FOGHORN April 2023

Twobirds Flying Publications

SMITH & WESSON’S EQUALIZER

Copyright 2023, Twobirds Flying Publications. All Rights Reserved.


SMITH & WESSON’S EQUALIZER
By: Sal Palma
In November, Smith & Wesson, a legendary
American firearms manufacturer, introduced the
EQUALIZER, a next level of its highly successful
Shield EZ line of pistols.
The Shield EZ line targeted female shooters or
anyone lacking the physical ability to rack a slide
to chamber a round or clear the pistol. It was an
instant success. The line is aimed at the
concealed carry market with offerings in a
variety of configurations and calibers ranging
from.380 to 9mm.
The EQUALIZER
incorporates all the
SHIELD attributes in a
more muscular 9mm
offering that S&W
markets as a Micro-
Compact frame.
Far be it for me to be critical of a marketing
decision, but why S&W called the EQUALIZER a
Micro Compact escapes me. The picture above
SMITH & WESSON’S EQUALIZER
2023
shows the EQUALIZER on top of a GLOCK 19, as
you can see it’s a hair longer than the Glock 19.
But so be it.
Smith & Wesson has also positioned the pistol as
the ideal concealed carry and that position is
supported by its outstanding performance.
Buying a CCW pistol is not an intuitive process
especially if you’re a new gun owner. First, the
pistol must fit you, it’s no different than buying a
pair of shoes. The frame needs to fit your hand
comfortably and securely. It also needs to be
safe and dependable. Will it feed and eject a
round reliably, and does it go bang every time
you squeeze the trigger. Lastly is it safe to use,
and Smith & Wesson has gone to extremes to
make the EQUALIZER safe.
Two models of the pistol were introduced,
EQUALIZER: NTS (grip safety only), the subject of
my review, and TS (thumb safety and grip
safety). Both pistols ship with three magazine
sizes 10 ,13,15 round and a Maglula UpLula®
magazine speed loader.
Copyright 2023, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights
 SMITH & WESSON’S EQUALIZER
2023

The EQUALIZER fits perfectly into a GLOCK 19

holster, but holster selection is something you
will need to pay attention to.

Inside the waistband holsters are usually

The EQUALIZER is not a striker fired pistol, it’s
unique in that S&W implemented an internal
hammer; making it hammer fired. This approach
allows for a 6lb reduction in the force needed to
rack the slide.
manufactured with large sweat guards, but
under stress those larger sweat guards could
displace your grip sufficiently lower on the pistol
grip and failing to disengage the grip safety.

All models of the

The EQUALIZER has the best grip texture of any
pistol use a grip
CCW platform I’ve used. Shooters also have a
safety and if you
choice of three grip lengths via the included
are not gripping
magazines. If you want to wear it and not print,
the pistol
use the 10-round magazine. If you need a slightly
properly it will
longer grip, use the 13-round or 15-round
not fire. Smith &
magazine.
Wesson tells you
to grip the pistol I’m a huge fan of slide serrations, not because I
firmly, so it’s like performing press checks when I can visually
imperative that see a round in the chamber, as manly as press
you practice with the gun to perfect your grip. checks are. I like slide serrations because it
makes slide manipulations safer and easier.

Copyright 2023, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights

 SMITH & WESSON’S EQUALIZER
2023

Smith & Wesson gave the EQUALIZER very

serious fore and aft slide serrations.

Other features worthy of mention: a slide cut for

your favorite MRDS, for this review I used RITON
Optics PRD 2 with excellent results and a
Picatinny accessory rail.

With a fully loaded 15-round magazine of 115

grain 9mm, the EQUALIZER comes in at 1.7 lbs.
Carrying this pistol for an 8-hour day is not going
to tire you out.

At the range, I experience three issues:

1. A light primer strike.

The pistol has a very nice trigger as well, with an
average pull weight of 3.75 lbs. The trigger has a
relatively short take-up and a crisp break. Trigger
reset is audible, but a bit long, which may be an
operational necessity due to the internal
hammer.
2. A click on trigger-pull but the pistol did
not fire. I checked the round in the
chamber, but the primer showed no
impact mark.
3. After clearing the pistol and chambering
a round, I experienced another click on
trigger-pull, but the pistol did not fire. I
checked the round in the chamber, but
the primer showed no impact mark.

Copyright 2023, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights

 SMITH & WESSON’S EQUALIZER
2023

Manufacturer Specifications:
• WIDTH 1.04
• LENGTH 6.75
• HEIGHT 4.5
• WEIGHT 22.9
• CALIBER 9MM
• SIZE MICRO-COMPACT
• CAPACITY 10,13,15
• ACTION INTERNAL HAMMER FIRED
• BARREL LENGTH 3.675
• GRIP POLYMER
• SIGHTS WHITE DOT
• OPTIC READY YES
• SAFETY GRIP
• COLOR/FINISH BLACK
• STATE COMPLIANCE N/A
• THREADED BARREL NO
• BARREL MATERIAL STAINLESS STEEL
• FRAME POLYMER
• LASER NO
• PERFORMANCE CENTER NO
After my initial range session, I field stripped the
• NUMBER OF MAGAZINES 3
pistol cleaned and lubricated all the
• 10LB TRIGGER NO
recommended points, and during a subsequent
range session, using the same ammunition, the
EQUALIZER ran flawlessly.

The Smith & Wesson EQUALIZER NTS is an

excellent CCW pistol. The grip safety makes it a
very safe weapon to carry and handle. If it fires,
it’s because the shooter intended it. The
included 3 magazines provide capacity as well as
the means to customize grip size. The EZ
technology along with the deeply serrated slide
contributes greatly to ease of handling.

And, just to show you some love, Smith &

Wesson included a Maglula UpLula® to make
loading your magazines easy to do.

Smith & Wesson has given the CCW community

an excellent tool, but it is up to you to master it.
Like any other carry pistol, practice with it to
develop confidence and a high level of
proficiency.

-SP

Copyright 2023, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights