Smith & Wesson’s M&P Shield line of single-stack semi-automatics first stormed the concealed carry market at the 2012 NRA Annual Meetings, but the relatively difficult-to-manipulate slide and snappy recoil of these little powerhouses wasn’t for everyone. The company’s newly released M&P380 Shield EZ, on the other hand, was specifically created from the ground up to be easy and safe for virtually anyone to carry, use and maintain. The locked-breech, .380 ACP pistol’s slide is impressively easy to rack, a passive grip safety pivots from the lower portion of the backstrap and a load-assist button on the gun’s eight-round magazine follower eases cartridge insertion. Lastly, at 6.7" long and 18.5 ozs., the newest Shield’s size makes it concealable while also being pleasant to shoot. smith-wesson.com
