In research last year for a gun for my fiancee's use, I was focused on a semi-automatic that has a slide that is relatively easy to rack. After some consideration of a Walther PK 380, I eventually settled on the S&W M&P 380 EZ that seemed like a good choice, not only for the easy racking, but also for the easy of loading the magazine and other features. A problem arose when, on numerous sites, I kept reading about users having failures to load the last bullet in the magazine along with stovepipe issues. It seems quite a few buyers were having to return their guns to S&W with the problem seemingly being related to the magazines and possibly spring, lip, or follower components. I understand S&W sent these users various different springs but the problems persisted.



I am still interested in this gun but only if it is reliable for concealed carry purposes; that is, the chances of a failure to fire are relatively remote. I understand that changes were made to the new M&P 9 EZ magazine that eliminates the failure to fire issue. Does anyone know whether S&W has successfully addressed the failure to load/stove piping 380 EZ issues in the guns presently being sold? I understand the new guns are coming with different springs but would love some feedback from new buyers?

Hello. I purchased mine 3-4 weeks ago and mine is doing the stovepipe on the last round at times. The magazine springs in it are the "new" ones that have the yellow paint on them but it still does it occasionally. I found an article on another forum about filing the follower down to give it a lip so that the last round is not as loose in the magazine. I did that to my followers and the issue vastly improved but I do still get occasional last round stovepipe. Not as bad as before I fixed the follower. I wrote to wolff springs to see if they planned to make a stronger magazine spring for the 380 ez. They said they have had a lot of requests for it but cant say exactly when it will/can be made. I am watching their website like a hawk to see when they release it.

It seems to me that by making the spring too weak they created this huge issue. Yes the magazine is "easy" to load but at the cost of last round issues and failures to feed at times.

I have heard other solutions that some people have tried like scuffing the surface of the follower or placing a spent case in the bottom of the magazine to put pressure on the spring.

I cant say what is a long term solution as I feel eventually the spring will weaken and you will be back to square one.

I think someone like wolff making a +5 or +10 much stiffer spring is the solution.

I'm kinda glad I came upon this post. I recently bought a PK380 from a forum member. It was his deceased wife's pistol. It IS very easy to operate, and I may let my brother-in-law have it (for what I paid for it; no free rides here!) He's never shot a gun in his life, but he wants a house gun. We live in the city (Pittsburgh) and it's a nice part of town, but nut-jobs don't always stay away! I was looking for info on the 380EZ for him if it had a good rep. I will do a little more research on the S&W; maybe get him the 9mm version. I kinda like this PK380, but have only had it out twice. It's a very nice-shooting gun. I will watch the threads a little closer like this one. Then again, one can't go wrong with a S&W wheel gun.

Galloway Precision makes a +10% spring.
Give them a call to see if it will work for the 380 EZ.
Got one for a +1 round extension for my M&P Bodyguard 380.

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It is funny that you say that cause I just ordered the following list of springs from midwayusa.

I figured one would fit (hopefully).

I did not know about the bodyguard 380 one.

Only thing about the bodyguard is that the mags are 6 rounders and not sure how that translates on the springs.

I may also order that one you suggested and see what works best. I hope one fits correctly and resolves the issue.

These are the ones coming to me by mail:

Wolff Magazine Spring AMT 380 Back-Up 5% Extra Power

Wolff Magazine Spring Colt Government, Mustang Plus II 380 ACP 5% Extra Power

Wolff Magazine Spring Colt 1903 32 ACP (7.65mm), 1908 (380 ACP) Pocket Models 5% Extra Power

Wolff Magazine Spring Colt Mustang, Pony 380 ACP 5% Extra Power

We bought an early EZ380 for my wife and haven't had any issues with it at all. Got over 500 rounds and haven't had any issues feeding, mags etc. Got a second one, same reliability.

Same experience with the new EZ9, after 600+ rounds.

I have never had any issues with mine either. As far as the 9mm EZ goes i have had mine since Mar 2020 and have never had the chance to try it out on the range because of the Virus shutting everything down.

My cousin bought his wife one about 2 years ago. She has put about 700 rds. thru it with no problems at all.

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How many guns are too many?

We recently got my wife a 380 EZ. Our first outing we fired 58 rounds. She fired 50 I fired 8. The last round didn't stovepipe it just fed right through & ejected with the case from the next to last round without chambering. We haven't been back out. I did scuff the follower in that magazine. We didn't use the other magazine that day. I plan on scuffing it before we go back. When we go back I will be watching to see if it happens again.

The wife's 380EZ has been the same. Not any mechanical problems in the 500+ that have been sent downrange. I have a Walther PPS M2 that operates very easily,

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Is that a gun No a lifesaver

What advantages do you perceive this gun offering your fiancé over a small revolver for carry and should she actually have to defend herself with it?

If she will go to the range and practice with it, that is a huge advantage.

I like my J frames and practice with them but they are certainly not fun or easy to shoot for most people, particularly new shooters.

That’s fine, but he specified a concealed carry weapon for what is I assume is an inexperienced petite female not a range gun for a new shooter.

Even if she develops a certain amount of proficiency with the EZ .380 at the range shooting from a stable stance using a solid two handed grip, that doesn’t mean the same will be true in an actual defense encounter. There are literally thousands of video footage of real life defense shootings and rarely do they have much in common with with what people practice at the range. Self-defense and shooting are two very different things.

Even seemingly reliable small auto pistols can malfunction when shot from retention or one handed. And this is on the range, not a fight for your life...

Oops! We can't find that. | Buckeye Firearms Association

Consider what the most likely circumstances are where she would need her carry gun. Pretty much every stat shows it will be extremely close. It likely will occur without much warning. It will be chaotic. It would be more aptly called fighting with a gun rather than shooting.

Why do armed civilians lose in defense encounters? While not a comprehension list a potential trains, but a good start might be...

-Inaccessibility: Not being able to get the gun out at all or quickly and consistently enough. And consider for a female in particular, close quarter assaults are the most pressing concerns not gunfights or charging knife wielding assailants.

-Gun not in a condition to be fired: empty chamber, failure to get manual or grip safety disengaged.

-Inadequate accuracy: Ineffective hits or completely miss the attacker.

-Mechanical and user induced malfunctions. Failures to feed, eject, gun out of battery due to contact, slide movement interrupted, accidentally hitting mag release and dropping magazine or engaging slide lock etc.

Snub revolvers are immune to most of those problems.
They are simpler, safer, offer better weapon retention and most importantly...more reliable in all circumstances. Reliability simply cannot be overstated.


The .380 will likely provide a more enjoyable range experience, but that’s not the only consideration(shooting vs self-defense) and it’s not like she can’t train with a revolver. Plus dry-fire practice is generally much more effective and realistic with a wheelguns IMO.

If someone was going to attempt to physically assault, rape or try and steal her purse, there is little doubt that I want my wife armed with an enclosed hammer S&W revolver.

That's fine Mister X. I get the attributes of the small frame enclosed hammer revolver.

I still carry one.

But she gets a vote too. And practicing with the gun, whatever it is, is important.

Absolutely, but she should make a decision with as much information and perspective as possible.

A lot of inexperienced woman will pick a gun simply based on comfort to shoot and a lot of people will recommend “whatever you shoot best”.

For my elderly mother, she no doubt “shoots” a .22 better than she does her .38 special revolver(442) and some have even advised her that she should stick to the lesser caliber because of her difficulties “qualifying” with the .38 at 15 yards.

The problem is she would never even attempt a 15 yard shot and the likelihood of her actually needing to try is virtually non-existent. She got her carry permit out of fear of physical assaults at the gas pump, car-jackings, muggings and purse thieves and she can handle the gun adequately at those ranges.

For home defense, she keeps the gun bedside and locks her bedroom door at night. In the event of a break-in, she will retreat into her walk-in closet with her gun and call the police. Maximum potential shot distance is about 3 feet.

Some random disjointed thoughts from a random disjointed old man...

1. Reliability! This is an absolute, the gun has to be absolutely reliable. Based on this forum, the EZ is either 100% reliable or can be troublesome. If after a couple of hundred rounds it has issues, get it fixed or trade it in on another gun (even if it's the same model). And this doesn't necessarily mean revolvers over semi-autos, I have owned a revolver that needed to go to the factory twice for cylinder lockup issues.
2. I lean to the side of having a defensive gun that I am very familiar / accurate with, i.e., I've shot it thousands of times. This means that I know what ammo works best for me, how big my target zone is, and can reliably put shots on that target at any time. Mister X makes some excellent points, but remember the saying: "I'd rather be missed by a .45 than hit with a .22". Shot placement is second only to reliability, and that comes with practice. Also, don't underestimate the role of confidence, any self defense situation comes down to mindset over everything else. You need to know what shots you can and can't make, and your operation of the gun has to be burned into your subconscious, i.e., you don't need to think about it. Only lots of practice will do this. You need a gun that you will practice with. A lot.
3. Look up the "Active Self Protection" channel on YouTube. They have a ton of videos of actual self defense encounters, and you can see that these things are extremely quick and unpredictable. Some have happy endings, some end badly for the good side. Mindset and awareness are key, having a gun is not a magic talisman that will automatically protect you.
4. Don't just think that standing on the range calmly flinging lead downrange is the end of it. It's important, but once you've got several hundred rounds through the gun on the flat range, and are proficient with the mechanics of operating the gun, find an actual defensive pistol class. You shoot in scenarios where you have to draw, make decisions, and make accurate shots at speed and under a little stress. You'd be surprised how easy it is to miss, even at extremely close ranges. You may need to travel and spend some dollars, but it's well worth it. They are a lot of fun, you might even get hooked on a new hobby.
5. I would get the EZ model with no thumb safety. Less to worry about under stress, and it seems like the grip safety works extremely well on its own.
6. When practicing, "Aim small, miss small!"

Hope that all helps, and good luck with your choices!

IMHO small revolvers are a bad choice for new shooters. Small grips leading to a lot of perceived recoil and tough triggers. A snub or 3" K-frame is a better bet.

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Release the Kraken

Couldn't agree more.
I have an LCRx 3" in .38sp. The difference in weight is minimal 15.6 vs 14.6oz, from a 442, but what a ***** cay to shoot even with heavy or +P loads. Not even close and that extra grip makes the world of difference. Yes it's hard to conceal that is the trade-off, but it's also far more accurate.

My wife has had hers for about a year. She did have issues when she started shooting it. Trying to diagnose the issue, we found what she was locking her wrist when shooting, but had too soft of a grip. When she decided to grip it like she was trying to strangle me, the stovepipes/cycling issues stopped. After reading various posts, we first assumed it was the gun, but taking a step back and evaluating what was happening we found it was a mechanical issue with the shooter rather than the gun.

Regardless, good luck with your decision.

I just bought a new 380 Shield EZ and was exited to put some rounds through it over lunch today. Fifty rounds of Sellier & Bello 92 gr spread over eight magazine loadings and I had three misfeeds of the last round. I wasn't thinking and just wanted to shoot so I never isolated if it was happening in one or both magazines. The next time I go out I'll be intentional about isolating the magazine, and noting if I'm having any grip issues. I'll give it a few hundred rounds before I reach out to S&W for service.



Otherwise, it was easy to shoot and I had nice two inch groupings at 25 feet, even if they were 1.5" left of center. I haven't shot a pistol in four years so I know I can fix accuracy. I had the same issue in the Marine Corps but got better with practice.



Anyway, if anyone has a successful solution to the spring strength please come back and share. Also, I'm limited to the store ammo at the range I shoot which is pretty limited. If there is ammo recommended for this gun or that I should avoid, I'm willing to go somewhere a little further to try new ammo. Thanks.

The last round jam is common with this pistol. I have one and it did the same thing. There was a post several months back about this. A fellow said that he scratched the top of the plastic follower with a nail to put somewhat deep marks in it and it solved the problem. I tried it and sure enough the last round jams stopped. Hopes this helps.

My wife fired 125 rounds through our 380 EZ yesterday. No jams, stovepipes, etc, using 10 different magazines, We did have one FTF but she likes it and is comfortable with it. More range time, and home drills with dummy rounds are on the calendar.

We all make our own choices, but to me, nothing is more pathetic than an inexperienced shooter trying to clear a jammed gun. A revolver in good condition will fire reliably, you can power down the rounds or use a heavier gun to tame the recoil, and perceived recoil can be overcome with moderate training. The shot may or may not be quite as a accurate from a small revolver, but you do get to shoot. A jammed gun (or even activated safety) at the wrong time may be "game over" particularly for the inexperienced. A firearm with a known cycling problem in the hands of someone who seldom practices is probably not a good idea, the rookies, often but not always women, coming to CHL qualification with their new semi-automatic handguns has made that clear to me. You know that many will not fire the gun again until re-qualification.

Having said that I have put several hundred rounds through a friends S&W 380 EZ with no problems and it was an accurate range gun. I question the value of weakening the springs to make magazines easier to load. I also would prefer a heavier round for self defense, but we all make our own choices, and the gun that you will have with you when you need it is the gun you should carry.

Welp, it appears I’m having this problem with both magazines. Sending the gun and magazines back to S&W for inspection/repair.

What worked for my two .380 EZ's after finally giving up on S&W to solve this at their level was to insert a fired .380 casing under the mag springs on all four magazines. This completely solved the "stovepipe" problem but reduced the mag capacity by one round. I have attached a pic of the modified magazine. How long this will last, don't know, but hopefully long enough to have S&W issue a recall for this problem. Good luck, Semper Fi!

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Has anyone tried polishing the slide extension? The part that hangs down and strips the round out of the mag. There are very sharp milled edges to it. My EZ has not had any failures so I haven’t messed with it but I had a lcp2 that was all messed up with failures. This piece drags pretty hard on the next round in the mag when it chambers the one on top. The edges can dig into the brass and start to unseat the next round. That’s essentially what you are doing with the heavy springs is trying to hold the round while the slide drags across it. On my lcp I took a buffing wheel on a dremmel and some flitz and buffed it to a mirror finish and it works like butter. I would try it if I had one that was messing up.