For what it's worth I have my share of M&P'S and love them. But also have a older-model Ruger LC9 Hammer fired which I love ,9 mm nice and small I am not recoil sensitive. My wife has arthritis she can even shoot it. Granted it is difficult to pull back THE slide back for her. Decided to get her a Ruger LC380 also is a gun much smaller than the LCP 9 that I have which is wicked small. Slide much easyer to operate again it's hard for me to tell the difference in Recoil it doesn't bother me. Her with her bad arthritis can fire that 380 with no problem at all. She's more fearful because of anticipation from arthritis pain. Slide easier to operate much easier then the lcp9 I have but still difficult for her. Both guns come with a double recoil spring I decided to cut back the inner smaller recoil spring on her 380 so she can have an easy time with starting to operate the slide that makes all the difference. Both guns fire flawlessly 0 problems with them for years hundreds and hundreds of rounds through them. Something to think about! I know shortening a spring on the 380 might compromise gun life. It's not a Target gun and when used for one the regular spring will go in I will Chamber a round for her. But I've run that gun with target loads and high-powered defense loads would 0 issues no battering that I can see I am sure over time it would take its toll on the gun but I don't care if it's used in a defense situation and does its job I really don't care what happens to the gun! I know this has nothing to do with the subject other than Maybe trying a different gun these guns are much smaller than the Smith & Wesson EZ. Or Shield . Just food for thought for those who want something small accurate 4 a defensive weapon and reliable! Inexpensive also!