Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Shield EZ

The gun made by Smith & Wesson comes in two varieties (or “calibers”):

• 9mm (standard bullet size)
• .380 (a little bit smaller than standard bullet size)

9mm Ammo

• Less expensive
• More recoil
• Higher powered

9mm ammo is the most popular size. It is pretty much the standard all over the world. The cost between $0.25 each for an inexpensive round (intended for target practice) and $0.60 each for a high quality round (intended for self-defense). Most people buy the high quality stuff for self-defense even though it costs twice as much because they tend to have fewer errors, and they really want their handgun ammo to be reliable if they should ever need to use it in an emergency.

.380 Ammo

• More expensive
• Less recoil
• Less powerful

.380 ammo is another popular size. It shoots a smaller projectile than 9mm. This makes it easier to shoot than 9mm because there is less force on the shooter’s hands. Consequently, this also means that the bullet has less power when it hits a target. .380 ammo costs a little bit more than 9mm despite the .380 being a smaller cartridge. .380 ammo generally costs between $0.30 each on the low-end and around $0.80 each on the high-end.

Which is better?

Choose the 9mm if you can handle it. Choose the .380 if shooting 9mm feels like too much kick for you. I personally carried both of these calibers for years and have trusted my life to both of them. I find myself gravitating to the 9mm more often than the .380 because the 9mm is cheaper and delivers more power in exchange for a bit more recoil than the .380.

Smith & Wesson M&P 380 Shield EZ

This one is the .380 version. This review is by LuckyGunner.com, which is a great place to buy ammo online that gets shipped to your door. They have been in business a long time and are a trusted name. They have many positive things to say about this gun:

• easy (“EZ”) to rack the slide (for loading)
• easy to disassemble the gun (for cleaning)
• easy to engage or disengage the thumb safety
• easy to operate the grip safety
• easy to load the magazine
• crisp, light trigger
• it has low-recoil
• maximum capacity: 9 rounds

This review of the Smith & Wesson M&P .380 Shield EZ has over a million views. It is a very popular handgun, and he has many good things to say about the benefits for people with arthritis.

Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Shield EZ

This review compares the benefits and drawbacks of the 9mm side-by-side with the .380 so viewers can see a clear comparison.

He says the 9mm definitely has more recoil than the .380. He says that both guns are equally easy to operate. He recommends the .380 version for women.

Conclusion

The Smith & Wesson brand is well-known for its quality. The company has been making handguns in America for 173 years. Their new “EZ” additions to the handgun market cater to new shooters and people with less strength. These Smith & Wesson handguns are made in Springfield, Massachusetts. They have received favorable reviews from many in the handgun community and are generally accepted as very high quality firearms. They generally sell for about $500 new or around $350 used.