Performance Center Upgrades
Smith and Wesson’s Performance Center (PC) firearms are a step above its traditional offerings. According to Smith & Wesson’s website, these guns are “feature-rich and enhanced for better performance.” While not exactly custom, they do have a more tailor-made feel with the upgraded parts and features.
The PC Shield EZ builds on the original, which has been popular with new shooters and those with reduced hand strength. The one I tested had gold accents, which really stand out, but it also comes in a silver option. And if you don’t care for the metallic look, an all-black PC EZ is available, too.
Slide
The Performance Center slide looks quite different from the original Shield EZ. Smith & Wesson added lightening cuts to reduce the weight. Besides looking cool as they give a peek at the polished gold (or silver) barrel, they’re functional. While not technically considered slide serrations, they can be used as such when racking from the front.
Speaking of easy racking, the “ears” on the rear of the slide are slightly larger than the original model. Overall, the Shield EZ slides on both variations are tremendously easier to rack than almost all similarly sized pistols. The slide also features a tactile loaded chamber indicator (TLCI) so you can see and feel if there’s a round in the chamber.
Barrel
The barrel on the Performance Center EZ is slightly longer than the original. It’s a single-ported design intended to reduce muzzle flip.
The finishes available are gold, silver, or black – all highly polished. If you have experience with non-black barrels, you already know they show dirt much faster. Thankfully, the barrel wipes down easily and quickly returns to its original shiny state. I have a thing for gold barrels, so I love how this pistol looks.
Trigger
Instead of a bow-style trigger, Smith & Wesson opted for a flat-faced trigger on this version. It’s fully updated by Performance Center standards, too. I have no experience shooting the original EZ, but I’m told this trigger feels better.
When I took this EZ to the range, I experienced a light trigger pull that felt less than 5 pounds. There’s a short take-up followed by a clean break. The reset is very short and quick, which makes follow-up shots easy to manage. It’s a nice trigger, and it made shooting enjoyable.
Grip Safety
The grip safety has been enlarged on the Performance Center EZ. I’ve never shot a pistol with a grip safety before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I assumed it would push flush into the grip when depressed, but it didn’t. In fact, it still sticks out about 1.25 millimeters when fully depressed.
Right away, I felt some discomfort in my dominant hand when shooting. It doesn’t take much force to push the grip safety in, so I was curious to figure out the issue.
I have a very high grip when shooting. I like to get the webbing of my hand all the way up into the beavertail. The culprit was the small gap between the top of the grip safety and the beaver tail. I wouldn’t say it’s a deal breaker, but I don’t think I could run this gun all day without pain.
The grip safety is easy to engage, even if you don’t have the strongest grip. I found that it needs to be only slightly depressed to fire. This is good news for shooters with reduced strength. The model I tested also had a manual thumb safety, but you can buy it without that option if you prefer.
Sights
The upgraded sights on the PC are HI-VIZ Lightweight H3. They combine a tritium vial with fiber-optic rods, so they’re visible in all sorts of lighting conditions. The rear U-notch is wide, and overall, I found these easy to pick up.
The Specs
- Caliber: .380 ACP
- Action: Internal hammer-fired
- Length: 6.9 inches
- Barrel Length: 3.8 inches
- Width: 1.04 inches
- Height: 5.05 inches
- Weight: 18.5 ounces
- Trigger Pull: 5 pounds
- Capacity: 8+1
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Safety: Manual thumb and grip
On The Range
The Shield EZ grip is a small-handed shooter’s dream. At first glance, it looks pretty large for a .380 pistol, and that’s a good thing. It’s long enough to comfortably fit my entire hand while being slim enough to reach the trigger and controls. This helps control the recoil on an already soft-shooting gun.
The texturing looks barely there, but it’s surprisingly effective. It feels a little bit like sandpaper and is applied all over the grip. I prefer a more aggressive texture, but this works well to keep my hands from slipping.
I have a strong grip, but my hands are small, making it challenging to manipulate some pistols. I found the PC EZ a breeze to use for the most part. The slide lock is effortless to engage, but I struggled to drop it with my thumb. It’s not a deal breaker, as I found it very easy to disengage when pulling the slide back and releasing the lock.
Even with small hands, the ambidextrous magazine release button is easy to reach. It’s extended and has the same texturing as the grip. The magazine drops fast and cleanly without much force, making reloads efficient.
I shot 100 rounds over two range trips with zero malfunctions or issues. Smith and Wesson’s claims of it being a pistol that’s easy to manipulate, load, and shoot are spot-on. It’s pretty darn accurate for a small gun, too. I found getting back on target quickly easy because there’s minimal recoil. Overall, it’s a very soft shooting experience in .380 ACP.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Easy to load, rack, shoot, and take down
- Light recoil
- Shoots accurately
Cons:
- Only 8+1 capacity available
- Grip safety can be uncomfortable
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May be difficult to conceal for some
Conclusion
Not all shooters are able to manipulate the typical concealed carry pistol on the market these days, but that shouldn’t preclude them from defending themselves. Smith & Wesson identified a need with this demographic and provided a nice solution. Even shooters without reduced strength will likely enjoy shooting the EZ. With the Performance Center upgrades, you get a little more bang for your buck and a custom-looking pistol to boot.
