Smith & Wesson Equalizer 9mm vs Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Shield EZ 9mm

These two share a great deal: a 3.68" barrel, a 5.88" sight radius, 1.04" width, an internal hammer single-action action, thumb and grip safeties, and stainless slides in Black Armornite. The Smith & Wesson Equalizer 9mm holds 10 rounds to the Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Shield EZ 9mm's 8, is cut for an optic where the EZ is not, breaks 0.5 lb lighter (4.5 lb vs 5.0 lb), and is 0.55" shorter in height at 4.5" against 5.05". It also ships with three magazines to the EZ's two. The EZ answers with an adjustable rear sight rather than the Equalizer's white 2-dot, and $60 off the MSRP, $539 against $599. Weight is a wash at 22.9 oz vs 23.81 oz.

Pick the Smith & Wesson Equalizer if:

• You want 10+1 instead of 8+1, and three magazines instead of two
• You want a factory optic cut, which the Shield EZ does not have
• You want the lighter trigger (4.5 lb vs 5.0 lb) and 0.55" less height

Pick the Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Shield EZ if:

• You want to spend $60 less ($539 vs $599)
• You want an adjustable rear sight from the factory
• 8+1 covers what you carry for

Barrel, sight radius and width are identical and weight differs by about an ounce, so this comes down to two rounds, the optic cut and $60. The EZ is the cheaper gun with the adjustable rear; the Equalizer is the one with the optic cut and the extra capacity.