If you haven’t read Jeremy’s excellent review of the original Smith & Wesson M&P Shield EZ pistol, you should. It’s an awfully good .380 ACP carry gun that’s easy to rack and geared for the new carrier and those with limited hand strength. It’s a very good choice if a first concealed carry pistol.
Now Smith & Wesson is building on the success of the .380 M&P Shield EZ with two new 9mm versions one with and one without a frame safety. Here’s their press release . . .
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., (December 11, 2019) – Smith & Wesson Inc. today announced that it has expanded its award-winning M&P Shield EZ pistol series to include the new M&P9 Shield EZ, chambered in the popular 9mm caliber. Built for personal protection and every day carry, the M&P9 Shield EZ further expands the M&P Shield EZ pistol platform, which was released in 2018 and features an easy-to-rack slide, easy-to-load magazine, and easy-to-clean design.
Lane Tobiassen, President of Smith & Wesson, said, “When the M&P380 Shield EZ was released in 2018, we received overwhelmingly positive feedback on the easy-to-use features of the innovative pistol platform. From that point on, we knew we would expand the M&P Shield EZ line with a pistol that incorporated the same features, chambered in the powerful and popular 9mm caliber. The new M&P9 Shield EZ is easy-to-rack, easy-to-load, easy-to-shoot and easy-to- clean, appealing to a wide range of consumers seeking out these popular features in 9mm. With over three million M&P Shield pistols adopted by consumers, we believe the ‘M&P Shield’ name has become synonymous with personal protection. This much anticipated release is the next evolution of the personal protection pistol.”
The M&P9 Shield EZ pistol is available at firearms retailers across the nation.
M&P9 Shield EZ pistol features include:
Easy-to-Use Design
- Easy-to-rack slide for trouble-free manipulation
- Tapered rear slide serrations, providing an easy-to-grasp surface
- Easy-to-load magazine design with load assist tab for quick, easy loading
Superior Performance
- Low bore axis for ultimate recoil control
- Chambered in popular 9mm caliber
- One-piece, single action trigger for crisp trigger pull with tactile and audible trigger reset
- Windage- adjustable, white dot rear sight
Superior Controls
- Tactile loaded chamber indicator to both see and feel if a round is in the chamber
- Reversible magazine release that’s easily adjusted for left or right hand operation
- Available with ambidextrous manual thumb safety
- Available with factory-installed Crimson Trace® Red Laserguard®
To learn more about the new M&P9 Shield EZ pistol and the complete M&P line of firearms, including spec sheets and images, please click here.
To stay up-to-date on the latest news from M&P, be sure to follow Smith & Wesson Inc. on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Why though? Unless you just gotta have a Sheild with a grip safety.
Because you might also need the lighter slide pull weight, lighter trigger pull weight, and easier to load magazine this version offers vs. a regular Shield. People with arthritis or weak hand strength who still want 9mm performance, for example.
But the EZ’s whole thing was it was light, it’s controls were easily manipulated, and the recoil was light due to the 380 cartridge. Your claims of ,”but what a bout arthritis bluh bluh bluh”, is contradicted if you chamber a light pistol that was meant to used with a light recoil cartridge, with the much snappier 9mm.
These aren’t my claims. Did you read the article?
This gun is internally different from a normal Shield, just like the .380 version. It is-hammer fired as opposed to striker-fired like the regular shields, so there is no striker spring to load up during the slide pull. The hammer offers little resistance during the slide pull, as noted in TTAG’s review of the .380 version. This and all the other benefits of easy manipulation on the .380 model are on this 9mm version also. Obviously it will have more felt recoil during firing being 9mm, but in every other regard it suits the same crowd as the .380 version does.
I have always had somewhat strong hands but with the aging comes arthritis and pain to the hands. I used to own a shield in 9mm but it was hard for me to rack the slide and my wife couldn’t rack it so I traded it. Then they came out with the 380 EZ and I tried to rack the slide in a gun store and said they need to make it in 9mm. I will have to find one of these now;)
I like the idea of the load assist tab. If it’s like what’s on the mags for my Ruger MK III 22/45 and my Buckmark it will be a good thing. Be able to load without a Maglula.
You don’t get it. have you ever seen someone struggle to rack a slide. Or load a mag without a LuLa??
If you are older and don’t have much hand strength left, the original .380 EZ was a godsend.
I’m not sure how EZ the 9mm will be. But we’ll find out soon enough. Part of the magic of the .380 was it was a relatively small round in a pretty good sized pistol. So it wasn’t jsut easy to run and load, it was easy to shoot.
Or you COULD ya know learn the push-pull technique. Grip safety never…
My wife doesn’t have hand strength to work a standard weight slide, no matter what method used. Just because us guys have gorilla hands doesn’t help someone with tiny, weak or arthritic hands, which it this gun’s target customer.
I wish I could give your response a thumbs up!
@Jeremy Thanks, I think you just did. While the hard core macho gun crowd will laugh at this and the .380EZ, they are a significant step in self protection for the most vulnerable of adults. A gun is an equalizer, that’s it’s main purpose. The EZ line of S&W are just as significant as a Glock42/43 or Sig P365 as providing self defense for those who can’t carry a AR-10 24×7 like all the black ops operators out there…
I too agree a good response. The 380 EZ was certainly on my recommend to try list.
The slide tabs are genius. Did I miss them on other 9mm?
A slide with a spring for 9mm instead of parts bin shared with 40 S&W? Smart. I have great grip strength, many do not. Those of us debating which firearm to favor taking out of the safe are not the market.
Choice=good
Someone posted the 380EZ is as important as the (original) shield or P365 for the market, I agree.
Golly my wife can…60 year old goddess😄
I’m not sure your sample size of one is large enough to condemn literally everybody else who might have trouble manipulating a slide as being idiots who just won’t bother to learn proper technique.
Be quiet snowflake and go learn the proper technique instead of being lazy.
my wife can also and she is 73. but there are a lot of people out there that cannot rack a slide, that includes younger females. if the ez line allows people to feel confident while protecting themselves, so be it.
@stfu:
I hope you live long enough to find out what having arthritis in your hands feels like. Then, maybe you’ll sing a different tune.
Agree 100%
Anyone who says “I don’t get it”. Simply hasn’t spent much time thinking about it.
There is a reason the .380 was on allocation to gun shops for the better part of the year. They were selling the crap out of it. Clearly an unfulfilled need.
It’s a matter of technique, not strength. My 50 pound 6 year old son could rack a Glock 22 (actually a 22P which doesn’t have a firing pin or bored barrel). The trick is to use you whole body, not just your arms. Keep the thumb straight and squeeze the 4 fingers against the thumb and palm. Keep your arms straight, like iscosceles, and roll your shoulders to operate the slide. I’m not denigrating the EZ, just saying there are alternatives.
Anymouse, I appreciate what you are saying but sometimes technique doesnt resolve the problem. In my case a stroke caused damage to my left side. My left thumb and forefinger have very little strength when I am trying to rack a skinny slide like my 2 shields. What I end up doing is put the gun in left hand and rack with right then switch back. You can see how thats problematic. Oddly if I’m Grabbing a bigger slide like on my beretta storm my hand works enough for me to rack it ( especially if I thumb cock the hammer).
@Anymouse Your 50# son probably has more strength and dexterity in his hands than my 82 year old wife. S&W found a solution to a real problem for real people. They brought it to market, and they are selling like hotcakes. So, you want a 10MM Wilson Combat for your kid, fine, enjoy, but the S&W solution works, and is probably more reliable and accurate and probably put more lead on target quicker than that WC 10mm.
I am guessing your 6 year old can do many things that elderly people can’t do that has arthritis/neuropathy with pain. Likely if your son is only 6, your still young and don’t understand, but I didn’t either until……
You’re right. After only ten minutes of instruction and multiple attempts, my wife was actually able to rack the slide using the push-pull technique. Dear intruder, please wait while I try to get this slide racking thing accomplished. Maybe I’ll just buy one of those new Taurus revolvers instead.
You need a tougher wife not a new gun.
it’s because of people like you that abortions are popular…..
“FORMER WATER WALKER” Why don’t you get off your high horse. All it takes is a stroke. I’m still 6’1″, strong in many ways, but one hand barely works. Technique doesn’t make the slides on most of my semi’s rackable.
My left hand is effed up. Got hit by a truck riding a bike. And I’m 65. Cry me a river😄
My left nut got hit by a train while I was pulling a truck on a bike. I am 12, cry me a river bro.
Water walker, how the hell do you rack a slide if your left hand doesn’t work? I know if I could get a grip with my left hand we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
Water walker, how the hell do you rack a slide if your left hand doesn’t work? I know if I could get a grip with my left hand we wouldn’t be having this conversation..
Interesting, have a .380 M&P EZ, it’s a great gun, accurate, never an issue with any brand of ammo I tried. Don’t carry it because it has a thumb safety. I like the 9mm since you can get it without thumb safety. Not a fan of grip safety, but livable.
You can get the .380 EZ without the thumb safety too.
What’s strange about the Shield series is you often have to pay more to get the pistol w/o the safety. You’d think it would be cheaper.
Thumb safety, grip safety, single stack…..what is it with millennials and their 1911 fetishes? Oh, my bad! This is a polymer, striker fired pistol. That makes it all cool. /sarcasm
Joking aside, looking forward to a comparison of the ‘non-thumb safety’ version of this to a Springfield Armory XD-S mod.2.
I thought these had an internal hammer.
You’re correct. It does have an internal hammer. See, even more millennial 1911 worship.
I’ll go sit in the corner for posting before fully reading…
@No_Ones_Home:
I have a Springfield Armory XD-S mod.2, and I like the grip safety very much. No need to worry about manipulating a manual safety in a panic situation. However the XD-S Mod. 2 has a very narrow slide, and it sometimes takes my 81 year old left thumb and index finger multiple attempts to rack it the full distance without slipping off, when trying to unload. This can be very disconcerting when dealing with live ammunition. On the other hand, it does seem to work better if I push instead of pulling, but then my left hand covers the ejection port, and I can’t see the cartridge eject until it actually falls onto the tabletop.
And, by the way, doesn’t the striker spring get tensioned as the slide moves into battery???
I believe that the grip safety is part of the mechanism that reduces the slide tension
No Ones Home: I’m not one to defend any Millenials, but the fetish with 1911 style controls is simply this: This is a pistol that actually RELIABLY shoots 9mm, unlike any 1911 platform that has yet to shoot 9mm RELIABLY. Springfield did it in the EMP, only because of a complete redesign to the 1911 platform. But Millenials can’t touch the EMP’s for their price, so the EZ-9 fills the ticket for them. 1911’s are hogs to carry, and only shoot .45 reliably, like Browning meant them to do.
I bought a .380 EZ for my wife – she’s 75 years old with limited hand strength. Also, recoil is limited and loading is EZ. So, its a perfect gun for her to purse carry. It makes sense to me to bump up to 9mm while providing the same plethora of safety features this pistol offers. Frankly, while others won’t carry a gun with a thumb safety, I won’t carry one without – especially striker or internal hammer. I prefer DA/SA hammer style pistols that I can de-cock and leave the safety off, relying on the DA trigger to prevent AD. If S&W ports the barrels like in the performance series, those with recoil intolerance will move up to 9mm.
*scoffs* More striker (slang).
Sounds fabulous, can I buy directly from S & W ??
you have to buy from a dealer. Palmetto state armory is advertising it for 399 add shipping and receiving FFL fee you will be up to 450
Don’t listen to this guy and wait until one of your local gun shop has them in stock. Shop local when you can.
So this is that “something big” which Glock was referring to!
Kidding aside, this has me excited considering the disappointment from yesterday’s announcement of a G19-sized 22lr pistol that holds 10 rounds.
I don’t have a problem with the grip safety (but then again, I often carry a Colt 1911). I do like the longer slide versions of these compact guns, as I would carry IWB but not appendix, and the longer slide actually makes them easier to conceal. My current “light” carry gun is a Kahr TP-9, the longer slide version of the Kahr P-9. This looks like one I will consider in the no-safety version.
Dang, this is a great time to be a gun owner. I’ve fired the EZ .380 a few times at my local range. It recoils like a .32, and racks almost as easily as my .22. If S&W can repeat that formula in the more powerful (and more affordable) 9mm, that’s gonna be pretty danged awesome.
Not holding my breath that they’ll develop a 10mm variant, however. 🙂
Huh. Glock sings it; S&W brings it. The original EZ was one of the best ideas anyone in the gun world has had in a long time, so I hope bumping up the round works as well as advertised.
is it rated for +p
if so run the 35 percent less recoil liberty ultra light ammo in it
problem solved
That’s a great round for not succeeding at the work it was intended to do, based on literally every gel and flesh test performed out there.
Unless you’re old and/or have issues with your hands/wrists, I don’t get it. My wife can rack an FNH FNS9 which is tougher to rack compared to most other popular and similar models, particularly when it was new. Anyway, push/pull and voila. I tried to love the S&W MP series, I hate the trigger, too much “curve” for me. If I have to had the cost of a trigger job and replacing the sights, then I’d rather buy an FN or Sig.
Buying guns for your wife is awesome, how about buying wives for your guns? Ever thought about that concept? You’re welcome.
I like the ambi safety feature. That is the only thing I dislike about my current M.20.
For those of you who don’t get it. We aged/weak/disabled/small/etc. get to have a couple of models and calibers that can benefit us out of how many models of guns? Let us have that, I am getting both as it will benefit me with my damaged hand. There are plenty of other fish out there.
Welcome to the Golden Age of firearms.
These days, every flavor option of firearm can be had. S,M,L, XL, pretty colors, new and old caliber selections, space age material construction, lifetime warranties, and even guaranteed accuracy and reliability levels unheard of a short 30 years ago.
All this at purchase prices that are very reasonable these days.
Guns keep getting better, ammo keeps getting more and more effective and predictable.
What more can we want?
All this at at a time of great political upheaval and the ongoing attack on our Second Admendment by the communist factions that lurk among us.
Great guns and ammo is much like beer and pig skins. One can’t have too much of ether!
In the World of Firearms, it seems the solution for the matter is always on the drawing board somewhere. I wish it were that way for all things in life, but as long as evil opposition opposes us, an answer is not always possible without a fight first.
Thanks S&W, another job well done!
Since the specs appear identical does anybody know if the 9mm barrel and mag will work in the 380 ez frame?
@Kelly The 2 mm difference in cartridge length makes the 2 receivers/chassis & magazines incompatible,
Will the ez feed regular shield 9 mags? Will it’s mags feed old shield 9’s? While this looks good for the wife, I already have 20 or so 8 rnd shield 9 mags and I also would like mag compatibility when we’re both carrying. I am not interested in carrying it myself, just for the wife.
Surprised that it does not come “optics ready”. My wife has been struggling a bit to rack her Performance Center Shield’s slide. We may have to give one a test drive.
I bought one of the new 9mm EZ’s, mainly so I can teach my daughter how to shoot. Before it went into her hands though I wanted to take it to the range. While I realize the gun’s stated purpose is for personal defense, I would have expected a certain degree of accuracy given it’s nearly 4″ barrel. Not so. The sights are off. Way off, both in windage and, more importantly, in elevation. Even a 12:00 hold wasn’t enough to bring the POI up to the target. The grip safety is clunky and to me seems unnecessary. The gun did function OK if you ignore the inherent inaccuracy. I do realize that for $399 you get what you pay for.
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