XDM-9 ejection problems

[John Wayne]

I've got a Springfield XDM-9, 4.5". Had the gun for about a year now and have put 3,900 rounds through it as of today. Everything is stock, using factory mags, and original springs. Approximately 200 or fewer of the rounds fired have been steel-cased ammo, the rest was all factory or once-fired handloaded brass-cased.

I have been very satisfied with this pistol for the most part, but lately it has developed the annoying tendency to throw ejected brass right back at my face. It doesn't do it every time, and seems to do it more frequently on the last round in the magazine. At first I thought the brass was bouncing off the partition next to me and hitting me in the head, but over the course of several hundred rounds shot indoors and outdoors, I have decided that it is, in fact, the gun.

The gun is cleaned and lubricated as it has always been, and has the ejection problem with a variety of ammunition. I can usually tell when a case is going to hit me, because instead of flying up to the right it seems to come straight back while rapidly tumbling end over end. Thankfully, it seems to be moving much slower due to the tumbling action than if it were being ejected rapidly as usual.

I don't know what to look for when examining the extractor; some of the finish has been worn off and it shows through as shiny metal on the front of the extractor and partially on top. One corner does appear to be a bit more rounded than the others--could this be affecting it?

Anyone else experiencing this problem with their XD/XDM? How is Springfield's customer service (the ejector, if it is causing the problem, does not seem to be an easy part to replace.)?

 

[Yarddog]

Wear a full rim Hat Problem solved J/K Might help though ; )
Y/D

 

[Runningman]

Wonder if it is time for a new recoil spring or extractor spring? Since both have an effect on ejection patterns.

 

[John Wayne]

Wear a full rim Hat Problem solved J/K Might help though ; )

Actually, I usually wear a hat when shooting but in this case it doesn't help at all. The brass is coming straight back at a very low angle, not flying up and falling on me.

Wonder if it is time for a new recoil spring or extractor spring? Since both have an effect on ejection patterns.

You know, I wondered that too, but I thought that a worn-out recoil spring would just mean that the ejected cases went flying farther than usual. I haven't noticed any changes in the distance the cases are ejected and the spring still seems pretty stiff.

 

[Skylerbone]

Duke, most guns suffer from a lack of maintenance because we don't see worn out parts, we look for broken ones. Springs wear out with every cycle and can change the timing of the slide causing extraction problems, feed problems and jams.

Every 3000 rounds is a good time to change out the recoil spring, think of it as your oil. It's cheap and it keeps things running propperly. It also protects the gun from battering itself to pieces and I'd bet if you look closely at your pistol's frame, slide and barrel (especially the locking lugs) you'll notice some shiny spots.

The ejector is another cheap, replaceable part (the M&P's is less than $3) which is likely MIM and has developed a wear spot. You can save it for quite a while by doing a little file work at the front of it (the bit that points forward). Simply remove it and file the top and bottom to a point that meets in the middle. This should help redirect the brass to 3 O'clock if it is indeed the problem.

Those are the main suspects since your round count is where it is and the problem is recent rather than ongoing (in which case limp wristing would stand out, though it doesn't seem likely in your case).

Hope this helps get you up and running again. You can google some sort of directions for the file work needed, I'm sure someone has posted them before though it might be for a different pistol. Look for extractor tuning or something similar. Best of luck.

 

[David E]

Or it could be the magazine. Perhaps the last round is catching on the follower dislodging it from the hook of the extractor before it reaches the ejector.....possibly.

Number the mags and see if it's the same mag all the time. Look for brass marks on the follower.