Just bought one and took it to the range.its a great little gun.i love it.dont know why people say it's not for gun enthusiasts.i am and I love the gun.being said I do have the start of bad hands.its a pleasure to shoot.
Agree, I think it's excellent. I have a hunch that many are just not secure enough to know it's okay to enjoy a small caliber handgun. We should really just pity them.
Nice tip on making use of the chamber flag. I’m new at this and own the 9mm EZ so I really paid attention to your explanation of the internals; very much appreciated. I tried out a lot of handguns at my local range. At first It seemed like I shot the slimline Glocks best but none were available (pan/gun-demic ). But after adjusting to the grip angle and improving my own grip the EZ started showing tighter groups. I now shoot it better than the Glock and my weak aging hands love it.
Took my brand new EZ to the range today. Shot about 200 rounds and I had the left low as well. Similar to your pattern. I was told that in addition to my left groups the grip safety may be an issue as well. For now I will assume the problem is me. Thanks for part 1 and 2. It helped.
I ha e watched a lot of reviews on this pistol. You have done a better job of explaining the internal workings of this particular gun Thanks, will be looking forward to that type of detail in the future!
Sent mine back for the same problem.... live round stovepipe on last round in magazine, 5 out of 7 mag runs...they replaced the ejector. And fixed the recall on the manual safety. Took 3 weeks to fix and return. Works fine now, 300 rounds later, ...oh and by the way, I'm an experienced shooter, with arthritic hands.
@@josearalatBought it in June. Don't get me wrong, it's a great gun; good shooter and she lovea it. The last round stovepipe thing doesn't happen often enough to be a serious issue. But I still intend to resove it.
Ok. It's just that my wife is extremely picky and this would be her first gun. Seeing that this has happened to a couple of youtube reviewers I don't think I can spend the 450$ the gun costs around here without even an explanation from S&W about the issue. Thanks for your input though.
I have one of these and have not had any trouble, but haven't tried it weak handed. I really like it; and hope S&W will use their magic on other calibers. Thanks for the videos.
Thanks for producing this video review, I know they are selling well at my local gun shop. I was curious what it was like, I am leaning towards one of the M&P Compacts in 9mm next now that I finally own the Excellent M&P Shield in 9mm..... surprising how good that little pistol truly is. It will hold its own against the best out there in its class. Thanks again Justin..... Beretta Sr.
Just got one and the manual states to release the slide via pulling it to the rear and letting it go. While I’ve always used the slide stop I now use the “slingshot” method on both my 380 Ez and my 9EZ as instructed.
My wife picked this up (I suggested a different caliber and manufacturer) because at the shop, the man demonstrated it for her, and then she tried to operate the slides. She absolutely could not slide even a 9, so, this is what was bought. When I first saw it, I actually thought it was the m&p 9, but nope, 380. I of course had to check it out. I mean, you know...."quality and stuff" 😉. Amazing. Really. For a 380 that doesn't buck like a bronco, flayling ammo in any direction (due to lack of any barrel what so ever, usually), I was amazed at how little recoil there is. And the trigger is super light imo. But, just right for her, and that's what really matters, that she is able to operate it properly without help or any assistance. I have to agree, great 380 for the target market. The round in chamber indicator is of course, my favorite feature. 😀😉 Thanks for the upload.
Wow! Thanks for your excellent video, I have the EZ double safety gun because I have small hand and Iam learning to use it. Hod bless you for help others to know and learn about this model of gun!
Just purchased this gun for my wife who could not rack our Ruger SRS 9mm. We took it to the range yesterday for the first time and I kept shooting it low left, same as your pattern (I normally never shoot low left). This gun's a breeze to operate and she likes it (as I do with my arthritic hands), although I would prefer no grip safety - we both had issue getting used to it. I had to take the rear site way right to get it to hit at where it was aimed, although it still shoots low. I have found putting the front sight just above the rear sights gets it close enough. It's home defense gun that if ever used for that purpose will likely be close range so not too concerned about the lack of elevation adjustment, although a bit annoyed by it. What I AM concerned about is that I had the last live round of the mag stove pipe issue 2 x in short order after having shot about 100 rounds. I put another 30 rounds through after the last live round stove pipe and had no issue. I've marked my mags now to see if I have a troublesome mag or it's both or the gun. May call S&W to see if they have any suggestions. I really don't want to send it back if I don't have to.
Excellent video, I enjoyed the critic of the gun's internal mechanism. Compact 380s are not much fun to shoot, too much recoil. The EZ and Walther pk380 are full size guns that have little recoil that make shooting more enjoyable.
My primary range guns are my FN 509 tactical and my Sig 320 X5 and surprised that I actually LIKE the EZ. My wife loves it and now getting more comfortable with my M&P 2.0 which is good. 200-300 rounds in and no malfunctions. It will be interesting to see where this journey goes. Appreciate your reviews on thjs one !
A nice weapon for people with arthritic condition,,gives you a centerfire alternative to say using a ruger 22 semi for self defense,low recoil and fits smaller hands,,and when they get a couple glitches fixed,,should be a wonderful option for many
The whole idea was to make a “beginners” or shooters with limited function handgun that could be concealed, light, low recoil, with redundant safety features. Every time you ask “why,” keep the concept of the firearm in mind. Every time you asked “why didn’t they,” would have added weight, recoil, difficulty manipulating functions (slide and safety) and diminished safety. I bought my wife a LCP II she could not operate. With the .380 EZ she can load the mags, manipulate the slide and safety. The most important however, she can hit a target at 15 yards now.
Thinking of putting a Talon grip on mine to resolve the grip safety issue for me. I haven't used a Talon grip before but it would mod this gun nicely. I like the thumb safety. I grew up with single actions and swiping off the safety first is natural.
Just bought one for the wife, but she hasn't had a chance to test it, due to the weather. She has a Ruger LCP 380, but it's a bear for her (61 yo) to operate the slide, plus it's got a bit of a kick to it. Tested the operability (ease) of the slide in the store, and it was easy for her to do.
You weren’t limp wristing. I’ve put about 150 bullets through my 380 ez so far and it drove piped on the last bullet a few times. Also didn’t rack back on the last shot also. Can’t affford to put any more bullets in it right now but hopefully it’ll work out the kinks.
This is in my opinion the first purpose made firearm beginners or non gun people. The reason 380 was likely chosen is cause it’s very soft shooting and allows for weaker springs hence easier manipulations. The reason for its size is because it’s well document that 380HP rounds are very effective from barrels around 3” or longer. As bad as 380 is for a micro pocket pistol in terms of terminal ballistics the little extra barrel adds just the right amount of velocity allowing for HP to achieve proper penetration. I’m sure they went single stack just so they could add the 22lr like loading tabs. All in all I think this is a phenomenal concept and and execution for what it’s designed for. I will likely be buying this pistol for my daughter very soon to use for basic defensive training then later for my sons who are a few years younger. Shes 11 and although she can and does manage to shoot my pistols I think this is a much better training tool then using something like a 22. If my mother or grandmother asked me what to get for concealed carry.. I’d like tell them to take a look at this gun. If my coworker asked what to get for his first home defense pistol or what to get for his wife to carry.. same thing. The one knock I’d give is this should be available with a manual safety. An entry or beginners type pistol should be optioned for a safety. Although I’d never recommend it for concealed carry I think it’s a good tool for training and learning safe operations like drawing from a holster properly.
have you worked on the malfunction { stovepipe] you had on the 380 ez shield? it's happen to me more than twice. don;t know what I'm doing wrong. thanks, I like your presentations. clear and easy to watch
My mother in law has arthritis and other medical issues. I bought this pistol for her. She is not tabled to work the slides on most other pistols and can not handle the recoil of the small 9mm. She can work this pistol and shoots it very well. I put an after market set of night sights on the pistol. She enjoys practicing with it and we have run over 500 rds with it. It has not malfunctioned and she has little problem hitting where she aims. Great gun for the targeted consumer group. Ez is the right nomenclature
I have only had 1 session with my ez and had 2” groups at 7 yards with poa = poi. Only have 50 rounds through the pistol, but am very happy. I too had a stove pipe, but it was entirely on me as I limp wristed on purpose.
Thanks for the review(s). It hasn't been marketed as a micro or pocket gun, nor for it's capacity, so I didn't find those negatives to be relevant. It's definitely smaller than a G19, so no problem with concealed carry. I think that many people of average age and hand strength would also prefer easier manipulation and less recoil from their handgun, while still using a viable self defense round. This gun checks all those boxes and doesn't need to be smaller or have higher capacity, imo. 380 hollow points are typically useless from the tiny guns anyway. At least with this barrel length, they will actually expand.
look carefully at the rear sight and I will bet you will find that it is not centered. I just helped break in one of these for a friend and it was also shooting left. The rear sight came from the factory offset to the left. Once we centered it up, it was on target. in your close-up video of the underside of the slide, you can see that the screw that secures the rear sight is offset in its elliptical slot.
Appreciate the review. 1. Re: possible limp-wristing leading to malfunction, seems particularly bad given the gun is intended for someone with weak hand strength. 2. Re: single stack magazine, seems that's necessary to have the helper tangs on the sides to assist with reloading. Right?
Also, a very easy way to deactivate and cover the grip safety is to get some 2” Gaffer tape. It behaves like a super thin Velcro in that it mainly adheres to itself. It molds perfectly to the grip so well you can see the ridges of the grip. It removes very easily without leaving any residue.
Recently shot this, along with my wife, was considering one, out of 2 magazines she had a similar/awkward jam, I also experienced the same issue but wit a casing not live round. Bother instances were at the last or second to last round. Perhaps something with the mag springs? Too weak at the end?
I had the same malfunction you did with one of my magazines. I called Smith and Wesson and got a new magazine spring and I haven't had a problem with it since.
The size doesn’t bother me at all; seems to me it fits right in with the philosophy of use presented right in the name “EZ”. EVERYTHING about the gun is supposed to make it easier to use and that would include getting a good grip on it and having the longer barrel than is usually associated with a .380 (2.58” on my beloved and always with me Kahr CW380), both of which may help someone in a weakened state control the weapon while firing it. These just add to the cocking “ears” (something I thought was brilliant on my VP9), light spring and “ez-load” .22-style magazine. It all works together to wonderfully fit the overall design concept: EZ. And, yes, I bought one. I thought my wife could use it and that .380 round would give her more oomph than the SW22 she already likes to shoot. And could I, at 65YO, possibly be getting close to feeling more comfortable with something like this? Maybe, to all of the above. The magazine is something I’ve always disliked all the way back to my first-year Buckmark. Don’t really like those metal tabs, they’re not really easier for me. *Edit: The mag release could use a redesign. There are sharp cutouts on either side of the magazine that make using a fiber (DeSantis, in my case.) pocket mag holder seemingly impossible; they cut into the fabric and are tough to pull free. And with a low capacity .380 I always carry a spare mag so how to do it?* What I’m hoping for is something like Mr. Opinion suggests: a model with a 10 or 12 round magazine in future. I’d think that’s something they could do pretty easily and keep a similar size. I have experienced no malfunctions so far. *Edit: I have had a couple problems with the flat-nosed ball ammo but it’s been great with lead round nose and Sig Hollow points. Overall I’m pretty happy with it and can see why they are selling so well.
I would like to know how well it conceals , since it looks a little larger. Don’t know if it would print or what holster to purchase. BTW thanks for the excellent video on internals , appreciate it .
Watched part 1 and 2. You're at least the 3rd shooter I've watched today that had the issue with it shooting low/left straight out of the box. Did you ever get your shot placement dialed in or did you end up having to adjust the windage? And did you get any better groupings?
I just recently purchased the s&w .380 ez and am enjoying it. I, too, found it to shoot low left consistently. So I was interested in your first video, and your having similar shooting. After about 200 rounds I started aiming higher and right and the last mag I got 7 out of eight in a 4 inch group in center mass of silhouette.would like to see what your results in next range try.
I CCW S&W M&P9c in winter and the S&W M&P Shield 380 EZ. The EZ is more comfortable to carry. I use a weight bearing strap across my shoulder when I carry the 9c. I don't need it with the EZ.
I purchased one of these and was having the same problem of printing to the left. Tried adjusting fingertip on trigger, thought maybe I was pushing over when firing. Still printed left. Adjusted rear sight to compensate, now hitting where I aim. When researching, seems to be a common issue. When you now look at the rear sight, it is approx. 1/8” off center. Also had some of those live round stove pipes, failure to feed live round, failure to eject spent round. That was in about the first 100-150 rounds. Now working fine.
The Shield EZ looks like a "smaller" M&P 2.0. I love my 4in compact. Love how it shoots, feels, and looks! The Shield 2.0 to me is a fugly gun, so if they made one look like the EZ in a 9mm I'm all in! (Doesnt need grip safety tho )
the issue is the magazine spring, being light for easy manipulation, when the gun recoils to chamber the final round the force flips it out of the magazine prematurely and the gun shuts on it. my girlfriends does it at least 2 or 3 times per 150+/- rounds. if you put one round in the mag and tap it forward itll slip right out
Bought this as a 1st gun for my wife and she loves it. The deciding factor was the ease of working the slide. It's a good gun and I enjoy shooting it myself. However she is experiencing that same malfunction; stove pipe on the last live round of a magazine. I assumed it was just a side effect of new magazines and would work itself out. But after seeing this issue repeated in numerous videos and comments I guess it's time to contact Smith & Wesson.
Hkciok45 suggested mag spring tension as cause for stove piped last round. Your experience was with last of 5 rounds loaded compared to last of 9 rnds (x2) for Hocikk45. My son just purchased one of these Cheezie 380. BTW, Hickok45 was also seeing the same shot pattern, left and low.
The stove pipe issue is alive and well! :(. My brother has the thumb safety version an my mom has the one without the safety. Between the two 7 last round stove pipes in 77 rounds with a failure with all 4 of the magazines. I was only loading 3 rounds as it runs great until the last round. They both also shoot low left. They both had over 150 rounds through them before I shot them today. Back to S&W they go. On another site a poster said they returned his with new magazines.
fyi in regards to the malfunction on the last round somebody else in a video had a similar situation in that particular case it was said that maybe the magazine spring might have something to do with it /// again the problem seems to occur with last round something to think about ..other than that liked your video and fantastic ezzzz gun !!!!!!!!
Justin Opinion I strongly recommend a shield 9 to my wife’s friend for her first pistol to take her cpl classs. She picked this up instead of the 9, and implied that she bought what I recommend. She is having this malfunction every other magazine and blaming me. 🤦🏼♂️. Then she tried to return it to the store. 🤦🏼♂️. God help me. Millennial women and new firearm owners are a handful. I dislike recommending pistols, and if I’m pressured, I only recommend proven ones. And it still bites me in the ass.
A longer barrel on a 380 should improve 380 ballistics making HP’s more viable. I would wonder if it could shoot reliably some Underwood ammo at 1100 FPS and 1200 FPS. 380 does not, contrary to general internet opinion, bounce off T-Shirts. It is comparable in energy to .38 special out of a snubby and this is probably much easier to shoot and get back on target with 4 more rounds. Thank you for your informative video.
@@FPSBach most malfunction are feeding issues.In other words they aren't going into the chamber.I wouldn't worry.Trouble comes when they malfunction when you need it to work.
Sometimes mine gives me, very rarely, a live round stovepipe. Also, sometimes the last round stays in the magazine as a stovepipe! Other than that, I like it very much. It is my carry pistol.
Neal Daugherty, I ordered mine, but it hasn’t come in yet. How does one clear the malfunction? Is it dangerous, or just a matter of removing the bullet? I’m a novice.
My wife had the same malfunction on her 380 ex while she and I was at the range. It happened 2 times. She shot maybe 100 rounds. It was easy to clear. I think it's a issue with the magazine being so easy to load with bullets but honestly I dont know. I'm not a pro. We still love the gun and she shot very well with it. Hopefully you can fine out why this malfunction happens. Thanks for the video.
I bought one when it was released, had a couple live round stovepipes. Traded it for a 9mm Shield, then bought another last week. I like the size over all the mouse guns out there in 380. Shot 100 rounds and had one live round stovepipe on the last round in the mag. I would guess it has to do with the EZ, and spring tensions. Did you ever contact S&W about it?
I purchased the Performance Center M&P 380 SHIELD E Z on 09-16-19. The rear sights drifted all the way over to the right. I called to ask a question about it and she ask me to take my new unit to a gunsmith for a second opinion. So I emailed a note to Smith&Wesson with my name phone, address, email. We have received your email regarding your firearm. We would suggest returning the product for our examination. For a pre-paid, pre-insured return FedEx shipping label and return instructions, please supply us with the following information so we can process your Pre-Authorized Service Notification: Still they would not here my question out if this could of been done on purpose, A lot of gun owners are shooting like you with this one... I just wanted to know so I would not be wasting my time at the range or let the range know I might need more time there...
Very interested in this weapon, so I’ve watched every review I can find. ALL of the reviewers I have seen shot left and MOST shot low left! (Two magazine reviews also mentioned this. ) I’ll be interested in seeing if a sight adjustment will correct that.
It looked like the one handed, weak hand?, or unsupported grip may have caused the malfunction. Polymer frames require a purposely stiff wrist. Added to the 380 and heavier frame and what ever S&W did to get such an easy slide action one malfunction is not bad at all.
I have old man hands! Well i never thought that would happen! Last time at the range shooting my 92, 9mm and my berreta .380 my hand got real stiff. I broke my wrist a few years ago and i am finding old bones heal slowly. Any how i don't want to shoot my 357. My .380 berreta's slide is stiff as hell. I am interested in this gun for all the right reasons.
I had the same malfunction once every 50 rounds straight out of the box. Send it back to smith and wesson , they installed a new barrel. But still keeps on doing it does any one know what the problem is?. tks.
Hi Justin, what I'm understanding is that this is a SAO pistol with an internal hammer (a Colt 1903 sort of gun) that can be had with or without a thumb safety. If this is correct, if you keep it with a round in the chamber and you don't have a thumb safety, it's in condition 0. Is that correct?
The flush fit magazine with M&P Shield is 7 round capacity, while the magazine with the M&P Shield EZ is an 8 round capacity. That one extra round for sure accounts for that extra 1/4 inch. With the 8 round extended magazine in the M&P Shield , the height between the two is likely about equal. Note that all of this is being said without either in my hands.
I don’t own either but I recently handled both in the same gun store trip. You’re about right, although I think the grip is probably still a bit longer for the EZ. They’re definitely closer to the same size than the standard. Although I can’t be sure since I wasn’t looking at that. It was more about finding a gun my wife liked
The jam you had is seen in other videos. The NRA youtube video on this gun shows numerous times the gun ejecting what looks like 2 spent pieces of brass, but it's really one spent piece and one live round. I think the feed lips on the mags need to be redesigned.
I’ve seen many videos on this gun and quite a few times THAT malfunction has occurred. I think S & W needs to address it. I think it has to do with either a weak spring in the magazine (EZ load) or a weak spring on the (EZ) slide. Not pushing the round with enough force from either spring.
Stove-piping Rx: use 'good/quality' ammo, and Hold (squeeze) the EZ a bit *tighter* than normal. The only other problem is that the geometry of the trigger guard 'tapers' to a smaller finger clearance geometry when one pulls the trigger .... NOT a good idea for us folks who have an arthritically swollen index finger joints. Otherwise IMO, the EZ is a 'sweet' (soft) shooting hand gun with a very crisp and 'non-gritty' trigger. LOVE the trigger action!!!
No. I was a disciple of Jeff Cooper. I shot 45 acp for most of thirty years. Then one day the recoil from my light weight commander wasn’t fun anymore. The more I tried to push through and chastise myself for acting like a girl-man., the more i shot. I hated the recoil the same with my Super Black 44 magnum. But being a follower of Cooper I couldn’t conceive of shooting any other caliber. I slowly stopped shooting just a range trip couple times a year. Then I discovered the Browning Hi Power. Yeah the trigger sucked but I began to enjoy shooting again and bullet technology was really picking up steam. Now a 9mm was just as effective as the 45. Adios Jeff Cooper. Then I found Glocks , Smith and Wesson high capacity 9mm. Now in my old age I don’t like 9mm recoil anymore either, so 380 here I come. Again bullet technology has raised the 380 into 5 or 6 percent of the 9 for incapacitation.
There is a time and place for just about every caliber. As you've discovered, it can be worth it to make an adjustment to what your shooting so that you can keep on shooting! Well done.
Thanks for the internal shots. Good lighting and good camera focus. I like knowing the mechanics in depth
Just bought one and took it to the range.its a great little gun.i love it.dont know why people say it's not for gun enthusiasts.i am and I love the gun.being said I do have the start of bad hands.its a pleasure to shoot.
Agree, I think it's excellent. I have a hunch that many are just not secure enough to know it's okay to enjoy a small caliber handgun. We should really just pity them.
Your two videos for the S&W M&P EZ 380 ACP (yes, a mouthful) Parts 1 and 2, are excellent. Thanks.
Nice tip on making use of the chamber flag. I’m new at this and own the 9mm EZ so I really paid attention to your explanation of the internals; very much appreciated. I tried out a lot of handguns at my local range. At first It seemed like I shot the slimline Glocks best but none were available (pan/gun-demic ). But after adjusting to the grip angle and improving my own grip the EZ started showing tighter groups. I now shoot it better than the Glock and my weak aging hands love it.
Took my brand new EZ to the range today. Shot about 200 rounds and I had the left low as well. Similar to your pattern. I was told that in addition to my left groups the grip safety may be an issue as well. For now I will assume the problem is me. Thanks for part 1 and 2. It helped.
I always appreciate your close ups on the guns...your camera gets a great picture and focuses very well
Thanks for the very detailed explanation of the grip safety
I ha e watched a lot of reviews on this pistol. You have done a better job of explaining the internal workings of this particular gun
Thanks, will be looking forward to that type of detail in the future!
Sent mine back for the same problem.... live round stovepipe on last round in magazine, 5 out of 7 mag runs...they replaced the ejector. And fixed the recall on the manual safety. Took 3 weeks to fix and return. Works fine now, 300 rounds later, ...oh and by the way, I'm an experienced shooter, with arthritic hands.
The ejector? That's interesting. I would have bet money this was going to be a magazine issue.
Yeah, I was guessing it was a magazine issue.
When did you buy the gun? My wife is very interested in buying one but don't know if these factory problems are resolved?
@@josearalatBought it in June. Don't get me wrong, it's a great gun; good shooter and she lovea it. The last round stovepipe thing doesn't happen often enough to be a serious issue. But I still intend to resove it.
Ok. It's just that my wife is extremely picky and this would be her first gun. Seeing that this has happened to a couple of youtube reviewers I don't think I can spend the 450$ the gun costs around here without even an explanation from S&W about the issue. Thanks for your input though.
I have one of these and have not had any trouble, but haven't tried it weak handed. I really like it; and hope S&W will use their magic on other calibers. Thanks for the videos.
I purchased one these exact gun.. love it.
Thanks for producing this video review, I know they are selling well at my local gun shop. I was curious what it was like, I am leaning towards one of the M&P Compacts in 9mm next now that I finally own the Excellent M&P Shield in 9mm..... surprising how good that little pistol truly is. It will hold its own against the best out there in its class. Thanks again Justin..... Beretta Sr.
This one took me by surprise. It'll be out again soon!
Your fast becoming one of my favorite channels love your honesty and the fact you use the slide stop that's what was designed for.
Just got one and the manual states to release the slide via pulling it to the rear and letting it go. While I’ve always used the slide stop I now use the “slingshot” method on both my 380 Ez and my 9EZ as instructed.
@@edglickman3819 i mainly carry a walther, and the manual shows both methods.
Good observation on the chamber flag. Thanks for the tip. I'll ensure that I won't throw it away.
My wife picked this up (I suggested a different caliber and manufacturer) because at the shop, the man demonstrated it for her, and then she tried to operate the slides. She absolutely could not slide even a 9, so, this is what was bought. When I first saw it, I actually thought it was the m&p 9, but nope, 380. I of course had to check it out. I mean, you know...."quality and stuff" 😉. Amazing. Really. For a 380 that doesn't buck like a bronco, flayling ammo in any direction (due to lack of any barrel what so ever, usually), I was amazed at how little recoil there is. And the trigger is super light imo. But, just right for her, and that's what really matters, that she is able to operate it properly without help or any assistance. I have to agree, great 380 for the target market. The round in chamber indicator is of course, my favorite feature. 😀😉 Thanks for the upload.
Wow! Thanks for your excellent video, I have the EZ double safety gun because I have small hand and Iam learning to use it. Hod bless you for help others to know and learn about this model of gun!
Just purchased this gun for my wife who could not rack our Ruger SRS 9mm. We took it to the range yesterday for the first time and I kept shooting it low left, same as your pattern (I normally never shoot low left). This gun's a breeze to operate and she likes it (as I do with my arthritic hands), although I would prefer no grip safety - we both had issue getting used to it. I had to take the rear site way right to get it to hit at where it was aimed, although it still shoots low. I have found putting the front sight just above the rear sights gets it close enough. It's home defense gun that if ever used for that purpose will likely be close range so not too concerned about the lack of elevation adjustment, although a bit annoyed by it. What I AM concerned about is that I had the last live round of the mag stove pipe issue 2 x in short order after having shot about 100 rounds. I put another 30 rounds through after the last live round stove pipe and had no issue. I've marked my mags now to see if I have a troublesome mag or it's both or the gun. May call S&W to see if they have any suggestions. I really don't want to send it back if I don't have to.
Excellent video, I enjoyed the critic of the gun's internal mechanism. Compact 380s are not much fun to shoot, too much recoil. The EZ and Walther pk380 are full size guns that have little recoil that make shooting more enjoyable.
This would make a great Mother's Day gift.
Justin Opinion..... Great review of the weapon's features. I use your videos for helping me validate my decision on purchasing.
My primary range guns are my FN 509 tactical and my Sig 320 X5 and surprised that I actually LIKE the EZ. My wife loves it and now getting more comfortable with my M&P 2.0 which is good. 200-300 rounds in and no malfunctions. It will be interesting to see where this journey goes. Appreciate your reviews on thjs one !
A nice weapon for people with arthritic condition,,gives you a centerfire alternative to say using a ruger 22 semi for self defense,low recoil and fits smaller hands,,and when they get a couple glitches fixed,,should be a wonderful option for many
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and years of being a Journey Butcher. LOVE it !!!
That's very smart to have the grip safety depressed the firing pin block. Imagine if that was applied to a full-sized match gun.
As always perfect video. Thanks for showing how the grip safety works. I have this pistol with fiber optic sights. No problem.
The whole idea was to make a “beginners” or shooters with limited function handgun that could be concealed, light, low recoil, with redundant safety features. Every time you ask “why,” keep the concept of the firearm in mind. Every time you asked “why didn’t they,” would have added weight, recoil, difficulty manipulating functions (slide and safety) and diminished safety. I bought my wife a LCP II she could not operate. With the .380 EZ she can load the mags, manipulate the slide and safety. The most important however, she can hit a target at 15 yards now.
Thinking of putting a Talon grip on mine to resolve the grip safety issue for me. I haven't used a Talon grip before but it would mod this gun nicely. I like the thumb safety. I grew up with single actions and swiping off the safety first is natural.
Just bought one for the wife, but she hasn't had a chance to test it, due to the weather. She has a Ruger LCP 380, but it's a bear for her (61 yo) to operate the slide, plus it's got a bit of a kick to it. Tested the operability (ease) of the slide in the store, and it was easy for her to do.
You were shooting the gun good. Nice round groups. Adjust the sight!!! That's why S&W made it that way.
You weren’t limp wristing. I’ve put about 150 bullets through my 380 ez so far and it drove piped on the last bullet a few times. Also didn’t rack back on the last shot also. Can’t affford to put any more bullets in it right now but hopefully it’ll work out the kinks.
I read in other comments that a stiffer magazine spring fixes that issue.
This is in my opinion the first purpose made firearm beginners or non gun people. The reason 380 was likely chosen is cause it’s very soft shooting and allows for weaker springs hence easier manipulations. The reason for its size is because it’s well document that 380HP rounds are very effective from barrels around 3” or longer. As bad as 380 is for a micro pocket pistol in terms of terminal ballistics the little extra barrel adds just the right amount of velocity allowing for HP to achieve proper penetration. I’m sure they went single stack just so they could add the 22lr like loading tabs.
All in all I think this is a phenomenal concept and and execution for what it’s designed for. I will likely be buying this pistol for my daughter very soon to use for basic defensive training then later for my sons who are a few years younger. Shes 11 and although she can and does manage to shoot my pistols I think this is a much better training tool then using something like a 22.
If my mother or grandmother asked me what to get for concealed carry.. I’d like tell them to take a look at this gun. If my coworker asked what to get for his first home defense pistol or what to get for his wife to carry.. same thing.
The one knock I’d give is this should be available with a manual safety. An entry or beginners type pistol should be optioned for a safety. Although I’d never recommend it for concealed carry I think it’s a good tool for training and learning safe operations like drawing from a holster properly.
@Fish R Relaxing .. FYI ..this gun can be purchased WITH & without the manual safety.
👍🏻👍🏻 thanks for the great content as usual.
have you worked on the malfunction { stovepipe] you had on the 380 ez shield? it's happen to me more than twice. don;t know what I'm doing wrong. thanks, I like your presentations. clear and easy to watch
From other RUclips comments I heard stiffer magazine springs fixes that.
My mother in law has arthritis and other medical issues. I bought this pistol for her. She is not tabled to work the slides on most other pistols and can not handle the recoil of the small 9mm. She can work this pistol and shoots it very well. I put an after market set of night sights on the pistol. She enjoys practicing with it and we have run over 500 rds with it. It has not malfunctioned and she has little problem hitting where she aims. Great gun for the targeted consumer group. Ez is the right nomenclature
I have arthritis and this is gonna be perfect for me!!!!!
I have only had 1 session with my ez and had 2” groups at 7 yards with poa = poi. Only have 50 rounds through the pistol, but am very happy. I too had a stove pipe, but it was entirely on me as I limp wristed on purpose.
I have hand issues - weak grip and pain - this replaced my favorite revolver which I can't shoot anymore. It was so much fun to shoot at the range!!!!
18:39 - OMG, yes! Saving the chamber flag!!!
THANKS GREAT REVIEW
Thanks for the review(s).
It hasn't been marketed as a micro or pocket gun, nor for it's capacity, so I didn't find those negatives to be relevant.
It's definitely smaller than a G19, so no problem with concealed carry.
I think that many people of average age and hand strength would also prefer easier manipulation and less recoil from their handgun, while still using a viable self defense round.
This gun checks all those boxes and doesn't need to be smaller or have higher capacity, imo.
380 hollow points are typically useless from the tiny guns anyway. At least with this barrel length, they will actually expand.
look carefully at the rear sight and I will bet you will find that it is not centered. I just helped break in one of these for a friend and it was also shooting left. The rear sight came from the factory offset to the left. Once we centered it up, it was on target.
in your close-up video of the underside of the slide, you can see that the screw that secures the rear sight is offset in its elliptical slot.
14:56 Good grief! Adjust the rear sight to the right; problem gone!
Exactly 😅
Appreciate the review.
1. Re: possible limp-wristing leading to malfunction, seems particularly bad given the gun is intended for someone with weak hand strength.
2. Re: single stack magazine, seems that's necessary to have the helper tangs on the sides to assist with reloading. Right?
Also, a very easy way to deactivate and cover the grip safety is to get some 2” Gaffer tape. It behaves like a super thin Velcro in that it mainly adheres to itself. It molds perfectly to the grip so well you can see the ridges of the grip. It removes very easily without leaving any residue.
Does the slide lock only work with a loaded or unloaded magazine (to release)?
Recently shot this, along with my wife, was considering one, out of 2 magazines she had a similar/awkward jam, I also experienced the same issue but wit a casing not live round. Bother instances were at the last or second to last round. Perhaps something with the mag springs? Too weak at the end?
Identically like you, my Shield EZ shoots low and left. I do think it might be a rear sight fix which appears accessible from under the slide.
Great tutorial.
I had the same malfunction you did with one of my magazines. I called Smith and Wesson and got a new magazine spring and I haven't had a problem with it since.
The size doesn’t bother me at all; seems to me it fits right in with the philosophy of use presented right in the name “EZ”. EVERYTHING about the gun is supposed to make it easier to use and that would include getting a good grip on it and having the longer barrel than is usually associated with a .380 (2.58” on my beloved and always with me Kahr CW380), both of which may help someone in a weakened state control the weapon while firing it. These just add to the cocking “ears” (something I thought was brilliant on my VP9), light spring and “ez-load” .22-style magazine. It all works together to wonderfully fit the overall design concept: EZ.
And, yes, I bought one. I thought my wife could use it and that .380 round would give her more oomph than the SW22 she already likes to shoot. And could I, at 65YO, possibly be getting close to feeling more comfortable with something like this? Maybe, to all of the above.
The magazine is something I’ve always disliked all the way back to my first-year Buckmark. Don’t really like those metal tabs, they’re not really easier for me. *Edit: The mag release could use a redesign. There are sharp cutouts on either side of the magazine that make using a fiber (DeSantis, in my case.) pocket mag holder seemingly impossible; they cut into the fabric and are tough to pull free. And with a low capacity .380 I always carry a spare mag so how to do it?* What I’m hoping for is something like Mr. Opinion suggests: a model with a 10 or 12 round magazine in future. I’d think that’s something they could do pretty easily and keep a similar size. I have experienced no malfunctions so far. *Edit: I have had a couple problems with the flat-nosed ball ammo but it’s been great with lead round nose and Sig Hollow points. Overall I’m pretty happy with it and can see why they are selling so well.
I would like to know how well it conceals , since it looks a little larger. Don’t know if it would print or what holster to purchase. BTW thanks for the excellent video on internals , appreciate it .
Watched part 1 and 2. You're at least the 3rd shooter I've watched today that had the issue with it shooting low/left straight out of the box. Did you ever get your shot placement dialed in or did you end up having to adjust the windage? And did you get any better groupings?
I just recently purchased the s&w .380 ez and am enjoying it. I, too, found it to shoot low left consistently. So I was interested in your first video, and your having similar shooting. After about 200 rounds I started aiming higher and right and the last mag I got 7 out of eight in a 4 inch group in center mass of silhouette.would like to see what your results in next range try.
my wife and I both shot left and low with hers in our first 100 as well. I'll be looking for your look into it. Well done videos sir!
I CCW S&W M&P9c in winter and the S&W M&P Shield 380 EZ. The EZ is more comfortable to carry. I use a weight bearing strap across my shoulder when I carry the 9c. I don't need it with the EZ.
Mine did the same thing on the last round. It was one of the magazines that came with the gun
I purchased one of these and was having the same problem of printing to the left. Tried adjusting fingertip on trigger, thought maybe I was pushing over when firing. Still printed left. Adjusted rear sight to compensate, now hitting where I aim. When researching, seems to be a common issue. When you now look at the rear sight, it is approx. 1/8” off center. Also had some of those live round stove pipes, failure to feed live round, failure to eject spent round. That was in about the first 100-150 rounds. Now working fine.
The Shield EZ looks like a "smaller" M&P 2.0. I love my 4in compact. Love how it shoots, feels, and looks! The Shield 2.0 to me is a fugly gun, so if they made one look like the EZ in a 9mm I'm all in! (Doesnt need grip safety tho )
the issue is the magazine spring, being light for easy manipulation, when the gun recoils to chamber the final round the force flips it out of the magazine prematurely and the gun shuts on it. my girlfriends does it at least 2 or 3 times per 150+/- rounds. if you put one round in the mag and tap it forward itll slip right out
this is like a modern less expensive version of a colt 1908 hammerless pocket
Bought this as a 1st gun for my wife and she loves it. The deciding factor was the ease of working the slide. It's a good gun and I enjoy shooting it myself. However she is experiencing that same malfunction; stove pipe on the last live round of a magazine. I assumed it was just a side effect of new magazines and would work itself out. But after seeing this issue repeated in numerous videos and comments I guess it's time to contact Smith & Wesson.
wow, Browning action in a full size 380.....i like that
Hkciok45 suggested mag spring tension as cause for stove piped last round. Your experience was with last of 5 rounds loaded compared to last of 9 rnds (x2) for Hocikk45. My son just purchased one of these Cheezie 380. BTW, Hickok45 was also seeing the same shot pattern, left and low.
The stove pipe issue is alive and well! :(. My brother has the thumb safety version an my mom has the one without the safety. Between the two 7 last round stove pipes in 77 rounds with a failure with all 4 of the magazines. I was only loading 3 rounds as it runs great until the last round. They both also shoot low left. They both had over 150 rounds through them before I shot them today. Back to S&W they go. On another site a poster said they returned his with new magazines.
Looks like a great gun for older folks.
fyi in regards to the malfunction on the last round somebody else in a video had a similar situation in that particular case it was said that maybe the magazine spring might have something to do with it /// again the problem seems to occur with last round something to think about ..other than that liked your video and fantastic ezzzz gun !!!!!!!!
I shot it the same as you. Had some trouble with it. My wife with her tiny hands was putting it in the bullseye.
2 years on, how is this one holding up? Any thoughts change? Would be a great one for a range video.
Hickok45 had the same malfunction TWICE on his review
I must be better than him.... only happened to me once. :D
Justin Opinion I strongly recommend a shield 9 to my wife’s friend for her first pistol to take her cpl classs. She picked this up instead of the 9, and implied that she bought what I recommend. She is having this malfunction every other magazine and blaming me. 🤦🏼♂️. Then she tried to return it to the store. 🤦🏼♂️. God help me. Millennial women and new firearm owners are a handful. I dislike recommending pistols, and if I’m pressured, I only recommend proven ones. And it still bites me in the ass.
Thinking about trading in my Sig p365xl for this 380ez...
Have you seen the performance center EZ shield with NO NEED to UPGRADE?
A longer barrel on a 380 should improve 380 ballistics making HP’s more viable. I would wonder if it could shoot reliably some Underwood ammo at 1100 FPS and 1200 FPS. 380 does not, contrary to general internet opinion, bounce off T-Shirts. It is comparable in energy to .38 special out of a snubby and this is probably much easier to shoot and get back on target with 4 more rounds. Thank you for your informative video.
Hickock45 had the same malfunction twice in his video for this gun.
Kinda worries me it's doing that with live rounds.
@@FPSBach most malfunction are feeding issues.In other words they aren't going into the chamber.I wouldn't worry.Trouble comes when they malfunction when you need it to work.
He's just trying to copy me, to get more views. ;-)
Hickock also said he was having issues with the grip safety. So even he may have been limp wristing.
Sometimes mine gives me, very rarely, a live round stovepipe. Also, sometimes the last round stays in the magazine as a stovepipe! Other than that, I like it very much. It is my carry pistol.
Neal Daugherty, I ordered mine, but it hasn’t come in yet. How does one clear the malfunction? Is it dangerous, or just a matter of removing the bullet? I’m a novice.
@@sgleaso Just remove the cartridge; it's not dangerous. Just hope no one sees your magazine flipping you off!
follow up on accuracy?
My wife had the same malfunction on her 380 ex while she and I was at the range. It happened 2 times. She shot maybe 100 rounds. It was easy to clear. I think it's a issue with the magazine being so easy to load with bullets but honestly I dont know. I'm not a pro. We still love the gun and she shot very well with it. Hopefully you can fine out why this malfunction happens. Thanks for the video.
Had anymore malfunctions? My wife really wants to buy this gun but being for self defense I'm worried.
using the chamber flag great idea
I own two EZs. Both had extraction/ejection problems with a variety of ammo, and had to be returned. 2nd one is still there. Not happy.
Nice gun and Good vídeo review.
Hi from Brazil
Guess you can purchase one of these in Brazil - aren't you guys limited to 380's?
Minnesota ... it's still around $400. (Your video is 3yr old)
Did see a sale for $375 2 weeks b4 my purchase a month ago.
I bought one when it was released, had a couple live round stovepipes. Traded it for a 9mm Shield, then bought another last week. I like the size over all the mouse guns out there in 380. Shot 100 rounds and had one live round stovepipe on the last round in the mag. I would guess it has to do with the EZ, and spring tensions. Did you ever contact S&W about it?
Might consider the 380EZ ...
Do you prefer the gun with no thumb safety like you are using ?
I purchased the Performance Center M&P 380 SHIELD E Z on 09-16-19.
The rear sights drifted all the way over to the right.
I called to ask a question about it and she ask me to take my new unit to a gunsmith for a second opinion. So I emailed a note to Smith&Wesson with my name phone, address, email.
We have received your email regarding your firearm. We would suggest returning the product for our examination.
For a pre-paid, pre-insured return FedEx shipping label and return instructions, please supply us with the following information so we can process your Pre-Authorized Service Notification:
Still they would not here my question out if this could of been done on purpose,
A lot of gun owners are shooting like you with this one...
I just wanted to know so I would not be wasting my time at the range or let the range know I might need more time there...
Too bad with the height of the grip, the didn't add more capacity. 10 round would be great.
Very interested in this weapon, so I’ve watched every review I can find. ALL of the reviewers I have seen shot left and MOST shot low left! (Two magazine reviews also mentioned this. ) I’ll be interested in seeing if a sight adjustment will correct that.
It looked like the one handed, weak hand?, or unsupported grip may have caused the malfunction. Polymer frames require a purposely stiff wrist. Added to the 380 and heavier frame and what ever S&W did to get such an easy slide action one malfunction is not bad at all.
I have old man hands! Well i never thought that would happen! Last time at the range shooting my 92, 9mm and my berreta .380 my hand got real stiff. I broke my wrist a few years ago and i am finding old bones heal slowly. Any how i don't want to shoot my 357. My .380 berreta's slide is stiff as hell. I am interested in this gun for all the right reasons.
I had the same malfunction once every 50 rounds straight out of the box. Send it back to smith and wesson , they installed a new barrel. But still keeps on doing it does any one know what the problem is?. tks.
Weak spring in magazine.
Lemme guess last bullet got stuck due to the dinky spring? Nice gun though and super simple. Great beginners gun
Get a KelTec PT3at to compare it with. You will be surprised how well the funky little keltec runs.
Hi Justin, what I'm understanding is that this is a SAO pistol with an internal hammer (a Colt 1903 sort of gun) that can be had with or without a thumb safety. If this is correct, if you keep it with a round in the chamber and you don't have a thumb safety, it's in condition 0. Is that correct?
You still have the grip safety to overcome before it will fire so it would seem to be condition 1.
The flush fit magazine with M&P Shield is 7 round capacity, while the magazine with the M&P Shield EZ is an 8 round capacity. That one extra round for sure accounts for that extra 1/4 inch. With the 8 round extended magazine in the M&P Shield , the height between the two is likely about equal. Note that all of this is being said without either in my hands.
I don’t own either but I recently handled both in the same gun store trip. You’re about right, although I think the grip is probably still a bit longer for the EZ. They’re definitely closer to the same size than the standard.
Although I can’t be sure since I wasn’t looking at that. It was more about finding a gun my wife liked
Wife and I own 2 380EZ's and we had to adjust both rear sights.
Mine wouldn't fire or would stovepipe constantly brand new out of the box.
The jam you had is seen in other videos. The NRA youtube video on this gun shows numerous times the gun ejecting what looks like 2 spent pieces of brass, but it's really one spent piece and one live round. I think the feed lips on the mags need to be redesigned.
I’ve seen many videos on this gun and quite a few times THAT malfunction has occurred. I think S & W needs to address it. I think it has to do with either a weak spring in the magazine (EZ load) or a weak spring on the (EZ) slide. Not pushing the round with enough force from either spring.
Mine returned to SW same issue. Fixed but don’t shoot it well either. Expensive to shoot in 380. Better off getting MP LR pistol.
Stove-piping Rx: use 'good/quality' ammo, and Hold (squeeze) the EZ a bit *tighter* than normal.
The only other problem is that the geometry of the trigger guard 'tapers' to a smaller finger clearance geometry when one pulls the trigger .... NOT a good idea for us folks who have an arthritically swollen index finger joints.
Otherwise IMO, the EZ is a 'sweet' (soft) shooting hand gun with a very crisp and 'non-gritty' trigger. LOVE the trigger action!!!
No. I was a disciple of Jeff Cooper. I shot 45 acp for most of thirty years. Then one day the recoil from my light weight commander wasn’t fun anymore. The more I tried to push through and chastise myself for acting like a girl-man., the more i shot. I hated the recoil the same with my Super Black 44 magnum. But being a follower of Cooper I couldn’t conceive of shooting any other caliber. I slowly stopped shooting just a range trip couple times a year. Then I discovered the Browning Hi Power. Yeah the trigger sucked but I began to enjoy shooting again and bullet technology was really picking up steam. Now a 9mm was just as effective as the 45. Adios Jeff Cooper. Then I found Glocks , Smith and Wesson high capacity 9mm. Now in my old age I don’t like 9mm recoil anymore either, so 380 here I come. Again bullet technology has raised the 380 into 5 or 6 percent of the 9 for incapacitation.
There is a time and place for just about every caliber. As you've discovered, it can be worth it to make an adjustment to what your shooting so that you can keep on shooting! Well done.