Shooting

Smith & Wesson has been updating and upgrading their lineup over the last year. The M&P 2.0 series quieted previous complaints about texture and trigger. We showed you the new Shield 2.0 in November. The Bodyguard hadn't been updated and fans of Browning's .380 ACP began to feel left out. Smith & Wesson heard those cries and has released a handgun that seems perfectly modeled for the non-operator types. Winged slide of the 380 Shield EZ The .380 Shield EZ is aptly named. The pistol has been made easy to operate. Starting with the largest concern for new shooters and those with reduced strength is the slide. While styling looks just like the other M&P 2.0 models the rear of the slide has subtle wings to aid in sling-shot style racking. The action follows the standard Browning locking system which is a rare find for the caliber. Thanks to the locking system the recoil spring is soft enough that I was able to rack the gun with a finger! I don't advocate doing that with a loaded gun, but tried it as a test to just how easy the gun is to rack. The external safety is easy to engage or disengage from either side. The grip safety threw the internet into a frenzy, but deactivation is easy and it serves as simple insurance for those who might carry the gun in a purse or bag. Another interesting feature is in the two included magazines. Clearly numbered magazines with thumb assist. The magazines feature a thumb knob like one might find on a .22. While not the most comfortable thing to push on, it does serve to assist in loading. The slide release/lock also feels to be more pronounced than normal. As stated earlier everything about the 380 Shield EZ is easy! The video above provides some more details on the gun. One more fun note: The 380 Shield EZ is hammer-fired! An internal hammer eliminates any of the negatives about hammer-fired guns and still provides that nice and clean break that we all love about the action. No mush from a striker, no risk of lint or filth preventing the hammer from striking. See the video for how Smith & Wesson managed to fit that system into this new design. For those of you who love to look at numbers, the specifications below are directly from the 380 Shield EZ product page. SKU: 11663 Model: M&P® 380 SHIELD™ EZ™ Manual Thumb Safety 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

Smith & Wesson M&P .380 Shield EZ

The .380 Shield EZ is aptly named. The pistol has been made easy to operate. Starting with the largest concern for new shooters and those with reduced strength is the slide. While styling looks just like the other M&P 2.0 models the rear of the slide has subtle wings to aid in sling-shot style racking. […]

New Magpul Product Release: MAGPUL BIPOD – SLING STUD QD

The Magpul Bipod – Sling Stud QD is the next offering in the Magpul bipod line. Designed to mount to the ubiquitous Uncle Mike’s Sling Swivel Stud that is common to nearly every sporting rifle made, the Magpul Bipod – Sling Stud QD is the strongest, most fully featured bipod available with direct sling stud […]

Bravo Concealment Glock 43 IWB Torsion holster

Loadout Room writer, Tim M, pits the Bravo Concealment Torsion holster up again a few other options and weighs in on why the Torsion holster stands above them all. QUALITY KYDEX TORSION GUN HOLSTER FOR GLOCK 43 FEATURES: Custom-made for the Glock 43 pistol. Even Deeper Concealment with NEW Torsion Technology. Integrated 10 degree inward […]

Shots Fired: FX-9 Pistol

The FX-9 from Freedom Ordnance has proven very popular. We were introduced to this affordable pistol-caliber carbine by Classic Firearms. Instead of adapting existing AR receivers to a blow-back action and pistol-sized magazine Freedom Ordnance did it right and built it from the ground up to run pistol calibers. This not only ensures that it […]

17+1 Rounds of 9mm in a 1911 | American Classic XB Tabletop Review

Tactical Tupperware may be the way of the future, but the ergonomics and crisp trigger of a 1911 can’t be denied. Perhaps it’s the handsome lines of Browning’s design or the reassuring heft of a steel frame in hand, but regardless, it’s tough to be a handgunner and not appreciate the 1911. Fortunately, appreciation for […]

Live Fire Drills for Law Enforcement Training

In the following video are three different training scenarios that Loadout Room writer, Wes Nanny goes through during his firearms training sessions at the local Law Enforcement agency he works for. 1st Drill Just like running and lifting weights, it’s important to warm up before you shoot too. You should run some simple drills to […]

SIG AIR Division P365: The BB Pistol for EDC Training

From the SIG AIR division, SIG SAUER is pleased to introduce the new P365 BB Pistol. Modeled after the award winning SIG SAUER P365 everyday, high capacity, micro-compact, concealed carry pistol, this CO2-powered, semi-automatic BB pistol features realistic blowback action and is an exceptional training tool for personal defense. The P365 BB pistol is designed […]

Holster Selection: Things to Consider

During my 1,900 hours as a defensive shooting instructor one of the dominating questions I was asked was about holster selection. In my experience this is the hardest one to answer. I have good news and bad new for you: The perfect holster match for your body shape, selected firearm, carry position, and attire exists. […]

Langdon Tactical 92 Elite LTT Pistol

Many of us who served with the Beretta 92 in the form of the M-9 left the gun with an unfair opinion of it. As a former armorer I can verify that at least in the Army and during my service maintenance including things like replacing recoil springs was not done at intervals civilians use. […]

CMMG 9 ARC Magazines: 9mm DELAYED BLOWBACK! with CMMG Upper

Want to shoot 9mm from your AR with out a dedicated 9mm lower or an expensive magazine adapter? The CMMG 9 ARC magazine converts your CMMG Banshee or Resolute radial delayed blowback upper into a 9mm AR with an AR lower into a 9mm firearm. Got SBR? Full Auto? Now you have radial delayed blowback […]