My FIL gave my MIL an EZ 380 today for Mother’s Day and now my fiancé wants the 9mm version as a wedding gift. She likes the 380 version a lot, it’s fits her hand well and can easily rack the slide.

My question is how good of guns are the EZ series especially the 9mm version? Is the 9mm version the same size and ease of racking as the 380 version?

I’ve shot both and taught women to shoot both the 380 EZ and the 9 MM EZ.    I think the strength to retract the slide is very close to the same on the 380 & 9 MM and most women seem to be able to operate the M&P Shield EZ pistols.


I’ve never tried retracting the slide of the 380 EZ then tried the 9 MM EZ but my recollection is they are very similar.   I’ve shot 1911’s quite a bit and I don’t like the grip safety on the S&W M&P Shield EZ pistols.  The grip safety is retained by a pin at the bottom which is opposite of the 1911.  I’ve seen shooters who had difficulty manipulating the grip safety.  If someone shoots regularly I think the grip safety can be a non issue.   I’m concerned under stress a novice shooter could fail to manipulate the grip safety.    

I think the EZ series require more training than most revolvers and striker fired pistols which don’t have thumb safeties or grip safeties.

Thanks for the info, I have been trying to get her to like Glocks but it’s not working. I also know that a revolver is not for her. My G19, XD-9, and S&W shield (Gen 1) are to hard for her to rack. Which is why I came to the EZ shield conclusion plus the MIL has one now and my fiancé likes it.

My wife is not what you would call an avid shooter.  She will go with me about two or three times a year.  To try to encourage her to shoot more I picked up a 9ez to see if she would like it.  So far she does.  She has no issue with the grip safety (part of that could be that the first gun she shot was a SA XD9 and thinks the grip safety is normal).  She likes that fact that she could easily rack the slide and also easily load the magazines.  The narrow frame makes it easier for her to hold also compared to a G19 or M&P 9 2.0.  I don't feel there is anymore felt recoil in the 9ez than there is on a Shield or similar pistol.  I can't say my wife will be more apt to shoot because of the 9ez but I can say that she likes the pistol much more than any other pistol I have offered her to shoot.

You perfectly describe my fiancé , looks like I’m gonna be getting her the EZ 9.

My eldest daughter picked the EZ 9. She loves the thing. I shot a few times. Good gun, but i hate that stupid grip safety..

My daughter is petite with very small hands, but she can shoot the dog squeeze out of the thing.

I have an EZ 9.  It would not group worth a shit right out of the box.  And it keyholed at 7yd.  I had to send it back.

And the spare mags were almost unobtanium.  I had to work hard to find spare mags that were not 3x the price.

Side by side, racking the slide on the 9 is a lot harder than the 380.  Still easier than a glock.  But they are not the same experience as the 380.

My wife edcs her ez9 and loves it to death. It has a good trigger, good sights, and very low effort slide manipulation.