I did pick up a Shield .380 EZ Performance Center

I sold a Citadel Boss 25 (that was a whim purchase) and took the money to put towards a Shield .380 EZ Performance center.

I found a good used (although barely) model with the silver accents, box, papers, cleaning kit, 2 mags and the works. It cost exactly what I sold the shotgun for, and I grabbed 2 extra mags while I was in the shop.

I was a little worried that a gun that was so new and already traded in may have issues, but then I remembered that Smith and Wesson has great warranties, so that quickly went out the window.

I took it home, grabbed all kinds of ammo from Sig V crown to Sergeant Major steel and headed to the range Saturday.

I shot steel cased Sergeant Major, PMC Bronze, Winchester White box, SIG V Crown, Aguila, and I think some American Eagle I had lying around through it.

The accuracy was phenomenal. I shoot so much 9mm that when I get a good .380 in my hand, I can shoot it very well, and this gun was no disappointment. Of course, I got a bit "happy" after a while and my groups opened up, but at about 7 yards I not only punched the entire center out of 2 targets while shooting, but all my shots (Except a few I know I pulled) were in about a 4" x 6" area (even when I was shooting fast).

out of about 125 rounds I put through it, I did have 3 of the "last round in mag stovepipes", and it was out of three different mags, and with 3 different brands of ammo, so I think as others mentioned there is inherently a flaw in the mags form the factory. I thin I will look up how to scuff up the followers and try that OR just shoot a lot of mags with two rounds in them to see if cycling fixes the issue.

All in all, no regrets, and boy do I love this gun!

Glad you like it!
Wonder if S&Ws newer mags for the .380 fixed that problem?

instymp said:

Glad you like it!
Wonder if S&Ws newer mags for the .380 fixed that problem?

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I wonder this as well. The lack of reliability in my wife's hands is precisely why I got rid of her 380EZ. We did have a very early model, but still. I'd get another, if Smith would just admit there is an issue and commit to fixing the feeding issues.

I would not be too happy with a failure rate of 3/125 if it is a pistol used for self defense. My new CSX is 0/250 without so much as a hiccup so far. Fingers crossed.

Looking hard at the new Sig P365/380, as it is supposed to be easy to rack.

I have 4 mags for mine, two came with the gun, and two were "new manufacture" that i bought separately, and three out of the four had the stovepipe issue. I plan to load two rounds in my mags over and over and see if just shooting them will rough the followers up and help them not stovepipe. Even that aside, the stovepipes are much less of an issue than the problems I had with my old Colt that I sold, that this replaced.

Has anyone sent one back to the factory for the problem? Was the problem fixed by them if so? I recently acquired from the original owner an early model, 2018, one with the manual safety that the young female owner said she never fired. First time at the range the safety would engage after several rounds being fired. One or two times out of 50 rounds the stove piping happened. Found the Consumer Advisory from S&W online about the safety engaging. Further reading found the stove piping problems. Called S&W, told customer service about the problems and was told the serial number put it in the advisory era. I asked about the stove piping and was told they would fix the safety problem then we would deal with the other problem. I asked if possible to fix it while they had it this time. She said it may be a magazine issue but I was told not to send any magazines in. Might get it back in 6 weeks. Gun only came with one magazine so while waiting, I was lucky enough to be at the large local sporting goods store, Green Top, when some came in and bought 3. Comparing the new and old at home, the original spring is about one inch shorter than the new ones and the magazine is stiffer to load and the followers are different colors. Called S&W and asked customer service about the longer spring and different color. She said there is no difference in the old and new but would send me a new spring for the original magazine. Sorry for the long reply, but I would like for the gun to be made right if it left the factory with problems and maybe help someone else if they have problems.

Sprinklerman, often the first generation of anything has problems. Some small, some large.

Being a 208, I think yours may have been a first Gen, so some issues isn’t abnormal. Good their going to fix it, hope your safety is all set afterwards.

Got it back Friday. 100 rounds later and same issues. Called S&W and was told by customer service lady that the repair person had not listed any code repairs and wrote they checked the gun for function. Per her nothing was done to fix the recall for the faulty safety. Packed back up and being shipped back Monday.
GT 80 thanks for the reply but fell your statement about first production items totally wrong. As someone stated on this site at one time, S&W has no quality control, depends on the customer to find the problems.

1sprinklerman said:

Got it back Friday. 100 rounds later and same issues. Called S&W and was told by customer service lady that the repair person had not listed any code repairs and wrote they checked the gun for function. Per her nothing was done to fix the recall for the faulty safety. Packed back up and being shipped back Monday.
GT 80 thanks for the reply but fell your statement about first production items totally wrong. As someone stated on this site at one time, S&W has no quality control, depends on the customer to find the problems.

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I doubt they have no quality control... too much liability not to check stuff.

I took mine out again, using winchester white box- about 90 rounds through it, I had two stovepipes on the last round. I think it is getting better honestly- I keep my mags loaded when stored, and I think maybe the springs are just too strong from the factory. I will continue testing and reporting back.

GT_80 said:

about 90 rounds through it, I had two stovepipes on the last round.

... and I think maybe the springs are just too strong from the factory.

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Just the opposite. The magazine springs are too weak, intentionally in order to make the magazines "EZ" to load up. Very small feed lips combined with the extremely slick flat follower and there just isn't enough force to keep the last round in place.

Please note that the stovepipe or ejected live round never happens except on the last round. And it doesn't happen every time or every magazine. S&W balanced all the forces to make it "EZ" and it appears that magazine springs are right on the edge.

In my opinion, scuff or tape the follower (to increase friction) and the "problem" is solved. Those who load up only two rounds are ... well, wasting time I think. It will take forever to wear the follower and you've put four times as many "last rounds" in the magazines than if you just load them up full.

Again, just my opinion.

NukeRef said:

Just the opposite. The magazine springs are too weak, intentionally in order to make the magazines "EZ" to load up. Very small feed lips combined with the extremely slick flat follower and there just isn't enough force to keep the last round in place.

Please note that the stovepipe or ejected live round never happens except on the last round. And it doesn't happen every time or every magazine. S&W balanced all the forces to make it "EZ" and it appears that magazine springs are right on the edge.

In my opinion, scuff or tape the follower (to increase friction) and the "problem" is solved. Those who load up only two rounds are ... well, wasting time I think. It will take forever to wear the follower and you've put four times as many "last rounds" in the magazines than if you just load them up full.

Again, just my opinion.

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It could be. I don’t know- I don’t think they’re extremely ez to load, I think the thumb things help, but the springs don’t feel weak to me… everyone else who fixed the issue also said it was scuffing up the follower that fixed the issue. I’ll try it on a couple

I hate to sound dumb, but what's the follower?

Not dumb at all. We tend to forget that not everyone speaks the language we use so casually.

The follower is the little spring loaded plastic or metal piece in the magazine that you push down on with the cartridge as you load the magazine. In return it pushes up on the cartridge to raise it into position for the slide to pick it up and push it into the chamber.

I bought PC 380 EZ as a 70th birthday present to myself. I took it to the indoor range on the other side of Harrisburg with a bunch of different types of ammo. For me the gun ate every kind of ammunition I put through it. However, I had a bunch of stovepipes/failures to eject with some semi-wadcutter loads of unknown origin. Hollow points went in and out just fine.

When I started out, I got a group that was to the left of the center rings. When I moved the rear sight to the right, I was shooting pretty close to point of aim. So for the last group I took a center hold and put 3 out of 5 shots in the orange rings.

The barrel on this gun is ported. However, I didn't notice any excessive noise or muzzle flash. A nice birthday present.

Got mine back from the factory for the second time last week. Repair order said repair per recall as the manual safety engages while shooting. Range tested for the stove pipe problem. Next day at the range, 4 different brands of ammo used for a total of 90 rounds. Using 3 new magazines I bought as S&W says the new style magazine springs they said they would send me are on back order. All brands of ammo and every magazine caused the safety to engage and the stove piping to occur. Back at the factory again. Anyone wanting to buy a 380EZ when I get it back?

1sprinklerman said:

Got mine back from the factory for the second time last week. Repair order said repair per recall as the manual safety engages while shooting. Range tested for the stove pipe problem. Next day at the range, 4 different brands of ammo used for a total of 90 rounds. Using 3 new magazines I bought as S&W says the new style magazine springs they said they would send me are on back order. All brands of ammo and every magazine caused the safety to engage and the stove piping to occur. Back at the factory again. Anyone wanting to buy a 380EZ when I get it back?

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Well, that is disappointing. Disappointed in the firearm, and especially disappointed in S&W's lack of commitment to fix it.

Got an email from S&W. Said their gunsmiths had determined the gun could not be fixed. Said it would be destroyed and they would send me a new one through an FFL. They did not offer to pay the transfer fee, the FFL I use charges $37. Hopefully this will be the end of it , but I do not think so from what other new owners are posting.

1sprinklerman said:

Got an email from S&W. Said their gunsmiths had determined the gun could not be fixed. Said it would be destroyed and they would send me a new one through an FFL. They did not offer to pay the transfer fee, the FFL I use charges $37. Hopefully this will be the end of it , but I do not think so from what other new owners are posting.

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Glad you are getting a new one. Please let us know how the new EZ performs.

Yes please keep us updated as I am looking to get one for my wife.

whatever22 said:

Yes please keep us updated as I am looking to get one for my wife.

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Got the new one last week. Not planning on shooting it. I will put it up for sale and let the new owner be the S&W quality control person. I have no faith in the model as It was a carry gun.
Bought a Glock g48 9mm. 250 rounds so far and no problems.

whatever22 said:

Yes please keep us updated as I am looking to get one for my wife.

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My wife’s got one (not the PC model) which she carries daily, and through which she’s fired roughly 4,000 rounds, after which the slide, rails, frame, finish, barrel interior, and internals, still look virtually “new in box”, and it’s been very accurate in her hands as well.

Now for the bad part.

As per her experience at the range yesterday, the pistol, which was never a paragon of reliability to begin with, has become so unreliable (8 malfunctions of several different types in 100 rounds) that she’s no longer willing to carry it.

I’m going to order a new recoil spring assembly and replacement magazine springs to see if its reliability improves any, but I doubt she’ll be carrying it anymore.

The upside is that she’s become an actual wizard at clearing all sorts of malfunctions.

She was planning on picking up the 9mm version of the EZ but, rightly or wrongly, she’s become hesitant and will be buying something else.