I wrote a week ago about how impressed I was with my daughter’s .380 EZ. Great gun, reliable, right from the factory. I noted that in my obsession for perfection I would be looking at some polishing and minor adjustments.

They are now done, and the gun has gone on a scale of 10 from a 9+ to an 11.

I mentioned the trigger was gritty. The constant dry firing (now maybe 800 trigger pulls) I’ve been doing has turned this into an excellent trigger.

I had my wife try to drop the locked slide using the lever. She has arthritis in her hands. I could not believe she couldn’t do it as it was so EZ for me. I adjusted the slide stop/slide notch interface (600 grit wet/dry sandpaper) until it was not only easier but also auto-forwards, a feature I really like. I can close the slide using my pinky, and my wife can now do it with either thumb. The slide is still 100% secure and does not close unless the slide stop is released. Any method for closing the retracted slide is now available to any challenged user.

I loosened up the manual safety which was a little stiff. Lubrication and cycling a few hundred times.

I completely cleaned and relubricated the gun and everything was noticeably smoother.

I found that one of the mags stopped the follower in the mag catch cut on loading rounds. I cleaned that up and found the design to be very interesting. Hard to assemble incorrectly.

I’ve run more fmj ammo through it, and a 20-rnd box of TAC-XPD defensive ammo, all with no trouble.

The biggest problem is now I have to return it to its rightful owner.

Buy another one

But seriously, I'm glad I've found another "perfection" enthusiast. I'm in the process of polishing, smoothing and adjusting my MP9.
And yes... polishing make a difference. I'm still struggling with trigger which is not as good as I'm expecting.
I have to try your "800 trigger pulls" method

Good job, great info !

Thx.

Alright, I'm going to ask a stupid question. I am not familiar with the term you used: the slide "auto-forwards." What do you mean by that? It seems like a good thing!?

A firm insertion of the magazine causes the slide to spring forward and chamber a round without having to thumb down the slide release.

Well, I've been a little cautious about too many dry fires, but with this post and the manual on the other side, guess I'll keep up my practice routine!

Do not be cautious at all. I've been dry firing all my 9mm handguns, 3 or 4 times more than live firing. There is no harm to firearms.

Oh! I see. That seems to contradict what you said before:

I'm not so sure I'd like that, and I know my wife would not (the .380 EZ is hers). It works for you and that's good.

While this has been answered basically, there is a little more to it.

When a slide is locked back by the slide stop raised up to engage the slide stop notch in the slide, there are a number of ways to get the slide to go forward. While each method has its proponents, suffice it to say, a properly adjusted slide stop will allow anyone to use any of the methods to get the slide lock out of the way so the slide can go forward.

The slide lock has a small spring that keeps it in a downward position on the top of the frame. An internal tab allows the follower of an empty mag to push up the slide stop against the spring pressure, and the slide coming forward under recoil spring tension then engages the slide lock. One can also manually push the slide lock up to get the same result.

Originally, the release method taught was commonly called the sling shot method. Pinch the back of the slide between thumb and forefinger (like a slingshot) and pull the slide back smartly so your fingers slip off the back of the slide. This releases the recoil spring tension of the slide lock notch on the slide lock lever. The lever drops quickly down, and the slide runs forward.

The same result occurs when using the overhand method(OH). One grasps the slide between the lower palm with fingers wrapped over the opposite side and pulls back. This is often taught as the common tactical method, but like the first method it is the slowest of the methods for getting a gun back into a fight as it requires a lot of hand movement and repositioning. On the range, speed makes no difference. In a fight, it does.

Operating manuals usually recommend these methods as they are easy to learn and don’t require the factory to take extra time ($$) to adjust the slide stop interface on each pistol.

Next fastest is the method used by many competitors and tactical operators. One uses a finger, usually a thumb, to push down the slide lock. Most guns come from the factory with no attempt to have the slide stop adjusted so this method can be used.

As a consequence, many new slide stops are so stiff, that is, they have so much friction between the slide stop lever and the slide that a gorilla and a six pack of bananas are not enough to manually drop the slide lever. A simple polishing of the engagement surfaces reduces friction gradually until it is just right for the stop to be used as a manual finger release. The polishing actually increases the engagement surface, so the slide is securely locked back, but the polishing makes it easy to push down manually.

Finally, in adjusting the slide stop, the reduction of friction can go to the next level where all the mentioned methods work and the slide is held securely, but a smart insertion of the magazine—using the force likely to be used in a fight—jars the slide just enough as the mag is seated to release the tension on the slide stop. The stop lever drops immediately and releases the slide (“automatically”) even before the hand inserting the mag can regain a firing grip.

It is the fastest and simplest method of getting the slide to go forward. This is a real advantage for one handed manipulations of a pistol, although using one’s firing hand thumb is fast and easy also, assuming the stop has been adjusted. Hooking some part of the slide on an object to get the lever to release is slow, difficult at best and potentially dangerous. It is very rarely practiced, especially with live ammunition.

Inserting the loaded mag can be done stupidly hard enough to jar the top round in the mag and jar it out of position for any loading process. This can cause a misfeed, although I have never had it happen to me with a defensive pistol in a fighting caliber. I have adjusted slide stops on over two dozen pistols from various manufacturers to operate this way. It is one more option for a shooter trained in the method.

Simply adjusting the slide stop to function the way you want it to makes your gun run like you want to train.

Unfortunately, some folks complained to S&W that auto-forwarding happened on some of their M&P models direct from the factory (without them adjusting the slide stop). They didn’t like it, so S&W mechanically *******ized the stop lever on certain 2.0 models so auto-forward is not available. The EZ models do not have this handicap.

Inserting a mag casually will not cause the adjusted slide stop lever to drop. Any of the mentioned methods can be used at this point to get the slide closed, including bumping the bottom of the grip sharply to auto-forward.

If the slide does not close as expected by auto-forwarding, the shooter simply uses one of the other methods he/she prefers for getting the lever down. I prefer to hit the slide release lever with my off-hand thumb every time as I acquire a firing grip, even though the stop is always already down when I do so. It’s a backup maneuver.

Until a shooter tries auto-forwarding, they assume it will not work reliably. I don’t show it to new shooters. I teach the OH method first. As they progress, I show them the options and they choose what works for them, often sticking with OH. Taking advantage of auto-forwarding with an adjusted slide stop is an AH-HA training procedure that works for many of us. It’s not for everybody.

On the EZ, there is a hammer in the frame under the slide. It is not striker fired. So, I removed the slide and held my thumb on the hammer while pulling the trigger. As it releases, I stop the hammer after about 1/4” of travel, release the trigger and push the hammer down to reset. Repeat. I can do over 60/minute, but of course I take some breaks.

Much quicker than cycling the slide to reset a striker. I disassemble my striker trigger groups and polish them out of the gun. I am not interested in that many cycle/dry fires to get a better trigger.

Thank you for the comprehensive discussion. I was not aware that it is a trained and expected action, now I know.

When I took my daughter’s EZ 380 to the range after its multi-day visit to the CB3 gun spa, I went to a range for both function reliability testing and accuracy tests.

It had only 84 rounds through it before I worked on it. I bought a third S&W mag, which needed a little filing, so with each of the three mags marked, I tested all three. I shot 100 rounds trouble free, except for two minor bobbles.

The third mag stove-piped on the last fmj round out of two mag loads. Knowing the fix for this was a simple roughing up of the follower to increase feeding friction, when I got home I added this upgrade to all three of the mags, even though two of them had not exhibited the problem. No problems since.

I also did some accuracy testing, both fmj range ammo and the Barnes TAC-XP all copper HP she might carry. I shot rested and off hand at 7 yards. First target was rested; the next two were unsupported, two handed. I was impressed with the gun.

Since then she has shot another 80 mechanically trouble free rounds. Once she missed her grip and didn’t get the grip safety depressed. Her right thumb was outside her left one, instead of on top. Quickly corrected. She is getting confidant enough to start carrying soon.

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Thanks for the report and your spa treatment was apparently beneficial.

CB3: Great shooting!
When we were issued M&P 40 cal some 15 years ago (time approximate), the guns had that auto-forward condition. Officers had concerns that this was not normal and wondered if the new guns might be defective. Within a couple of days a Memo was circulated that S&W had been contacted and said that was something that could happen if the magazine was inserted with Some degree of force.
Back then the slide could be released using the slide stop.
The concern management had was a liability one, that the gun could be Cycled without intentionally pulling/pushing the slide backwards or using the slide stop to release it as you mentioned above.
Management was afraid of an accidental discharge and any harm, damage or injury that could result from the gun cycling with this auto-forward condition.

Be SAFE and Shoot Often !