Very discouraged with subcompact autos...

[Hammer059]

Okay, so here goes. I'll provide some background info so you can understand the situation, then I'd like to hear what you folks would do.

I've carried a 642 Airweight for over 2 years. The price of 9mm has always appealed to me, and sometimes I think it would be nice to consolidate calibers and have all my handguns in 9mm. Last summer I tried an LC9S for awhile and (long story short) it broke…. twice. Even after getting it back from Ruger. Frustrated, I went back to carrying the trusty 642 that never fails me.

So now, after carrying the 642 for almost another year, I got the 9mm for a carry gun bug again, and really liked the XDS. So I unwisely sold the 642 and got the XDS. I love everything about the XDS (except maybe the grip safety, no big deal). I like shooting it, it carries very well, capacity is good, sights are great, ergonomics are good.

The first 200 rounds through the XDS, I had probably 10-15 malfunctions. All of them were light and/or off center primer strikes. I was using two different types of ammo, and I shoot those brands through my Glock 17 and I've never had a single FTF with them in the Glock, so it couldn't have been the ammo, especially as often as they occurred.

So, I went home and read that Springfield really loads the gun with grease and oil from the factory, and that it can get in the firing pin channel and cause issues identical to mine. So, I diligently disassembled the ENTIRE firing pin assembly and cleaned it thoroughly, without adding any oil or grease once I was done, obviously.

Rounds 201-400 were flawless. I cleaned it well every 100 rounds. Today I put another 150 rounds through it, these were rounds 401-550. This time I had 3 of the same failure-to-fire malfunctions, light and slightly off-center primer strikes. Very frustrating, to say the least.

At this point my options are:

1) Send it back to Springfield and hope they fix it
2) Don't send it back, sell it and get something that works (like a 642!)

When I got the XDS, I ALMOST got a Sig 938. I'm wishing I did. Now, I'm hesitant to get one if I sell the XDS. With my luck, the 938 would have some sort of issue also and I'd be out more money and wasted ammo. If I could know for sure that the 938 would be superbly reliable, I'd get it. But I'm thinking I should just get the 642 and keep it this time.

I guess I could (maybe should) send it back to Springfield and give it another chance. But with my luck, I'd go without a carry gun for two weeks, then get it back and blow another 500 rounds through it just to find out it's still a piece of crap. So keeping the Springfield one way or another just doesn't really appeal to me.

What do you guys think? What would you do if you were me? I love the 642 and have thousands of rounds experience through it; I can shoot it very well. Should I just go back to the 642? Should I try a Sig 938 that I very much hope will run flawlessly? Or should I give the XDS a second chance?

Decisions, decisions...

 

[Shaq]

Did you buy the XDS new or used?

 

[Harleytoo]

I like Springfield but never liked the XDS series. I have an EMP that has worked flawlessly. It is small and easy to carry but the capacity is a bit light. So, I tend to carry my PX4 Storm Subcompact or my Sig P229 Legion. Both work every time I pull the trigger.

I would send it back and have them go through it. Something is amiss.

As for Sig, I have nothing but high praise for their guns. I had a Shield for a while, but did not care for how it shot, so I sold it.

I will probably sell the EMP soon as well. I love it, great gun, but I just like the higher capacity of my other two carry guns.

 

[Sergei Mosin]

Springfield has a reputation for excellent customer service; give them a call. Probably won't cost you anything to get it fixed, so get it fixed.

 

[Hammer059]

Shaq- I bought the XDS brand new

Harleytoo- You're right, something is definitely amiss. The only thing that would make me more frustrated would be if I sent it back to Springfield, waited, and got it back and it still had issues. It wouldn't be the first time, because that happened with Ruger and my LC9S, so ever since then I have very little tolerance for any problems with a new gun I buy.

 

[FL-NC]

Hammer- I know quite a few people who use XD pistols for things like 3 gun, HD, CCW, etc., and they like them. Of course, these are all full-size pistols. It seems like sometimes when manufacturers "miniaturize" a proven full-size gun into a CCW pistol, shenanighans often ensue. I would never buy a new or "newer" production gun until it has been in circulation for a good while, because I like other people to find any bugs in the thing before I invest $ and time in one. I noticed you posted that you have a Glock 17 (their original full-size product). Have you ever considered switching to something like a G26, or G43 if the 26 is too "fat" for your CCW tastes? The 26 has been in circulation for years, and has had an excellent service record. The 43 took the CCW market by storm, and I haven't heard of any chronic issues with them. Mine has worked as advertised, although I did add trijicon sights and + floorplates to my mags (both absolute MUSTS for both the 26 and 43, IMO). Also, since you didn't care for the grip safety on the XD, that would be eliminated, an apparently you aren't totally in opposition to striker fired pistols, based on your ownership of a G-17 and the XD.

 

[Hammer059]

FL-NC: You bring up some good points. It does seem to be a trend that when gun companies make a mini version, they often run into issues. I too like to wait till a gun has been out for awhile, but I felt like the XDS had been out long enough that they would have worked out the kinks. Maybe I just got a rare lemon.

I am actually planning on selling my Glock. I'm just not crazy about it, I got it on a trade and I respect it for what it is, but I enjoy shooting a CZ75 about 100x more than the Glock, so that's what I'm gonna get. But since it's not a carry gun, it's not as urgent. And in the meantime, the Glock does work, at least.

I owned a Glock 26 before. It worked just fine, but it was too bulky and thick for me to be comfortable carrying it. I sold it. The reason I chose the XDS over the 43 was for several reasons: the XDS holds an extra round, I like the stock sights on the XDS WAY more than the Glock, and I like the way it feels better in my hand, although that's not a huge difference. I would much prefer the Sig 938 over the Glock 43 IF I choose to go with another 9mm for carry. I'm not in opposition to striker fired pistols, but they certainly aren't my preference.

 

[TomJ]

I have a number of Springfields and have had to send a couple in for repair. Their customer service is great, and if you like the XDS it's worth sending it to them for repair. I had an EMP that they couldn't get working with HP ammo after 4 repair attempts, so they gave me my choice of another gun within the EMP's price range. My point is that they'll fix your gun or replace it.

 

[Hammer059]

TomJ- That's good to know, and I appreciate you sharing your experience.

My problem with that is that it seems like many people have problems with them out of the box. I don't want a gun that isn't 100% from the start. It doesn't matter to me how good the warranty is for something like this, having a good warranty won't make me feel warm and fuzzy inside if I'm defending my life with a gun and it malfunctions in the process. I demand that my guns are 100% functional, 100% of the time.

If this was strictly a range gun, or even a carry gun that I had had for a long time and put thousands and thousands of rounds through, then the customer service or warranty would mean something to me. But if a company can't consistently get it right from the get-go, should I really trust them to fix something they couldn't get right in the first place?

I see where you guys are coming from with the customer service thing. It's great that they will fix it for free, but I'm not sure if that makes me feel any more confident in the gun.

 

[FL-NC]

Hammer- another option in the striker fired category is the M&P shield. I carried one for a couple of years. It is a great pistol but I recently replaced it with a Glock 43 once I was able to get one for a reasonable price. Personally I don't care for hammer guns or transitional DA pistols, but IMO the best ones are the traditional Sigs like the 228/229 or HK's like the USP models and the P2000. Of course, we always said HK stands for High Kost.

 

[Plan2Live]

Take a look at the Sig 290RS. The RS stands for re-strike. If it ever fails to fire you simply pull the trigger again like you would your 642. Best of both worlds.

 

[Hammer059]

Plan2Live- Wow, that's pretty cool. I can't believe I've never heard of that. Honestly if I do replace the XDS I don't really want another striker-fired. But that is very intriguing, I'm about to look that up now. Definitely an awesome idea.

 

[Hammer059]

I'm gonna be thinking about this till I get paid this coming Saturday. A few more thoughts:

I've shot a Sig 938 before, and as much as I love it, I'm not so sure I like the idea of having a manual safety on a carry gun. I'll have to think more about this.

Right now I'm really, really regretting selling my 642.

 

[jad0110]

Definitely get the XDS fixed. It may end up working fine and you can keep it or trade it with a clear conscience. I will say that I personally prefer the M&P9 Shield.

But it sounds like you need to get your 642 back. They generally seem to just work and once you get the hang of them they're surprisingly shootable.

 

[tarosean]

The 43 took the CCW market by storm,

LOL, fanboy much?

All they did was show up late to the party.
I own plenty of glocks but I won't replace my XDS for a 43 as its been flawless so far..

 

[Hammer059]

Tarosean, which XDS do you have? The 9mm? Have you had any issues similar to mine?

I'm reading LOTS of forum threads about problems similar to this. People send them back to Springfield and often nothing has changed.

I have some time to think about it, but right now it's not looking good for the XDS.

 

[tarosean]

Tarosean, which XDS do you have? The 9mm? Have you had any issues similar to mine?

3.3" 9mm... Not a single hiccup in approximately 800rds. Various ammo from cheap, Freedom-Reman, Blazer, WWB to 200rds of HST's, Gold Dots, PDX1's etc.

 

[RalphS]

My XDS has been flawless. My 642 has been flawless too.
One works great for pocket carry, the other is IWB only.

For every guy who gets on the internet to complain about something, there are at least a hundred satisfied customers who don't have any problems.

In your case, I would give SA a chance to fix it.

 

[Old Fuff]

Little pistols chambered for powerful cartridges can have all sorts of issues, but if those off-center hits are low on the primer I'd suspect the gun might be firing while still out of battery. It would also explain the light hits. By all means return it to the maker. You have everything to gain, and very little to lose.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

My XDS 45 has never had a malfunction. I'd send it in and give them a chance to make it right if were me.

 

[Sergei Mosin]

A few additional thoughts...

I would definitely get the gun fixed, if only because selling it as-is will cost you more money than selling it in good working order.

The P938 is a nice gun. I've considered getting one; my wife has a P238 that's been solid. There aren't any guarantees that the one you get will be trouble-free, but that's true of any gun, so I wouldn't let that dissuade you.

Regardless of what you decide, a good J-frame (or equivalent - I have an LCR) is always nice to have around.

 

[roscoe]

2 pistols? that's a pretty small sample size. You just got unlucky. Both brands are respected for their reliability; and you just hit the tail end of the distribution. Chalk it up to bad luck. There are more than 15 small 9mm pistols out there - jump back into the pool and try again!

I carry a 9mm Shield by the way and love it. At 15 meters I can get overlapping holes if I do my part, and have never had a jam.

 

[Bobson]

I've never been a proponent of using a revolver for anything but a range toy, but if you really love the 642, and you're comfortable with reloading it quickly and possibly under pressure (since reloads are pretty much the main benefit of a pistol over revolver), I'd say, if the XDS doesn't come back fixed, just go ahead and get the 642 and quit letting a little bug tell you what to carry. If you had problems with the 642 and that's why you were looking for something else, I'd say keep looking. But since that's not the case, maybe give Springfield a chance to fix the XDS, and if they can't/don't, then go back to your 642.

All that said, considering you really like the XDS, give it a chance to be fixed. You got nothing to lose. If it doesn't work out, you have a backup plan you know you like.

 

[KodeFore]

If Springfield doesn't take of you there is nothing wrong with your 642. If that's what you feel most comfortable with I would say stick with it. If you really want 9m I would also consider the lcr in 9mm. I have shot the lcr 357 and was impressed. Personally I like the Glock 43. To each his/her own. It's quicker to load an auto and 9mm may be cheaper but the little wheel guns certainly have advantages of their own.

 

[Edcnh]

I agree with what many have already stated: Send it back to Springfield and let them fix it. I have a 9mm Shield for a carry gun and it has functioned flawlessly for me. Seems you really liked the 642. Get another and get the Springfield fixed! You can always sell the Springfield.