Opinions of the Springfield Armory XD's

[G'dale Mike]

Xd40 subcompact

Couldnt brag more on a firearm. Is my everyday work in my kennel sidearm. Gets banged against chain link fence posts, tossed in and out of my diesel gator, basicly, an everyday work tool. my place is basicly all sandstone so fine dust everywhere, but everytime i pull the trigger it shoots, and has been the Hammer of God for many a feral hog.

 

[verdun59]

Well I've long had the 4" barrel basic XD with a PRP trigger and it is without a doubt the best shooting gun I own. I really believe when they were introduced that the G fans made a concentrated effort to bad mouth them. I have heard "the high bore axis" until
I could puke. I shutter every time i see the name XD appear,
because I know all the cries of "high bore axis" are going to pour
forth (strange we don't always hear that about Sigs). This is followed by the xenophobes who seem to have an uncontrolled dislike for Croatia. Apparently Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Russia and/or the Soviet Union, Turkey, and Israel are all great; buuuuuuuttttttt there's something about Croatia
that fires them up. And no, I'm not even going to address
geographical ignorance. Needless to say I like my XD9.

 

[handloader357]

Ive been carrying an XD45c for quite some time now and I like it for what its meant for. Goes bang every time, accurate enough, fits me well and trust my life to it.

On the other hand, the XDs 45 makes me want to stab kittens.

 

[TarDevil]

But what in the world would put a Ruger or PX4 into the same class as the xD? I mean, I'm certainly of the mind that any pistol will do if you put in the work, but those two would be really stretching the point, eh?

Seriously?

Sam, why wouldn't the SR9 be in the same class as the XD? It is accurate, reliable, great trigger, lighter and slimmer than the XD. I've shot both, side by side, and can't understand such comments. My son owns the XD and thinks the sun rises and sets with that gun, but he can't hit a barn with it. He can shoot the eye's out of a gnat with my SR9, yet he makes comments like you and STILL won't buy the gun he shoots best.

SMH!

 

[Sam1911]

I suppose it is a matter of different strokes, then. I've seen (admittedly) precious few Rugers come through my matches and like the PX series of Berettas, they've ended up in my mind as in that "also" class of guns I don't really know anyone who uses.

Probably not fair of me to so classify them without having spent the time to really wring them out, but as they haven't made any inroads into the types of shooting I do, it's hard for me to get my hands on one. If the opportunity ever does come up, I'll give them an honest workout.

 

[Bobson]

My first pistol was an XD40 Duty. I was an awful shot, having had barely any experience with handguns of any type up to that point. I was a "great shot" (read: a great shot compared to my cousins, but probably just a decent shot compared to most people) with a rifle, so I blamed the gun for my crappy shooting, and sold it after only shooting a couple hundred rounds through it.

I loved everything about it except for the recoil of the .40 and the "poor accuracy," which was obviously my fault, not the gun's. I don't necessarily regret selling it, but I would be open to considering an XDm 9 in the future. I'm a big fan of the Glock 19 now, so time will tell.

 

[1911 guy]

I'm a fan of the XD. I only sold mine because I was consolidating guns and calibers a few years ago. About the only polymer gun I have liked. It ran well, was accurate and as far as striker fired guns go it had a pretty good trigger. My Dad still has one with no plans to get rid of it. If he did, I might snatch it up.

 

[David E]

My issue with the XD, and I own six, is that I cannot buy every part for it from SA.

If my striker breaks, or I damage or lose the sear, etc, back to SA it must go.

I pay shipping.

 

[TarDevil]

Sam, I don't compete and know precious little about matches but one of the reasons I've been told the SR9 isn't seen competitively is due to the magazine disconnect safety. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't your procedure for showing clear cause damage to the firing pin on the Ruger?

 

[Sam1911]

I'm not sure how it could harm the safety. It's a bit more fiddly to show clear as you have to keep an empty mag on hand to insert before you drop the hammer, but there are a handful of guns like that which are more popular in competition so it isn't that big a deal.

 

[TarDevil]

Don't you have to pull your trigger after clearing your gun? On the SR series, this can damage the striker.

 

[Sam1911]

Wait, you can't dryfire a Ruger? Seriously? Someone still builds centerfire autos you can't dryfire? That's a critical part of a good practice routine! Arrgh.

Yes, you do have to drop the hammer after every single course of fire in IDPA or USPSA. That's the final proof that your gun is clear and safe.

 

[Sam1911]

Ok, no, that's not right. I called up the Ruger SR series instruction manual and it says you CAN dryfire them just fine, you just need to have a mag inserted. That's a little bit annoying, but their nanny-safe policies require a mag disconnect safety so there's really no way around it.

At least it can be done. (Many Hi-Powers and a few other guns have come with mag disco safeties and we see them in competition. Not that big a problem.)

 

[AKElroy]

I sold my xdm .40. It was a well-made firearm and never had a hiccup, although I had fewer than 500 rounds through the gun before finally conceding it was not for me. None of the grip inserts provided a good fit for my hand, and the high bore axis, at least on that gun, really hindered my ability to shoot it well.

That said, I run a sig 226 that fits and shoots extremely well in my hand, and it has a bore axis even higher than the SA. if possible, I would suggest renting or borrowing one before buying. That would have saved me some cash.

As for durability, I can find virtually no negative reviews with regard to the HD series. They are well made.

 

[KenW.]

I've as many as four XD pistols at a time and usec each as a duty pistol.

I seriously doubt anyone can survive and prosper using ONLY made in America products anymore. Look at the labels on your clothes. Traditionaly Japanese cars are being built in the US now, but where do the net profits go? US flags being made in China? Where are your home electronics made? US cars are assembled in Mexico and Canada. China buys US scrap copper and sells us products made from it, kind of like Japan using US steel against us at Pearl Harbor.

It is truly a world economy, and those Croatians make a quality gun.
I have compared my XD and my Glock together for the bore axis thing people get all wrapped around the axle about. Yes, there is a difference. I don't notice it at all. If you can manage recoil you will not be affected.

 

[Weevil]

Had an XD40-V10.

Loved the ergos especially the short trigger reach, but did not like the over-all design especially of the slide. I detail strip all my firearms on a regular basis and was not impressed with the XD.

That little pin for the striker is an especially bad idea that is known to fail and render the pistol inoperative.

A tuned internal extractor......really???...and it's a pain in the butt to get out.

The frames not too bad but don't even think about taking the grip safety apart...you'll wished you didn't.

It also had some feed issues but new Wolff mag springs pretty well cured that and accuracy was just so-so at best.

After getting a Glock 29SF and a .40 conversion barrel the XD was expendable, especially after hearing the ported models have slide cracking issues.

Traded it for a Ruger P345 and don't regret it one bit. The P345 is a much nicer pistol.

 

[JTQ]

Sam1911 wrote,
Yes, you do have to drop the hammer after every single course of fire in IDPA or USPSA. That's the final proof that your gun is clear and safe.

Ok, no, that's not right. I called up the Ruger SR series instruction manual and it says you CAN dryfire them just fine, you just need to have a mag inserted...

At least it can be done. (Many Hi-Powers and a few other guns have come with mag disco safeties and we see them in competition. Not that big a problem.)

At the risk of taking this thread too far afield, how do you deal with guns that need a mag inserted to fire, like the Hi-Power, in competition, to show clear?

 

[Sam1911]

JTQ -- First, let the SO know your situation. Most have seen this a time or two, but if not, you want to explain.

Second, after the "Unload, show clear" command, drop the mag, retract the slide, give the SO a look-see.

After "Slide forward, pull the trigger" you close the slide and THEN insert an empty mag. Pull the trigger, remove the mag, get the "hoster" command and holster the gun.

A bit fussy, but if you're shooting a gun with a mag disco "safety" then you just get used to it.

(Now ask me about CZ shooters who want to start decocked! )

 

[JTQ]

Thanks, Sam1911.

Those seem like the logical procedures. It seems as if there would be quite a few fine guns that end up not being terribly popular in the various competitions due to their particular "peculiarities".

 

[Kleanbore]

Posted by Sam1911: I've seen (admittedly) precious few Rugers come through my matches and like the PX series of Berettas, they've ended up in my mind as in that "also" class of guns I don't really know anyone who uses.

Probably not fair of me to so classify them without having spent the time to really wring them out, but as they haven't made any inroads into the types of shooting I do, it's hard for me to get my hands on one. If the opportunity ever does come up, I'll give them an honest workout.

I carried a Ruger SR-9c for couple of years. I've switched, and hear's why:

• While I selected the Ruger in part because of the kind of safety, I found in training that I could be delayed by having to disengage it. Yes, one can practice until the cows come home, but just one hiccup at the wrong time could prove very serious. One can leave the safety disengaged, but that leaves open the possibility that a stray item clothing in the holster might activate the trigger. Yeah, you can say "don't let it happen", but I am very risk averse.
• Members of one training company who have the opportunity to observe a large number of pistols in use report that they consider the Glock, the Smith and Wesson M&P, and the XD to be among the most reliable. Of course, they may not see many Rugers.

I chose the XD-S over the Glock for one reason: the grip safety. I consider it "shirt tail insurance".

 

[mgmorden]

Sam, I don't compete and know precious little about matches but one of the reasons I've been told the SR9 isn't seen competitively is due to the magazine disconnect safety. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't your procedure for showing clear cause damage to the firing pin on the Ruger?

The magazine disconnect can be easily removed. I don't know about IDPA but USPSA doesn't consider a mag disconnect to be a safety device so it's completely fine per the rules to remove it.

I think the main reason you don't see them is the lack of a 5" barrel version. The XD, M&P, and Glock (and now PPQ and FNS) are all available in 5" versions. The Production circuit is largely dominated by Glock though, with M&P being a distant second. CZ's/Tanfoglio's seem to be gaining traction though.

I personally shoot an M&P in competition but I've got an SR9 as well. The trigger I actually like better on the SR9 (despite running an Apex kit in the M&P) and I'd probably shoot that with a 5" barrel and better sights.

 

[Sam1911]

It seems as if there would be quite a few fine guns that end up not being terribly popular in the various competitions due to their particular "peculiarities".

Yeah, that's something I wrestle with from time to time. Surely the differences between the absolute qualities of the many various guns can't be so extreme that four or five models are really THE universal best guns, but you'd think so from watching most practical competition.

Yes, a polymer striker-fired gun that holds a fair bit of ammo has very discernable benefits. And the popular models have a LOT of support both from their manufacturers and the aftermarket. That's huge.

But it is a real truth that the competition world sort of has things narrowed down to a few variations on a formula (sort of like Indy cars, I guess) and if a design is very different at all from that formula (and doesn't have the support) it just isn't competitive. So, outside of the revolver and 1911 classes, you end up with Glocks Glocks Glocks, and lots of M&Ps taking up maybe 85% of the field), a few xDs (maybe 5%), and then a sprinkling of CZs & clones, Sigs, Hi-Powers, and M9 Berettas together making up the penultimate 8-9%. After that, there will be the lonely "alsos". One percent or two that will be a Ruger of some type, Non-M9/92 Berettas, FNHs, Steyrs, Walthers, Taruses, HKs, old generation S&W autos, and so forth.

Certainly someone could grab their HK or FN or Ruger, put together a decent kit to go along with it, and really rock at least their local match scene. But it sure doesn't seem to happen often/ever. And that leads to the (possibly false) self-perpetuating idea that they just aren't for the serious competitor. I think a lot of guys coming up see the big names move toward those most common thee or five designs (even making late-career shifts in platform) and assume that if they put their thousands of hours of practice in with their secondary brand gun, eventually they'll hit a point where they're being held back by that gun and will have to switch to the more well-suited Glock or M&P or whatnot.

(For most of them they never really will pursue their skills development that far anyway, but why start down a dead-end road, you know?)

 

[Weevil]

Well I know we sometimes get carried away with the "bore-axis" thing but it does matter as evidenced by their popularity in competition shooting.

That few fractions of a second difference each shot from a pistol that sits low and solid in the hand instead of rocking back like one with a higher bore, can be the difference between winning and losing.

I think this is one of the reasons high bore guns like Sigs, Rugers and the XD aren't nearly as popular. Sure if you're really good you might make up the difference but still you'd be quicker with a lower bore.

Glocks and 1911s have low bore-axis and short trigger reset plus they're easier to mod than a lot of others. It's no surprise they dominate competitive shooting.



In defense of the high bore if you're not competing and worried about split seconds of time a high bore is much more pleasant to shoot and doesn't punish your hand, wrist and arm as much.

For a plinker or range gun I've always enjoyed the Ruger P's and their smooth rolling recoil.

 

[Cee Zee]

I have a XDm .40 and it's my carry pistol during the winter when I can cover it with a jacket or heavy shirt. It's too much for summer shorts and t-shirts though. It's accurate and reliable and it holds 16+1 rounds. That makes it an excellent SD weapon IMO.

But there are other pistols in the world. I don't have much trouble with the high axis as some seem to do. If I had a .45 I might. But again I have the .40. But as far as accuracy goes on the first shot my SA doesn't compare to my Sig P220. It really isn't even close. That Sig is about as accurate as any pistol I've ever shot and the people at the gun range seem to think it is too. I've had 30 people standing around watching it work before. They laughed at me when I moved the metal target out to 25 yards. I laughed right back at them because I knew what was coming. After pinging that 6" target time after time they finally got it in their heads that it wasn't a fluke. It will do that all day long. But it's axis is even higher than my XDm and second shots are tough. Double taps are best started aiming low and expecting to hit two different areas. Still I've shot flying butterflies at 40 yards with that Sig. It is very accurate.

That said I also have another pistol that doesn't have a high axis at all. In fact it is very low. Recoil is straight back into my hand. It's a .45 so to absorb the recoil I bend my elbows just slightly which is an adjustment on my normal stance. But once I started doing that and practiced a bit I could put 11 rounds into a 8" target from 25 yards in just 10 seconds. I've shot .45 cases from 20 yards hitting 2 on the only 2 tries I took. I missed one at 25 yards by about an inch. The pistol is a Taurus PT-145 Millennium Pro. Yeah it surprised me too. But the thing is an excellent shooter and it's never failed to fire except once which was clearly an ammo issue. I've put thousands of rounds through that gun so obviously one failure to fire (on the first strike - the cartridge fired on the second strike) was an ammo issue.

Still the gun I keep with me is that XDm. First off it holds 16+1 rounds of .40 ammo. And .40 caliber bullets are said to penetrate stuff like car door steel abetter than a .45 because of the faster speed. I find that most of the trouble I see happens when I'm driving. People on the road can be crazy especially if they think they can harass you and outrun your car. I've seen that way too many times.

I love that SA pistol. I think it's a great SD weapon. It's very accurate. But it isn't the gun I would choose for a competition among the pistols I own.

 

[orionengnr]

Also Croatia is a large source of child labor, as well as sex slavery. It may even be the largest area for that economy in the Eastern UK.

Your lack of knowledge continues to be on display...Croatia is not part of the UK.
My wife owned an XD for three or four years. It was okay, but nothing special. She ended up selling it, and I did not argue with her on that point.
If I happen upon an XDs at the right price, I might give it a try, but I'm not burning up the 'net looking for one.