EQUALIZER 9mm Is mine a Lemon or is this a bad product?

[IronSites2025]

I am a long time S&W fan. All my pistols are S&W products. I can recommend them all except for the Equalizer.
My Equalizer was purchased in late 2024. Brand new.
Since then I have had to send to back to S&W for issues with (1) the Take Down Lever (2) The Back Safety disabling the gun and now (3) constant Feed failures.

Update! The feed failure is caused by a broken slide lock. See picture.
Three returns in less than 9 months. Is mine the only lemon out there or have other's had issues?
I cannot express how disappointed and frustrated I am with this model in the S&W line.
The break downs make the shooting range a frustration and it is too undependable to be a home protection weapon.
To be clear all my other S&W's are excellent.

Thank you for your time I look forward to hearing from other Equalizer owners.
Christian S.

 

[RUT]

I had one for a short while but just couldn't abide the grip safety for one. Secondly, I didn't care for the funky grip angle , so out it went in favor of something else. I'm a big S&W fan but this one just didn't do it for me.

 

[M1A4ME]

Bought y wife one a couple years back (seems like a couple). OR model with the thumb safeties.

Her issues were trigger feel (not like her Shield 9MM PC pistol) and a failure to fire sometimes. Finally figured out the "high" grip was resulting in the top of the grip safety not being depressed enough to all it to fire sometimes. She modified her grip to grab the frame lower down the back strap and the failures to fire when away.

Later I bought her a grip safety from NDZ and that seems to have allowed her to move her hand upwards/back to the comfortable and better controlling position where the web of her hand it tight up against the beavertail.

It shoots well enough to suit her and she's picky. Over the years I've given up a couple of my good shooting pistols to her after she shot them and was impressed by the small groups.

Sorry you're having issues with yours. I almost bought a second one awhile back till I saw it was the non safety model.

 

[WolvesFan]

I am a long time S&W fan. All my pistols are S&W products. I can recommend them all except for the Equalizer.
My Equalizer was purchased in late 2024. Brand new.
Since then I have had to send to back to S&W for issues with (1) the Take Down Lever (2) The Back Safety disabling the gun and now (3) constant Feed failures.

Update! The feed failure is caused by a broken slide lock. See picture.
Three returns in less than 9 months. Is mine the only lemon out there or have other's had issues?
I cannot express how disappointed and frustrated I am with this model in the S&W line.
The break downs make the shooting range a frustration and it is too undependable to be a home protection weapon.
To be clear all my other S&W's are excellent.

Thank you for your time I look forward to hearing from other Equalizer owners.
Christian S.

I work in a GS and we get many of these back as trade ins or to be sent in for repair. Not S&W's best work it seems.

 

[GaryS]

I bought one before the end of the year and haven't had any problems with it. At none that I didn't cause when I removed the thumb safety and tried to install the S&W provided plugs. Which just didn't fit no matter what I did.

I decided to put the safety back in, but of course one piece fell out and I had to search on line for a diagram or video. I found one for the M&P 2.0 which is what the Enforcer is based on. I got it all back together and it dry fires fine. I still have to get it to the range to make sure it fires.

It will be a range gun, or maybe a home gun, or maybe a sold gun.

The Manual of Arms is just too different, as in totally, than the 3rd Gen semi autos.