.380 Shield
- Thread starter Culper
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It is a mid-sized .380 by a major manufacturer priced at $400 MSRP. Beretta's mid-sized Cheetahs are selling for $700-$800.
As a hammer-fired pistol, it probably uses a pre-cocked hammer and has a light single-action trigger, hence the grip safety. S&W touts the slide being easy to rack, so the design is locked-breech, which needs a less powerful recoil spring and also results in less felt recoil.
As a hammer-fired pistol, it probably uses a pre-cocked hammer and has a light single-action trigger, hence the grip safety. S&W touts the slide being easy to rack, so the design is locked-breech, which needs a less powerful recoil spring and also results in less felt recoil.
For reference it is larger and heavier than a G43 almost G26 sized but single stack.
Available with and without manual thumb safety:
SPECIFICATIONS
SKU: 180023
Model: M&P® 380 SHIELD™ EZ™
Caliber: .380 Auto
Capacity: 8+1
Barrel Length: 3.675" / 9.3 cm
Overall Length: 6.7"
Front Sight: White Dot
Rear Sight: Adjustable White Dot
Action: Internal Hammer Fired
Grip: Polymer
Weight: 18.5 oz / 524.5g
Barrel Material: Stainless Steel - Armornite® Finish
Slide Material: Stainless Steel - Armornite® Finish
Frame Material: Polymer
Purpose: Concealed Carry, Home Protection, Personal Protection
Available with and without manual thumb safety:
SPECIFICATIONS
SKU: 180023
Model: M&P® 380 SHIELD™ EZ™
Caliber: .380 Auto
Capacity: 8+1
Barrel Length: 3.675" / 9.3 cm
Overall Length: 6.7"
Front Sight: White Dot
Rear Sight: Adjustable White Dot
Action: Internal Hammer Fired
Grip: Polymer
Weight: 18.5 oz / 524.5g
Barrel Material: Stainless Steel - Armornite® Finish
Slide Material: Stainless Steel - Armornite® Finish
Frame Material: Polymer
Purpose: Concealed Carry, Home Protection, Personal Protection
I realize this pistol may not appeal to some of you for several reasons, and I personally wished it did not have a grip safety. However the overall size (ie not tiny pocket pistol .380) and purported ability to easily rack the slide piques my interest.
Not so much for me personally as I already have a M&P Shield and carry a G42 daily, but for my 77 year old Mother who can no longer easily rack the slide on her G26. This could be just the ticket. The reduced recoil of the .380 ACP round in the larger pistol should also be easier for her to manage, as well as other female shooters.
Not so much for me personally as I already have a M&P Shield and carry a G42 daily, but for my 77 year old Mother who can no longer easily rack the slide on her G26. This could be just the ticket. The reduced recoil of the .380 ACP round in the larger pistol should also be easier for her to manage, as well as other female shooters.
There is sooo much win going on in this phrase lol
On reflection, S&W's new pistol is the same length and 75% of the weight of a SIG P320 subcompact.
If I want to carry a .380 that big I'll carry my CZ 83 and have twice the capacity. At least you don't have to pull the trigger to take it apart. Or if I wanted a single stack my RIA Baby Rock.
But if it floats your boat, by all means go for it.
But if it floats your boat, by all means go for it.
If I'm going to get a big 380 then I'd go with a Bersa. The whole point of 380 is small and concealable like the LCP.
I would be interested in it for my wife. She has no hand strength so it would depend how much strength it takes to rack the slide. We have a M & P 22C in the house for her now and she can shoot it quite well. But as much as I've tried to move her up in caliber I have yet to find a gun she can rack other the the 22C. I do have to agree though I'm not thrilled about the grip safety.
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Same situation, my wife loves the MP22. Have her try Walther PK380 or CCP. It was the only way I was able to move her up in caliber.
Back on topic I can see the appeal of this, but the grip safety kills the aesthetics.
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OP
From an engineering standpoint, is there anything stopping them from chambering a 9mm Shield in .380? Or even a double stack M&P? I would think guns like that would be more appealing.
Not small, but small capacity. Why not staggered/double column mag? More capacity and tapered profile easier to get in the gun is there a downside? I guess maybe some single columns take slightly less spring resulting in less effort.
.380's low recoil, easy to rack, seems to be marketed toward women, what do most women care more about than men, aesthetics, so lets throw a big ol' lever in the lines... Sure don't want an adaptable grip size or anything, that'd just be dumb.
I predict DOA.
.380's low recoil, easy to rack, seems to be marketed toward women, what do most women care more about than men, aesthetics, so lets throw a big ol' lever in the lines... Sure don't want an adaptable grip size or anything, that'd just be dumb.
I predict DOA.
My wife loves her M&P 22 Compact, at least partly for the light weight. Her right hand got caught in the dishwasher back in college, so hand strength is a big deal for her. Then she shut my truck door on the same hand a few years ago...
I'm sure 10 rounds of Mini-Mags will get someone's attention.If things get really squirrelly, she will grab the Shield in 9mm which I keep close by for her. She can actually rack it with a pinch grip, which was a pleasant surprise for both of us.
Ruger did that with the LC9 and LC380. This gun is like reaching the rock bottom of retarded and grabbing a shovel.
While this one doesn't fit a need for me, and maybe not even my wife, I do appreciate the thoughtfulness S&W put into the design for a specific user group, rather than just making the polymer pink or purple. I know several women who love to shoot, but end up with guns they don't particularly enjoy once they spend some time on the range actually using them. This link provides some good info on the gun, and helped it make more sense to me as to what S&W intends with it: http://www.mrcolionnoir.com/smith-wesson-introduces-the-mp-380-shield-ez-pistol/
What he said.^^^
The PK380 and CCP are both very easy to rack the slide. And the CCP is a soft shooter for a smaller 9mm.
Im gonna jump on the PK380 band wagon, too....but only because I have no experience with tbe ccp. Have a PK380 for my daughter and its a great little gun. I actually like it, too lol
I believe @fishgutzy had a go round like this a while back, and iirc, went with a ccp. Maybe he can chime in...
I believe @fishgutzy had a go round like this a while back, and iirc, went with a ccp. Maybe he can chime in...
fishgutzy
Senior Member
My wife has the CCP. Loves it. Felt recoil is similar to a full size. Fixed barrel gives it full size accuracy.
My wife has arthritis in her wrists Ann's can early rack the slide. But she can't rack the slide on my FNS9.
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At twice the weight, lol.
Pro tip: You're supposed to unload your gun before taking it apart.
Yeah, but having to pull the trigger to take a gun apart may be the stupidest idea in the gun industry in recent memory. It's just a dumb idea.
Some people might say a gun that can only be carried ready to fire with the hammer fully back is unsafe and stupid. The solution is pay attention to what you're f'ng doing and training.
BTW, a 1911 is carried in condition 1, no? What do you have to do before making it safe (including taking it apart)?
Upon further reflection, I'm actually seeing an upside to the grip safety. I was recalling the last time I took Mom shooting and noticed she had the habit of gripping her G26 a tad too low. She would not drive the web of her thumb up into the groove under the the rear of the frame (beavertail?). Having the high grip safety will force the user to grip the gun higher up, thus Mom's low grip issue resolved.
Yep, my Mom has carried a Glock since the late 80's. She got the G26 just as soon as it was available in the early 90's. However, time has marched on and she can no longer easily manipulate the G26 slide. Most Males have ZERO concept and completely take for granted something so easy and trivial for us, that can be damn near impossible for many females.
I had her try my M&P Shield, no bueno. She LOVED and could manipulate my M&P 22 Compact, but the thumb safety caused her issues and it's only 22LR. I purchased the G42 as a G26 replacement but she still struggled with the slide and felt it was too small. I'm hoping that the effort required to manipulate the M&P 380 Shield slide will be a little more than the M&P 22 Compact while a little less than the G42; ie just right.
I have three ladies at work taking their concealed carry class in March. They will be buying their first handgun after that. This will certainly be something I recommend they consider along with a G42.
Yep, my Mom has carried a Glock since the late 80's. She got the G26 just as soon as it was available in the early 90's. However, time has marched on and she can no longer easily manipulate the G26 slide. Most Males have ZERO concept and completely take for granted something so easy and trivial for us, that can be damn near impossible for many females.
I had her try my M&P Shield, no bueno. She LOVED and could manipulate my M&P 22 Compact, but the thumb safety caused her issues and it's only 22LR. I purchased the G42 as a G26 replacement but she still struggled with the slide and felt it was too small. I'm hoping that the effort required to manipulate the M&P 380 Shield slide will be a little more than the M&P 22 Compact while a little less than the G42; ie just right.
I have three ladies at work taking their concealed carry class in March. They will be buying their first handgun after that. This will certainly be something I recommend they consider along with a G42.
Well, I think...ah.....um.....well...ya see...the thing is.......damifIknow. Marketing???
That was interesting. Good intentions I think. I don't have a good handle on the dimensions, but I do find myself wishing they had stretched it to 9mm instead of 380, if for no other reason than ammo availability and cost (especially if the dreaded ammo drought rears its ugly head again).
Based on their stated audience, almost no one on this forum would care about this pistol at all. For it's audience though, it could be a hit.
Would like to see the magazine, with the "ez load button". Is it like a .22 mag with the follower that sticks out the side of the mag body so you can load it easier? I can see that appealing to several smaller folk I've taught to shoot who liked that on the .22 and wanted to know why it wasn't on the bigger guns. We know why, but now they have a choice if they want that feature on a non-22.
Would like to see the magazine, with the "ez load button". Is it like a .22 mag with the follower that sticks out the side of the mag body so you can load it easier? I can see that appealing to several smaller folk I've taught to shoot who liked that on the .22 and wanted to know why it wasn't on the bigger guns. We know why, but now they have a choice if they want that feature on a non-22.
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You don't have to pull the trigger to take it apart. Matter of fact, the hammer needs to be back to manipulate the slide to the rear to disengage the slide stop.
Not saying folks shouldn't verify clear. Saying you should engineer stupid out of the equation as often as possible. Having to pull the trigger to disassemble is needless and IMO thoughtless on the gun manufactures.
I carry a CZ75b and a Sig P238, both in condition 1. Would I recommend either for carry to someone just starting to learn about guns and carry? Not unless they are willing to learn how to deal with them comfortably. Unfortunately, most of the guns I and others would recommend require the trigger to be pulled to disassemble. IMO it's asking for trouble and bordering on negligent on the makers part. Most folks that shoot themselves while cleaning handguns or ND do so with guns that need the trigger pulled to disassemble. And as makers get away from it it's obvious that it was not necessary in the first place. It should have been engineered out of the equation to begin with.
Not trying to hate on the 1911, I love them. My point was simply that to make it safe from condition one, you have to pull the trigger!
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Ruger did that with the LC9 and LC380, both of which were hammer-fired. It is noteworthy that Ruger did not produce a striker-fired .380 equivalent when the striker-fired LC9s was made.
I suspect there are some steep engineering challenges involved in a straight conversion of a striker-fired 9mm subcompact to .380.
It's also a big endorsement for Jerry Miculek to say a gun has "the lightest trigger I have ever seen on a Smith & Wesson product."
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Assuming this product is aimed at newer shooters, is the lightest trigger pull in S&W history a good idea?
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Realistically? Probably not. But a short, light trigger makes any gun easier to shoot well (or even decently), so that will be a huge attraction for newer shooters.
If you're using the weight of the trigger to make up for poor gun handling skills, then it doesn't really matter all that much. "it just went off by itself!" is coming to a ND near you.
Although I guess it works for the NYPD, they never shoot nobody with their 40 pound glock triggers.