The new M&P 380 EZ combines the reliability and concealability of Smith’s M&P shield series of handguns, and adds features and fine-tuning normally reserved for custom guns.
April 23, 2019
By Jim Grant
Smith and Wesson just announced the latest addition to their product lineup: the 380 Shield EZ Pistol. The handgun follows the long and successful line of Shield handguns developed and sold by S&W of being affordably priced, and small enough for concealed carry.
Where this gun separates itself from other offers, is the addition of multiple features and polish by the Performance Center in Smith and Wesson. This includes a ported barrel for reduced recoil, a flat-faced trigger, and custom tuned action - the sort of features shooters expect on custom guns, not factory carry pieces.
The M&P380 Shield EZ also ships with bright HI-VIZ fiber optic front and rear sights that also include tritium inserts. This combination gives shooters an excellent, clear and bright sight picture in all lighting.
While that’s noteworthy by itself, what’s really cool is how all these ergonomic and reliability upgrades are done on a pistol in such a mild-recoiling caliber - .380 ACP AKA 9mm Kurz.
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The result should be a compact, effective little pistol with such great handling and soft recoil that shooters of all sizes can handle it. See the press release below.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., (April 22, 2019) – Performance Center today announced the addition of its new M&P380 ShieldEZ pistol in three eye-catching configurations. Chambered in 380 Auto and equipped with a premium feature set, the Performance Center M&P380 Shield EZ is designed to be easy to use while incorporating features traditionally found onlyon custom firearms, including a ported barrel, flat face trigger, and Performance Center tuned action.
Tony Miele, General Manager of Performance Center, said, “Performance Center has always been recognized for its ability to add custom touches to factory firearms, and the Performance Center M&P380 Shield EZ represents exactly that – custom features, built right in. When designing this product, we set out to maintain all of the easy to use features that have made the M&P380 Shield EZ wildly popular, while adding in a custom Performance Center touch. With a flat face trigger, lightening cuts in the slide, and three striking color options, the Performance Center M&P380 Shield EZ is sure to stand out at retailers nationwide.”
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Built for personal and home protection, the new Performance Center M&P380 Shield EZ pistol features the hallmark easy-to-use features of the M&P380 Shield EZ, including an easy to rack slide, easy to load magazine, and easy to clean design. This new pistol features a 3.8” ported barrel to reduce muzzle flip, lightening cuts in the slide for reduced weight, and an 8+1 round capacity. Each pistol ships with HI-VIZ® Litewave H3™ Tritium/Litepipe sights for excellent visibility in daylight and low light conditions.
In addition to the features listed above, the Performance Center M&P380 Shield EZ pistol will ship with a Performance Center-branded Tipton® Compact Pistol Cleaning Kit that includes bore brushes, a cleaning rod, and related accessories to clean the pistol after use.
The Performance Center M&P380 Shield EZ is available with a matte black frame and a choice of black, silver, or gold accents, and carries an MSRP of $502.
Not a bad price for a semi-custom concealed carry gun from a copy renown for its quality, durability and longevity. For more information on this new handgun and all of S&W’s product catalogue, head over to https://www.smith-wesson.com/ .
