smith & wesson

Spend More Time Shooting and Less Time Loading with MagPump Pro

The easiest way to load magazines

New to the lineup of products from MagPump is the MagPump Pro Series. The MagPump pro is capable of handling large capacity, high-frequency magazine loading for 9mm and AR-15 magazines.

The two new magazine loaders are a hybrid of the already trusted and loved MagPump models. The Pro offers a more robust finish with a lightweight polymer exterior married to strong, metal internal components that produce a reliable operation while loading hundreds of rounds in one sitting.

Easy to Use

Like its predecessors, the MagPump Pro is easy to use and eliminates hand fatigue. The MagPump saves you time when time equals money! It reduces loading time by more than 50 percent. Simply load the ammunition in the high-capacity hopper and let MagPump do its magic.

The pump-action lever self-sorts the ammunition and loads 30 rounds in less than 30 seconds.

More Time Shooting and Less Time Loading

I’ve been using the 9mm loader and the AR-15 loader for several weeks now. I love them both and don’t want to go back to loading magazines without them. I save a stupid amount of time by using them!

The other day I was doing ball and dummy training using ST Action Trainers and was able to dump them into the hopper with live rounds mixed in. No more predicting when I would come across a dummy round while training – the MagPump mixed it all up for me and I had no idea when I would encounter them!

I haven’t had any issues with fitment of my AR magazines of varying brands and condition. My 9mm MagPump has only been loading Glock magazines but it will also fit SIG, Smith & Wesson, Springfield Armory, CZ, and Ruger. You can also purchase additional single and double stack magazine retainers for most pistol models.

Lifetime Warranty

MagPump is backed by a lifetime, no-questions-asked guarantee.

Spend more time training and less time loading.

MSRP for the PRO Series loader is $249.99.

For more information about the PRO Series and all MagPump products, visit www.magpump.com

Check out these deals on MagPump Magazine Loaders

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.

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 Model 340PD Handgun

The only thing I trust more than my Glock 19 is this five shot revolver. I grew up shooting my dad’s stainless .357 and I was hooked, so much so I had to get my own. The Smith & Wesson 340 is the ultimate concealed weapon that I would recommend to anyone looking for an easy to learn and pocket-friendly pistol. One reason I selected this revolver because it has the ability to fire from my pocket due to a shrouded hammer making it snag free, the cylinder will also not grab any fabric like a slide would from a Glock 43 or Xds.

The first thing you will notice when picking this gun up is the weight. I routinely pick this sidearm over my Glock 19 just because of the weight difference. If I’m more likely going to carry something because it’s easy to, I am more likely to be prepared. Part of this weight difference is due to the titanium cylinder it uses; the only drawback is you are required to use 120-grain ammunition, if you don’t you will prematurely wear the cylinder.

The first thing I did to it was to install VZ g10 grips. I purchased both the textured and the smooth grips. I generally prefer the textured when I am at the range, although when I am carrying I don’t like that sandpaper feel they have against my body so I opt for the smooth most of the time. The next modification I might do is changing the sights to a tritium one, the stock painted red sight does little to present itself.

I use a leather Galco holster (outside waistband) Carry, which is how I roll with it when covered by a long shirt or I place it in the holster inside a jacket pocket. At the range this thing is a beast, it’s always fun to watch people shoot this hand cannon and complain about the pain of .357 magnum from an ultralight handgun. 38 special ammunition is much more controllable and generally what I will pair the weapon with when carrying concealed.

If you are looking at purchasing your own I would look into the standard 38 special aluminum model with a stainless cylinder. At around $250 used it sure beats the 340 price tag of $850. The 38 is also nearly as light as the .357 counterpart anyways.

Author – William Hoyt is a former Army Ranger of 1/75. He is now pursuing his bachelors in psychology and coaching swimming.

Photo of the day: Smith & Wesson M49

Found this photo In my old files. In 1970 apparently, $100 could get you a Hell of a gun and have money for a meal. It’s one of my prized possessions; my grandfathers old Smith & Wesson.

-Rick Dembroski

How Guns Work: Striker Fired Pistols

Due to their lack of protruding hammer, many striker fired pistol designs have flooded the concealed carry market. Manufacturers such as Glock, Smith & Wesson, Springfield Armory all have popular models of striker fired pistols. But, how does striker fire actually work?

To propel a bullet from its cartridge, the gun powder within the casing must be ignited. Centerfire and rimfire rounds have two slightly different means to accomplish this. Both feature primers on the back end of the casing. Centerfire ammo features primer only in the center of the back of the cartridge, whereas the primer covers the entire base of the casing of rimfire rounds.
With either type of ammunition, the rear of the casing must be struck with enough force to ignite the primer, which catalyzes the gunpowder explosion that ultimately propels the bullet from the cartridge through the gun barrel.

How Guns Work: Striker Fired Pistols - TheArmsGuide.com — Lightning Strike’s titanium [captured] Glock striker. Image courtesy of lspi.com

In striker fired pistols, the striker is the component that strikes the casing, dimpling it and igniting the primer within. Glock calls their striker fired system “safe action.” As the trigger is pulled, the three inline safety mechanisms are disengaged, and the striker is moved rearward within the pistol. This increases the tension on the firing pin spring. When the trigger bar releases the firing pin lug, the striker moves forward as the firing pin spring relaxes. This motion causes the striker to impact the base of the round in the chamber, which fires the round.

Manufacturers such as Kahr Arms, Beretta, and Springfield Armory all utilize similar variations of this function. For example, Springfield’s XD series fully tensions the firing pin spring upon chambering a round, compared to Glock’s partial tension until the trigger pulls and increases the spring tension.

Striker firing seems somewhat complex, but, in fact, it involves fewer parts than the older hammer fired system (which will be the subject of future posts). There are a couple of benefits to striker fired pistols in the area of concealed carry. Firstly, there is no external hammer, allowing for a more snag-free design. It also ensures that each trigger pull, from the first through the final round of the magazine, has the same weight of pull. Some consider the lack of external safety on striker fired guns to be an advantage in self defense situations because it allows the operator to fire upon their assailant(s) with fewer steps (no need to disengage a manual safety before firing). But, there are others who feel that it presents a safety risk to carry a pistol without external safeties. The preference for the more traditional hammer fired or the more efficient striker fired systems is still a subject of much debate. What is your opinion of striker fired guns?

by Destinee

In addition to writing her personal blog, Destinee is also a vlogger. She publishes videos on weapons, gear, and fitness on her YouTube channel every Tuesday and Thursday.

Photo by Heath Layman

MagGuts: The True +1 for your Handgun

MagGuts has changed the meaning of “+1” for carry guns. Typically when someone refers to +1 capacity they are referencing an additional round in the chamber. A full magazine is inserted and presto! You’ve just increased your capacity.

Modern single-stacks like the Walther PPS M2 have options of six, seven, or eight-round magazines. The longer magazines afford more stock length and more comfortable grip. Unfortunately the stock is also the most difficult portion of the pistol to conceal. The longer your magazine the more difficult it can be to conceal.

MagGuts use a special type of spring that folds onto itself like an accordion rather than binding against itself like a traditional coil spring. In single-stack magazines the space savings is just enough for one more round of .380 or 9mm. They currently have models for Kahr, Kel-Tec, Ruger, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson, and Walther. With MagGuts you can retain the conceal-ability of your single-stack while enjoying the comfort of an extra round. Does one more round make a difference? I’d hate to find out. See the field test below:

Installation is fairly simple. If you can disassemble your magazine you can install MagGuts, just be cautious to follow the included instructions for spring and plate orientation.