S&W EZ 380 - Useful tool

[Steelharp]

2 hours ago, tercel89 said:

If this is real it may keep me from getting a CZ83 in 380 .

Performance Center model.

[DaveTN]

1 hour ago, Steelharp said:

Performance Center model.

[Rant ON]

Smith & Wesson is playing fast and loose with the Performance Center name. It means nothing anymore. Except a higher price that you expect something for and don’t get it.

And that comes from a Smith & Wesson fanboy. But right is right and wrong and is wrong. If you think you are getting something for that PC logo… you better check it out. Or if the money doesn’t matter to you; go for it.

I had a PC C.O.R.E. that had the worst trigger I have ever seen on an M&P; and I’ve owned several. After them having me send it back twice (the second time at the direction of the Head of the Firearms Division) and them sending it back telling me nothing was wrong; I had to buy a new Apex Trigger and install it for the gun to even be usable. I had written to both the President and head of the Firearms Division at S&W and told them if that gun was ever in the Performance Center it was just on a cart passing through. Within days of mailing the letters I got a call from a CS guy that told me had just left the Firearms Directors office and was told to fix the problem. He told me to send the gun in with his attention on it. He said I didn’t have to send a letter or anything, he had talked with the head of the Performance Center and they would fix it. I did that and he sent it back with a note saying nothing was wrong with it. He showed me who was running things. So I just bought the new trigger and did it myself.

Will I still buy Smith & Wesson firearms? Sure they have treated me right all my life. The azzhat I was dealing with had something to prove; and he did.

But just look at their website; most everything’s PC anymore. If I ever need to buy a PC gun again (Doubtful); I’ll buy it from a local dealer where I can check it out first.

[Rant OFF]

Edited July 31, 2019 by DaveTN

[Steelharp]

This particular EZ does have the best feeling factory trigger of any of them I've seen. But, I've only seen the ones that have been through our shop. I like the "East Nashville" look of it, lol.

[hipower]

2 hours ago, Steelharp said:

This particular EZ does have the best feeling factory trigger of any of them I've seen. But, I've only seen the ones that have been through our shop. I like the "East Nashville" look of it, lol.

Are you referring to myself and a certain former EN, yamika wearing gentleman, who have been known to like flashy, shiny things?

[Moped]

I'm trying hard to dislike this pistol, but it's growing on me.  Just don't know if I want a .380 in this size. when there are 9mms and .45acps basically the same size.  I just fail to see the advantages, especially with only an 8 round mag.   I'd have really have liked to see it with in a double stack.

Edited August 1, 2019 by Moped

[Defender]

1 hour ago, Moped said:

I'm trying hard to dislike this pistol, but it's growing on me.  Just don't know if I want a .380 in this size. when there are 9mms and .45acps basically the same size.  I just fail to see the advantages, especially with only an 8 round mag.   I'd have really have liked to see it with in a double stack.

I think it boils down to whether you are in its in tended audience.   There's obviously trade-offs with this weapon.  I got one for my wife because

1.  She has trouble racking slides. This slide is dead easy to rack.

2.  She doesnt deal well with felt recoil.  .380 round in bigger/heavier package may have less felt recoil.  Not tested yet.

3.  She has trouble loading magazines.  These mags are easy to load.

[Moped]

2 hours ago, Defender said:

I think it boils down to whether you are in its in tended audience.   There's obviously trade-offs with this weapon.  I got one for my wife because

1.  She has trouble racking slides. This slide is dead easy to rack.

2.  She doesnt deal well with felt recoil.  .380 round in bigger/heavier package may have less felt recoil.  Not tested yet.

3.  She has trouble loading magazines.  These mags are easy to load.

Yeah, I really do think it's somwhat of niche Pistol. I always like the Browning BDA/Berreta 84 pistols with their sleek lines and high capacity.  I think S&W would have done this pistol justice, by increasing the mag capacity. 

[DaveTN]

4 hours ago, Moped said:

I'm trying hard to dislike this pistol, but it's growing on me.  Just don't know if I want a .380 in this size. when there are 9mms and .45acps basically the same size.  I just fail to see the advantages, especially with only an 8 round mag.   I'd have really have liked to see it with in a double stack.

As Defender pointed out; you are not its target market. If you can handle a 9MM and rack the slide on them it should be very easy for you to dislike the pistol. I have Shields, Compacts, and full size M&P’s. One in the more acceptable 9MM and several in the far superior .40S&W. The only reason to buy this gun would be if you can’t rack the slide on a regular shield.

 I don’t know if I’m allowed to post a link from another gun forum or not, but the S&W forum has a very long thread titled “M&P 380 EZ Stovepipe Cure?”. There are a lot of People having stovepipe problems with the EZ. Many are going down the rabbit hole of problems with magazines, springs and ammo.  It took awhile for some to start sending them to S&W, but I saw where 3 people finally sent their guns in. Two got them back and said they were better, but still had the problem, I didn’t see the third post anything.

What they appear to have determined is that its not an ammo issue. It’s not a magazine spring or follower issue, other than possibly a magazine design flaw or fit issue. Some EZ’s do not have the issue.

There seem to be a lot of people that have the problem but S&W doesn’t appear to be saying anything yet.

I’m with the guys that brought up there are feeding issues with most .380’s. They just don’t have enough power to reliably operate a semi-auto. 

[Steelharp]

1 hour ago, DaveTN said:

... the far superior .40S&W.

Ammo sales would disagree with you. We have boxes that have been sitting around since June '18 that we got for Black Friday that year. .40 ist kaput.

[DaveTN]

40 minutes ago, Steelharp said:

Ammo sales would disagree with you. We have boxes that have been sitting around since June '18 that we got for Black Friday that year. .40 ist kaput.

Really? Thanks for that insider info.

I will come and see you when I add my next .40 handgun because I know you will want to give me a whopping big discount on the gun and ammo..... Since it’s going by the wayside and all. It will be a Win/Win for both of us.

[Steelharp]

Don't have .40 guns. Nobody wants them. You'll get 10% military discount on the ammo.

Edited August 1, 2019 by Steelharp

[Chucktshoes]

I mean, if you’re looking for guns in .40, find dealers that stock police trade ins. There are tons of those out there as departments around the country ditch the round in droves.

[Steelharp]

1 minute ago, Chucktshoes said:

I mean, if you’re looking for guns in .40, find dealers that stock police trade ins. There are tons of those out there as departments around the country ditch the round in droves.

Actually very true.

[Steelharp]

From a civilian, retail standpoint, our sales numbers for centerfire handgun ammo show .380, 9mm, .45 and 10mm as the top sellers. .40 is a distant 5th. It's not that it isn't a capable round. That's silly. It's just not as popular as it was. There will always be those that are going to wag their .40 incher in everybody's face like it's the big dog in the room. I deal with those people enough. In the civilian world, times have changed.

[hipower]

5 hours ago, Moped said:

Yeah, I really do think it's somwhat of niche Pistol. I always like the Browning BDA/Berreta 84 pistols with their sleek lines and high capacity.  I think S&W would have done this pistol justice, by increasing the mag capacity. 

I agree. I have a BDA that I've owned for so long I can't remember when I bought it.

Great size, good capacity at 13 rounds, and shoots well. But has more felt recoil from a 380 than I ever expected.

[DaveTN]

13 hours ago, Steelharp said:

From a civilian, retail standpoint, our sales numbers for centerfire handgun ammo show .380, 9mm, .45 and 10mm as the top sellers. .40 is a distant 5th. It's not that it isn't a capable round. That's silly. It's just not as popular as it was. There will always be those that are going to wag their .40 incher in everybody's face like it's the big dog in the room. I deal with those people enough. In the civilian world, times have changed.

Wow, times have changed. If you sell more 10mm than .40; that’s truly amazing.

But….aren’t the 10mm guys the big dog in the room? And why would you, as a gun store employee, be upset enough by what someone carries to refer to them as the Big Dog in the room? 

Doesn’t Sumner County carry .40’s? I know Gallatin PD carries 9mm; that’s what Beretta gave them.

But hey, I don’t know how we got sidetracked talking about the 10mm guys and big dogs, and all that. This discussion is about the kittens.

The M&P EZ, and for the time it’s only available in .380. I was just pointing out that I would bet they will offer that in a usable round (at least in the dog family), and that they are having problems with it probably (although I could be wrong, I have been before) do to that weak round. Why will that happen? Because people that have problems racking the slide on other firearms need it. That grip safety is a whole other story; it has nothing to do with racking that slide. That I know of, but I could be wrong about that also.

[Morgan88]

If I remember correctly when S&W designers came up with this design they're 4 goals were

easy to load the mag

easy to rack the slide 

easy to shoot

easy to clean

JMHO I think they excelled on all points.  I have had mine for about a year and never failed to perform as designed. This may be the end all pistol for me.  Totally happy with it.  Quality ammo and away I go.  JMHO.

Morgan88

 

[zgunbear]

In November 2017 I shattered my right wrist. I Glockhad to have a titanium plate and 8 screws put in to hold it together . Then in March of 2018 the easy came out. It was the only pistol I could shoot. Unfortunately I did so much damage to my wrist I will never be able to take more recoil than the 380 ez right handed. I work at the Franklin range and I have sold a bunch of them. I still carry it when I want a thin lightweight option.

They are a good tool for the design parameters. But I wanted to have more power so I started working hard and taught myself to shoot pistols left handed. I scored 482 out of 500 the first Glock match I shoot left handed. So now I shoot pistols left handed. Been difficult overcoming 30 plus years of muscle memory.

[hipower]

17 minutes ago, zgunbear said:

In November 2017 I shattered my right wrist. I Glockhad to have a titanium plate and 8 screws put in to hold it together . Then in March of 2018 the easy came out. It was the only pistol I could shoot. Unfortunately I did so much damage to my wrist I will never be able to take more recoil than the 380 ez right handed. I work at the Franklin range and I have sold a bunch of them. I still carry it when I want a thin lightweight option.

They are a good tool for the design parameters. But I wanted to have more power so I started working hard and taught myself to shoot pistols left handed. I scored 482 out of 500 the first Glock match I shoot left handed. So now I shoot pistols left handed. Been difficult overcoming 30 plus years of muscle memory.

Congratulations on the score! And more importantly, the dedication and hard work to re-train yourself.

[dawgdoc]

I didn't get the replacement magazine until 2 weeks ago, after multiple calls to S&W (they said it was due to closing and moving a warehouse).  I had no problems with the new magazine when I shot it.

This week, they sent me a new spring with no notice.  The new spring is significantly longer than the original spring.  The replacement magazine has the same size spring as the original, but it feels stiffer.  The new spring is definitely stiffer.  I'm going to try it in the original magazine this week.

Since my first post in this thread, I have found other reports of stovepipes that were suspected to be due to the spring.  The general thought is that because they made the magazine so easy to load, the spring might not have enough omph for the last round.

Also, I have been consistently shooting to the left, even with the rear sights drifted to the farthest extent.  I know that usually that is shooter error for a right-hand shooter, but I was having tight groups consistently the left of the target.   Also, could shoot my LC9, with its long trigger pull, more accurately immediately after shooting the Shield.  I found one report on a message board about the front sight wiggling.  When I checked the gun, I could definitely move the sight slightly because it has a locking pin on the inside of the slide that allowed movement.  I fixed it with Locktite tonight and I'll see if I shoot better.