Shield EZ dud

[USAF385]

I saw an EZ no safety in the shop today so I figured I’d give it a go.

I took te gun home and gave it a quick cleaning before heading outside with my wife for some range time.

My first shot resulted in a stove pipe. I finished the magazine with no issue and shot two more magazines with no issue.

My wife then gave it a go. Her first shot resulted in a failure to feed. The first round was extracted but the next round stayed in the magazine. Her next shot was a failure to extract. Next shot was ok, the following round was a stove pipe. She handed my the gun and I emptied it with no issues.

She tried the next mag, first shot was another failure of some sort. She handed me the gun because she was over it at that point. I emptied the magazine with no issues.

My brother in law joined us later and I had him put some rounds through. He also had no problem but was hitting left with all his shots. I shot a magazine and noticed the same thing.

I adjusted the rear sight and improved brought the shots in closer, but still a little to the left. I then noticed the front sight was a little loose / wobbly.

I decided I would finish my box of ammo and was still hitting about 3” to the left at 40 feet.

My very last magazine I noticed as the 7th spent casing was extracted, the 8th LIVE ROUND was also ejected.

Wow.

So my wife’s issues are definitely limp wristing. She has never had that issue before and has fired a lot of seminauto handguns. We think it’s the grip safety causing her to grip the gun differently.

I’m a bit disappointed. I took it apart this evening and gave it a detailed cleaning. I think I might take it out tomorrow and see what happens, but I’m thinking it may be going back, especially with the front sight being loose.

It’s amazing though that a gun marketed as a good choice for female / beginner / elderly shooters can be so easily limp wristed. She does need to work on a higher, tighter grip, but she shot her Sig P238 and M9, along with my PC Shield 9 and my CZ 75 SP-01 with zero problems.

 

[gc70]

It’s amazing though that a gun marketed as a good choice for female / beginner / elderly shooters can be so easily limp wristed.

Limp wristing a gun like the EZ is really surprising. Limp wristing occurs when the force used to hold a gun is less than the force needed to overcome the recoil spring. In short, the gun is allowed to move before or more than the slide moves, which prevents the slide from cycling properly. Since the EZ requires such minimal force to cycle the slide, the grip on the gun would have to be nearly nothing to cause a limp wristing failure.

 

[USAF385]

^^^^

That was my thought too, but I can’t figure out why it acts up only when she shoots it... aside from my first stove pipe and the one live round ejection I had no issues (not including the sight)

 

[Cheyenne WYO]

The front sight is held in place by a C clip. That was a new one on me. It is not a very strong design, but I didn't notice any accuracy problems.

I noticed that the gun will fire if the grip safety is pressed only about a third of the way. If someone were to grip the gun pressing the grip safety only enough to get it to fire, I can see how there would be malfunctions.

It seems as though this gun has resulted in a new type of common malfunction, the double ejection. I am wondering if the goal of making it easy to load resulted in the use of the barest minimum tension in the magazine spring. This could result in cartridges bouncing around. The gun gets lighter and the magazine spring has less tension as the magazine is emptied, which could account for the tendency for this to occur toward the end of the magazine.

Please keep us updated.

 

[bigwheelzip]

We think it’s the grip safety causing her to grip the gun differently.

My 25yo granddaughter has a lot of time with her dad's and his friend's semi-autos, but on her recent visit with me, even though she enjoyed every other gun at the range, decided she did not like grip safetys.

I also took her to the local Cabela's and had her hold the .380 EZ. Didn't like the grip safety on it either.

 

[Rastoff]

I've said it before...the .380Auto is a finicky caliber. The .380Auto guns tend to be the least reliable of the common calibers. I see it all the time. Guys defend their .380Auto guns, but at the range they are almost always the first to have malfunctions. That doesn't mean they can't be reliable, I just haven't seen it.

Limp wristing occurs when the force used to hold a gun is less than the force needed to overcome the recoil spring.

The "limp wrist" or shooter induced malfunction is more complicated than that. It's not just less force, but a sweet spot between no holding force and solid as a rock.

I've seen a gun that was held as loosely as possible feed perfectly. Same gun with a nice solid grip feed perfectly. Same gun with a slightly less than solid grip malfunction. There's a spot that's not zero back pressure, but not solid, that will cause just about any semi-auto to fail.

Sometimes it can be the attitude of the gun as well. My shotgun will fire fine if held from the hip or shoulder. But if I hold it over my head, it will get a Type II malfunction almost every time. Could be the position, could just be that sweet spot I'm talking about.

...hitting left with all his shots. I shot a magazine and noticed the same thing.

This is the most common issue with any gun. Most of the time it's the shooter more than the gun.

 

[gc70]

The "limp wrist" or shooter induced malfunction is more complicated than that. It's not just less force, but a sweet spot between no holding force and solid as a rock.

Human interaction with a machine is nearly always more complicated than pure physics. Force, like water, seeks the path of least resistance. If the application of force appears to produce a different result, there is some unidentified factor involved.

 

[Flyingfool]

If I got the 380EZ, i would install a houge grip sleeve to hold the grip safety in at all times and use itnlike any other no thumb safety gun like the other shields!

I do not understand why the geip safety was installed ar all???

 

[Rastoff]

I do not understand why the geip safety was installed ar all???

Neither do I, but a quick look at the innards would answer that. Alas, I have no access to this gun.

 

[gc70]

If I got the 380EZ, i would install a houge grip sleeve to hold the grip safety in at all times and use itnlike any other no thumb safety gun like the other shields!

I do not understand why the geip safety was installed ar all???

Many people believe guns with very short, light trigger pulls are dangerous without some manual safety mechanism.

 

[Rastoff]

Many people believe guns with very short, light trigger pulls are dangerous without some manual safety mechanism.

Um, just how does the grip safety change that?

 

[7tcu]

I was told the grip safety was to prevent it discharging when dropped. Something about an internal hammer. I don't understand that but that was what read.

 

[Cheyenne WYO]

The grip safety is what de-activates the firing pin block. The gun is safe to drop when the grip safety is not depressed. Also, when reholstering, releasing the grip safety prevents discharge while holstering. Finally, with a holster that covers the trigger guard and has a strap that goes around the back of the slide, the gun is significantly safer for people who throw guns in purses.

 

[jnichols2]

I had no problems with my EZ, but that was because I bought a Glock 42 first, and learned.

These small, very light .380s are a special category. Because there is less weight to counter push back, it needs a firmer grip. Now complicate that; the smaller grip leaves less space to grip. Then using a .380 generates less force to push the slide back.

They just need a firmer grip. That changed my Glock 42 from a jamamatic to reliable function.

I'm sure the reason I had no problem with my EZ was that I used a firmer grip from the start.

Don't resist using a firmer grip, it will work for you. It may also help with shooting left. If you use a firmer grip from the start, you may have less tendancy to squeeze it at the break.

 

[7tcu]

Well then what I read was right.

 

[skipper49]

I’ve been carrying 1911’s since the early 1970’s. I like thumb safeties and grip safeties. I don’t know how you guys can even tell the grip safety is there, on the EZ. I can’t.
Neither my wife (in her seventies) or I could make ours malfunction with a variety of loads.
Got custom Kydex coming from JMCK.

Skip

 

[crracer_712]

I don't get the issue with the grip safety, I can't feel it at all while in my hand, it's a none issue.

 

[LVSteve]

I'm calling the double ejection RP9 disease. That is the the first modern gun I heard of exhibiting the behavior.

As for the malfunctions, not everyone's hands work the same way. For example, I cannot understand how anybody can get slide bite or hammer bite. It goes contrary to what I was told as a kid, "keep your extremities away from the moving parts". How hard can it be? One style of grip does not work for all guns, same as one driving style does not work for all cars and SUVs. The 380 EZ does not work for the OP's wife with the grip she wants to use. It happens. Sometimes it can be fixed with training, and sometimes it can't.

Shooting left with an unfamiliar gun? Who on this or any other gun board can honestly say that has never happened to them.

 

[Rastoff]

Shooting left with an unfamiliar gun? Who on this or any other gun board can honestly say that has never happened to them.

I can, but I'm a lefty so...

 

[Rob Holly]

First time at the range, had no problems. However, down and low with tight groups. Need more range time.