Does an XD-40 need breaking in?

[dgrolem]

I have been away from handgunning for a long time. I bought an XD-40 and picked it up today. The range had no XDs for rent, but I had compared the feel of the gun to Glocks and narrowly chose the XD-40.

During the 10 year -- sorry 10-day waiting period -- I rented a Glock 22 and shot 200-300 rounds. Just before I picked up the XD-40, I could keep ten rounds within a 4" circle at 7 yds.

Today, much to my amazement, my XD shooting was CONSIDERABLY worse. I could keep 7 of 10 in a small group but 3-4 would be "wild shots". I know each gun is different, but I felt the difference was striking. I firmly believe that it is ME and not the gun.

Questions:

1) Is there break-in period or break-in routine that I should be following?
2) XD shooters: Anything I could be doing wrong?
3) Is this simply a matter of becoming accustomed to this gun?
4) If I am the one that needs breaking in, how long should that take?

DAN

 

[Babalouie]

The XD doesn't need to be broken in. What you will find is the trigger becomes quite a bit smoother with use. My XD was very accurate right out of the box. The flyers are from the shooter, as you suspect. I shoot IPSC every week and still get plenty of flyers and no shoots... Form breaks down, you anticipate the recoil or you just brain fart. Flyers are easy to get no matter how much experience you have. The XD trigger, like the glock, takes getting used to and the more you shoot the tighter your groups will be.

 

[Euclidean]

XD40 was my CCW choice for about a year and now I've gone to the XD45ACP.

It's just different... I took to it naturally but I had to just throw some rounds downrange first. My first 100 shots were all over the paper, but it got better.

Practice some basic dryfire... I know it's a bit tough to do a lot of authentic trigger pulls with the XD, but balancing a quarter on the slide and learning how the gun points helped me an awful lot between range visits. When I got to the point I could sweep the muzzle of the unloaded gun along my "safe" wall and then dryfire without dropping the quarter, I found I could shoot it better.

 

[gharsh]

This is just a thought, but the grip angles between a glock and an XD are very different to my hands. I prefer the angle of the XD to the glock. Maybe shooting the glock and conditioning your self to that grip style will take some relearning for your hands on the XD.

Keep shooting and it will come around, no matter what the problem.

 

[Marshall]

Get some soap and wash that Glock off your hands. You'll be fine.

 

[bakert]

I don't have an XD40 but with other guns I find if I keep practicing, my shooting always gets better. Euclidean. Bobalouie and dgrolem, it's refreshing to hear from shooters that admit to having lapses or having a group size a bit larger at times than many who post at this site.

 

[dgrolem]

Thanks to all for the good comments!!

 

[Doctor Suarez]

I'm a 1911 owner who picked up an XD-40 Service as a back-up.

It did take some time to get the XD's groups to shrink. It's a well-designed gun, but it is truly its own animal.

The trigger will smooth out, and you'll have to handle it a lot to find the right grip.

Whoever said you should dry-fire with a snap cap is entirely correct. It helps a great deal. And, thankfully, you only need to retract the slide about a half-inch to cock the striker, so you can keep banging away on the same cap.

If you keep on the trigger, and get used to it, you'll find yourself rolling it back far more smoothly. Also, mine used to stack up just before the break, but that's been mostly smoothed out from use. Also, you just get used to it, and then you ignore it, and the muzzle stops dipping.

The weapon doesn't need break in... you do! (And I mean that in the nicest possible way. I was in the same situation.)

 

[gudel]

1) Is there break-in period or break-in routine that I should be following?
2) XD shooters: Anything I could be doing wrong?
3) Is this simply a matter of becoming accustomed to this gun?
4) If I am the one that needs breaking in, how long should that take?

1. Unlike a 1911, XD does not need to be broken in. Mine was out of the box, cleaned, lubed, and fired with WWB.
2. You probably not used to the trigger. My XD40 is very good in accuracy, same as my GLOCK 22.
3. See 2.
4. See 1.

 

[albanian]

All guns are machines and they will react different after a little use. I like to break in all my guns and get at least two cleanings in and a few hundred rounds downrange before I consider them broken in.

When I got my XD-9, there was a learning curve to be sure but it was a quick one. When I first got it, it was very average in terms of accuracy. After a few range sessions and a few hundred rounds, it has reallly shone. It is one of the most accurate rapid fire and slow fire pistols I have onwed. It is not as good in slow fire as some of my best guns but it makes up for it in rapid fire. If you averaged out both of the types of accuracys, I think my XD would be near the top if not at the very top. I have a lot of guns that can shoot tight groups slow fire but in rapid fire are all over the place. I have a lot of guns that can hold their own in rapid fire but I would never think to shoot Bulls Eye with them. With the XD, I could actually hit things at long range yet still have a combat ready pistol.

My advice is, give it a few more range sessions with at least 100rds each. If you are not seeing serious improvement after that, it may be time to go back and get a Glock. I am a XD fan but that is ONLY because it works for me better than the Glock. If Glocks felt like Xds in my hands and shot the types of groups that XDs shoot, I would be a Glock fan big time! I have no alience to either company and I hate plastic guns in general. I didn't want to like the XD but it has won me over. You got to go with what works for you.

It would be nice if we all could try out every gun we were thinking about buying for a few weeks. If you wanted to buy a plastic framed full to medium sized .40s&w for example, it would be great if you could try out the Glock, H&K, Walther, XD-40, and every other gun in that groups that you might be interested in. I think more of us would have what worked for us that way.

 

[Hagen442]

Suggestion on Ammo:
I have seen several cases of the XD jamming with WOLF type ammo in different calibers, stick with brass cased ammo and it will run fine.

I break in all my guns as follows: give it a chance to cool down between mag changes running the first 100 rounds and then have at it.

I love my little 3 Inch 9mm. I use mine in IDPA Bug matches. Excellent point and shoot gun.

 

[Brandon]

Holding differently...

I found that mine needed a LOT more trigger finger.

I stick my finger across the trigger almost up to my first knuckle...

Don't know why, I usually shoot pretty close to the tip of my finger for that "sqeeze" rather than jerk, but the XD really likes to be hugged and squeezed.

I love mine. I bought the XD40 compact and like it so much I bought the tactical 40