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The past few years saw an insane number of first-time gun owners. If any of you are reading this, welcome to our community! One of the more popular handguns for n00bs was the Smith & Wesson Shield EZ. It was originally only available in .380 ACP, then 9x19mm. S&W has pushed another evolution of the pistol. Though not an exact sequel, the Equalizer is the Split to the EZ’s Unbreakable, and today it’s the topic of our review.
Smith & Wesson @ TFB:
- [SHOT 2023] Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7
- POTD: Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0 METAL
- The New Smith & Wesson M&P Marker M2.0 from T4E
The Smith & Wesson Equalizer: Specifications
- Barrel length: 3.675”
- Caliber: 9x19mm
- Capacity: 10, 13, 15
- Width: 1.04”
- Weight: 22.9 oz
- MSRP: $599.00
Preparing To Bring Balance
The Equalizer follows the basic look of the Shield EZ but has a much more aggressive, defensive look. The slide features a loaded chamber indicator of the “hole in the chamber” type. A plate covers the optics cut, which follows the Shield RMSc pattern. The forward and rear slide serrations are deep and easy to grab.
The Equalizer uses simple three-dot sights. The frame is polymer and includes a standard 1913 rail for lights and chainsaw attachments. There’s a grip safety, and a thumb safety version is available. The grip safety seemed out of place until I realized that this is not a striker-fired pistol. It uses an internal hammer.
Smith & Wesson seems to understand something that a lot of other companies don’t. People want magazines to come with their guns. In this case, they include three magazines of different capacities. One 10-round, one 13-round, and one 15-round magazine are included.
Leveling The Battlefield Like Denzel
I’m just going to get this out of the way. When I first saw this gun, I scoffed at it. I picked it up from Centennial Gun Club and was ready to discount it based on my prejudices. Then I took it to the range and rang steel with every single round out of my first magazine. I ate my humble pie and realized S&W might know a thing or two more than I do. With those feelings out of the way, I was ready to get to work.
I first shot some casual groups from 15 yards using 115-grain Super Vel reman ammo. Considering the unsupported shooting, remanufactured ammo, and 12-degree weather, I’ll gladly take these.
Groups are cool and all, but I want to go fast. I shoved the Equalizer in my pants and shot some drills. I have to say I’m a little disappointed by the three-dot sights. They work fine, but I think the market has moved on from this system. If you’re running a dot, it really doesn’t matter, but there are still people who prefer irons. I would have liked to see more defense-oriented sights, as that is the purpose of this handgun.
The single-action trigger was a big help when dumping mags. I’m no trigger snob and have no issue with the okay-ish triggers usually associated with polymer defensive guns, but I definitely noticed an improvement in my shooting.
Having three magazines out of the gate was very convenient and I wish more guns included them. It blows my mind that companies get away with charging hundreds or thousands of dollars for a pistol, but refuse to include more than one magazine that probably costs them only a few dollars to produce. Good on you, Smith & Wesson!
All Things Being Equal…
If you are one of the millions of first-time gun owners from the past three years, there’s a good chance you bought a Shield EZ. The Equalizer would be a great follow-up purchase if you’re looking for something that can fill some more roles, like home defense. I don’t love grip safeties, but if that’s something you’re used to, you’ll have a more serious, capable, handgun.
This pistol reminded me of Hot Cheetos. The more I shot it, the hotter it got and the more I wanted it. My first handgun was a first-generation M&P Shield 9. I love that gun, but I think the Equalizer eclipses it in every way and I’d feel very confident and comfortable carrying it daily.
In fact, the only negative I could really find is a cosmetic one. This is extremely nitpicky, but I can’t help but notice it. The font used on the chamber is one step above Comic Sans. It looks goofy, especially on a serious defensive firearm. It wouldn’t stop me from buying the gun, but I’d probably sigh in disappointment every time I saw it, a la Kitty Forman.
I think Smith & Wesson has another winner here, and it will be on my list of recommended concealed carry pistols for students in my CHP classes.
If you want all of the details, there’s a downloadable spec sheet on the Smith & Wesson website. There were quite a few new products from S&W at SHOT Show this year, so make sure you follow along on social media for announcements. They can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Carry often and stay safe!
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