.380 EZ

[Warhorse2]

My local gun shop has the latest S&W M&P .380 EZ with a gun vault promotion on sale for $309.99. At that price I just could not resist.

I took it home, cleaned and lubed it, returned to the gun stores indoor range with a hundred rounds of my reloads. I had various malfunctions during the first three magazines, then it settled right down and ran the next 76 rounds flawlessly.

I found it to operate as advertised, slide was easy to rack, mags were easy to load, trigger and reset were good, sights were easy to pick up on, extremely light recoil impulse. I enjoyed shooting this .380 more than my other .380's, a Sig P232, and a Ruger LCP.

If the reliability keeps up for a few more hundred rounds, I would say this is a good self defense gun for those with strength, or arthritic issues in their hands. Heck, I can see myself carrying it in the summer months. My Sig P232 gives me atrocious slide bite, and has a very snappy recoil due to its blowback design, and my LCP is hard to grip because of its little size.

I think S&W hit a homerun with this gun.

 

[federali]

Glad your new handgun settled down. I don't question your reloading skills or experience but I generally prefer to test new guns with factory ammunition as a means of reducing potential variables.

 

[Warhorse2]

It will be tested with factory premium self defense loads before it ever gets carried/used for personal defense. In fact, that is all I carry for defense, my reloads are strictly for the range.

 

[pakettle]

I bought mine shortly after they came out, dealers were only discounting them about 20 bucks. Anyway its a great gun, mine has 1200 rounds through it. No problems.

 

[D Brown]

M&P380 SHIELD EZ

Hi Warhorse2,

Thanks for posting. I bought mine the same way, as a package deal; incredibly good deal! What's not to like?

 

[chuckie]

The first shot with mine was a FTE and I thought the worst, the next 199 were flawless. I really like the .380 EZ.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

I wish they made it in 9 mm. I would get my wife one.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[Wee Hooker]

I wish they made it in 9 mm. I would get my wife one.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

My guess is that if they made it in 9mm, the "EZ" part would go down the drain with the need for a heavier slide and spring (a la 9mm shield).

FWIW, we'v sold a few at the shop and customers (mostly women and elderly as targeted) really seem to like them.

 

[ChiefTJS]

Picked up mine yesterday and made it to the range today, unfortunately mine didn't work quite so well. I picked up a hundred round box of Winchester White Box and I'd say I probably had 20-25 rounds fail to eject properly. Failures were either stovepipes or full on still in the chamber issues. I'll tear into it tomorrow and see if I see anything obvious, otherwise I'll just clean it very well and give it another spin before calling Smith. I field stripped it, wiped it down and gave it a little oil before taking it to the range.

 

[Goldstar225]

I'm purchasing a 380 EZ for my wife as a Christmas gift (she doesn't know it yet). She has reached the point that she struggles to rack the slide on her LC9s 9mm. She's the classic target audience for it, 65, arthritis and weakening grip. Took her to a gun shop to check out some alternatives, she really liked the EZ and had no problem manipulating it. We'll hit the range the day after Christmas and let her break it in.

 

[MikeAEZ]

I'm purchasing a 380 EZ for my wife as a Christmas gift (she doesn't know it yet). She has reached the point that she struggles to rack the slide on her LC9s 9mm. She's the classic target audience for it, 65, arthritis and weakening grip. Took her to a gun shop to check out some alternatives, she really liked the EZ and had no problem manipulating it. We'll hit the range the day after Christmas and let her break it in.

My wife also has arthritis and struggled with nearly every gun she tried. She had a Sig Sauer P238 but just couldn't rack the slide. When she tried the EZ she was amazed at how easy it was to use and now she shoots semi-regularly- even got her LTC! Your wife will enjoy.

 

[MikeAEZ]

Picked up mine yesterday and made it to the range today, unfortunately mine didn't work quite so well. I picked up a hundred round box of Winchester White Box and I'd say I probably had 20-25 rounds fail to eject properly. Failures were either stovepipes or full on still in the chamber issues. I'll tear into it tomorrow and see if I see anything obvious, otherwise I'll just clean it very well and give it another spin before calling Smith. I field stripped it, wiped it down and gave it a little oil before taking it to the range.

Good luck. A number of people commented on the magazine springs needing a short break-in. Loading the mag up and leaving it that way for a day or two does the trick. My wife's EZ had an odd FTE on occasion- round was in the chamber stovepiped but reversed! Never saw how that was possible. Only saw that once.

 

[ChiefTJS]

Got the gun all cleaned up and made it back to the range today and got 49 out of 50 rounds launched and ejected perfectly. Had one round (last round in mag) fail to feed with a stovepipe pointing straight up. I'm much happier with the gun now.

 

[Wee Hooker]

Picked up mine yesterday and made it to the range today, unfortunately mine didn't work quite so well. I picked up a hundred round box of Winchester White Box and I'd say I probably had 20-25 rounds fail to eject properly. Failures were either stovepipes or full on still in the chamber issues. I'll tear into it tomorrow and see if I see anything obvious, otherwise I'll just clean it very well and give it another spin before calling Smith. I field stripped it, wiped it down and gave it a little oil before taking it to the range.

We get ALLOT of complaints at the shop about jamming 380/9mm pistols when run on Winchester White box.It seems especially so if the WWB was purchased at WallyWorld. My suggestion ( as it is to my customers) would be to try again with a clean and well lubed gun and some better quality ammo. Hopefully that cures it.

 

[Lab4Us]

My wife loves hers. 1050 rounds so far. Unfortunately, after last range trip and cleaning, function check indicated both grip safety and manual safety were inoperative. Just need to get around to calling SW.

The wife using the 380 EZ as long as she has, she has learned the slide racking process much better. Now she can rack slide and shoot our P229RX and P365 we just picked up last week quite comfortably. Shield .45, not so much (and she hates shooting it lol). I imagine after I get the 380 EZ safety addressed, it will sit in the safe.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Thread drift ..... size/grip wise how does it compare to the M&P .22 compact????

 

[lkabug]

I wish they made it in 9 mm. I would get my wife one.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

Wife? If they made it in 9mm I'd get me one!

 

[lkabug]

For my 380EZ I have one Magazine that will stove pipe the last round about 20 % of the time. I have marked that magazine and it is the only one with the problem. Otherwise the gun is great.

 

[touchoneoff]

I too have been interested with the EZ, but just don't want to add another .380 ACP to the ones I already have. If it's anything like my other two M&P's, it's got to be a winner.

 

[gymguy]

Thumb safety problem

Has the thumb safety problem been fixed yet? Is there a laser aftermarket attachment out there? Will currently available holsters work with the EZ?