New Shield 380 EZ... Nope. Junk.

[silversnake]

Yeah, a grip safety, like those worthless old 1911s have. What kind of wimp needs a safety to carry around a pistol with a fully cocked hammer and a light trigger?

Is the Shield .380 a single action?

Adding that grip safety means more internal parts, more things to fail, one more way for the user to create problems if they don't have a good grip. On an XD you can't even rack the slide without depressing the grip safety, I hope that's not the case here.

If you want a .380 with a good trigger, manual safety and easy to rack slide, there's already the Sig P238.

 

[Vandal320]

I have been wanting a 380...

 

[Triggernosis]

with the size of the thing according to the specs on S&W website, you might as well get a 9mm.

Just because you can make a gun capable of shooting 9mm the size of one that shoots .380 doesn't necessarily make it a good idea. In fact, I even prefer my .380's to be no smaller than a Sig P230/232 or Beretta Cheetah/Browning BDA. And I'm a badass.....

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Ya know.......although it can be referred to as a geriatric gun and I ain't there yet the more I think about it the more I see the sense in it. First off there is no reason why one would disparage any company for putting another product on the shelf. Maybe one day when I get old and feeble this might very well be the gun I keep under my leg blanket-for now it doesn't fit in my lineup. BUT what I DO like is the little wings to assist in slide racking as well as the little button on the mag to allow for easier loading. Why every magazine doesn't have one of these is a mystery to me. I also like the internal hammer over the striker and LIKE safeties on my guns. If the grip safety offends you, I would suggest holding it closed while the bead of JB weld around it to seal it shut cures (use the quick cure it sets in about 6 minutes). Touch up and smooth the bead with a dremel and you will have eliminated the chance of failure with a seamless grip..

 

[Targets Guy]

Seems worth checking out.

 

[bigggbbruce]

This is not "junk"... it's a viable option for women and the elderly who want the advantages of a semi-auto but have trouble with racking and loading. Lots of people like this, including my mother in law who has arthritis but would love a Shield for her home defense.

I don't get that thinking..

I have arthritis and small guns are difficult to rack(.)

and a 380 is snappier than a 9mm..

 

[GeoJelly]

I've done some more research, and the more I look - the more I like it. I have a SIG 238 but it's very heavy (thick slide) for a .380. The BG380 is out of the question. LCP II may be OK for some folks - but I don't like the fact that it appears to be 95% cocked with no safety. I really like the Kahr's - just ordered an S9 - but the effort to rack the slide is crazy. Beretta Pico is a maybe, but I haven't handled one - and no safety. I have a Glock 42 and like it - but I would like it a lot better with a manual safety. I think they have a winner on their hands - 'specially if the grip safety can be pinned or glued down. There's no grip safety on the M&P Compact .22 - maybe they'll offer a version without the grip safety.

 

[silversnake]

I've done some more research, and the more I look - the more I like it. I have a SIG 238 but it's very heavy (thick slide) for a .380. The BG380 is out of the question. LCP II may be OK for some folks - but I don't like the fact that it appears to be 95% cocked with no safety. I really like the Kahr's - just ordered an S9 - but the effort to rack the slide is crazy. Beretta Pico is a maybe, but I haven't handled one - and no safety. I have a Glock 42 and like it - but I would like it a lot better with a manual safety. I think they have a winner on their hands - 'specially if the grip safety can be pinned or glued down. There's no grip safety on the M&P Compact .22 - maybe they'll offer a version without the grip safety.

I agree, if they removed the grip safety this would be a far more attractive gun. I cannot think of a single reason to include one on a gun that already has a thumb safety, unless there is just some huge crowd of new gun buyers clamoring for two manual safeties that I haven't encountered....

 

[richardw]

Personally, I am intrigued by the gun. When my arthritis presented a real problem racking my pistol I bought. Remington 380. I chose it because it was low recoil, easy to rack, and it had a 2.9 inch barrel. With velocity and energy influenced by barrel length the RM380 had an advantage over other subcompact pistols.

This new M&P 380 has a barrel juts a tad under 4 inches. That might put it in a class that has enough barrel length to actually generate enough velocity to make a HP mushroom unlike subcompact 380s.
I will be interested in how it tests out in reviews of the gun and it's ballistics.

Re the grip safety, it would not bother me for a second. Once I reached senior staff no I carried a 1911 with all its safety features. None of the were a problem. Fact is that I would have done away with the thumb safety and just had the grip safety with the half cock safety.

However, after rehab, I can now work with my 9mm without problems, so a 380 is not in the cards for me.

 

[Paper Clip]

Love the BG 380. Like the shield. Absolutely hate this. If you want a shield EZ add the EZ features onto the 9mm. JMO. No problem with them adding a new product. Just definitely not for me, or anyone I know for that matter. The people I know that cannot rack a slide prefer dao revolvers. Nothing wrong with options though i guess. Would rather see s&w put time and money into something else though.

 

[LVSteve]

I don't get that thinking..

I have arthritis and small guns are difficult to rack(.)

and a 380 is snappier than a 9mm..

Were the .380 guns you shot blowback or locked breech designs? I find the Beretta Cheetah and similar guns snappy and they are all blowback designs. My wife uses a Sig P250SC in 380 and that has very little recoil and is very easy to rack.

Sig had the 380 locked breech/easy to rack market cornered with the P250 Compact and Subcompact and the P290 RS. Then they stopped making them!! Yes, I know they still sell the P238, but MANY folks don't want an exposed hammer gun, it's just how it is.

I've been hoping for a P320 compact in 380, but if folks like the OP are advising Sig, I guess we won't see them in the US.

My wife's buddy is trying to master a SCCY-CPX2 in 9mm. It's not going well. Gave her the P250SC 380 to shoot and she was MUCH happier. SCCY made some 380 guns but stopped production because of tolerance issues. If they get that issue sorted, it will be a great addition to the market.

The Shield EZ is a great idea, but I wonder if the grip/frame safety combo is a step too far. One or the other would be better, IMHO. Why S&W did not simply make a 380 striker fired Shield I cannot fathom. The basic design is cost amortized, so a lighter spring and shorter chamber should be simple mods.

First review is up.

Shooting Illustrated | Range Review: Smith & Wesson M&P380 Shield EZ

 

[Muss Muggins]

Why!? This is the gun NOBODY asked for. Especially with a grip safety. Sorry, but nope. Keep ot.

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Did you ask your brother about it?

My brother works for S&W, and there is no M2.0 compact in the works as of now, but he expects it to change with.

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[LVSteve]

I have read it is hammer fired, But is it DAO or DA/SA? No spec's on that or trigger weight. Maybe I missed it? Also... Locked Breech or Blowback?

Single action, 6lb trigger (according to shooting illustrated) and locked breech. You cannot make a blowback 380 easy to rack with a light spring unless you give it a slide that weighs about 1.5 pounds.

Big news: A model without the thumb safety is also available.

 

[mrchuck]

Most women will carry their weapon in a purse.
This pistol is perfect.
Tired of these tiny ones causing slide recoil cuts on the shooter's hand!
With today's 380 hollow points, theyare now considered a true killer.
Congratulations Smith&Wesson for listening and producing an especially effective self-defense weapon for women and old men!

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Single action, 6lb trigger (according to shooting illustrated) and locked breech. You cannot make a blowback 380 easy to rack with a light spring unless you give it a slide that weighs about 1.5 pounds.

Big news: A model without the thumb safety is also available.

GO rack a slide on an old Walther PPK or PPK/s. Those were a bear to shoot

 

[gonerydin]

I agree, if they removed the grip safety this would be a far more attractive gun. I cannot think of a single reason to include one on a gun that already has a thumb safety, unless there is just some huge crowd of new gun buyers clamoring for two manual safeties that I haven't encountered....

The thumb safety is optional.


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[Aahzz]

This looks like a fantastic option for my 77 year old mother. The has revolvers now, because she has strength issues with racking the slide, but she also has trouble with the long heavy trigger on the revolver. If she could rack the slide on this and have a lighter trigger, it'd be the perfect home defense gun for her. It also takes only a quick look on the S&W site to see that it's available without the thumb safety, in which case the grip safety makes a bit more sense.

M&P(R) 380 SHIELD™ EZ™ | Smith & Wesson

 

[gonerydin]

Great question... if it is a tilting barrel/locked breech gun, it would have milder recoil than a blowback design, and be even better suited for the likely market for it. (A lot of people are surprised by the recoil of the "little" .380, but it is the often the result of the blowback design and light weight of many 380s).



On the trigger: I suspect the Shield 380 EZ does not have a light, short trigger -- as some have speculated. Rather, a fairly long and at least moderately heavy - 8 lbs? - "revolver-like" trigger would fit the goal of a practically safe design that is easily mastered by the intended audience.

On smith-wesson.com the trigger is described as "Crisp, light trigger with tactile and audible trigger reset." Time will tell.


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[gonerydin]

Like it or not, I imagine it will sell well. I might even buy one someday.


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[Vandal320]

Article from Guns & Ammo.

FIRST LOOK: Easy-To-Rack S&W M&P 380 Shield