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:
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.
Check Prices on Smith & Wesson Equalizer Pistols
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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