What is your opinion of the Springfield XD-E?

As I understand, the barrel of the 9mm is thicker, thus heavier.
The XDs series has always been heavier than comparable pistols.

Don't get me wrong...extra weight makes for softer shooting, quick follow up, etc. I think it wise not going too light. My back just won't tolerate much over 18 - 20 ounces, so the Springfield series are out of consideration for me.

For me? Awkward grip. Too heavy and large fornthe capacity. Trigger was so so at best, safety/decocker in a strange position and difficult to reach.

Considering how close it is in size, a Sig 239 is a better option IMO, or better yet a P225

I regularly carry a Sig 239 so the weight isn't an issue for me. I handled the XD-E and it didn't seem to offer anything my 239 doesn't offer.

bangbang01 said:

there is still a strong demand for DA/SA defense pistols

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I agree. A DA/SA pistol with a fairly stiff DA trigger pull and the ability to place a thumb on the hammer while re-holstering is clearly safer to carry than a striker fired pistol with a lighter trigger pull. Any number of items have found themselves inside the trigger guard. And I've never understood or bought into the objections to a DA/SA trigger system. If I'm going to shoot you once I'm most likely going to put a second round in you so having that second round go off 1/10th of a second sooner than I thought isn't a big deal. Whether I'm shooting a hammer fired pistol or a striker fired pistol I tend to shoot my follow-up shots from a fully retracted trigger position only coming out to reset when I am on target so I don't understand the complaints over the transition. I've also taken several force-on-force classes using airsoft pistols and I never once "felt" the trigger. It could have been 5 pounds or 12 pounds, with the adrenaline pumping I never noticed how "crisp" the trigger was, all I was focused on was moving and putting rounds on target.

When it was introduced I was pretty jazzed about it. Liked the looks in the press pictures. A couple of months ago I got to handle one at the local GS............I went in thinks one might come hone with me. First thing I noticed was the long heavy DA trigger!!!!! Deal breaker!

JR24 said:

For me? Awkward grip. Too heavy and large fornthe capacity. Trigger was so so at best,

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This mirrors my sentiments. I was really unimpressed. I'm pretty sure the grip doesn't cone with different sized backstraps either, so it's too small for me.

I have 2 XDE 9 mm. I bought them as carry pistols for the wife and I. We have found them to be very accurate and have had 0 FTF and FTE, we have used Federal 115gr FMJRN. A couple things I like are: very thin single stack easy to carry, 8 rounds in standard mag and 9 rounds on the extended mag. It is very easy for the wife to rack the slide ( probably not your issue). The weight listed is right and will be heavier with one in the pipe and loaded mag. I agree that it is no Sig, but for the money ( I paid $299.00 ea) it is hard to beat. I bought these during a promo and received 4 extra magazines for each, 2 regular and 2 extended, 1 two mag carriers for each, and 1 holster each from Springfield. Holster sucks IMO. Hope this helps.

Plan2Live said:

I agree. A DA/SA pistol with a fairly stiff DA trigger pull and the ability to place a thumb on the hammer while re-holstering is clearly safer to carry than a striker fired pistol with a lighter trigger pull. Any number of items have found themselves inside the trigger guard. And I've never understood or bought into the objections to a DA/SA trigger system. If I'm going to shoot you once I'm most likely going to put a second round in you so having that second round go off 1/10th of a second sooner than I thought isn't a big deal. Whether I'm shooting a hammer fired pistol or a striker fired pistol I tend to shoot my follow-up shots from a fully retracted trigger position only coming out to reset when I am on target so I don't understand the complaints over the transition. I've also taken several force-on-force classes using airsoft pistols and I never once "felt" the trigger. It could have been 5 pounds or 12 pounds, with the adrenaline pumping I never noticed how "crisp" the trigger was, all I was focused on was moving and putting rounds on target.

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I disagree with several points here-
1. If you're depending on the weight of the trigger (whatever it is) to prevent an ND, you need to rethink your gun handling, holsters and other strategies; 4 or 5# of trigger pull is not the right way to prevent a firearm going off.
2. If trigger pulls don't matter, why is it that folks who specialize in hitting targets quickly (competition shooters) pay particular attention to them? And I'd note my FoF experience doesn't mirror your own; sight picture and trigger press remain important.

Larry

bangbang01 said:

I can't think of a DA/SA that doesn't have a long heavy DA trigger. That's the point. It's not going to accidentally go off, and there is no safety to remember under stress. With some DA/SA pistols you can put them on half cock like the CZs, But I'm not sure if the XD-E has this option.

For what it's worth, I remember talking to a retired cop that was also an instructor at my local indoor range, and he said that statistically, an officer is more likely to have an unintentional discharge with a safe action firearm than with a DA or DA/SA firearm. He also said that he had personally seen more accidents and near accidents with SA only pistols than anything else with beginners at the range.

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Leroy Martin, former Superintendent of the Chicago Police, refused to allow CPD to use Glocks because 'they go off by themselves.' Sources inside CPD indicated that officers used to pre-staging their untuned DA revolvers' triggers with 5-6# of pull were asked to try Glocks without any conversion training, did the same pre-staging (which now exceeded the trigger's total pull weight) and legitimately thought the guns had gone off 'by themselves.' They never 'pulled the trigger' in the sense they wanted the gun to go off, and were unaware of their trigger pre-loading until it was spotted by trainers.

This is just a long way of say that police statistics shouldn't be considered the be-all, end-all on any firearms subject. Most LEO's I worked with when I was on the job were experts at carrying handguns-they did it 8 hours a day. Shooting? Not so much.

Larry

DT Guy said:

Leroy Martin, former Superintendent of the Chicago Police, refused to allow CPD to use Glocks because 'they go off by themselves.' Sources inside CPD indicated that officers used to pre-staging their untuned DA revolvers' triggers with 5-6# of pull were asked to try Glocks without any conversion training, did the same pre-staging (which now exceeded the trigger's total pull weight) and legitimately thought the guns had gone off 'by themselves.' They never 'pulled the trigger' in the sense they wanted the gun to go off, and were unaware of their trigger pre-loading until it was spotted by trainers.

This is just a long way of say that police statistics shouldn't be considered the be-all, end-all on any firearms subject. Most LEO's I worked with when I was on the job were experts at carrying handguns-they did it 8 hours a day. Shooting? Not so much.

Larry

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I know in my area during the transition time from DA/SA S&Ws to Glocks there was also a significant deterioration in both training and qualification requirements for many PDs, you should hear my FiL go off about some guys who legitimately shouldn't have been allowed to carryba gun for a living before he retired.

Again, new triggers possibly poor/minimal training for transition is a poor setup for success.

If holstering/unholstering was so much more advantageous with DA/SA I would expect more in LEO holsters, yet even when carrying Sig many departments require the DAK system.

For a CCW it is less of a consideration for me as, honestly, a CCWer should only be holstering/unholstering once a day and any time the gun is out of its holster it shouldn't be too much to ask a gunowner to FOCUS on what they are doing with their gun.

Safe holstering isn't difficult even with a Glock if you treat it with the respect you should any loaded firearm.

At least in my opinion, YMMV naturally.

Plan2Live said:

A DA/SA pistol with a fairly stiff DA trigger pull and the ability to place a thumb on the hammer while re-holstering is clearly safer to carry than a striker fired pistol with a lighter trigger pull. Any number of items have found themselves inside the trigger guard.

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One problem with this reasoning is that Springfield themselves offer a product that is striker fired but will not fire if something gets into a trigger guard and is safe to holster by putting the thumb on its back, disengaging the grip safety. It's already win-win, so why XD-E then? Worse in every way.

I suspect with a pocket gun like the LCP folks holster it more... gingerly than the force I see LEOs slam their Glocks into their holsters (often with reason, not a judgement).

Though the long trigger pull can't but help too.

DT Guy said:

If you're depending on the weight of the trigger (whatever it is) to prevent an ND, you need to rethink your gun handling,

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I don't "rely" on the weight of the trigger to prevent a negligent discharge but it is an additional safety measure. I don't "rely" on my seat belt but it is an additional safety measure and a safety measure I haven't needed.

Do an internet search using the search phrase "Glock Leg". Then do an internet search using the search phrase "Sig Leg". The results are self evident.

Interesting discussion.

Back to the Springfield XD-e.

I've had one since June or July. The first one went back to Springfield for not holding the slide back after the last round. Apparently, the magazine well was too wide and the slide stop could not reliably engage the magazine follower. Springfield replaced the pistol.

The second gun has had 200-300 rounds through it so far and has performed properly.

The gun is bigger than I hoped. Something closer in size, or smaller, to an XD-s or a Glock 43 would have been nice.

It shoots well, I get adequately size groups with it. The trigger lets off a little farther back than I'm accustomed to. Not a big deal on single action shooting but I expect it to let off before it does on double action and I end up flinching or jerking the gun sometimes. I am sure I could work through this.

The grip is a bit skinny for my tastes but I realize that is a trade off for easier concealment.

From a reloader's point of view, the gun does not spray cases all over the world. Most of the cases end up in a fairly small circle, 4 ft to 6 ft or so, next to me. I rarely lose a case when shooting the XD-e.

The gun functions and shoots fine, most of my disagreements with it are my opinion and others may not find them objectionable.

bangbang01 said:

If that doesn't scare one enough, look up Glock c**k. It's the ultimate Darwin award!

When I see people appendix carrying a striker pistol with no external safety, it makes me question one's inteligence. You only get one of those.

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Single clip holster, holster before you put it on the belt.

Its not rocket science

bangbang01 said:

Until you blow your best friend off while drawing the thing under stress when someone is attacking you. Do some research on how "glock leg" or Glock c**k happens a lot of the time. It's not always Johnny gang-banger or some complete idiot that experiences this phenomenon.

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Every case Ive read is reholstering.

If youve got your finger in the trigger while drawing you need to work on training, and "under stress" such a person would probably pop a DA trigger too.

I don't doubt that folks have hurt themselves with Glocks (and every other type of gun.) I just posit that if even a part of your safety plan includes a heavy trigger pull, you're doing it wrong. Trigger protection and trigger discipline are the key to not blowing random bits of yourself or others off, and if you're not well trained enough to draw from appendix, you're not well trained enough to draw from anywhere; if you're likely to pull the trigger when you draw your pistol, you're unsafe. If you're well trained enough NOT to pull the trigger when drawing your pistol, you're safe enough to draw from any position.

This sort of thinking brings out the absolutist in me, I'll admit, but having folks talk about a heavy trigger pull being 'another safety feature' implies they consider it possible the trigger will be pulled unintentionally; that isn't safe, regardless of the firearm's action.

Larry