The XD-E is dead. Long live the XD-E.

I got one the very first week they came out. After my 1s range trip, I sold it.

At the time, I had a HK P2000sk. The XDe and the P2000sk both printed the same in my pocket. And, I found the grip a little "too" thin. I really had to focus on my grip to shoot the gun. It took WAY too much effort for me to shoot the gun well. Not something you want out of a carry gun. I used to LOVE DA/SA guns - and I was excited to get it. But so disappointed after the first range trip... And, I've owned 41 Berettas over the years - so I am very familiar with DA/SA guns...

Well that didn't last very long.

Those were terrible, not surprising. It’s like they took a page out of HiPoints book on the slide dimensions.

That’s what happens when you’re late to the market with a gun type that is pretty much out dated.
The DA/SA guns had their hay day back when police departments were transitioning from revolvers to auto, which was back in the 80’s and 90’s.
Now days your older gun guys are the ones that still like the DA/SA pistols. Most new shooters go the way of the striker fire pistols.
And there’s the fact that it had a single stack, low count, magazine. Now days just about everyone wants a gun with a higher mag count. Just think about the flack that Glock got by only making a 10 round mag for the 43x and the 48.
And then there’s the fact that Springfield Armory doesn’t even make the gun. They just put their label on most everything they sale.

There is a market for DA/SA hammer-fired guns. Admittedly, it is a minority of pistol owners. But still... DA/SA pistols can offer very good triggers and the functional security inherent in a long-trigger pull for the first DA press. A lot of folks who have hammer-fired range or service pistols (e.g., Hk, Beretta 92, Classic Sigs, the 1911's, etc.) want a hammer-fired CCW pistol. Thus the XD-E, with controls a bit like a 1911.

On the other hand, DA/SA guns are consistently slower to get off the first round than almost any striker-fired gun in a timed shooting event. And the hammer is a sort of design handicap in terms of physics -- it tends to need to over-hang the back of the grip to have enough room to be cocked (best example is the XD-E, but the new CSX has a bit of that too).

I've got an XD-E. It has a great trigger. It has a very easy to rack slide, even if the hammer is down. It is well-built -- HS Product makes good guns -- and it is reliable and accurate. On the other hand, it has a low magazine capacity (particularly when compared to the latest generation of micro-9's, which typically have 12 or so rounds). And it very, very ugly: it has that Hi-Point look to it. And many of them came with the words "Grip Zone" embossed on the sides of the grips. Ugh.

I don't think the world will miss the XD-E. But if Springfield (a company that sells guns made elsewhere) thought about it, they could have someone design a hammer-fired pistol with larger magazine capacity and make it a little more compact and better looking. Looks matter; a pistol is a piece of industrial art; many of us respond to a well-designed and finished pistol like we do when we see a great car, motorcycle, airplane, boat, etc. A great looking pistol in the desired size, for example, is the Colt 1903 .32 ACP. They are seductive - you just know they are going to shoot well (and they do). That's what Springfield should be looking to accomplish in its replacement for the XD-E.

I really wanted to like these when they dropped. Drove all over trying to find one to get hands on when I heard they were hitting stores. Picked it up and the trigger was nothing I wanted and the safety position was not something I thought I could work with. I do think there is room in the market for a smallish DA/SA that could compete in the 365 size class. Alas every company is trying to crowd into the striker market and I just wonder how many can fit in there before it is saturated beyond profitability. Maybe someday the old timers and hipsters will get the gun they want but not today. Guess my RAMI will have to do for now.

Between the end of 2019 and end of 2020, it seemed Springfield really cut a lot of models.
I was surprised to see the XD Mod 2 line fade out so quick. A buddy of mine got the XD Mod 2 subcompact 45 in 2015 when they came out and it's an excellent pistol. They were discontinued at the end of 2019 with almost the whole XD line.

I hate when any gun leaves the market, especially without a replacement.

But if I'm going to be honest, if you handed me a dinner plate or an XD-E, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

GunnyUSMC
"Now days your older gun guys are the ones that still like the DA/SA pistols."
I'm debating on whether I should be offended right now or not. I am "old school" but at 41 not quite willing to accept being labeled an old guy just yet . I've transitioned back to either revolver or DA/SA semis. I've just always preferred them over striker fired. Beretta, HK, and CZ are my go to. I have fondled the XD-E before but being a single stack and not the greatest of triggers, I've chosen against one so far.

As a huge fan of DA/SA, I really wanted to like this gun. For me, however, the ergonomics were all wrong, with my trigger finger naturally wanting to depress the sharp bottom edge of the trigger. I also brought my 3914 to the LGS for a direct comparison and realized how big and clunky the XDE was compared to the S&W product.

.455_Hunter said:

As a huge fan of DA/SA, I really wanted to like this gun. For me, however, the ergonomics were all wrong, with my trigger finger naturally wanting to depress the sharp bottom edge of the trigger. I also brought my 3914 to the LGS for a direct comparison and realized how big and clunky the XDE was compared to the S&W product.

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Since the overall dimensions are very similar, which XDE parts were too big and clunky?

gc70 said:

Since the overall dimensions are very similar, which XDE parts were too big and clunky?

View attachment 1054790

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For me, in the hand, there was no comparison. The top heavy Hi-Point analogy was very appropriate.

.455_Hunter said:

For me, in the hand, there was no comparison. The top heavy Hi-Point analogy was very appropriate.

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Small guns with polymer frames tend to be top-heavy.

The claim about the slide looking like the size of a Hi-Point is simply silly. An XDE slide is not even as tall as a 1911 slide, which I have never seen described as oversized.

The feel of the XDE in the hand was not doing it any favors. Picking it up I knew right away this was a dud gun design. And I was really excited for it back in the day, up until I handled it.

In my mind the CZ PCR that was bought in place of it was hands down exceedingly better ergos and design, no question.

gc70 said:

Small guns with polymer frames tend to be top-heavy.

The claim about the slide looking like the size of a Hi-Point is simply silly. An XDE slide is not even as tall as a 1911 slide, which I have never seen described as oversized.

View attachment 1054810

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Sorry dude- These are just my impressions when I handled the gun at the LGS. You are free to have alternative viewpoint and buy-up all the remaining XDEs on the market.

Many people love how a G19 fits their hand, while feel like I am holding a 2x2. Many people hate traditional style magna grips on S&W revolvers, while I prefer them for most non-magnum guns.

Ergonomics and handling are highly personal to each shooter.

Time to buy an XDE for close out prices. In 15 years they will be highly sought after collectors items.

My first handgun was a Ruger P85 which I quickly upgraded to an Beretta 92. I prefer DA/SA guns with decockers since that Is what I learned on but transitioned to striker fired carry guns a very long time ago.

BreechFace said:

The feel of the XDE in the hand was not doing it any favors. Picking it up I knew right away this was a dud gun design. And I was really excited for it back in the day, up until I handled it.

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Exactly my experience too.

D.B. Cooper said:

Well, apparently, the Springfield Armory XD-E is dead. SA has discontinued the entire line after barely four years of production. Guess it wasn't striker-firery-glocky enough. I didn't like mine at first, but it has really grown on me.

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Shipwreck said:

I got one the very first week they came out. After my 1s range trip, I sold it.

At the time, I had a HK P2000sk. The XDe and the P2000sk both printed the same in my pocket. And, I found the grip a little "too" thin. I really had to focus on my grip to shoot the gun. It took WAY too much effort for me to shoot the gun well. Not something you want out of a carry gun. I used to LOVE DA/SA guns - and I was excited to get it. But so disappointed after the first range trip... And, I've owned 41 Berettas over the years - so I am very familiar with DA/SA guns...

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Man, my P2000sk with LEM trigger is hands down my favorite subcompact pistol to carry. I love that gun.

that being said, I've never shot the xd-e but I was never a fan of the xds. always seemed to me to be a lot snappier than other guns of comparable size.

Regrettably it appears the XD-E suffered the same lack of buyer demand the Sig P239 and its replacement the P225-A1 suffered. I was carrying a Sig 239 at the time the XD-E came out. I handled the XD-E and was not impressed, the overall ergos and balance just didn't appeal to me. It's a shame the DA/SA options are growing narrower by the day. I guess some shooters just can't walk and chew gum at the same time.

I'll never be a fan of striker fired pistols for concealed carry, but as other posters have said, that puts me in the minority. That doesn't mean I'm wrong, it just means I don't follow crowd think.

I like regular SA XDs. Was all excited when they introduced the XD-E
My LGS got one in. I picked it up, tried the trigger and said no way.

Plan2Live said:

Regrettably it appears the XD-E suffered the same lack of buyer demand the Sig P239 and its replacement the P225-A1 suffered. I was carrying a Sig 239 at the time the XD-E came out. I handled the XD-E and was not impressed, the overall ergos and balance just didn't appeal to me. It's a shame the DA/SA options are growing narrower by the day. I guess some shooters just can't walk and chew gum at the same time.

I'll never be a fan of striker fired pistols for concealed carry, but as other posters have said, that puts me in the minority. That doesn't mean I'm wrong, it just means I don't follow crowd think.

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I'm with you there, I prefer hammer fired pistols period. I think I have two striker fired pistols maybe, my M&P 9 Pro and a G20. Everything else is hammer fired. just my preference though, i got called a trigger snob the other day for saying i preferred hammer fired lol.

iShatterBladderz said:

I got called a trigger snob the other day for saying I preferred hammer fired lol.

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That is funny! The striker platform has definitely caused a dumbing down of shooter skill.

.455_Hunter said:

That is funny! The striker platform has definitely cased a dumbing down of shooter skill.

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I wouldn't even consider myself "anti-striker", I just prefer to carry hammer fired. Some of it I'm sure is familiarity, I learned to shoot on 1911s, until I was an adult I had never shot any handgun other than a 1911. Then for most of the last decade I've carried nothing but HK pistols.