As someone who used to be anti-gun, I’m purchasing this one as my first firearm. I was very wrong about the entire gun community with my media saturated impressions. Thank you for this video!
I've had several handguns and this as the name says really EZ. Easy in every way, easy rack, easy trigger, easy load, easy disassembly and cleaning, good light weight, recoil almost as low as 22lr.
I agree Alison! I just purchased my first gun at the age of 41, and I just bought this same gun, I’m so in love with it, to say I’ve always been scared of them lol
Thats wonderful..my wife also wanted nothing to do with guns but with the riots going on she wants to learn to shoot...she had a hard time with my 9mm so i just bought her this gun and she is hooked
I have a family member who hurt both hands in a car wreck. This is the only semi she can manage, and she handles it well, despite a debilitating injury.
Yes; my wife cannot rack her current .380 so this may be the replacement nightstand gun for her side. (.44 Spl. in my nightstand and whichever carry pistol I chose that day .40/.45 depending on clothing is on top of the nightstand.
@BigRedRidingBear as proven through out time it is not the round but shot placement i have seen people shot with 38 not stopped 44 not stopped 45 not stooped in my case 357 hollow point not stopped as a former first responder the best round to stop someone is an rpg..... going into a firefight with a handgun on purpose is stupid that is why they make long gun and sometime they dont stop ergo the rpg if someone is still standing after that buy them a beer
You keep making content like you do and you will go down in history with likes of Bill Ruger, Gaston Glock, Elmer Keith and Earnest Langdon. Your ballistics information is unparalleled, your ideas and concepts for new shooters is easy to follow and consistent. Your drills that you show case are excellent. God bless you sir. You are a true patriot; not just an ammunition salesmen. 🇺🇸
I bought one of these for my 70 year old Mom who has significant arthritis, it has performed brilliantly. She carried a J frame for years, but became very hard for her to shoot within the last year or so. We tried a Ruger SR22, an LCP, smith bodyguard, shield 9 and a .22 mag LCR. The Shield EZ was the only semiautomatic she could cycle the slide on reliably. Also, we wanted the most powerful cartridge she could handle without issue, .380 fits the bill. She loves the pistol, accuracy and reliability have been great so far. Twice a month, we put 100rds through it per session. A hodgepodge of .380 I had, including Hornady critical defense, gold dot, federal hst and fiocci extrema, have all done great. She’s happy to be shooting again and I’m happy she can still utilize her concealed carry permit. My Dad (a die hard 1911 Guy and former infantryman in Vietnam) seems to not completely hate it, which is impressive in its own right. Good stuff!
Both my mom and my girlfriend carry them. Its a huge confidence booster for them to know they can rack the slides easily and have more ammo capacity than something like a J frame or LCP.
I am a retired college dean who has done more teacher observations and evaluations than I can remember. I always look for your videos because they are short, to the point with no wasted words or unnecessary footage of you shooting the firearm of the day. The segments where you are shooting always supports your spoken comments and not overdone ad nauseous. I would definitely recommend you for tenure if you were one of my faculty. My wife has a 22 compact and shoots it very well. I suggested that she move to something with more pop and bought her a 9mm S&W Compact. She did not like it so my next move was the 380EZ. I am addicted to DA/SA Sig pistols and DA/SA revolvers. I told her I would “break in the 380EZ for her”. What a fun shooting experience. I actually took her 22 compact and the 380EZ to the range for a session. What a blast that was! If nothing else these guns are just fun to shoot. I can see using this pair to introduce my 5 grandkids to shooting. This gun definitely has a place. The range officers where I go regularly recommend the 380EZ to customers just because they can learn to shoot without the distraction of having to be concerned about too much recoil. My wife has her CCW and I would have no problem with her using the 380EZ as her bedside gun because she can place shots very well. Great review, as always, and great information that is presented without excess words or shooting footage. Keep up the great work..
My mother could not even budge the slide on any of my guns, got her the EZ 380 and she not only could safely shoot and operate it, but dissasemble it and clean it, she loves hers! Really glad she likes it, she wanted a J frame revolver and I succesfully steered her toward this EZ and she is way happier.
I was an MP in the Army but have been out and not shot a gun in 12 years. When I started researching I came across this one and fell in love. Having confidence in handling and firing is so important especially if you need to use it for protection, and this allows for that. I love mine and know it will be easier for my daughter to learn to handle as well when it’s time. Great review, I just shared this with a friend that is looking at pistols.
I have been renting this gun from my local range for about 3 months now and it's awesome. I can rack the slide so easily and I have a lot of confidence with it. I love the Pez Dispenser mag loading too. I'm a 60 yo 5'4" 135 lb woman with very low hand strength and this baby just works. I'm saving up to buy one ASAP. Thank you Smith & Wesson.
I got this pistol for my wife (she's 5'0 100lbs) and she absolutely loves it. She was new to firearms but this gun, given how easy of a shooter it is, really opened her eyes to how fun shooting can be. She now wants to get into competitive shooting. The slide is crazy easy to rack, easy to field strip, shoots well & is a large enough caliber to make it viable for defensive purposes. I have a SigP365 & Walther Q5 Match and while both of them are fun to shoot, I enjoy shooting her M&P EZ just as much. Even as a guy who's 6'4" & 195lbs, I can appreciate how easy this gun is to operate. This pistol is as close to perfection as I've seen for it's intended audience which in my opinion is: new shooters, women & elderly. Even if you don't fall into those categories, it's a fun gun to take to the range.
I was taught by my instructor how to handle and disassemble a handgun which is the EZ. I fell in love with how easier it is to use and how comfortable it was to hold. This was my first handgun purchase and I don’t regret it what so ever.
robert braun it is one “big” pistol, the exact opposite of the 380 EZ. I tripped mine out with a red dot optic and the tactical model (plan to add a suppressor. I find I shoot it about once a month vs. weekly for the EZ.
Absolutely an excellent review of the S&W 380EZ. I bought mine last year and have put close to 2,000 rounds through it with no hiccups with any round nose, hollow point, and ARX ammo. I wear glasses and at my age I have trouble focusing on the front sight with all 3 dot sights because they tend to be too small. I recently installed XS BIG DOT tritium sights on this gun … wow .. what a difference. I highly recommend them to everyone who has trouble focusing on the front sight.
Saw this handgun the week it came out and I was impressed. As an instructor I have had students with medical conditions that made firing a fully powered centerfire semi-automatic handguns a serious problem. I purchased a 686 and had trigger work done to make the double action pull as light as 7 pounds. The weight of the gun was a problem with some. I even purchased a Ruger SR22 because it was easy to rack but it's DA trigger was horrible. The 380EZ nails it! They even have a Smith&wesson Performance Center version. I agree with your review entirely. Many of the new shooters also want a manual safety. Smith did a great job.
I'm a proud owner of the performance center version; outside of the skeletonized slide in a few parts, and a port at the end of the muzzle (presumably to act as a sort of muzzle brake), I'm not too sure what the differences are, but it's a blast at the range. not sure if I see myself getting my CCL, but if I do, the 380 shield EZ is going to be my carry piece for most situations. my only issue is the trigger: there's a bit of a period of zero resistance and then a pretty light pull. I wish it were just a tad heavier, or the same weight but more consistent throughout the pull
Man you just make the best videos and reviews. Polite, straightforward, and mostly no cocky attitude. Keep up the good work!! My wife and I just got home with her first gun, the M&P EZ Shield.
I'm a mid-30s, 6'2", 200 lb guy and I initially purchased a J frame .38 special Smith & Wesson revolver and found the recoil to be totally unmanageable in a practical sense. I was attracted to the simplicity, ease of use, and reliability, but the recoil totally killed my confidence in ever thinking I'd try and use it for concealed carry. It was like I would aim and shoot and have no idea if I got anywhere close to the target. I decided that I'd get a 22 pistol for the reasons mentioned in this video, but ended up getting one of these instead and looking forward to using it and building my confidence.
I am over twice your age and about 5’9, 160. I had a few S&W J frames and sold all but one , a 60-7 steel frame with plus p rating and better sights. Still it is not as pleasant or accurate as the Colt D frame, even the alloy frames. Sadly the originals are no longer made , they shoot like mid frame not small frame revolvers. The newer Colt Cobra is close to the older Detective special, good grips , sights. I can shoot as well with the 2 inch Colts as most can shoot with a midsize 4 inch revolver. The compact 2 inch 38 with 158 lhp is a reliable fight stopper. Give it a second chance
Snubbys are easy to shoot for those of us with a ton of experience. It sounds like you don’t shoot much or were new when you tried one. They really aren’t guns designed for average shooters much less new because of the heavy trigger and short sight radius. From concealment at about 12 yards I can empty my .38 LCR center mass in about 2 seconds but it took a decade + of shooting to get to that skill level so don’t feel bad about it.
Snubbys are easy to shoot for those of us with a ton of experience. It sounds like you don’t shoot much or were new when you tried one. They really aren’t guns designed for average shooters much less new because of the heavy trigger and short sight radius. From concealment at about 12 yards I can empty my .38 LCR center mass in about 2 seconds but it took a decade + of shooting to get to that skill level so don’t feel bad about it.
This could be the one video out of hundreds that sells me on the pistol I actually settle on. Your videos are like a professional school of knowledge and information, reliable and mature-minded, accurate and dependable. Thanks for these. The Barretta 92g Centurion is another that you've done so well in presenting and recommending.
I friggin love my .380! I'm 5'2" 115lbs, I have weak shrimp wrists so this is what sold me on this pistol!! If only I would have gotten it with the laser aim! Its THE BEST!!
My wife hated semiauto handguns. She stuck with her Taurus 85 snubnose. I bought her a 380 EZ and she loves it. Easy to rack the slide, which was her primary issue with other pistols, and she likes the grip safety to prevent unintentional discharges. Smith and Wesson hit a home run with this one. Also, both of my adult sons love the handgun and plan to buy them.
Your presentations are always wonderfully thorough and clear. Your voice modulation and pacing is also top rate. And you are not boring. Very good vid. Thanks.
Excellent Review. clear, concise, well spoken, easy to follow you. The gun is a dream. I have several pistols and rifles and the 380 Sheiled EZ is hands-down my favorite gun for self-protection. It goes everywhere I go, the ammo is affordable and it's fun to shoot, easy to care for and as you say, it builds confidence in my skill and ability to use it if I need to and feel i can bring down the attacker.
Great video! This will be my 2nd firearm after my Hammerli Ar 15. I've always loved fire arms but couldn't really appreciate them fully since I lived in a blue state. I am happily appreciating the 2A in a Red state now. My views are my own.
They have a consumer advisory on them for units build prior to 4 Apr 18. The advisory says certain types of ammo with higher recoil can actually move the safety from the fire to safe position. They offer a free upgrade to fix it but some may not have experienced it or know about it. Love the channel as it's very informative. Keep up with the great work!
People don't realized that one day you are young and strong and the next day you aren't either of those things. Got this gun for my wife and we both enjoy the hell out of it. Btw, we've only fed this gun Fiocchi ammo. Not one single fail of any kind. Thank you for your reviews.
Great review. I got this as a gift from my husband. Can't wait to hit the range with it. 2023 update: still loving this gun.. so easy to use. It's my go to when i go to the range
Great review ! As a very experienced shooter I can honestly say that this gun is on my short list for my next gun. Just a great gun all around for anyone not just beginners.
I am a totally Gun Virgin at 65 yrs young. Got my permit this week and went shopping today. Looked at a total of five different guns, got the info I needed to google them, but I honestly do not believe I will be looking at any other videos or guns for that matter. This video has pretty much sold me on my very first personal protection firearm. Thank you for your knowledge and concise informative video.
I purchased an EZ last month in 9mm for my daughters 21st birthday. I went over the gun with a fine tooth comb and I’m very impressed her and I love the gun. I will be getting one for myself and my uncle has already traded in his LC9 for one. Good sights, trigger, grip, love the safety you can rack it with it engaged. Love the loaded indicator. This is an excellent product. “Get some”.
Neglected to mention: a small, but essential, part of the EZ slide function is a simple touch that makes a huge difference. The final “scallop” at the rear of the slide is raised a bit which much improves grip and leverage. This is milled into the slide and gives a similar effect as the H&K VP9 “cocking ears”. I wish every manufacturer would add this brilliant touch.
Thanks for a thorough review of an underrated caliber with a quality weapon that most of us would overlook which has improved its effectiveness with advances in ammo technology.
I bought my wife this weapon and 3 years later it is my Go-To. I have recoil sensitivity and the 380 EZ is perfect for my defense needs. Thank you for the full review on it, Bro.
I am a 21-year-old female and I just purchased this gun today as my very fire firearm! I will say that out of all of the handguns I handled today, this one was by far the best regarding how easy it was to handle and how comfortable it felt in my hand. Thanks for sharing this video!
This pistol is so popular that I have been waiting over 6 months for my local gun stores to get in the performance center model with the gold barrel because I know that my wife and daughter were both absolutely love them but they're flying off the shelves. Even Davidson's galleries of guns online is out of them great job Smith and Wesson
Have one. I bought it for my wife, she didn't like it. She said "trigger guard is to small". I love it. It's the non safety version. Shoots small groups at pistol range. I have not had a failure to fire in 200 rounds. Nice review!
I have had this for about 12 months. I liked your review. I was a new shooter and it did help me to become more confident and now I have others that shoot higher caliber.
I'm 74. Have one. Love it. It edges out my Shield 1.0 as my EDC. Thanks for the review, Chris. One thing I would like to see is some ballistics tests with the longer EZ barrel, vs the typical 2.75" pocket pistol barrel. The EZ barrel is very nearly an inch longer. Velocities and terminal ballistics should be greater, I suspect, making an even greater case for the EZ as a true defensive weapon.
Review was spot on. Two female friends of mine own these. This seems to be the perfect handgun for them in terms of size, weight, and ease of use. They each shoot the Shield EZ better than both larger and smaller guns they’ve tried.
I got one for my kid, with safety. I really like it, daughter likes it. I'm thinking about getting one for myself as a carry pistol. Really easy to clean. Shoots good enough to take care of business, agree very fun to shoot. The low recoil make it quick to reattain target plus more shooting with less fatigue. it did require quite a bit of sight adjustment, it was shooting way left. The rear sight is easy to adjust with a screw from under side of slide. It came with the Allen key to fit it. First time out we put 150 rounds in a short period of time and it got a little hot. It has jammed a few times but its always on the last cartridge in mag during loading. Really good idea, store told me they sell a lot of them.
I still enjoy the guys that wouldn’t be caught dead with a .380, I usually carry the S&W Bodyguard .380 and for those that make fun of it, no one seems to want to be shot with one either.... strange.
That's what I always say. I've never shot anyone and have never been shot also. I don't want to experience either one and I don't want to get shot even with a little measly little .22.
My 83-year-old mother has been considering getting a handgun for a while, and because of her arthritis and weak hands, she cannot rack just ANY other semi automatic gun she’s ever tried, but she was able to rack the slide on this one, and easily loaded the magazines, due to the magazine’s assistive side-pins. A complete novice, she still managed to put shots on target right off the bat. This gun is ideal for anyone with terribly weak hands. And having shot it myself, as an able-bodied male, I found it really easy and enjoyable to shoot.
LOL went shopping for a CCW for the first time and as the dood was showing me a 9mm he says to my wife, "...and you might like this one." I found the 9mm's they had in stock to be a little bulky (small gun store) and thought a .380 might be better so I handled the .380 and just found racking it to be effortless. On top of that, the thumb safety and mag release felt so ergonomic. I know the marketing is meant for "woman-strengthened men" and arthritic old people, but just a weird thought, why wouldn't the EZ rack and thumb studs be a thing always? I'm no gun expert but these features just seem pretty practical.
Just tried 4 styles at the range with my son....9mm too strong for me...this is ez shield is a BLESSING...easy to load bullets , easy slide on the rack..and very very comfortable to handle. This is a great gun for many women who don't have as much "man power" to shoot a strong recoil. LOVE THIS GUN..on my way to order!
My LGS offered a free rental of the 380 EZ as the pistol of the month. I reluctantly accepted the offer to rent it for free. Just two shoots to familiarize myself with the trigger and I was extremely accurate with this pistol. The groupings were amazing. I was in complete disbelief. If not for the fact that my next purchase will be the Beretta 92 Elite LTT I would have purchased the pistol. It’s that good!
@@mrgorky777 I was shooting at 10 feet which was the first mark at the range that I was at. I use the first mark as a base line to compare different pistols.
This video, along with all LGA videos are just easy to watch and enjoy. Seriously, when this came out I did not even give it a look. For me, I really have no use for it. But after taking the time ti check out reviews and especially this one, I now see how great of an idea this pistol is. I agree that it would make an excellent transition from 22 for new shooters for sure!
.380 ACP is a very underrated round. With modern, quality ammunition, it's very effective in 99% of situations you might find yourself in. This gun looks like a lot of fun to shoot, and probably a great carry weapon. It will allow the shooter to put a lot of lead on target fast. I have the M&P Bodyguard 380, as well as an SD40. They're both quality guns, but this one looks like it would fit the bill for what most normal people need.
I just got this gun. First one ever I fell in love with it. I didn’t know I could feed this way about a fire arm. I took it apart and everything myself following the booklet
They did an outstanding job on this pistol. It is very 1911ish with respect to the safeties. Those safeties allow lighter triggers, and combined with the 380, adds to its shoot ability. I wish that safety was on my 9 mm shield. I have an 85b Beretta which I love, and this pistol seems even easier to shoot. I have lots of pistols, but I may have to add another one. Thanks for the Video.
I know this comment was a while ago, but they do have this available in 9mm if you haven’t found that out already. I have the .380 myself with a laser/light combo on the rail (with the combo on it, it weights the same loaded as the 9mm version unloaded cuz slide has to be heavier to cycle 9mm properly) and both are great options, I personally like the .380 cuz I find that it is the best gun I’ve shot and most accurate I’ve been with any gun even when it was my first time shooting it out of the box and hadn’t shot in over a year. But to each their own, figured I’d at least share the info in case and hope you find it helpful :)
Thanks for a very comprehensive look at this weapon. A friend took wifey and me to the range last week and we tried his Glock 26 / 9mm. Wifey couldn't rack the Glock with any technique - just didn't have the strength. She could handle shooting the Glock, but found the recoil at the edge of her limit. Looking forward to trying the EZ.
I got a chance to look at one of these when I stopped by an Arizona gun shop, and fell in love. Unfortunately it is not a California roster pistol!! 😔. When I escape from behind the California curtain I will own one!
@Fernando Ruiz it's not banned, it's just not yet been approved...so you have it sort of backwards. Once a company makes a new firearm it has to be submitted for approval for the California roster.
Thanks for the great review. In all your videos, you really are a gifted speaker. Not only is your content excellently thought out and organized, it is very well delivered. This is a rare combination in speaking. Great job!!!
Ammo choice is more important with .380 than with the larger calibers. The ~3" barrel on this one helps a great deal in getting the projectiles past the expansion threshold with hollow points. Paul Harrell's work in this area basically recommended 99 grain Federal HST for 3" .380's.
A good review done by Shooting The Bull tested a wide variety of ammunition in .380 and the Hornady XTP bullet performed the best. Paul Harrell is not a fan of the expensive ammunition. He likes the old school ammunition from Remington in the Green and Yellow box.
Great and very honest review. My mom certified for her Texas LTC on this gun and picked one up because of it. My dad and I were so impressed by it that we each picked one up ourselves, seeing the value in a lightweight, easy to operate, and compact CCW, and we don't believe the hate on .380ACP as an insufficient defense round. Pick the right load (I run Hornady Custom in mine) and not only will this be great for self-defense, but fun on the range.
just for reference, my dad is man's man machinist with bear claws for hands even at 65yo (his go-to handgun is a Springfield XD), and I kinda describe myself as an "extra medium American male" (with a Glock 19 as my go-to).
Got this for my wife right before Christmas and I fell in love with it. Very light very easy to use. Does damage I'll tell you it does some work lol she loves it a lot
Very much agree with you on your video. I've never owned a .380 acp or any small sized pistol for that matter. I instantly liked it in my hands as I could get a full 4 finger grip on the pistol. I also liked the safety on this pistol. Very easy to manipulate correctly compared to many other including past 9mm I have owned. I am a fan of the hammer fired trigger for me and also the longer barrel. I have no issue with it for carry being a nice weight and it isn't overly large either. S&W really did a nice job with this pistol for anyone,not just the target advertised audience. Easy to operate, shoots very nicely with as you said simple to keep on target with little recoil at all..I am still trying different loads to find what works the best for me overall. I believe with the gaining popularity of .380acp as a defensive pistol that in time ammo will continue to improve. I have only had FTF issues with the less rounded shape bullets so far,but it has gotten better the more I shoot it,,such as Critical Defense. The old school Golden Saber 102gr has ran well and with the longer barrel I'm sure I have picked up fps being a 3.5" barrel and it has consistently performed decent for .380 in my gel tests..Getting better penetration being heavier and going faster with the longer barrel..Averaging 12-13" with 4 layers of denim and calibrated gel. Still have the occasional clog up of denim however and a streamline to 20-22" though. I will order a box of the Lawmen you suggested to try as well...My local gun shop is a very professional world wide known female hunter and shooter and she put me on to this pistol to try at her range when I was there..I took one home..Sure I prefer a 9mm but in the smaller pistols with poor hand holds they aren't nearly as effective for me to keep on target as the 380 EZ I have found out. Its funny as I also carry my GP100 3" in cold weather and love .357 magnum...As everyone knows no issues with that caliber power wise if you can handle the recoil...non issue with a GP100. But the heavy gun you leave home doesn't do you much good compared to the almost non noticeable .380 EZ..Good shot placement is key and I feel very comfortable with it at my side...sorry for the long post...more fellas should try out this great little pistol,,you will be surprised.
I bought this gun last week and took it to the range last weekend. Put 150 rounds through it shooting at a human silhouette target and I was lethal at 25 yards. Very light and easy to carry and conceals much better than my S&W SD VE 40.
Very good review, as always. Your observations are very astute and logical. I very much appreciate that you are independently minded and don’t just say, “Glock 19” every 5 seconds, like 99% off ALL the other gun channels. As a career Marine and former competitive military shooter, your observations about the Beretta are SPOT ON!!! Thank God for Earnest Langdon’s growing influence, partially thanks to you! Double action pistols will always offer the most functional flexibility in a handgun. It’s a matter of mastering your “manual of arms”, as trained warriors understand. You are one of the very best gun content channels on RUclips!
I bought one for my wife because of her inability to rack the slide on all my 9mm pistols. Over the last year my hand arthritis and nerve issues became worse and I shot the EZ380 more. I was told by a self appointed CCW expert it was only for woman, not men! I guess I will have to disappoint some people in defending my family
i have the 9mm S&W Shield and took it to the gun range. I rented the 380 EZ as well from the gun range, just as much fun with less recoil and a breeze to load. If a gun stops the bad guys it's made for any human protecting their house.
Thank-you! I am a new gunner owner and no one was showing me if the safety was off in the up position or the down position. I watched several videos and you answered my question. I like this gun. It's very easy and comfortable to us.
I love S&W, and have had my eyes on this specific model for a year or so. Thanks to this review I'm likely picking one up today that I found for a great price. I'm hesitant because it doesn't have the manual safety, but I might be able to forego that as a must-have. Thanks for the helpful insight. Update: finally found one today with a safety at a great price point. I’ve looked at tons of other options and this one just always rises to the top. Super excited to have this as a conceal carry I can feel confident about, with no worries about safety or ease of use. The one I was carrying was very hard to handle, which is not what you want in a defense situation.
Mine has manual safety. Love it and my kids laugh cause I hated guns. Couldn’t even have any type of toy gun in my house. I’m 60 now and love to shoot.
This slide is SUPER easy to rack. Tried it out last month for the first time and I’m thinking about getting one (if I can find it these days-they’re sold out for months). For the record I am a lineman-sized male and have no problem racking a slide. This is just a JOY to rack and operate.
I got one for my wife. I can shoot pretty much anything, but I've been thinking about their new 380 EZ Performance Center addition. Upgrades and already pretty decent pistol, upgrades the looks. Not to mention, I can put nine rounds much quicker in a much tighter group than any of my nines. It definitely feels like you're shooting a 22.
I was on the fence weather or not to get on of these 380 EZ but after watching this review ,I believe I am going to buy on, Thanks,this was one of the best reviews I have ever seen
I’m not a fan of .380 ACP, but I do like this gun. I was a little apprehensive about the grip safety, but like you pointed out it is hard to get a grip that will not work. I don’t own one but I have shot it a little and it really is EZ to rack the slide.
I bought one of these as a next step for my gf. I can’t say she started going to the range more because of it, however it did boost her confidence. I can also second that this is a fun gun to shoot for an experienced shooter. It’s like a 22 that knocks down steel plates.
Excellent, appropriately detailed, credible review. Nicely done. Thanks for giving credence to the frustrations of so many of us who have been military, public safety and recreational shooters for so very long, but due to injuries, arthritis and other delightful ravages of aging, are unable to enjoy our heretofore legacy firearms. Buck Shot's comments and those of similar ilk are right on point. Keep up the good work.
My wife is getting this pistol for home defense. She had Carpal tunnel surgery last year and tried racking the slide at our local gun dealer. She said "This is the gun for me!"
Super happy with my 380 EZ. All my other handguns are M&P 2.0's in 9 mm: a Shield, a Compact, and a full-size M&P. Now the 380 EZ has become my standard carry gun because of how easy it is to conceal. Only issue for me has been a tendency to have some mild slide bite, so I have needed to adjust my grip a little. Put over 200 rounds of range ammo and about 75 rounds of defensive ammo through it on the first day at the range. Consistent hits in the 10 ring. Only issue was a some failures of the slide to lock back on an empty mag. Next time out need to do some diagnostics on whether its the mags (bought 4 extra OEM mags with the gun) or is it way I'm gripping the gun along the slide in the area of the slide stop, or is it just a matter of the recoil spring needing to loosen up a little. I'd recommend it to almost anyone.
Steve Mays how would you compare the recoil of the 380ez to the m&p 9compact and 9mm shield? I’ve been considering one of these for my lady who has hand problems and trouble shooting the bigger heavier guns I have.
@@boredandagitated much lighter recoil, slide manipulation also much easier - but then that's pretty much the whole point for the EZ in the first place. As I said in my original post, my only complaints were 1) I got bit by the slide a couple of time - something I have never experienced on nay of my 9"s and 2) being a brand new gun, the slide was not locking back on an empty mag 100% of the time. I think the slide bite issue is a function of the slimmer profile of the piece couples with the fact that I have pretty big, meaty hands. So when I go for the highest grip under the tang I can get, some of the meat between my thumb and index finger wants to get in the way. For me it's just a matter of adjusting my grip a little bit. For someone with smaller hands - like your lady, I assume - I don't think it would be an issue. As for the slide lock on an empty mag, I think it's a matter of getting it broken in. I'm still super pleased with mine.
A+ review as usual. Consider please taking a look at the Performance Center version of this gun. A .380 with fiber optic sights, lightning cuts and a ported slide is sorta krazy, but I still want one.
This is the first time I have listen/watched your site. Really a great presentation. I have an injury that I have lost the strength in my right hand which is permanent. So yes I am now one of those categories you mentioned. I now have the M&P .380 and thank you for your down to earth presentation. Great job and I appreciate your presentation and I am subscribing as well as mentioning your site to others. Thank you.
I just bought my mom her first (and more than likely last; mind you, not last because it'snot quality, but more becausemy mom doesn't like guns) firearm today. Apparently in our small town the other other day, a man talked his way into a woman's house, tied her up, beat her, and tried to kill her; my mother told me this story, and that was it, I was buying her a gun. I bought her this firearm in .380 just a few hours ago, so now I feel a little better with her having 8 rounds of .380 to unleash on anyone trying to do her harm. She has arthritus, so this gun was perfect for her.
There's a somewhat local training facility a few towns away from me. It's run by a husband and wife couple and they both began using the shield EZ almost exclusively. They like how nice the gun is to shoot and how controllable it is. They both also claim that the .380acp, when fired from an appropriately sized gun, is terribly underrated, and I agree. I believe that it's better to hit a bad guy with something weak than to miss him with something powerful, and .380 isn't as weak as people think.
My wife owns a 380 Shield EZ as her first gun. I'm a retired LEO and carry a 380 EZ PC. These are outstanding small caliber firearms that are perfect for both novice and experienced shooters.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
As someone who used to be anti-gun, I’m purchasing this one as my first firearm. I was very wrong about the entire gun community with my media saturated impressions. Thank you for this video!
I've had several handguns and this as the name says really EZ. Easy in every way, easy rack, easy trigger, easy load, easy disassembly and cleaning, good light weight, recoil almost as low as 22lr.
I agree Alison! I just purchased my first gun at the age of 41, and I just bought this same gun, I’m so in love with it, to say I’ve always been scared of them lol
lol covid is creating tons of new 2a supporters...
That's awesome!! Welcome to the community and congrats on taking your safety into consideration.
Thats wonderful..my wife also wanted nothing to do with guns but with the riots going on she wants to learn to shoot...she had a hard time with my 9mm so i just bought her this gun and she is hooked
For those who have arthritis, weak hands or other problems this is a Godsend.
I am with you!
I have a family member who hurt both hands in a car wreck. This is the only semi she can manage, and she handles it well, despite a debilitating injury.
Yes; my wife cannot rack her current .380 so this may be the replacement nightstand gun for her side. (.44 Spl. in my nightstand and whichever carry pistol I chose that day .40/.45 depending on clothing is on top of the nightstand.
@BigRedRidingBear as proven through out time it is not the round but shot placement i have seen people shot with 38 not stopped 44 not stopped 45 not stooped in my case 357 hollow point not stopped as a former first responder the best round to stop someone is an rpg.....
going into a firefight with a handgun on purpose is stupid that is why they make long gun and sometime they dont stop ergo the rpg if someone is still standing after that buy them a beer
I have and love this gun. I have a hand issue and so this gun I can use no problem. Great review.
I got my wife an EZ. She has learned to shoot with it and its done wonders for her ability and confidence. Now she actually enjoys going to the range.
I was thinking about getting my girlfriend this... right now shes carrying the m&p 22 compact
soon she will practice on you...
It will be a shoot out 😂
@@majestic9108 ...how do you like that mp 22
Now? She's so confident that she actually enjoys doing things which she wants to do with other ... people. #Don'tForceYourWifeToGunRanges
You keep making content like you do and you will go down in history with likes of Bill Ruger, Gaston Glock, Elmer Keith and Earnest Langdon. Your ballistics information is unparalleled, your ideas and concepts for new shooters is easy to follow and consistent. Your drills that you show case are excellent. God bless you sir. You are a true patriot; not just an ammunition salesmen. 🇺🇸
C.E. VIII No love for Eugene Stoner? The father of the almighty AR15?
Thank you for the kind words, sir.
100% agree
Samuel Colt? John Browning? :-)
I love your production value VS most all the other guntubers. It sucks that you guys mostly peddle ammo, you should go full-on gun reviews!!
I bought one of these for my 70 year old Mom who has significant arthritis, it has performed brilliantly. She carried a J frame for years, but became very hard for her to shoot within the last year or so. We tried a Ruger SR22, an LCP, smith bodyguard, shield 9 and a .22 mag LCR. The Shield EZ was the only semiautomatic she could cycle the slide on reliably. Also, we wanted the most powerful cartridge she could handle without issue, .380 fits the bill. She loves the pistol, accuracy and reliability have been great so far. Twice a month, we put 100rds through it per session. A hodgepodge of .380 I had, including Hornady critical defense, gold dot, federal hst and fiocci extrema, have all done great. She’s happy to be shooting again and I’m happy she can still utilize her concealed carry permit. My Dad (a die hard 1911 Guy and former infantryman in Vietnam) seems to not completely hate it, which is impressive in its own right. Good stuff!
I hope you and both of them are doing well
Both my mom and my girlfriend carry them. Its a huge confidence booster for them to know they can rack the slides easily and have more ammo capacity than something like a J frame or LCP.
I am a retired college dean who has done more teacher observations and evaluations than I can remember. I always look for your videos because they are short, to the point with no wasted words or unnecessary footage of you shooting the firearm of the day. The segments where you are shooting always supports your spoken comments and not overdone ad nauseous. I would definitely recommend you for tenure if you were one of my faculty. My wife has a 22 compact and shoots it very well. I suggested that she move to something with more pop and bought her a 9mm S&W Compact. She did not like it so my next move was the 380EZ. I am addicted to DA/SA Sig pistols and DA/SA revolvers. I told her I would “break in the 380EZ for her”. What a fun shooting experience. I actually took her 22 compact and the 380EZ to the range for a session. What a blast that was! If nothing else these guns are just fun to shoot. I can see using this pair to introduce my 5 grandkids to shooting. This gun definitely has a place. The range officers where I go regularly recommend the 380EZ to customers just because they can learn to shoot without the distraction of having to be concerned about too much recoil. My wife has her CCW and I would have no problem with her using the 380EZ as her bedside gun because she can place shots very well. Great review, as always, and great information that is presented without excess words or shooting footage. Keep up the great work..
Er, did you mean ad nauseam?
Cool what a nice thing to say to somebody
feels like a subtle jab at Nutn lol
We have a .22 Compact and a 9mm EZ. Good pairing.
My mother could not even budge the slide on any of my guns, got her the EZ 380 and she not only could safely shoot and operate it, but dissasemble it and clean it, she loves hers! Really glad she likes it, she wanted a J frame revolver and I succesfully steered her toward this EZ and she is way happier.
I was an MP in the Army but have been out and not shot a gun in 12 years. When I started researching I came across this one and fell in love. Having confidence in handling and firing is so important especially if you need to use it for protection, and this allows for that. I love mine and know it will be easier for my daughter to learn to handle as well when it’s time. Great review, I just shared this with a friend that is looking at pistols.
I have had mine for over a year. No problems with it. I love it and it is with me everywhere I go.
I have been renting this gun from my local range for about 3 months now and it's awesome. I can rack the slide so easily and I have a lot of confidence with it. I love the Pez Dispenser mag loading too. I'm a 60 yo 5'4" 135 lb woman with very low hand strength and this baby just works. I'm saving up to buy one ASAP. Thank you Smith & Wesson.
I think Academy Sports has them for $250 right now, and the Shield has a rebate at the moment also.
@@jshepard152 439 at Academy as of 08/2022. What happened!?
@@samuelmorado70
The President of the United States talking about how no one needs a "high powered" 9mm happened.
I got this pistol for my wife (she's 5'0 100lbs) and she absolutely loves it. She was new to firearms but this gun, given how easy of a shooter it is, really opened her eyes to how fun shooting can be. She now wants to get into competitive shooting. The slide is crazy easy to rack, easy to field strip, shoots well & is a large enough caliber to make it viable for defensive purposes.
I have a SigP365 & Walther Q5 Match and while both of them are fun to shoot, I enjoy shooting her M&P EZ just as much. Even as a guy who's 6'4" & 195lbs, I can appreciate how easy this gun is to operate.
This pistol is as close to perfection as I've seen for it's intended audience which in my opinion is: new shooters, women & elderly. Even if you don't fall into those categories, it's a fun gun to take to the range.
I was taught by my instructor how to handle and disassemble a handgun which is the EZ. I fell in love with how easier it is to use and how comfortable it was to hold. This was my first handgun purchase and I don’t regret it what so ever.
This is by far my favorite pistol that I’ve ever owned. It holds like a regular 9mm but with the recoil of a .380, I just love it.
Awesome review! I'm a newbie to shooting, 68 year old female and appreciated the in-depth but understandable content. Thank you.
Good review. I love mine. It is my main carry piece. I just turned 65 and also shoot an FNX 45.
Bob White Hi Bob. I'm a 71 year old retiree and am interested in the FNX 45. Appreciate your opinion of it. Thx 😋
robert braun it is one “big” pistol, the exact opposite of the 380 EZ. I tripped mine out with a red dot optic and the tactical model (plan to add a suppressor. I find I shoot it about once a month vs. weekly for the EZ.
Absolutely an excellent review of the S&W 380EZ. I bought mine last year and have put close to 2,000 rounds through it with no hiccups with any round nose, hollow point, and ARX ammo. I wear glasses and at my age I have trouble focusing on the front sight with all 3 dot sights because they tend to be too small. I recently installed XS BIG DOT tritium sights on this gun … wow .. what a difference. I highly recommend them to everyone who has trouble focusing on the front sight.
Saw this handgun the week it came out and I was impressed. As an instructor I have had students with medical conditions that made firing a fully powered centerfire semi-automatic handguns a serious problem. I purchased a 686 and had trigger work done to make the double action pull as light as 7 pounds. The weight of the gun was a problem with some. I even purchased a Ruger SR22 because it was easy to rack but it's DA trigger was horrible. The 380EZ nails it! They even have a Smith&wesson Performance Center version. I agree with your review entirely. Many of the new shooters also want a manual safety. Smith did a great job.
I'm a proud owner of the performance center version; outside of the skeletonized slide in a few parts, and a port at the end of the muzzle (presumably to act as a sort of muzzle brake), I'm not too sure what the differences are, but it's a blast at the range. not sure if I see myself getting my CCL, but if I do, the 380 shield EZ is going to be my carry piece for most situations.
my only issue is the trigger: there's a bit of a period of zero resistance and then a pretty light pull. I wish it were just a tad heavier, or the same weight but more consistent throughout the pull
I had triple neck fusion and this gun is very user friendly, doesnt interfear with neck muscles. And so easy to rack. Best investment ever!
Man you just make the best videos and reviews. Polite, straightforward, and mostly no cocky attitude. Keep up the good work!! My wife and I just got home with her first gun, the M&P EZ Shield.
I'm a mid-30s, 6'2", 200 lb guy and I initially purchased a J frame .38 special Smith & Wesson revolver and found the recoil to be totally unmanageable in a practical sense. I was attracted to the simplicity, ease of use, and reliability, but the recoil totally killed my confidence in ever thinking I'd try and use it for concealed carry. It was like I would aim and shoot and have no idea if I got anywhere close to the target. I decided that I'd get a 22 pistol for the reasons mentioned in this video, but ended up getting one of these instead and looking forward to using it and building my confidence.
I am over twice your age and about 5’9, 160. I had a few S&W J frames and sold all but one , a 60-7 steel frame with plus p rating and better sights. Still it is not as pleasant or accurate as the Colt D frame, even the alloy frames. Sadly the originals are no longer made , they shoot like mid frame not small frame revolvers. The newer Colt Cobra is close to the older Detective special, good grips , sights. I can shoot as well with the 2 inch Colts as most can shoot with a midsize 4 inch revolver. The compact 2 inch 38 with 158 lhp is a reliable fight stopper. Give it a second chance
Great intro 9mm
Snubbys are easy to shoot for those of us with a ton of experience. It sounds like you don’t shoot much or were new when you tried one. They really aren’t guns designed for average shooters much less new because of the heavy trigger and short sight radius. From concealment at about 12 yards I can empty my .38 LCR center mass in about 2 seconds but it took a decade + of shooting to get to that skill level so don’t feel bad about it.
Snubbys are easy to shoot for those of us with a ton of experience. It sounds like you don’t shoot much or were new when you tried one. They really aren’t guns designed for average shooters much less new because of the heavy trigger and short sight radius. From concealment at about 12 yards I can empty my .38 LCR center mass in about 2 seconds but it took a decade + of shooting to get to that skill level so don’t feel bad about it.
This could be the one video out of hundreds that sells me on the pistol I actually settle on. Your videos are like a professional school of knowledge and information, reliable and mature-minded, accurate and dependable. Thanks for these. The Barretta 92g Centurion is another that you've done so well in presenting and recommending.
Smith & Wesson: The American legacy company that can actually do shit from time to time.
I friggin love my .380! I'm 5'2" 115lbs, I have weak shrimp wrists so this is what sold me on this pistol!! If only I would have gotten it with the laser aim! Its THE BEST!!
What the hell do you eat? I’m 5’3” 100 lbs and I have no problems with 9mm.
Sara Darklaw Hey if you can shoot .380 well then it’ll probably do the job. Plus you’ll probably never need it anyway.
Probably. I just picked 9mm because of the price. I worked at whatever issues I had at first.
Do excrement? That stinks.
My wife hated semiauto handguns. She stuck with her Taurus 85 snubnose. I bought her a 380 EZ and she loves it. Easy to rack the slide, which was her primary issue with other pistols, and she likes the grip safety to prevent unintentional discharges. Smith and Wesson hit a home run with this one. Also, both of my adult sons love the handgun and plan to buy them.
Your presentations are always wonderfully thorough and clear. Your voice modulation and pacing is also top rate. And you are not boring. Very good vid. Thanks.
Excellent Review. clear, concise, well spoken, easy to follow you. The gun is a dream. I have several pistols and rifles and the 380 Sheiled EZ is hands-down my favorite gun for self-protection. It goes everywhere I go, the ammo is affordable and it's fun to shoot, easy to care for and as you say, it builds confidence in my skill and ability to use it if I need to and feel i can bring down the attacker.
Great video! This will be my 2nd firearm after my Hammerli Ar 15. I've always loved fire arms but couldn't really appreciate them fully since I lived in a blue state. I am happily appreciating the 2A in a Red state now. My views are my own.
They have a consumer advisory on them for units build prior to 4 Apr 18. The advisory says certain types of ammo with higher recoil can actually move the safety from the fire to safe position. They offer a free upgrade to fix it but some may not have experienced it or know about it. Love the channel as it's very informative. Keep up with the great work!
People don't realized that one day you are young and strong and the next day you aren't either of those things. Got this gun for my wife and we both enjoy the hell out of it.
Btw, we've only fed this gun Fiocchi ammo. Not one single fail of any kind.
Thank you for your reviews.
My only issue is cost per round I can't go to range as often
Great review. I got this as a gift from my husband. Can't wait to hit the range with it.
2023 update: still loving this gun.. so easy to use. It's my go to when i go to the range
Great review ! As a very experienced shooter I can honestly say that this gun is on my short list for my next gun. Just a great gun all around for anyone not just beginners.
I am a totally Gun Virgin at 65 yrs young. Got my permit this week and went shopping today. Looked at a total of five different guns, got the info I needed to google them, but I honestly do not believe I will be looking at any other videos or guns for that matter. This video has pretty much sold me on my very first personal protection firearm. Thank you for your knowledge and concise informative video.
I purchased an EZ last month in 9mm for my daughters 21st birthday. I went over the gun with a fine tooth comb and I’m very impressed her and I love the gun. I will be getting one for myself and my uncle has already traded in his LC9 for one. Good sights, trigger, grip, love the safety you can rack it with it engaged. Love the loaded indicator. This is an excellent product. “Get some”.
Whoa the grip safety is so natural how did we live without it all this time? Good looking gun. Great review, always to the point.
I mean, they’re not necessary, but they’ve been available to people since 1911 lol.
Yeah we lived without it for 400 hundred years until 1911.
Neglected to mention: a small, but essential, part of the EZ slide function is a simple touch that makes a huge difference. The final “scallop” at the rear of the slide is raised a bit which much improves grip and leverage. This is milled into the slide and gives a similar effect as the H&K VP9 “cocking ears”. I wish every manufacturer would add this brilliant touch.
An excellent presentation. Thanks. And I especially appreciate your focus that it is not just for women, old, or handicapped people.
Thanks for a thorough review of an underrated caliber with a quality weapon that most of us would overlook which has improved its effectiveness with advances in ammo technology.
I bought my wife this weapon and 3 years later it is my Go-To. I have recoil sensitivity and the 380 EZ is perfect for my defense needs. Thank you for the full review on it, Bro.
Thanks for this. As a 5'6"/130lb manlet that loves .380ACP, the EZ Pro model is on my buy list.
130!? Hit the weights man!
Buy it, you will love it. I love the 380ACP
Don't call yourself a "manlet", have more respect for yourself: Without you other people wouldn't be considered "tall".
Knowing how to use a gun and exercising your 2A rights makes you more of man than all of the idiots trying to ban guns these days.
I am a 21-year-old female and I just purchased this gun today as my very fire firearm! I will say that out of all of the handguns I handled today, this one was by far the best regarding how easy it was to handle and how comfortable it felt in my hand. Thanks for sharing this video!
My first thought was they have overcomplicated the revolver, but I reconsidered. Hats off to them for making shooting more approachable.
This pistol is so popular that I have been waiting over 6 months for my local gun stores to get in the performance center model with the gold barrel because I know that my wife and daughter were both absolutely love them but they're flying off the shelves. Even Davidson's galleries of guns online is out of them great job Smith and Wesson
As a recently retired teacher I am impressed by your presentations; well done.
Have one. I bought it for my wife, she didn't like it. She said "trigger guard is to small". I love it. It's the non safety version. Shoots small groups at pistol range. I have not had a failure to fire in 200 rounds. Nice review!
Much respect for this man. Great reviews with unbiased information, I’m a fan. 👍
And he doesn't pretend to be a Navy SEAL.
I have had this for about 12 months. I liked your review. I was a new shooter and it did help me to become more confident and now I have others that shoot higher caliber.
I'm 74. Have one. Love it. It edges out my Shield 1.0 as my EDC. Thanks for the review, Chris. One thing I would like to see is some ballistics tests with the longer EZ barrel, vs the typical 2.75" pocket pistol barrel. The EZ barrel is very nearly an inch longer. Velocities and terminal ballistics should be greater, I suspect, making an even greater case for the EZ as a true defensive weapon.
Review was spot on. Two female friends of mine own these. This seems to be the perfect handgun for them in terms of size, weight, and ease of use. They each shoot the Shield EZ better than both larger and smaller guns they’ve tried.
I got one for my kid, with safety. I really like it, daughter likes it. I'm thinking about getting one for myself as a carry pistol. Really easy to clean. Shoots good enough to take care of business, agree very fun to shoot. The low recoil make it quick to reattain target plus more shooting with less fatigue. it did require quite a bit of sight adjustment, it was shooting way left. The rear sight is easy to adjust with a screw from under side of slide. It came with the Allen key to fit it. First time out we put 150 rounds in a short period of time and it got a little hot. It has jammed a few times but its always on the last cartridge in mag during loading. Really good idea, store told me they sell a lot of them.
I am a new shooting and I bought this gun for myself a couple of months ago I instantly feel in love with this gun...
I still enjoy the guys that wouldn’t be caught dead with a .380, I usually carry the S&W Bodyguard .380 and for those that make fun of it, no one seems to want to be shot with one either.... strange.
I love my little BG 380! True pocket-size .380.
I saw a video with a guy shooting a feral hog in the head with a 380. Killed it instantly. Made me a believer.
That's what I always say. I've never shot anyone and have never been shot also. I don't want to experience either one and I don't want to get shot even with a little measly little .22.
I carry my Ruger LCP-2 .380...love it
I have an LCP2 and my cop friends want one now 🤷🏼♂️ depends how open minded the crowd you hang with is I suppose... James Bond uses a 380 too...
My 83-year-old mother has been considering getting a handgun for a while, and because of her arthritis and weak hands, she cannot rack just ANY other semi automatic gun she’s ever tried, but she was able to rack the slide on this one, and easily loaded the magazines, due to the magazine’s assistive side-pins. A complete novice, she still managed to put shots on target right off the bat. This gun is ideal for anyone with terribly weak hands. And having shot it myself, as an able-bodied male, I found it really easy and enjoyable to shoot.
LOL went shopping for a CCW for the first time and as the dood was showing me a 9mm he says to my wife, "...and you might like this one." I found the 9mm's they had in stock to be a little bulky (small gun store) and thought a .380 might be better so I handled the .380 and just found racking it to be effortless. On top of that, the thumb safety and mag release felt so ergonomic. I know the marketing is meant for "woman-strengthened men" and arthritic old people, but just a weird thought, why wouldn't the EZ rack and thumb studs be a thing always? I'm no gun expert but these features just seem pretty practical.
Just tried 4 styles at the range with my son....9mm too strong for me...this is ez shield is a BLESSING...easy to load bullets , easy slide on the rack..and very very comfortable to handle. This is a great gun for many women who don't have as much "man power" to shoot a strong recoil. LOVE THIS GUN..on my way to order!
My LGS offered a free rental of the 380 EZ as the pistol of the month. I reluctantly accepted the offer to rent it for free. Just two shoots to familiarize myself with the trigger and I was extremely accurate with this pistol. The groupings were amazing. I was in complete disbelief. If not for the fact that my next purchase will be the Beretta 92 Elite LTT I would have purchased the pistol. It’s that good!
What distance were you shooting?
@@mrgorky777 I was shooting at 10 feet which was the first mark at the range that I was at. I use the first mark as a base line to compare different pistols.
This video, along with all LGA videos are just easy to watch and enjoy. Seriously, when this came out I did not even give it a look. For me, I really have no use for it. But after taking the time ti check out reviews and especially this one, I now see how great of an idea this pistol is. I agree that it would make an excellent transition from 22 for new shooters for sure!
I bought one of these for my girlfriend to teach her to shoot. I absolutely fell in love with it though.
Joseph Williams did she fall In love with it
.380 ACP is a very underrated round. With modern, quality ammunition, it's very effective in 99% of situations you might find yourself in. This gun looks like a lot of fun to shoot, and probably a great carry weapon. It will allow the shooter to put a lot of lead on target fast. I have the M&P Bodyguard 380, as well as an SD40. They're both quality guns, but this one looks like it would fit the bill for what most normal people need.
I just got this gun. First one ever I fell in love with it. I didn’t know I could feed this way about a fire arm. I took it apart and everything myself following the booklet
I have the version without the manual safety and I absolutely love it. It is a real joy to shoot this thing and love practicing with it.
They did an outstanding job on this pistol. It is very 1911ish with respect to the safeties. Those safeties allow lighter triggers, and combined with the 380, adds to its shoot ability. I wish that safety was on my 9 mm shield. I have an 85b Beretta which I love, and this pistol seems even easier to shoot. I have lots of pistols, but I may have to add another one. Thanks for the Video.
I know this comment was a while ago, but they do have this available in 9mm if you haven’t found that out already. I have the .380 myself with a laser/light combo on the rail (with the combo on it, it weights the same loaded as the 9mm version unloaded cuz slide has to be heavier to cycle 9mm properly) and both are great options, I personally like the .380 cuz I find that it is the best gun I’ve shot and most accurate I’ve been with any gun even when it was my first time shooting it out of the box and hadn’t shot in over a year. But to each their own, figured I’d at least share the info in case and hope you find it helpful :)
Thanks for a very comprehensive look at this weapon. A friend took wifey and me to the range last week and we tried his Glock 26 / 9mm. Wifey couldn't rack the Glock with any technique - just didn't have the strength. She could handle shooting the Glock, but found the recoil at the edge of her limit. Looking forward to trying the EZ.
I got a chance to look at one of these when I stopped by an Arizona gun shop, and fell in love. Unfortunately it is not a California roster pistol!! 😔. When I escape from behind the California curtain I will own one!
It shows how ridiculous California firearm laws are. This seems like the perfect gun for so many otherwise vulnerable people.
@digital1911 LOL!
@digital1911 I know what you mean.
Welcome back to America! ^5
It only holds 8 rounds so it should make it there at some point, probably just takes time for them to update it
@Fernando Ruiz it's not banned, it's just not yet been approved...so you have it sort of backwards. Once a company makes a new firearm it has to be submitted for approval for the California roster.
Thanks for the great review. In all your videos, you really are a gifted speaker. Not only is your content excellently thought out and organized, it is very well delivered. This is a rare combination in speaking. Great job!!!
Ammo choice is more important with .380 than with the larger calibers. The ~3" barrel on this one helps a great deal in getting the projectiles past the expansion threshold with hollow points. Paul Harrell's work in this area basically recommended 99 grain Federal HST for 3" .380's.
A good review done by Shooting The Bull tested a wide variety of ammunition in .380 and the Hornady XTP bullet performed the best. Paul Harrell is not a fan of the expensive ammunition. He likes the old school ammunition from Remington in the Green and Yellow box.
Great and very honest review. My mom certified for her Texas LTC on this gun and picked one up because of it. My dad and I were so impressed by it that we each picked one up ourselves, seeing the value in a lightweight, easy to operate, and compact CCW, and we don't believe the hate on .380ACP as an insufficient defense round. Pick the right load (I run Hornady Custom in mine) and not only will this be great for self-defense, but fun on the range.
just for reference, my dad is man's man machinist with bear claws for hands even at 65yo (his go-to handgun is a Springfield XD), and I kinda describe myself as an "extra medium American male" (with a Glock 19 as my go-to).
Considering recommending this to my aunt who's only exposure to firearms has been a snubnose 38spl. Thanks for the review.
Tried this gun today! Can not recommend enough to every shooter out there. This guy is on the money with his review. Will be buying one very soon.
Shot a rental one this week and I was pretty impressed. The trigger was a little light for my taste but I think it's a solid option.
Got this for my wife right before Christmas and I fell in love with it. Very light very easy to use. Does damage I'll tell you it does some work lol she loves it a lot
Very much agree with you on your video. I've never owned a .380 acp or any small sized pistol for that matter. I instantly liked it in my hands as I could get a full 4 finger grip on the pistol. I also liked the safety on this pistol. Very easy to manipulate correctly compared to many other including past 9mm I have owned. I am a fan of the hammer fired trigger for me and also the longer barrel. I have no issue with it for carry being a nice weight and it isn't overly large either. S&W really did a nice job with this pistol for anyone,not just the target advertised audience. Easy to operate, shoots very nicely with as you said simple to keep on target with little recoil at all..I am still trying different loads to find what works the best for me overall. I believe with the gaining popularity of .380acp as a defensive pistol that in time ammo will continue to improve. I have only had FTF issues with the less rounded shape bullets so far,but it has gotten better the more I shoot it,,such as Critical Defense. The old school Golden Saber 102gr has ran well and with the longer barrel I'm sure I have picked up fps being a 3.5" barrel and it has consistently performed decent for .380 in my gel tests..Getting better penetration being heavier and going faster with the longer barrel..Averaging 12-13" with 4 layers of denim and calibrated gel. Still have the occasional clog up of denim however and a streamline to 20-22" though. I will order a box of the Lawmen you suggested to try as well...My local gun shop is a very professional world wide known female hunter and shooter and she put me on to this pistol to try at her range when I was there..I took one home..Sure I prefer a 9mm but in the smaller pistols with poor hand holds they aren't nearly as effective for me to keep on target as the 380 EZ I have found out. Its funny as I also carry my GP100 3" in cold weather and love .357 magnum...As everyone knows no issues with that caliber power wise if you can handle the recoil...non issue with a GP100. But the heavy gun you leave home doesn't do you much good compared to the almost non noticeable .380 EZ..Good shot placement is key and I feel very comfortable with it at my side...sorry for the long post...more fellas should try out this great little pistol,,you will be surprised.
I bought this gun last week and took it to the range last weekend. Put 150 rounds through it shooting at a human silhouette target and I was lethal at 25 yards. Very light and easy to carry and conceals much better than my S&W SD VE 40.
Got this, love it!! The only thing I would change is a higher capacity magazine!!
Very good review, as always. Your observations are very astute and logical. I very much appreciate that you are independently minded and don’t just say, “Glock 19” every 5 seconds, like 99% off ALL the other gun channels.
As a career Marine and former competitive military shooter, your observations about the Beretta are SPOT ON!!! Thank God for Earnest Langdon’s growing influence, partially thanks to you! Double action pistols will always offer the most functional flexibility in a handgun. It’s a matter of mastering your “manual of arms”, as trained warriors understand.
You are one of the very best gun content channels on RUclips!
I bought one for my wife because of her inability to rack the slide on all my 9mm pistols. Over the last year my hand arthritis and nerve issues became worse and I shot the EZ380 more. I was told by a self appointed CCW expert it was only for woman, not men! I guess I will have to disappoint some people in defending my family
Hey as long as you can disappoint the bad guys..... thats what matters ! 😊
Yeah, ask if the "expert" would mind you shooting him six times or so with a "girlie gun."
Sounds like that expert is a dumbass. What kind of pickemup truck does he drive?
i have the 9mm S&W Shield and took it to the gun range. I rented the 380 EZ as well from the gun range, just as much fun with less recoil and a breeze to load. If a gun stops the bad guys it's made for any human protecting their house.
Even a 22 short will do the job with shot placement.
Thank-you! I am a new gunner owner and no one was showing me if the safety was off in the up position or the down position. I watched several videos and you answered my question. I like this gun. It's very easy and comfortable to us.
I love S&W, and have had my eyes on this specific model for a year or so. Thanks to this review I'm likely picking one up today that I found for a great price. I'm hesitant because it doesn't have the manual safety, but I might be able to forego that as a must-have. Thanks for the helpful insight.
Update: finally found one today with a safety at a great price point. I’ve looked at tons of other options and this one just always rises to the top. Super excited to have this as a conceal carry I can feel confident about, with no worries about safety or ease of use. The one I was carrying was very hard to handle, which is not what you want in a defense situation.
Manual safety is an available option.
Mine has manual safety. Love it and my kids laugh cause I hated guns. Couldn’t even have any type of toy gun in my house. I’m 60 now and love to shoot.
This slide is SUPER easy to rack. Tried it out last month for the first time and I’m thinking about getting one (if I can find it these days-they’re sold out for months). For the record I am a lineman-sized male and have no problem racking a slide. This is just a JOY to rack and operate.
I got one for my wife. I can shoot pretty much anything, but I've been thinking about their new 380 EZ Performance Center addition.
Upgrades and already pretty decent pistol, upgrades the looks. Not to mention, I can put nine rounds much quicker in a much tighter group than any of my nines. It definitely feels like you're shooting a 22.
I was on the fence weather or not to get on of these 380 EZ but after watching this review ,I believe I am going to buy on, Thanks,this was one of the best reviews I have ever seen
I’m not a fan of .380 ACP, but I do like this gun. I was a little apprehensive about the grip safety, but like you pointed out it is hard to get a grip that will not work. I don’t own one but I have shot it a little and it really is EZ to rack the slide.
I bought one of these as a next step for my gf. I can’t say she started going to the range more because of it, however it did boost her confidence. I can also second that this is a fun gun to shoot for an experienced shooter. It’s like a 22 that knocks down steel plates.
I wish all mags were made like that.
Got one for my mom who has trouble, now her and I feel safe she now carries and enjoys the range 10/10 would recommend
Probably the funnest gun I have shot. Really smooth. My edc is a 9mm Shield but I love shooting this one at the range.
Prices
Excellent, appropriately detailed, credible review. Nicely done. Thanks for giving credence to the frustrations of so many of us who have been military, public safety and recreational shooters for so very long, but due to injuries, arthritis and other delightful ravages of aging, are unable to enjoy our heretofore legacy firearms. Buck Shot's comments and those of similar ilk are right on point. Keep up the good work.
My wife is getting this pistol for home defense. She had Carpal tunnel surgery last year and tried racking the slide at our local gun dealer. She said "This is the gun for me!"
Glad to have one more armed citizen and hopefully, voter.
Traded in my Bersa Thunder .380 for this exact pistol. I like the way it felt and handled and really like this gun. Thumbs up to S&W!
The grip safety is an amazing feature. They should make it an option on the other shields as well.
One of the best explanations of this pistol and the pro's for carring it other then the "old lady with arthritis" argument.
Super happy with my 380 EZ. All my other handguns are M&P 2.0's in 9 mm: a Shield, a Compact, and a full-size M&P. Now the 380 EZ has become my standard carry gun because of how easy it is to conceal. Only issue for me has been a tendency to have some mild slide bite, so I have needed to adjust my grip a little. Put over 200 rounds of range ammo and about 75 rounds of defensive ammo through it on the first day at the range. Consistent hits in the 10 ring. Only issue was a some failures of the slide to lock back on an empty mag. Next time out need to do some diagnostics on whether its the mags (bought 4 extra OEM mags with the gun) or is it way I'm gripping the gun along the slide in the area of the slide stop, or is it just a matter of the recoil spring needing to loosen up a little. I'd recommend it to almost anyone.
Steve Mays how would you compare the recoil of the 380ez to the m&p 9compact and 9mm shield? I’ve been considering one of these for my lady who has hand problems and trouble shooting the bigger heavier guns I have.
@@boredandagitated much lighter recoil, slide manipulation also much easier - but then that's pretty much the whole point for the EZ in the first place. As I said in my original post, my only complaints were 1) I got bit by the slide a couple of time - something I have never experienced on nay of my 9"s and 2) being a brand new gun, the slide was not locking back on an empty mag 100% of the time. I think the slide bite issue is a function of the slimmer profile of the piece couples with the fact that I have pretty big, meaty hands. So when I go for the highest grip under the tang I can get, some of the meat between my thumb and index finger wants to get in the way. For me it's just a matter of adjusting my grip a little bit. For someone with smaller hands - like your lady, I assume - I don't think it would be an issue. As for the slide lock on an empty mag, I think it's a matter of getting it broken in. I'm still super pleased with mine.
Just fired this gun today and it was a lot of fun :) I’m probably my going to buy one
Just bought one and I love it!! I have issues with hand strength due to fibromyalgia and this is so great!
Glad to have one more armed citizen.
Im a young, fairly avid shooter and i just bought one of these. I freaking love it.
A+ review as usual. Consider please taking a look at the Performance Center version of this gun. A .380 with fiber optic sights, lightning cuts and a ported slide is sorta krazy, but I still want one.
EZ PC is just awesome, the sights , the recoil, the trigger...
This is the first time I have listen/watched your site. Really a great presentation. I have an injury that I have lost the strength in my right hand which is permanent. So yes I am now one of those categories you mentioned. I now have the M&P .380 and thank you for your down to earth presentation. Great job and I appreciate your presentation and I am subscribing as well as mentioning your site to others. Thank you.
My EDC finally made a Lucky Gunner video hell yeah!
I just bought my mom her first (and more than likely last; mind you, not last because it'snot quality, but more becausemy mom doesn't like guns) firearm today. Apparently in our small town the other other day, a man talked his way into a woman's house, tied her up, beat her, and tried to kill her; my mother told me this story, and that was it, I was buying her a gun. I bought her this firearm in .380 just a few hours ago, so now I feel a little better with her having 8 rounds of .380 to unleash on anyone trying to do her harm. She has arthritus, so this gun was perfect for her.
There's a somewhat local training facility a few towns away from me. It's run by a husband and wife couple and they both began using the shield EZ almost exclusively. They like how nice the gun is to shoot and how controllable it is. They both also claim that the .380acp, when fired from an appropriately sized gun, is terribly underrated, and I agree. I believe that it's better to hit a bad guy with something weak than to miss him with something powerful, and .380 isn't as weak as people think.
My wife owns a 380 Shield EZ as her first gun. I'm a retired LEO and carry a 380 EZ PC. These are outstanding small caliber firearms that are perfect for both novice and experienced shooters.