XDE is tough to shoot.

It is pretty hard to beat a Beretta 92! What is the intended roll for the XDE? A carry gun, range gun, home defence gun, truck gun, weight down your gun safe... or all of the above?

I own a XDs and a XD mod 2 both fine guns (I have never fired or even held an XDE). That said they definitely are not range guns... they are plastic for heavens sake! I love my Beretta 92 inox and it beats the Springfields in pretty much every way... except weight. I train with my Springfields and other plastic carry guns because I carry them. I enjoy shooting my Beretta and 1911's because I am more accurate with them and their heavier weight translates to less felt recoil and quicker follow up shots and they are just more fun to shoot. I would never want to carry my Berretta 92 though... it is just too heavy of a carry piece for me. I don't like carrying cocked and locked either so I have never considered a 1911 style gun for a carry gun.

It took me several thousands of rounds to get comfortable with all my plastic guns... and that was after learning to shoot many years ago with my Beretta. I would expect the transition from a revolver would be a bigger jump. I hope you find your comfort level, proficiency and fondness for the XDE go up after a good amount of trigger time.

P.S. I just purchased my first quality revolver, a Dan Wesson 744. Beautiful gun, sweet trigger, tight as a nats ass... and I don't shoot it worth a darn!.... yet!

I looked over XDE before buying PPS. The XDS is a horrible 9mm pistol. Heavy and large for what it is heavy trigger plus it has uselss manual safety. I could learn to live with .45ACP version.

I've shot a couple of XDs pistols and liked them. I thought when the XDe came out that I would like it (I generally prefer hammer guns), but I don't like the way the bore axis was raised, as it has to be gripped lower than the XDs. I would think that would make the muzzle rise worse. I guess I should not pass judgement until I actually shoot one.

I would contact SA concerning the mag catch. They might just send you a new one! Or they might send you a label to send the gun for service.

I do not know anything about the xde trigger. I assume it’s a DA/SA? If they tell you to send it in for the mag catch, have them check the trigger...

SA service is reputed to be quite good so I would give it a try!

I handled one when they first came out. The note axis is higher than I cared for and the trigger was garbage one the one example I looked at.

IMO, the XDs is a much better gun with a much better trigger. Still not a good trigger, but better than the XDe.

I've had an XDs 45 for years and it's a good shooter.

If I was given an XDe, I'd trade it immediately.

i had 4 XD's, and was not impressed with any of them. Figured after 3 lemons, 4th would work. I was wrong. If you are looking for a striker fired with a safety, try the M&P or FNS. I switched to M&P and never gone back. tho i still own the fns, i just shoot the M&P alot more

paulsj said:

I looked over XDE before buying PPS. The XDS is a horrible 9mm pistol. Heavy and large for what it is heavy trigger plus it has uselss manual safety. I could learn to live with .45ACP version.

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That's funny. My pps was junk and I sold it for a xds! I've been extremely satisfied with mine but I completely understand that a lot of people dislike it. It's great that we have so many options to choose from.

Cant go wrong with the beretta if it fits your hand. My FNS would freely drop empty mags with out a problem.

D.B. Cooper said:

I don't really have one.

I don't concealed/EDC carry. I would never leave a gun in the truck except when I'm o my way hunting/fishing to the range etc. I think I'm going to leave it in my bug out bag incase I have to leave the house fast. I guess really, I"m going to shoot it in the weekly USPSA type pistol league at the club. The autoloader guys are clobbering me.

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I have owned my Beretta 92 INOX for more than 25 years now, it is the gun I have taken most of the pistol classes with and the gun I have the most trigger time with. It is one of my favorite pistols and probably always will be!

I don't have nearly as much trigger time with my 1911's... but I do shoot them better than I shoot my Beretta even though my Beretta has a very nice single action trigger! The single action trigger on the 1911 just seems to be very conducive to speed AND accuracy. This is why the 1911's are still around after 100 years and are still so pervasive in the shooting sports. I have shot Glocks , Springfield XDm's, and S&W M&P's all tuned by experienced gunsmiths with expensive aftermarket triggers and all sorts of doodads for competition shooting... none of them have ever come close to my inexpensive 1985 manufactured Norinco 1911 that was tuned by a gunsmith friend of mine many years ago. He put on a decent set of sights, replaced the trigger with an aftermarket trigger and tightened up the slide to take the play out of it. I think I paid around $300 for the Norinco back i the day... AND received loads of crap for owning a Chinese 1911 back in the day. I also own a nice Springfield 1911 which was tuned tuned by the same gunsmith which wears a Burris Fastfire III and barrel integrated compensator... great gun but I still prefer the Norinco.

My round about point is that you might want to seriously check out a 1911 if you decide to replace your XDE or buy another gun. As a Beretta lover and long time owner IMHO the 1911 is a better range gun. Both my 1911's are single stack 45acp 7 round pistols. I believe many in the competition world are using double stack 9mm or 38 super 1911's. I my self have my eye on a inexpensive RIA Double Stack 1911 9mm with an additional 22tcm barrel (I just want to play with the 22 tcm cartridge and load my own rounds for it) Tac Ultra model that carries 17 rounds. For me this would mainly be a range gun.

For me concealed carrying a 1911 is not practical. I am not comfortable carrying a pistol in condition 1 (cocked and locked) so if I carried a 1911 I would carry it with an empty chamber. Personally I would not have an issue with a 1911 bug out gun that was stored with an empty chamber... but that is just me.

P.S. My biggest complaint about my Beretta 92 INOX is the sights. The sights are fine for a combat pistol but they leave a LOT to be desired for a competition gun. My Beretta has the front sight machined as in integral part of the frame so swapping the sights is not a small project. I believe there are some 92 models that do come with removable sights.. if I bought another 92 it would have sights that I could upgrade.

I also own a CZ75... another very nice gun that a lot of competitors seem to use. I prefer my Beretta over my CZ... but that is probably mainly do the my extensive familiarity with the Beretta.

MikeInOr said:

I my self have my eye on a inexpensive RIA Double Stack 1911 9mm with an additional 22tcm barrel (I just want to play with the 22 tcm cartridge and load my own rounds for it)

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Not to derail, but you won’t be disappointed with the RIA TCM combo. I have one and load for the TCM cartridge. It’s great!
To the op, since this is for games, you should consider the RIA double stack in 9mm. Can have a great trigger, has grip & standard safety, 17 rd capacity, and not very expensive. The trigger will make you forget the xde.

drband said:

Not to derail, but you won’t be disappointed with the RIA TCM combo. I have one and load for the TCM cartridge. It’s great!
To the op, since this is for games, you should consider the RIA double stack in 9mm. Can have a great trigger, has grip & standard safety, 17 rd capacity, and not very expensive. The trigger will make you forget the xde.

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I appreciate the endorsement! Now if I could just find one in Oregon that isn't priced above RIA list price.

D.B. Cooper said:

Also, I shot an FNX (hammer fired) at the range, and the first thing I noticed was the plastic grip was molded so tight that empty magazines would not fall out by their weight and gravity; you have to manually pull them out. The guy who owned the gun said his FNS is the same way. (Because otherwise, I like the FNX,

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My FNX-9 mags drop free.

I have an XDe and it just does not fit my hand well. The trigger to back strap distance is a bit short for my preferences. It makes the DA trigger let off in a funny place for me.

I could probably get used to it but would probably wear out the pistol in the process.

My first XDe I had stopped locking back the slide on the last round. You could wiggle an empty magazine in the gun and the follower would jump away from the slide stop. The magazine well was just a smidge too large. Springfield replaced the gun and the second one has worked fine so far.

I much prefer my H&K P30SK which I purchased after I decided the XDe was not working for me.

I won't carry a gun with potential energy stored in the firing mechanism when holstered. So SA only and striker fired guns are ruled out for me.

cfullgraf said:

I won't carry a gun with potential energy stored in the firing mechanism when holstered. So SA only and striker fired guns are ruled out for me.

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I'm not disagreeing with you, but that would rule out a lot more guns than you might think. Off the top of my head, that includes the LCP, and the Kahr guns. The LCP technically is not a DAO gun, it is a preset hammer. The hammer is half cocked when ready to shoot. The Kahr guns, though advertised as DAO, are actually preset strikers, as the strikers are half cocked when ready. Yes, they both require a double-action type trigger pull, that completes the cocking action before releasing the hammer/striker, but there is still stored energy. That is also why they don't have double-strike capability, as it takes operation of the slide to prepare the hammer/striker.

I would speculate that the intended target market of the XDE is people who shoot very little and want a "safe" gun.

...people who shoot very little and want a "safe" gun... And people who know almost nothing about guns. The only "safe" gun is one that is incapable of firing live ammo.

Drail said:

...people who shoot very little and want a "safe" gun... And people who know almost nothing about guns.

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The statement's "blanket" is a bit large.

I take issue with this. I know lots about guns and shoot alot. I prefer a good DA/SA semi-auto for carry.

That does not mean that I think everyone should carry a DA/SA auto. Carry what you are comfortable with and be happy.

Toprudder said:

I'm not disagreeing with you, but that would rule out a lot more guns than you might think. Off the top of my head, that includes the LCP, and the Kahr guns. The LCP technically is not a DAO gun, it is a preset hammer. The hammer is half cocked when ready to shoot.

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Yup, and my Kel-Tec P3-AT and P-32 reside comfortably in my safe.

Sorry, what I was referring to regarding people wanting a "safe gun" has to do with the fact that there is no such thing as a "safe gun". "Safe gun" is as silly a term as "assault rifle". Guns are not safe in the hands of a great many people I have seen as a Range Officer and Instructor. Most of these people also think they know all about guns and have nothing to learn. I absolutely agree with "carry what you're comfortable with" but don't believe for a second that one type of gun is safer than another. That's ALL on the user - not the gun.

D.B. Cooper said:

I may not like this 9mm Springfield Armory XDE I just bought a few weeks ago. It's kind of a tough gun to shoot well with. Let me preface all of this by saying that I'm transitioning from a Ruger Redhawk revolver, and the only other semi-auto I have any experience at all with is the 92FS.

What I like about the XDE:

Controls and ergonomics. I didn't at first, but they grew on me quick. I really like the safety. It has all the functions of a 92FS, plus the ability to go cocked and locked like a 1911, which I would never do. I can manipulate everything, even in gloved hands at 9˚F.

What I don't like:

The magazine catch often gets hung all the way to one side (it's ambidextrous) and won't retain the magazine. This is well documented on the u tubes. I have no idea what do about it.

The double-action first shot trigger is horrendous. I swear, the DA trigger on my Redhawk is lighter and smoother. (My Redhawk has just about 3k rounds though it.) The single-action trigger is pretty darn heavy and stiff, too, but I can do as good with it as I can with my DA revolver. (Only, with the XDE I can do it faster.)

Is there anything to be done with that trigger?

Recoil and muzzle flash. This gun is actually harder to shoot than my Redhawk with 44 specials. ore recoil, more muzzle jump, more flash...louder... I suspect some of that has to with the 3" barrel and 25oz weight.

So I'm not real sold on this gun, yet, but, I only have about 200 rounds of 115 grn ball through it. I feel like I'll ultimately end up with a 92FS. Or back to a revolver.

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DB hey I have a XDE that I bought last March and I carry it all the time. Looks like you should send it back with all the issues your having. That said what I did with the DA trigger, because I to was having issues conquering it, I would shoot magazine after magazine and drop the hammer for each shot until I got the hang of it. And the fact that the SA side is stiff I find puzzling too, mine is soft and I can now shoot the gun better than all my other guns. It's my primary carry. It doesn't sound like the gun I know. The comments here at least some are not informed due to not have shot the gun. Not all guns fit everybody so shoot it some more. I had a xds and hated it and sold it and bought a PPSM2, my second one. As far as the xde I will never get rid of it.