380 with laser, on order. Did not know these were out there until the other day. Grew up with firearms and for the past couple of decades, I have only dealt with revolvers due to having rheumatoid arthritis for the past 25 years. My hands are a hot mess and have had multiple replacement surgeries. But, I can handle the revolvers as long as the trigger has been legally lightened. My conceal carry has been a Ladysmith (rosewood grips) with the drawback of only having 5 rounds and I never did have laser grips put on it. Handled one of these today and was pleasantly surprised at how well I could rack the slide and load the clips.! Now onto more videos for refreshers on handling and cleaning automatics. Lol
Wow Tim!! How fortunate you are enjoying the presence of your mom in your life today. And your family is so sweet. The Boss in heaven for sure loves all of you so much.
She's very elderly but she lives in a very small town and lives a very clean lifestyle. I guess such living is good for a long healthy life. I am truly blessed. He certainly does. God bless, brother.
I have 2 EZ models ... the regular 380 EZ and the Performance Center .380. I am about to order a 9mm EZ with the same sights as the PC 380. They are TruGlo/night sights and I really like them so I will order a 9mm EZ model 13001 which is about $140 more than the base EZ 9mm but much less than the 9mm Performance Center model. Funny how almost everyone mentions them being for the ladies or older people. All you have to do is “shoot” an EZ model and you will be hooked. They do shoot better, in my opinion, than the two Shields I have. Great review!!!
Thank you for the comment on the safety and the fact that stress may cause you to forget the safety is on. I try to tell people about that but some blow it off like I'm joking. Until they are in the moment of the situation then they have no idea what is going to happen or how they'll react. Been in a few situations myself. Each and every one has been different.
My wife bought the Performance Center .380, and she asked if I would like to try it out since I was going shooting. It was a lot of fun to shoot. It’s worth owning as a carry or even as just a range gun.
I work part-time at the shop and range where the gun was tested. S&W no longer has their range. I shot it after it was released and for a person that doesn’t care for single stacks I really like how it felt and shot. It has become a very popular handgun for us.
Great video! My wife had a elbow issue a year ago and could not operate a shotgun or the pistol we have (normally does just fine). This looks like an excellent option I need to look into. Thank you sir.
I have the non-mm version of this because I have some nerve damage to my right hand. Even though I'm a southpaw shooter that still makes a big difference. I love it I think it's a great gun for lots of situations and it's a whole lot better than a pointy stick!
My wife and I have been interested in this pistol especially since it's now available in 9mm. Very helpful review MAC 👍 thanks guys . Big fan of the channel,eagerly awaiting your next video, have a good day.
9:52 I had the same problem with hitting the safety while shooting. It happened 5 times, shooting 50 rounds. At first I thought I had a malfunction. So if I purchase this, I will buy the one without a frame safety. Great shooting gun, and feels great in the hands.
My sub compact shield chambered in .40 caliber is an absolute brute. My 14yr old daughter definitely cannot safely operate it if she had to. Glad to hear S&W is thinking of the folks who aren't as strong as others.
Have the regular shields, both the 9mm and the 40 Cal and really like these guns. Maybe in a few years I'll need the EZ models but really happy with the Shields. This was a pistol that Smith did really right in my opinion.
My girlfriend has had time with this pistol and it is very easy for her to rack the slide, but the grip safety has been a learning process to get past. Due to a disability and not being able to rack other handguns like the g48 it has been a very nice option.
Thank you for such a thorough review. I am considering one of the 380 EZ's without the thumb safeties for my girlfriend who has significant weakness issues in her hands and had trouble even manipulating a Glock 42. Also, I'm subscribing to support your channel. Thanks again.
I picked one up today. It's the 9mm EZ shield. I went out behind the house and shot it a couple times. The first magazine fed fine but on the 2nd it jammed 2 times and I got worried. I went back in house and cleaned and oiled it and went back outside and tried it again. It ran fine no issues that time. I injured my right arm a while back and needed something a little bit easier to shoot and handle
9:55 Yes, I've had this problem before with Cominolli safety on my Glocks. I shoot with what's called a "revolver grip", both thumbs point downward, and dominating thumb sitting *under* the manual safety. On a 1911 it doesn't cause malfunction, I guess the safety lever is located more in the back. But Cominolli safety sits low and forward, everytime I shot I'd knock that safety up, so my Glocks became single shot. I had to take that off. On my current carry gun, P365 with manual safety, I never encountered any issue just like on a 1911. But when I shot a P365 blowback BB gun, it happened again. The safety lever on the BB gun is very easy to move upward, unlike the real thing. People been telling me to change my grip for long time, but I don't want to. I've been shooting all my life like that and it's comfortable, so I'll just change guns :)
Pretty happy to have purchased one of these recently, got the gold performance center edition one, unaffected by the recall as well for about 1/3 msrp. Really enjoyed shooting this pistol, smooth, EZ for sure. Only issues I have, which perhaps aren't issues really, is that I wish the gun was capable of holding more rounds and also room for a red dot.
One difference between the 380 and 9mm is the guide rod is plastic on the 380 and the front end (of the guide rod) is diamond shaped which helps the orientation during reassembly
Bought my wife a 380 EZ,(I wanted to hold out and get her the 9mm, but she loves the 380 and feels more comfortable with it. just wondering if you think the Ez 380 is enough when using the Underwood extreme penetrator round would make up for the smaller caliber? Or if you even tested the Underwood ammo in a S&W EZ models.
I love my Shield 9mm and have been carrying it for 5 years now. I like the magazines for the EZ line and hopefully some day S&W will make them available for the Shield. I would definitely want the gun without that safety. I don't mind the grip safety. I think the Shield looks better than the EZ model but I'm glad S&W addressed the need to make an auto that was easy for just about anybody to load and operate. As with all guns they should be safely kept put away especially if you have children in the house and since the EZ line is so easy to operate we definitely wouldn't want any child accidentally getting ahold of that gun or any gun. Good video and I'll research that EZ 9mm more and see if I think my wife would like it or my mom.
I like a manual safety on a striker fired pistol--even with consistent finger placement outside of the trigger guard it is possible for a weapon to discharge due to a piece of brass or bit shirt to get into the trigger guard and cause the weapon to fire when holstered.
When it came time to buy my daughter a handgun, I looked at the EZ but didn’t go that route because (1) at the time it was only in 380, and (2) I can’t stand that grip safety (worried that a less-than-ideal-grip would mean the gun wouldn’t fire). Well, you just shot down both of my objections, since the EZ now comes in 9mm, and the grip safety is very “forgiving”. Still, she’s happy with her “regular” Shield, has trained a bit (never enough, eh?), and has her LTC, so I suppose it all worked out! Thanks for the excellent video.
Good review with all necessary detail. My wife is among the slide-racking impaired. She is small and "very mature". The EZ appears to be a good fit for her. Now I need to figure a way for her to discover it herself since selecting a gun for one's wife is a fool's errand.
I'm getting my wife the new 9mm EZ, she can't rack the slide or load the mags of my G48. This gun is what she needed for a long time, S&W is doing a great job.
The shield 9 does not require a trigger pull for disassembly. Check inside the mag well there’s a lever you can depress to drop the sear. lock the slide back, rotate disassembly lever, push down the lever in the mag well (should be yellow) release the slide to remove it. Glad I’m not the only one who missed it.
All M&P's have the ability to disengage the sear through the ejection port, it's been there since gen 1. However, 99% of the people don't mess with it, or using the proboscis stored in the grip, and simply pull the trigger.
I like my forward assist because you can use it as a quiet bolt closure device. I'm a tactical mall ninja and I operate daily. 😎 Seriously though, it does come in handy if you have a malfunction while hunting and you need to get the rifle back into battery as quietly as possible. Riding the bolt home will not pop it into full lockup.
Browning had a grip safety on the Colt Model M 1903 (chambered for .380 in 1908) and submitted prototypes for the 1911 with grip safeties going back to 1906. _origins of grip safety on 1911? (help settle a bet!) | The High Road_ www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/origins-of-grip-safety-on-1911-help-settle-a-bet.151072/ Hate on grip safeties and the government all you want but the EZ features matches the commercial offering from the decade before the 1911. _The Colt 1903 Hammerless_ www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/the-colt-1903-hammerless/248164 The grip safety was popular on the market before the government asked for it on the .45 and they asked early in development.
I love my shield ez in 30 super carry. I am not elderdly, or weak, and i've carried a ton of popular modern carry pistols. The reason i chose this ez, is because of the Grip safety, as i carry appendix. I get 10 rounds of 30 super.
The 380 EZ is far and away the best shooting gun I've owned when it comes to follow up shots. Zero felt recoil and I can hold all shots on the bullseye in rapid fire. S&W got it right. I don't know if I will ever purchase a 9mm EZ because my Sig P229 is a keeper. The performance EZ 380 is a great but for older eyes... Fiber optic sights front and rear, a tuned flat trigger, with porting which is cool and it keeps the barrel flat to target.
![일상 속 기분 좋음 [Proto disco meme]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DwmEIaZ7XGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I get a lot of questions about items we use in video here's a current list of items I get questions about:
Badlands Velocity Jacket: amzn.to/2VqCSPq
Cross Baseball Cap: amzn.to/32sgEyf
Peltor 3M 100 series hearing protection: amzn.to/2ARWwIO
Mechanix Gloves: amzn.to/382FSnZ
Glock and aftermarket companies makes handles to pull the slide by just replacing slide cover plate. Check those out for your mom etc.
This video was important to me, my mother became a firearms owner a week before New year's and her choice was SCCY, the actual issue is she is 60yrs old and actually has arthritis, Tim pointed out the main problems she and I discussed not having the strength to chamber a round because the slide is too sturdy and struggling to load more than three cartridges in her magazine. All this news bike my heart and we discussed the EZ for half and hour because I own the original shield in this video because I'm a broke veteran first year truck driver 🥺 but I'm glad to see someone who cares and do a review 🥇(bravo zulu) also the ads for truck vault&red wood were intriguing, and I'm getting that Badlands velocity jacket for my trip to thunder ranch. Great Job MAC, TIM, Mrs. MAC, Little Tim, Coppers Custom🤝
Interesting about the recoil spring my sig xcompact is the same way
M&P pistols, and their regular Shield single-stack offspring, are striker-fired guns. The EZ actually uses an internal hammer. In a hammer-fired pistol, the act of cocking the hammer provides much of the initial braking force on the slide, and this allows for the use of a much lighter recoil spring.
A great reason for a law suit against the state of Comifornia, as this gun will not be sold there.
Sounds like discrimination against handicaps and women to me.
That would make a great case.
ADA lawsuit!
Unfortunately though it's an assault handgun and capable of killing a 100 people a minute. According to CHP
Why wouldn't it be able to be sold in CA? I would assume 10rd mags could be purchased for it.. oh wait, it's a single stack shield isn't it.. now I'm puzzled
@@RideForLifeCR250R CA has a handgun roster, I believe there is a ton of criteria that it has to go through.
yup, that thumb safety was killing me but now that they have the non thumb safety models I freaking love these guns and actually carry them occasionally. They just shoot so well; it's hard to understand unless you've shot one.
I got the EZ Shield 9mm model without the thumb safety since it has the grip safety. It has replaced my Glock 43X as my EDC.
Sweet.. just bought the 9mm and the 380.. haven't shot them yet but will soon.
I never considered the thumb safety because it felt redundant.
It helps me. Not for everyone I guess.
You just sold me brother
Something worth mentioning; this is a GREAT choice for old guys who have a preference for the 1911. S&W really was thinking straight on this design.
“My mother has had a Glock 17 for decades.”
Thank you Lord for letting me be born in the USA.
I'm holding out for the Shield EZ .50 AE.
I heard it's coming out in a 300 s&w too
@Omne Obstat 950 JDJ.
I’d like a 57
458 Socom too
Wild Bill ah, a man of culture I see.
My wife has severe arthritis and this pistol changed her life.
I feel sorry for your wife, but I understand her problem my hands are, to be polite stuffed, and I have found issue with many 9's that are like moving a house with your hand.
Bought on for my wife today. HARD TO FIND ONE because they are so popular.
Seeing the boy shoot this gun and have that good of recoil mitigation really helped in making a decision about this gun.my mother and daughter need one of these.great video as always
Thank you, and thanks for watching.
Yes getting to see the boy shoot it made good show for how great this EZ gun is it’s awesome for everyone
Actually MAC, you made the term "dingus" popular. Heard many other channels call it that like it was a normal thing, and when I mention it to other people irl, they know exactly what I'm referring to.
Haha, well good.
It was Jeff Cooper that originally used the phrase, I think it was in relation to hammer and not being in condition 1 with a 1911, "caught with your dingus down", or something similar (a lot of time has passed).
@@Militaryarmschannel I say dingus too, lol
Thingamabitch is good too.
FINALLY they’ve made an “easy to rack slide” gun....like with many many things, the tech to do it was always there...but the first to do it reaps the big score...way to go S&W!!!
🙏💪🇺🇸💪🙏
The walther ccp already did this.
Dakota Kelley-Greenleaf wonder why it wasn’t more we’ll known? Well huh...Was it just lack of marketing or...?
@@elsea8901 that was certainly a contributing factor. Walther never has been too popular here in the US with their more modern designs anyway so that didn't help. A do know the gun got some negative publicity after they had to be recalled due to a drop safety issue however they are quite good I hear. I know of a disabled vet that carries it because one of his hands is non-functional.
@@Anonymous8421 with my mother having both the ccp and the 380ez and having the chance to shoot them both back to back. I can without a doubt tell you the ez is easier to manipulate and load.
And easy to load the magazine
Great video! As a NRA Certified Pistol Instructor I have been using both for my new students. I start them with the M&P .22 compact and move them up the ranks to .380 EZ, 9mm EZ, then to the 9mm shield. Great teaching tools as well as guns that all can manipulate. My wife has terrible arthritis in her hands, but can load the magazines, rack the slide, and handle the recoil of the .380. Keep up the great videos, I encourage my students to watch them.
Thanks for being a firearms instructor and thank you for watching.
My wife used our SW .22 Compact for our CCW class and as of yesterday has the 9mm EZ.
My wife switched from the g42 to the ez9 also. She did have trouble racking the slide on the g42 but could do it. She absolutely loves her new ez9. She is willing and ready to go shoot more often now.. her accuracy has greatly improved with it also. She has always been able to shoot pretty good, but the g42 was more of a challenge for her. The is shooting a lot tighter groups with the ez9.. I highly recommend them.
A good gun that you will shoot is much better than a "great" gun that you won't. 👍
ky gun runner same thing with my mother. We got her the ez380 after her having a walther for a while and now actively asking to go shoot and practice with it
Me too! G42 to the EZ for the wifey!
Pomp
I really like the concept. I may be a 20-something buff dude who's blessed with great health, but there are a lot people who aren't that lucky. People with disabilities, illnesses, or just physically weaker individuals in general may find it difficult to operate a "regular" firearm.
Weird flex but okay.
@0000 0000 lucky for me all my buddies carry their own firearm!
@0000 0000 ??? I think you're overthinking this. My comment wasn't meant to be a statement about the different possibilities that could unfold during a shooting. It was me making fun of his low-key brag.
Like on a scale from 1-10.. how buff are you?
We really wanna know
I really appreciate that you didn't approach the 380 EZ as a "women's gun" and that you emphasized that it's really good for *people* with weaker hands, whatever sex they may be. It's also a really great gun for novice shooters, who won't be used to the heavier slide pull. Great video!
I work in a gun store, I’ve sold more smith and Wesson EZ 9 & 380 models than any other handgun.
I would buy one but don’t like back safety
@The_Descendant II I agree. It only took me a couple of shots to get used to the grip safety. It actually makes me focus on having a proper grip on the pistol. My EZ 9mm feels more like my 1911 than any other pistol I've handled, which is part of the reason I bought the EZ.
I love my EZ 9mm without the manual safety. It feels more like the 1911 in my hand than any other pistol, and I love how it shoots. It has replaced my Glock 43X as EDC. Good luck finding one to buy nowadays.
The gun shop I go to says they could sell a dozen a week if they could get them. Now with more women and older adults buying hand guns for protection
@@rainy8990 I don't doubt it one bit that they'd go like hotcakes. Not only are they good for women and older adults, I just like the way it feels in my hand and the way it shoots. I don't think you can go wrong with Smith and Wesson. I like the trigger much better than my Glock 43X.
Nice of smith and Wesson to remember not everyone has gorilla strength hands with perfect dexterity
Yeah its a great pistol for women and snowflake soy boys! 😂😂 just kidding!!
Even bodybuilders can have trouble with grip strength after a gym session. And if you can't shoot your self defense gun when you're at your weakest, then how good is it?
like me :P!!
Actually walther has done this with their pk380, and ccp line.
@@neverobey1477 you should buy a beretta bobcat.
My aunt chose the 380 when we we're getting her a carry permit she's a complete novice and didn't have the grip strength to pull a DA revolver trigger (which someone talked her into some years back and it just gathered dust). From my experience shooting it and helping her train, it's definitely a good beginner gun especially for those people only have one gun or only want one gun. It's flexible enough to stretch into multiple roles fairly effectively; small enough to carry, in a decent carry caliber, can be pressed into home defense use, and is pleasant enough to shoot for extended target practice sessions. At the end of the day if you buy a gun you don't enjoy shooting, you're not going to practice, and if you don't practice you'll never gain proficiency. Don't let the guy behind the counter talk you into something you don't actually want; pick a gun you like and can use effectively and will actually train with because training is the most important.
What am I missing? Just got my new gun and can barely pull the carriage back. Now it's stuck and won't go back...Very bummed out.
You're always so thorough! The only other person I've seen who's talked about the re-assembly challenges that are non-intuitive, particularly the grip safety. Great stuff as always!
S&W 380 EZ is ideal for new shooters who are apprehensive about shooting a handgun. I frequently have visitors from Mexico and Asia. They tend to be of smaller stature with smaller hands. They’ve never even seen a real handgun, but have seen scores of movies that left them leery of firing a gun. These are so light recoiling and pleasant to shoot. They are also accurate enough for shooters to enjoy good results.
Bought my daughter ez 380 for Christmas . She loved it. I must admit I love shooting it as well!! She had no problems with anything. Loading , shooting it and no problems with grip safety or manual.
My wife preferred the Shield Plus 9mm over the Shield EZ 9mm. She actually wasn’t crazy about the grip safety. She thought there was too many safeties and it didn’t feel great in her hand. However, my buddy of mine, when I took him shooting for the first time, he loved the EZ. He shot all my handguns from Glock, Smith, Ruger, etc. The EZ fit his hand and he shot it well. He liked the safeties as it gave him peace of mind as a first time shooter. My wife had shot several handguns but didn’t carry at the time. I still have my EZ 2.0 in 9mm and do like it. But I do not carry it. I either have the Plus or the 2.0 compact in 9mm and even in 2022/2023, I find myself taking my Shield 2.0 in 40, even with it’s limited round count. But the important thing here is I have more experience shooting and carrying the 40 so I still capable when I have it. Plus it’s thin and light, easy summer carry. The EZ is also thin and light but the size of a Glock 19, so it’s still concealable, but all the safeties under stress is a thought. I do love my 1911s but I do not carry them. However the grip safety and thumb safety on a 1911 is second nature to me. Anyway the EZ is still a good reliable handgun. Hopefully this helped someone 2 years later. You know TH-cam recommending videos and I just thought why not, I already own it but let’s watch.
Very cool pistol(s)... Especially in .380. I'm guilty of sometimes forgetting that not everyone can comfortably manipulate many "standard" handguns, and it's awesome to see a company put so much time and effort into addressing an underserved and somewhat niche market. Well done S&W! Seems like you definitely have a winner on your hands with the EZ series.
When this pistol was 1st released I just rolled my eyes at the marketing, and I have to admit I was 100% wrong. I just picked up a lightly used .380 Shield in order to teach my 12 year old daughter on center fire pistols and I am very impressed with this pistol in just about every way. The only thing I personally do not like it the grip safety, other then that it's extremely comfortable and easy to manipulate and a soft shooter. It's a great choice in either caliber for any type of shooter as far as I am concerned.
My wife has hand strength issues. Finding a semi-auto for her was difficult. She has both EZ’s now. Very happy with them. Two other pistols with easier to rack slides are the CZ P10-C and the Bersa Thunder 380.
I could not rack my husband's CZ p-10c and he got me the 380 ez after our house was broke into and we discovered the only thing I could do with his gun is throw it at someone 😂. I love my EZ though and has been great
convinced me. I just sold my new SCCY 9mm and bought the 380 EZ. I think I will love it. My arthritis hands will really like it I think. I think the 380 will not kick like the 9 did either. I did purchase the newer model with no thumb safety. thanks for a great video.
I have both models of the EZ now and love them both. My wife totes her .380EZ w/ confidence. Now, I'm a full size guy, w/ no physical ailments (yet) but just like these guns! All the factory bells & whistles + Light weight, compact, full grip, safety paddles, mounts a light / laser, etc. I mounted Hi-vis night sights on the .380 (a Big plus!) You can also carry either gun in a OWB, Serpa holster, for a Glock 19. (I glued in a strip of leather, to buffer any movement, and it fits like a glove!). I don't have ANY phobia with the grip safety, since I have hammer hands.
That is so weird me and my mother were just looking at the ez line yesterday. She likes it alot and i have to say i kinda like it myself the action is so much smoother then my p365.
I think it's a great pistol for a lot of people. This definitely fills an important role in the market.
Yeah the action definitely isn't 'smooth' on the 365 (i have the XL) but man i love that thing so much.
@@Militaryarmschannel update on the mp 380 ez my mother just bought it yesterday and. I noticed out of the box it was having issues with racking a round but i was messing around with it and. I think the issue is that the slide is to light for round to go into battery. So i would lightly tap the back of the slide and it would go home i don't know if anyone else had this issue or not
I'm able bodied, "stellar on the range" (toot, toot) and I still prefer no recoil. This as a PC will be my next purchase.
Because of arthritis in her hands, it was difficult for my wife to operate the slide on her gen 1 Shield. As she does not carry one in the pipe, doing a quick slide operation in an emergency might be problematic. I asked if she’d like to try out the new shield 9 mm easy. We stopped at our local Academy store, she tried it she bought it immediately. She loves it! Now we just need to work with her carrying one in the pipe, but at least she can jack the slide back easily with her new gun. Thank you Smith and Wesson!
Got my wife the .380 EZ shortly after they came out, and we both absolutely loved it. I’d love the 9mm version for summer carry.
I have been shooting pistols for 70 years. I now love the ez pistols. Thanks
My 10yr old wanted one (.380), yep, the gold one, he was told to maintain his A/B Honor Roll Status...lol So it goes without saying, he can put that thing into action in about 5sec., we did some practicing, he can field strip and re-assemble it in about 20sec, I really like the fact the he understands what a "functions check is" in the reassembly process,then again his old man was/is a Master Gunner (25yrs)... And he's pretty accurate. I really like this weapon!
I absolutely love my Shield 2.0. S&W really scored high with these M&P lines. I used to be a Glock only guy because it’s what I used in the police academy and what I carried on duty and was all I ever was exposed to. I’m no longer a police officer so I got my CCW but I hate using a holster to carry concealed. So I attached a Technaclip on my Glock 19 and like to carry in appendix but since the trigger safety isn’t much of a safety at all I had do the no no and carry the gun without a round in the chamber because I didn’t want to blow my nuts off. I don’t like not having my gun charged and instantly ready. So I checked out the Shield because of the thumb safety. Let me tell ya I instantly changed my mind about Glocks. I still love Glocks but this Shield by far out performs them. It shoots so smooth and the sight picture is so much better. I carry it in appendix with the Technaclip without near the concern that I had with my Glock.
Bry4Christ&2ndA you’re making me nervous. I recommend at least a small “trigger guard” holster. God bless!
3:18 Trigger finger is not the only thing that can fire a gun. For some people (me included), the manual safety is NOT for when my hand is on the gun, controlling it, but rather it's for when the gun is not in my hand (in the holster, safe, anywhere else). It's like the car door locks. I don't lock the doors when I'm in the car (the car may lock them when I start to drive though), but when I leave the car, I lock the doors as I don't like unauthorized access. Manual safety is the same, I don't like unauthorized discharge when my hand is not on the gun. Yes the safety is between my ears but that only works when my hands are controlling the gun. All other times I like to disable the trigger to be sure :)
Military Arms Channel/Mac* Bravo well done, thank-you for taking the time to show us. God Bless.
Thank you for watching.
Hello from brazilian fans, my wife just love this gun and buy one 380... congrats for the review !!!
Definitely looks like a good option.
Thanks for the review!
I bought the EZ 380 for my son and daughter for Xmas, i have a Sig P365 for my edc, i was amazed how easy the 380 was to load, rack and shoot, even people at shooting range were asking what kind of gun it was. I would highly recommend this gun for women and senior citizens.
The best and biggest selling point for this S&W is watching Mac Jr in my opinion, seeing how flat shooting, and how he's able to handle that recoil as well as his old man, oh yeah that's a huge WIN for S&W in my book. Hell I don't have any issues, and wouldn't mind running one of these new EZ pistols.
Well, I just might have to pick one of these up for my wife. Thanks for the detailed and sensible review Mac.
I've been looking forward to a video like this on the EZ line, thank you!
I have the 9 EZ and really don’t understand some people’s problem with the grip safety. I can’t even tell it’s there. It makes the trigger pull so much better than my older M&P Shield with the dingus trigger. And yes, it’s well broken in. I do not have weak hands or wrists, and Still love the EZ. It is just a great all around single stack
I own EZ380 and EZ9mm. I have peripheral neuropathy and soon these will likely be the only ones I can carry. I am 70 with multiple medical issues as well. These allow me to continue to be able to protect myself and my wife if I can't get to my long guns which I can hand just fine. These pistols will also make it possible for me to get to my long guns esp Semi-auto sporting rifle which is light and easy to handle even with the nerve damage in my hands. I'm an example of who these EZ pistols were designed for no doubt.
Thank you for this video. I was seriously considering purchasing the 9ez. You've got me sold on it as my first EDC. Thank you!
Excellent review, thanks for pointing out the internal details. I went to the trouble of ordering a no-thumb-safety EZ off of the internet and having it sent to a local FFL because the locally-sold models all had the thumb safety. Very happy with the EZ.
I've joked that my Shield came with a 5 round and a 6 round mag. I'm old but I'm not weak, yet, I found it all but impossible to fully load the mags without massive effort. No way my wife could even rack it. She doesn't carry, but for a home gun for her this looks ideal.
elk hunter I have found that the maglula will work, even though it’s a skinny mag
@@spetersen634 It's gotten better with use, but yeah, Maglula is probably in my future.
@@spetersen634 I too found the loader works well
Nice touch showing clips of Mrs. MAC and MAC Jr. shooting this one.
As always, your explanations and evaluations are best in class.
Thank you, it truly means a lot.
my wife got the 380 last yr, its been terrific
My fiancé loves the 380 EZ. She’d never held a gun before we got together. I started taking her to the range and she enjoyed it. We rented the 380 EZ a couple of years ago and she liked it enough that I bought her one...and then cerakoted the slide pink for her.
Thanks as always been thinking of purchasing one of these for my wife.
I recently saw another comparison video of 9mm's: Shield 2.0 vs Shield EZ 9. The recoil spring weights were measured using a digital (fishing) scale, but worked fine. Standard shield was 23 lbs. of pull. The EZ 9 was about 13 lbs. Of pull! So 10 pounds +/-, easier to rack and load.
Chris Sewell I wonder what the 380ez would pull at??
@@spetersen634 I should drag out my Boga Grip, fishing scale (since its world record, certifiably correct) and check both of my guns. Just to satisfy everyone's curiosity & my own! S&W should really advertise that info. If / when I can check it, I'll let you know.
So far out of all the vid's I've watched on the EZ line of pistols there is one thing not mentioned about them. That is these pistols are remakes/upgrades of the Colt 1903/08 model of pistols. Main difference is that the originals were blow-backs an these are locked breech. Plus the new ones have better thumb safeties, sights, an the use of polymer in the frame.
I for one love the EZ models, not because I'm 62yrs young, listed by the military as disabled or anything such as this. I like them because they are excellent pistols, an I hope SW comes out with an enlarged version in .45acp. Probably not, but I can dream. So for those on the fence about these two pistol's, hop off an go buy one, or buy both. You'll be glad you did as these are just fantastic pistols for self defense, plinking, an other chores in the shooting world.
I own all 3 models . You are correct the slide on the 9mm shield is very stiff. I have arthritis in my hands and found it hard to load and operate the gun properly. I purchased the 380 model first and was happy with the feel and ease of loading and operation of the gun. Purchased the 9mm version as soon as I could fined one. Very hard to find at the present. The 9mm shield is now my carry gun and I am very happy with it. Full disclosure this makes 4 S&W guns I now own love the brand and want to thank them for making a hand gun that older people women and people who may need a little help can use. Hats off to S&W.
My dad got a 380 after an arm injury. It's a fun gun to shoot and he can operate it without assistance. One gripe is that the last round every once in a while, due to either the light mag spring or the ammo was hot, will go "slug up" and catch between the breech face and the chamber instead of feeding.
Just picked up a 9mm without safety today partially based on your review. I'll clean & lube then shoot in a couple days. Can't wait. Very close, in size, to my CZ P-01 but feels quite a bit lighter. Thanks for your time and honest review.
Great review MAC. My neighbor has the 380 PC version and he needed it. He is nearly 70 and has weak hand strength to rack the slide. I like this new 9m version. Thanks for the great and informative review.
Thank you for watching.
Thank you for such an informative video. I have the S&W EZ .380 with laser, on order. Did not know these were out there until the other day. Grew up with firearms and for the past couple of decades, I have only dealt with revolvers due to having rheumatoid arthritis for the past 25 years. My hands are a hot mess and have had multiple replacement surgeries. But, I can handle the revolvers as long as the trigger has been legally lightened. My conceal carry has been a Ladysmith (rosewood grips) with the drawback of only having 5 rounds and I never did have laser grips put on it. Handled one of these today and was pleasantly surprised at how well I could rack the slide and load the clips.! Now onto more videos for refreshers on handling and cleaning automatics. Lol
Wow Tim!! How fortunate you are enjoying the presence of your mom in your life today. And your family is so sweet. The Boss in heaven for sure loves all of you so much.
She's very elderly but she lives in a very small town and lives a very clean lifestyle. I guess such living is good for a long healthy life. I am truly blessed. He certainly does. God bless, brother.
This video is the best comparison I've seen between the .380 and 9mm EZs. Cool first-person shooting cam. Thanks for the great job!
I have 2 EZ models ... the regular 380 EZ and the Performance Center .380. I am about to order a 9mm EZ with the same sights as the PC 380. They are TruGlo/night sights and I really like them so I will order a 9mm EZ model 13001 which is about $140 more than the base EZ 9mm but much less than the 9mm Performance Center model.
Funny how almost everyone mentions them being for the ladies or older people. All you have to do is “shoot” an EZ model and you will be hooked. They do shoot better, in my opinion, than the two Shields I have.
Great review!!!
I bought the gold performance center 9mm just for the cool factor. Same day I bought a Dan wesson discretion 🤷♂️
Got this gun (9mm ez) to carry. Liked the fact the grip won’t tear me to shreds like the 2.0 and the slide is a bonus. The trigger is also fantastic.
Thank you for the comment on the safety and the fact that stress may cause you to forget the safety is on. I try to tell people about that but some blow it off like I'm joking. Until they are in the moment of the situation then they have no idea what is going to happen or how they'll react. Been in a few situations myself. Each and every one has been different.
What was Mrs Mac's thoughts between the 380ez and the 9ez? Easier to rack, recoil, etc?
My wife bought the Performance Center .380, and she asked if I would like to try it out since I was going shooting. It was a lot of fun to shoot. It’s worth owning as a carry or even as just a range gun.
I work part-time at the shop and range where the gun was tested. S&W no longer has their range. I shot it after it was released and for a person that doesn’t care for single stacks I really like how it felt and shot. It has become a very popular handgun for us.
I love my S&W M&P Shield 2.0 380 ez and a 9mm ez is on my wishlist
I wish they had a double-stack version...
Great video! My wife had a elbow issue a year ago and could not operate a shotgun or the pistol we have (normally does just fine). This looks like an excellent option I need to look into. Thank you sir.
Thank you for watching. I hope your wife is feeling better.
My wife and DIL love their EZs.
I have the non-mm version of this because I have some nerve damage to my right hand. Even though I'm a southpaw shooter that still makes a big difference. I love it I think it's a great gun for lots of situations and it's a whole lot better than a pointy stick!
My wife and I have been interested in this pistol especially since it's now available in 9mm. Very helpful review MAC 👍 thanks guys . Big fan of the channel,eagerly awaiting your next video, have a good day.
9:52 I had the same problem with hitting the safety while shooting. It happened 5 times, shooting 50 rounds. At first I thought I had a malfunction. So if I purchase this, I will buy the one without a frame safety. Great shooting gun, and feels great in the hands.
My sub compact shield chambered in .40 caliber is an absolute brute. My 14yr old daughter definitely cannot safely operate it if she had to. Glad to hear S&W is thinking of the folks who aren't as strong as others.
Have the regular shields, both the 9mm and the 40 Cal and really like these guns. Maybe in a few years I'll need the EZ models but really happy with the Shields. This was a pistol that Smith did really right in my opinion.
My girlfriend has had time with this pistol and it is very easy for her to rack the slide, but the grip safety has been a learning process to get past. Due to a disability and not being able to rack other handguns like the g48 it has been a very nice option.
Thank you for such a thorough review. I am considering one of the 380 EZ's without the thumb safeties for my girlfriend who has significant weakness issues in her hands and had trouble even manipulating a Glock 42. Also, I'm subscribing to support your channel. Thanks again.
I picked one up today. It's the 9mm EZ shield. I went out behind the house and shot it a couple times. The first magazine fed fine but on the 2nd it jammed 2 times and I got worried. I went back in house and cleaned and oiled it and went back outside and tried it again. It ran fine no issues that time. I injured my right arm a while back and needed something a little bit easier to shoot and handle
Wait. A Glock isn't perfect and has bad ergonomics? I never knew.
Blasphemy!lol jk glock,perfection?or misdirection?lol
gLoCk PerFeCtIoN
@@PHIllip324
* perfection in model 17/19 only
** perfection has not been improved on since the 80s
*** Perfection after adding optional addons
@@katstreeb7630 fat. complacent. slow.
My wife is shooting the 380 EZ with the Performance Center package. It sports an upgraded trigger, night sights, and a ported barrel.
Love your reviews! And I was pleased to hear a positive review of a M&P model!!
GREAT REVIEW THANKS WIFE BOUGHT THE 380 EZ SHE LOVES IT
9:55 Yes, I've had this problem before with Cominolli safety on my Glocks. I shoot with what's called a "revolver grip", both thumbs point downward, and dominating thumb sitting *under* the manual safety. On a 1911 it doesn't cause malfunction, I guess the safety lever is located more in the back. But Cominolli safety sits low and forward, everytime I shot I'd knock that safety up, so my Glocks became single shot. I had to take that off. On my current carry gun, P365 with manual safety, I never encountered any issue just like on a 1911. But when I shot a P365 blowback BB gun, it happened again. The safety lever on the BB gun is very easy to move upward, unlike the real thing. People been telling me to change my grip for long time, but I don't want to. I've been shooting all my life like that and it's comfortable, so I'll just change guns :)
4:05 We've gotta get Momma Mac on the channel someday 😂
I have both the 380 & 9 EZ'S, LOVE THEM BOTH...
I a 1911 fan I like the grip safety and the placements of the thumb safety. It is very 1911 like and I carried a 1911 for over 40 years.
You are lucky man, you still have your mother!
Do you know his mother? ; )
" how many times have you seen a novice grip a pistol like that?" Well actually, I just saw your wife do it 15seconds ago.
Lol
Pretty happy to have purchased one of these recently, got the gold performance center edition one, unaffected by the recall as well for about 1/3 msrp. Really enjoyed shooting this pistol, smooth, EZ for sure. Only issues I have, which perhaps aren't issues really, is that I wish the gun was capable of holding more rounds and also room for a red dot.
One difference between the 380 and 9mm is the guide rod is plastic on the 380 and the front end (of the guide rod) is diamond shaped which helps the orientation during reassembly
Bought my wife a 380 EZ,(I wanted to hold out and get her the 9mm, but she loves the 380 and feels more comfortable with it. just wondering if you think the Ez 380 is enough when using the Underwood extreme penetrator round would make up for the smaller caliber? Or if you even tested the Underwood ammo in a S&W EZ models.
I love my Shield 9mm and have been carrying it for 5 years now. I like the magazines for the EZ line and hopefully some day S&W will make them available for the Shield.
I would definitely want the gun without that safety. I don't mind the grip safety. I think the Shield looks better than the EZ model but I'm glad S&W addressed the need to make an auto that was easy for just about anybody to load and operate. As with all guns they should be safely kept put away especially if you have children in the house and since the EZ line is so easy to operate we definitely wouldn't want any child accidentally getting ahold of that gun or any gun.
Good video and I'll research that EZ 9mm more and see if I think my wife would like it or my mom.
I like a manual safety on a striker fired pistol--even with consistent finger placement outside of the trigger guard it is possible for a weapon to discharge due to a piece of brass or bit shirt to get into the trigger guard and cause the weapon to fire when holstered.
When it came time to buy my daughter a handgun, I looked at the EZ but didn’t go that route because (1) at the time it was only in 380, and (2) I can’t stand that grip safety (worried that a less-than-ideal-grip would mean the gun wouldn’t fire). Well, you just shot down both of my objections, since the EZ now comes in 9mm, and the grip safety is very “forgiving”. Still, she’s happy with her “regular” Shield, has trained a bit (never enough, eh?), and has her LTC, so I suppose it all worked out! Thanks for the excellent video.
Good review with all necessary detail. My wife is among the slide-racking impaired. She is small and "very mature". The EZ appears to be a good fit for her. Now I need to figure a way for her to discover it herself since selecting a gun for one's wife is a fool's errand.
I'm getting my wife the new 9mm EZ, she can't rack the slide or load the mags of my G48. This gun is what she needed for a long time, S&W is doing a great job.
I agree, this gun should work great for a good number of people. It's a well thought out design.
The shield 9 does not require a trigger pull for disassembly. Check inside the mag well there’s a lever you can depress to drop the sear. lock the slide back, rotate disassembly lever, push down the lever in the mag well (should be yellow) release the slide to remove it. Glad I’m not the only one who missed it.
All M&P's have the ability to disengage the sear through the ejection port, it's been there since gen 1. However, 99% of the people don't mess with it, or using the proboscis stored in the grip, and simply pull the trigger.
Military Arms Channel Well akshually, you said the trigger had to be pulled to disassemble the shield 9. 😛 Kidding aside thanks for the great content.
My girlfriend just got the 380 EZ as her first gun. She loves it.
john browning didnt want the grip safety on the 1911. just like stoner didnt want the forward assist on the AR.
govt bureaucracy.
Brownings last pistol design was the Browning Hi Power. The Hi Power does not have a grip safety.
I like my forward assist because you can use it as a quiet bolt closure device. I'm a tactical mall ninja and I operate daily. 😎 Seriously though, it does come in handy if you have a malfunction while hunting and you need to get the rifle back into battery as quietly as possible. Riding the bolt home will not pop it into full lockup.
Browning had a grip safety on the Colt Model M 1903 (chambered for .380 in 1908) and submitted prototypes for the 1911 with grip safeties going back to 1906.
_origins of grip safety on 1911? (help settle a bet!) | The High Road_
www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/origins-of-grip-safety-on-1911-help-settle-a-bet.151072/
Hate on grip safeties and the government all you want but the EZ features matches the commercial offering from the decade before the 1911.
_The Colt 1903 Hammerless_
www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/the-colt-1903-hammerless/248164
The grip safety was popular on the market before the government asked for it on the .45 and they asked early in development.
@@jeffstanley4593 a voice of truth and reason
@@Ni999 Right. It was the redundant thumb safety that the government had added to the 1911.
Very informative - thanks for details on the EZ 9mm!
I love my shield ez in 30 super carry. I am not elderdly, or weak, and i've carried a ton of popular modern carry pistols. The reason i chose this ez, is because of the Grip safety, as i carry appendix. I get 10 rounds of 30 super.
The 380 EZ is far and away the best shooting gun I've owned when it comes to follow up shots. Zero felt recoil and I can hold all shots on the bullseye in rapid fire. S&W got it right. I don't know if I will ever purchase a 9mm EZ because my Sig P229 is a keeper. The performance EZ 380 is a great but for older eyes... Fiber optic sights front and rear, a tuned flat trigger, with porting which is cool and it keeps the barrel flat to target.