Springfield Armory XD Series - thoughts and opnions

Thrill

Thrill

Joined
Sep 9, 2010
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I finally got to handle the XD series a few weeks ago and really love the feel in the hand. I've always liked the way they look and was glad it felt good too. I handled a bunch of different brands and like the XD feel the best. Anyone have real experience they want to share and any thoughts and opinions. Trying to decide on caliber size so any feedback is appreciated. This purchase will be my first semi-auto handgun. Thanks in advance.
 
I have the xdm in 9mm... I got it for no other reason than I like the way it fits my hand and it shoots like a dream. I've had it for maybe a year and it's definitely my favorite handgun that's not a revolver :) I couldn't tell you how many thousands of rounds I've put through it with minimal problems.

The only issue I've ever had with it were a few failures to eject, caused by shooting the gun dirty with crappy reloads.

I've shot my friends xdm 45 a few times and it is almost no different than the 9mm, I picked it because it's cheaper to shoot. I don't carry this gun on me, it's strictly for fun.

I always highly recommend it :)


EDIT: my 9 is the 3.8 also, my friends 45 was the 4.5, It does make a little difference :)
 
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I too have the XDm 9mm. I have the 3.8 model. I have fired upwards of 1000 rounds with no problems. Some loads are light and wont leave the action open everytime I empty, but I think I have that nailed down to Federal ammo. It shoots everything and anything without a problem and is accurate as I need. Check out the XD vs the XDm if you are looking. The differences might sway you to the XDm for the little extra. It fits my hands better than anything else I held and I love the way it shoots!
 
I've got the subcompact .40 S&W and I've been pleased with it although admittedly I haven't shot it that much.
 
I got to spend some time with an XD40 and loved it. (but then i had to give it back :( )
Then I bought a first gen XD45 and it was one of the ones with a bad trigger during the time before Springfield admitted there was an issue (with roughly half the run of that specific model), so I got rid of it. (the second gen XD45 does not have any issues that I've heard of)
Have not had a chance to try out one of the XDM's yet.
9mm ammo is less expensive so you can afford more practice time.
.45 acp is my favored round for self defense.
.40 is a round I REALLY want to love, but it has a longer learning curve than the other 2 due to increased noise, muzzle blast, and recoil.
 
i know two dealers who wont even stock them due to difficulties getting parts if they break.
i dont like em for a couple reasons....their Croation made (and i dont support countries where they use slave labor and treat women like dogs), theyre top heavy, high bore axis, XD and XDM mags arent interchangeable, and the grip safety is an outdated worthless design.
maybe before SA started importing them under the name XD they would have been worth buying, but they were $200 cheaper then and called the XS2000. i wont pay hundreds more simply because it says Springfield Armory on the slide. theres far better pistols out there. especially for the price. try a Walther PPQ...a sweet shooter with a trigger that all other poly pistols wish they had.
 
woody d said:
i know two dealers who wont even stock them due to difficulties getting parts if they break.
i dont like em for a couple reasons....their Croation made (and i dont support countries where they use slave labor and treat women like dogs), theyre top heavy, high bore axis, XD and XDM mags arent interchangeable, and the grip safety is an outdated worthless design.
maybe before SA started importing them under the name XD they would have been worth buying, but they were $200 cheaper then and called the XS2000. i wont pay hundreds more simply because it says Springfield Armory on the slide. theres far better pistols out there. especially for the price. try a Walther PPQ...a sweet shooter with a trigger that all other poly pistols wish they had.
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Correction XD and XDm45 magazines are interchangeable, its the 9s and 40s that are not.

The 40 for obvious reason. They redesigned it to make it a real double stack where as with the XD 40 it was the same size as the 9mm in width thus the low 12rd capacity. The early trick with the subcompact 9s were to use a 40 mag and bend in the feed lips since it did not have the indents up both sides about an inch and people were able to load 13 rd into a SC magazine.

I have no issues with XDs/ XDMs. I own 6 and will buy a 7th when the 45slim comes out. My oldest is the 45compact. Bought it about 6 years ago when they were first released. The full size 45 was next, then the 40SC. Ended up buying my girlfriend the SC 9 for valentines day (yes Im romantic like that). Ended up buying her the XDm9 when they came out and bought me the XDm40 when they came out. Had the first one sold in my local shop and only a few people in the shop knew the 40 was out when I got mine.

They are comfortable to me, reliable, accurate. Parts are almost always a problem, I have a few of the little things spared like striker roll pins, but this is why you always own more than 1 gun. Remember the old saying, 2 is 1, 1 is none... Everyone who has shot the little SC 9 has been VERY impressed with it. I currently keep the 45 full size loaded at all times in the house and readily available more so with the increased stories of "random break ins and tie ups/ murders" there is no way I will watch someone in my family be victimized. I may die/ be injured/ go to jail, but Ill be sure to take some of them with me.

You already know you like them, you already are hinted that way. You see they are popular guns. But like any ford vs chevy argument you will have some "buy a VW or toyota" comments pop up. This photo is about 3-4 years old, but a few have had cases of ammo shot thru them and I have yet to have anything malfunction. I did however replace all sights with TFOs. Personal preference but everyone has their own.

xd1.JPG

xd2.JPG
 
I actually had a HS2000 before SA started importing them. They were a great value at that time. Since then i picked up the XD9,XD45tact,XDM. All the pros and cons are already posted. And all the XDs i had are all gone now, either sold or traded off.
 
Out of all striker fired based handguns I've handled, the XD felt second best to me, behind the M&P. I really loved the grip safety on the XDs. What I hated was the 6.5 pound trigger pull. Glocks have 5.5 pound pulls. It wasn't a deal breaker, but I'm used to having 3.5 to 4 pound pulls factory on my handguns.

What size are you looking at? If you're looking at compact or subcompact, it might be worth looking into the M&P Shield as well. The Shield's trigger is improved over the regular M&P line. If you want a full size, the FNS in 9 or .40 is quickly becoming the undisputed top choice for striker fired handguns. The trigger pull on the FNS (not FNX) is by many accounts even better than the Walther PPQ, which is known for having a superb trigger. Just throwing those choices out there unless you're set on the XD. The reason I mention the FNS here is because I have not yet been able to handle one myself. It's newer than the M&P (except the Shield) and XD.

And if you want to spend more, I'd go with one of the newer HKs, that is post USP era. P30, P30L, HK45c, HK45, P2000. Their ergos are hard to beat for polymer framed.
 
I have owned two Springfield XD .45 pistols and both were 100% reliable, accurate and nothing but a real joy to shoot.

I know close to a dozen other people with XDs and none have had any issues theirs as well. In that dozen people are former military/police, firearms enthusiasts, competition shooters as well as fist-time handgun owners and new shooters.

Excellent handguns. Buy with confidence because Springfield also has excellent customer service that will take good care of you should anything happen.
 
I have an xdm 9 3.8 in. I had the 4.5 in as well. I have 1000s of rds thru m&p glocks cz fnx hk sigs and beretta. My favorite
For carry M&P. The xdm while it fits the hand so comfortably it in my hands requires me to grip it a little tighter. If you shoot it well buy it. If you are looking for a 45 get the FN. 15/16 rds dead accurate mildest recoil fastest second shot for me. If its a target gun go with a cz from cz custom. Fiber sight and trigger job.
 
I love the XD. For years I was anti-glock(XD) style......I grew up on Browning HP and a M9 (Baretta), but after buying my XD, I am a changed man. I carry a XD 40 (CCW) daily. Love the feel, love how it shoots. I've got close to 100 rds through it and no failures yet.
 
Slidetechnik said:
I would lean towards the XDm. I don't like the excessive "safety" features on the regular XD.
Click to expand...

WHAT? Both have the grip safety and trigger safety. SOME and I mean FEW of the 45s have a thumb safety, but other than that they are the same my friend. The "m"s have a "match grade barrel", melted slide, agressive grip texturing, (in the case of the 9 and 40) higher capacity in the full size models, and a shorter trigger reset.
 
If you are going XD, I would recommend the XD-M series. And for throwing lead downrange, it's hard to beat the 9mm for cost.
 
I have an XD40 with about 2,000 rounds through it. No issues whatsoever, but I wish I'd gone with 9mm due to the cost of ammo, and the previously mentioned issue with the learning curve for .40.
 
love my xdm . mine is the XDm 9mm 3.8 model.fits my hand perfectly ,and shoots pretty good too !! great gun if i do so say myself
 
go to a practical shooting match... I'm more familiar with USPSA, and talk to the guys that look like they know what they are doing...in the Production class (9mm, with other than single action triggers)... I would guess that the XD is probably the 3rd most common around here, behind Glock and Smith M&P... ask them why ..a lot of them will shoot 1000 rounds a month

Les
UF74
 
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