| Image | Product | Price |
|---|---|---|
 | Smith and Wesson Shield 9mm EZ | Check Price |
My everyday carry is a Smith and Wesson Shield 2.0, so as you can imagine, the Shield line is one I am already intimately familiar with. Although they share the Shield name, the standard S&W Shield 2.0 and the S&W Shield EZ are entirely different designs. Some notable design differences are the added grip safety and lighter recoil spring, which make it easier to rack.
The original Smith and Wesson Shield EZ was released in 2018 as a gun designed for people with weak hand strength. At the time, it was only available in a .380, but because of its popularity, they decided to expand the line into the 9mm variant.
The President of Smith and Wesson, Lane Tobiassen, said, “When the M&P 380 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&P 9 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.”
The gun has become such a success that they have made multiple versions that have even expanded into their Performance Center line.
Let’s go over what makes this a great concealed carry handgun for self-defense by a first-time gun owner and dig into the SW Shield 9mm EZ review.
Smith and Wesson Shield 9mm EZ Review
Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield For Sale
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Smith and Wesson |
| Model | M&P Shield M2.0 EZ 9mm Pistol with Thumb Safety |
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Capacity | 8+1 |
| Type | Semi-Auto Pistol |
| Action | Semi-automatic internal hammer design |
| Trigger Pull Weight | The official specs but the pull weight around 5.5 lbs but most of them I have shot are approx. 4 lbs |
| Safety | Ambidextrous manual thumb safety |
| Barrel Length | 3.67 inches |
| Overall length | 6.8 inches |
| Overall height (with Magazine) | 5 inches |
| Overall width | 1 inch |
| Weight (empty magazine) | 23.2 ounces |
| Grip | Black Polymer |
| Front Sight | White Dot |
| Rear Sight | Two White Dots with a notch |
| Slide Construction | Stainless Steel – Armornite ® Finish |
| Frame Construction | Molded Black Polymer Frame |
| Finishes | Black |
| Accessories | Two magazines that hold eight rounds each and a cable safety lock |
Pros & Cons of the Shield EZ
- Easy to rack
- Easy to load
- Ambidextrous thumb safety
- Simple breakdown
- Other guns of the same size have a higher capacity magazine
- For people with larger hands, the safety sometimes gets in the way
Features
Trigger
I have shot quite a few of these because it is a favorite among new shooters. I frequently get students that will bring them to the range, and I have noticed the trigger is often very light compared to the standard Shield 2.0.
The trigger on one of the performance center models I shot was, in fact, so light I would not have been comfortable recommending it for an everyday pistol to carry, but the trigger was very smooth. Just to clarify, though, that was a Performance Center model, not the standard M&P9 Shield EZ.
One of the safety features it does not have is a trigger safety, but the model I tested had a thumb safety. When it is engaged, it is impossible to pull the trigger; therefore, the additional trigger safety is unnecessary.
Sights
The rear sights are two dots with a center notch, and the front sight is a single white dot. I will say this – they are well made and will take a beating. One of the Shields I shot a while back had apparently been dropped, or for all I know, used as a hammer because it had a couple of pretty good gouges in it. It held up great and, after a little filing, was smooth to the touch again. A cheap plastic sight would not hold up to that type of abuse.
Ergonomics
The S&W M&P 9 Shield EZ has a grip made of textured polymer that, in my opinion, is just right. It is not so aggressive that it will not dig into your side, but it still has enough texture for a good, firm feel. The 18-degree grip angle of the polymer frame provides a very natural point of aim, which is important for a concealed carry handgun. It has no sharp edges which makes it comfortable to carry, and it does not dig into your sides.
Safety
It has two external safety features. The first is the grip safety, which bothers some people because it feels weird in the web part of their hand. I think it is one of those things that, over time, you will not notice, so it’s not going to be an issue.
The second manual safety feature is the ambidextrous thumb safety, so if you are a lefty, the S&W M&P 9 Shield EZ is perfect. The grip and thumb safety can be an added benefit for a self-defense gun when you are first starting out.
The magazine for the S&W M&P 9 Shield EZ is a single stack design, whereas the one for the S&W Shield 2.0 9mm is more of a highbred design and a little wider.
The stainless steel single stack magazine has some very nice features. The first is the pull-down tabs on each side that allow you to compress the magazine spring when loading it.
Some magazine springs are very stiff, and people have a hard time loading the magazine to capacity, but with the side tabs, you will never need any type of speed loader to assist you. The side of the magazine has a slit that runs the entire length, so unlike most magazines, there is no need to look through a small hole to see how many rounds you have in it. These features make for more effortless loading if you are a novice shooter.
The magazine release also sticks out further than most, and people with smaller hands will appreciate not having to readjust their grip to drop the mag.
The upper pistol is the S&W M&P 9 Shield EZ, and the bottom one is the S&W 9 Shield 2.0 with a Hague slip-over grip. As you can see, the M&P9 Shield EZ size is slightly larger than the standard S&W Shield.
Both have a thumb safety, but the Shield EZ has more of a lever compared to the little tab on the Shield 2.0. Due to the size, it is very simple to tell when the safety is engaged.
There is only a slight size difference between the .380 version of the M&P Shield EZ on the top and the M&P 9 Shield EZ version on the bottom.
Shooting and Ammunition
The S&W M&P 9 Shield EZ will spit out almost anything you put through it. I have watched people put thousands of rounds through the S&W M&P 9 Shield EZ with no complaints. The grip angle helps keep muzzle rise to a minimum, and it is an all-around reliable pistol that is fun to shoot.
I have literally either shot or watched some shoot thousands of rounds through different Shield EZ’s because it is a favorite amongst students I take to the range. This includes a wide range of bullet weights from a few different manufacturers.
Sellier & Bellot 9mm Luger 115gr FMJ is about as inexpensive as you can get, and it spits it out with no problem. The more money you can save on your range ammo, the more practice you can afford to get in at the range. Remember that when you pick ammunition for self-defense in your everyday carry, do not skimp and compromise on the quality and stopping power. Something like Hornady Critical Defense or Federal 124-grain HST are both solid, reliable choices.
Accessories
| Image | Product | Price |
|---|---|---|
 | Mantis X10 Elite | Check Price |
 | TRUGLO Tritium Pro | Check Price |
The standard Picatinny rail is perfect for all types of accessories, and one of the top choices would have to be a Mantis-X for training. The Mantis-X truly is the ideal accessory to go with this gun because it provides feedback when dry firing so a new gun owner can get in practice time without going to the range. It is no substitute for an instructor, but it will aid you in working on the fundamentals like trigger pull and grip.
Another popular upgrade is replacing the factory sights with something better suited for low light, like the TRITIUM PRO by TruGlo.
Alternatives
Walther CCP M2 9mm
It is hard to find a comparison for this particular gun because of the market Smith and Wesson designed it for. There are few 9mm semi-auto pistols that are easy to manipulate for people with weak hands. I have not personally shot one, but the Walther CCP M2 9mm is reportedly another pistol designed with self-defense in mind for the new shooter.
The Walther CCP, which stands for “Concealed Carry Pistol,” is a blowback-operated 9mm pistol with an 8-round magazine that is well-known for having a very simple and easy-to-rack slide. The gun has an excellent grip design and a simple-to-use large ambidextrous thumb safety.
The CCP uses what Walther refers to as “soft coil” technology, which essentially means that the pistol has a softer recoil when fired compared to other guns in the same size range.
Conclusion
The Smith and Wesson M&P9 Shield EZ was designed for new shooters and people with weak hands or even arthritis. It is proven and reliable, which is what you are looking for in a concealed carry piece that you may use for home or personal defense. This gun is, without a doubt, one of my top picks for virtually anyone looking for a first gun that is easy to use.
