Smith & Wesson M&P380 Shield EZ, the “easy” pistol

A .380 Auto pistol designed for personal protection and every-day carry characterized by an easy-to-rack slide, an easy-to-load magazine, and easy-to-clean design and a pretty conspicuous grip safety: this is the new Smith and Wesson M&P380 Shield EZ pistol, the latest addition to the M&P M2.0 lineup.

White dot rear sight iof the Smith & Wesson M&P380 Shield EZ pistol
The white dot rear sight is windage adjustable.

The keyword for the M&P380 Shield EZ pistol is – as you'll have guessed – “easy”. Actually, the idea behind this gun is to provide a gun that could be used by both first-time shooters and experienced handgunners alike. As Jan Mladek, General Manager of M&P and S&W Brands, explains, “When we set out to design the M&P380 Shield EZ pistol, our goal was to deliver an all-around, easy to use personal protection pistol – from loading and carrying, to shooting and cleaning. Throughout the development process, we focused on key areas that customers told us were important – the ease of racking the slide and loading the magazine. With that in mind, we reduced the amount of force required to rack the slide, and developed a magazine that is both easy and efficient to load.”

Smith & Wesson M&P380 Shield EZ pistol, right view
The M&P380 Shield EZ is a polymer-framed, internal hammer fired gun designed to be easy to use.

Smith & Wesson M&P380 Shield EZ: an internal hammer fired gun

The ease of use of the M&P380 Shield EZ is enhanced by the optimal 18-degree grip angle for a natural point of aim. The gun also can be field-stripped without pulling the trigger – a plus for safety together with the tactile loaded chamber indicator that allows users to see and feel if there is a round in the chamber.

Despite the appearances, the polymer-framed M&P380 Shield EZ is not striker-fired being an internal hammer fired gun. Barrel length is 3.675 in / 933 mm, with an overall length of 6.7 in / 170 mm and a weight of 18.5 oz / 524.5g, which makes it fairly comfortable to carry. Barrel and slide are stainless steel, with an Armonite protective finish.

The M&P380 Shield EZ shipped with two 8-round M&P380 Shield magazines comes at a reasonable price of 399 USD / 322 euro. Available by the end of February 2018. 

Smith & Wesson M&P380 Shield EZ: technical data

Model:M&P 380 SHIELD EZ
Caliber:
.380 Auto (9x17mm)
Action:
internal hammer fired
Barrel length:
3.675 in / 933 mm
Overall length:
6.7 in / 170 mm
Magazine capacity: 
8 rounds
Sights:
white dot (front), adjustable white dot (Back)
Weight: 
18.5 oz / 524.5g
Materials:
stainless steel (barrel and slide), polymer (frame)
Price:
399 USD / 322 euro

For more information please visit Smith & Wesson website.