No love for the Springfield XD?

I can deal with it being a Croatian design, but SAI doesn’t have the designers to come up with their own design?
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I replaced a Glock 24 with one.

I had one of the first round of Springfield labelled longslides shortly after Springfield adopted/imported them. I liked the grip well enough, I liked the grip safety, and I'd have been happy with a thumb safety too.

I never warmed to the trigger. Some people can overcome a heavy or gritty trigger; I can't. It didn't smooth with use either. That trigger would stack at irregular intervals then release with considerable overtravel.

Overall, it wasn't a bad pistol, however I never missed it after selling it.
 
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I've run well over 5k rounds (quit keeping a log around 5.3k) through my 5.25" 9mm XDM and I can count the FTF/FTE on one hand (due to my reloads when I first started reloading). It's a very accurate and easy shooting pistol. I've replaced the main spring and slide pin for peventative maintenance after 5k rounds and did a Powder River trigger kit early on.

I can't think of any issues with my XDS 9mm. Never had any issue with the grip safety failing to engage on either one. Unfortunately I'm now infatuated with my CZ Custom P01 now and rarely shoot the XDM....but carry the XDS still.
 
I spent the better part of an afternoon with a full-sized 9mm XD at a friend's home range. It performed well and I don't recall any issues. In terms of handling and overall shooting experience though, I just didn't like it as much as a lot of other modern polymer pistols. That's not counting my disinterest in grip safeties or the phrase "grip zone". Altogether, it just didn't have much to offer me personally.
 
Funny thing. The "grip zone" logo on those Mod2s is a complete no-go for me. That's why I have an XD9 Service and Xdm 3.8 Compact....if it didn't have that IMO silly print, I would probably have a Mod2 instead of the XD9

Why they would do that is beyond me, as most makers probably study every little thing when it comes to marketing a new pistol. But everyone's different and it surely doesn't bother others.
 
My nephew bought one of the 3.8 compacts a couple of years ago and is not impressed. After about 10 feet accuracy on his particular piece drops off. He can put a human silhouette target at 15 feet and wear it out with my 1911's, .357's and makarov with nice tight groups but his XD is all over the place. His brother and my son can't keep it in nice tight groups either.
 
Recall regret

I carried mine regularly until I sent it in to get the trigger "fixed". They ruined it in my opinion. Don't carry it any longer. Just my 2 cents
 
I just can't get past the look of them, and the price. I don't see any reason that an XD should cost a penny more than a Sar or Canik. It's a cheapish polymer gun. The grip safety is not a problem, but I don't see the point of it.
 
hemiram said:
I just can't get past the look of them, and the price. I don't see any reason that an XD should cost a penny more than a Sar or Canik. It's a cheapish polymer gun. The grip safety is not a problem, but I don't see the point of it.
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Part of the cost is the warranty. Springfield will fix anything on the gun and pay shipping forever. I use to own both Sar and Canik pistols and the I could see parts and repair being a problem in the future. I had a pre springfield XD the HS2000. Parts were a problem until springfield started importing the gun.
 
railroader said:
Part of the cost is the warranty. Springfield will fix anything on the gun and pay shipping forever. I use to own both Sar and Canik pistols and the I could see parts and repair being a problem in the future. I had a pre springfield XD the HS2000. Parts were a problem until springfield started importing the gun.
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Folks count it against the XD that it's more expensive than the version that was imported briefly fifteen years ago by a company that no longer exists. Hmmmm.....

Yes, support costs money.
 
I had an XD45 a few years back. it was my first .45 but after shooting the 1911 I sold every hand gun I owned and bought my first 1911. haven't own another 9mm or any other model since. It just feels so right in my hand. Everything else just feels ackward and clunky.
 
I guess I got lucky with my XD mod 2 subcompact 45. The trigger is good. Recoil is nothing. Have not had a single hang up, will fire everything I throw at it without a hitch. Incredibly accurate.

Yes, I hate the “grip zone” too. Why they did that is beyond me. But really, it fits me like a glove. It’s not like I sit and stare at the “grip zone” and lose sleep over it. The ergonomics of the mod 2 are worth overlooking the grip zone. I carry it often and have been quite pleased with the pistol overall. If the only con is a dumb “grip zone” label, then that is a pretty insignificant con overall in my view.
 
My first gun (been shooting a little under 2 years now) was an XD Mod.2 Subcompact 9mm and it was completely reliable. You get a lot of value for the money with an XD. I'm not sure why but I never seemed to shoot quite as accurately with it as other guns I began trying, and it always felt top-heavy to me (probably because the slide is so heavy). I liked the grip safety and never once had an issue with it, even as a novice shooter. Having the safety of immobilizing the trigger when holstering just makes clear-as-day sense to me.

Eventually I sold it. I wanted something with a longer slide but compact grip. If there were an XD with the 4" barrel but the subcompact grip, I may have gone with it. I know the XDM 3.8" is closer but I just hated the feel of the grip.

Glock 19 dimensions just made sense. But I didn't especially like the G19, so I've ended up with a CZ P-07. A little effort and I'm handling the DA/SA just fine, and man is that SA trigger nice :) And, I can "ride the hammer" with my thumb when reholstering, again adding that margin of safety.

Yes, I know all about booger-hooks and bang-switches, but @!#& happens and I prefer having that margin.
 
I've shot a few XD models and my brother owns an XDm I have shot occasionally. They appear well made and I shoot them well.

However, the grip safety adds unnecessary mechanical complexity and the price isn't that competitive against the leaders in this class, so I have never had any interest in the HS2000/XD line.

That and Springfield Armory. I have no desire to send any money their way.
 
Wheel-Gunner said:
I guess I got lucky with my XD mod 2 subcompact 45. The trigger is good. Recoil is nothing. Have not had a single hang up, will fire everything I throw at it without a hitch. Incredibly accurate.

Yes, I hate the “grip zone” too. Why they did that is beyond me. But really, it fits me like a glove. It’s not like I sit and stare at the “grip zone” and lose sleep over it. The ergonomics of the mod 2 are worth overlooking the grip zone. I carry it often and have been quite pleased with the pistol overall. If the only con is a dumb “grip zone” label, then that is a pretty insignificant con overall in my view.
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They dropped the "Gripe Zone" verbiage on latest gun to get the Mod. 2 refresh, the XDS 45.
 
Has anyone here ever actually HAD a problem because of the grip safety? As in, had a failure to fire that wasn't quickly corrected by realizing your grip wasn't correct?

All objections to grip safeties seem to be speculative, as in "it's one more thing that could break" or "if both arms are blown off and I have to fire my gun with my feet, then the grip safety will cost me my life."

Or "it's unnecessary."

But specific instances of it actually interfering with function?
 
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/dontdigtherig-part-3

This is from an Active Response Training.net article, #Don’tDigTheRig- Part 3;

“What about the Springfield XD? It’s main selling point seems to be “it’s not a Glock.” Most people who initially buy them just don’t like Glocks for whatever reason. They want something with Glock-like performance without Gaston’s name written on the slide. It’s a bad choice. The XD isn’t as good as the Glock (or several other different subcompact pistols).”

“Other folks attracted to the XD like the grip safety. This crowd is often the new CCW carrier who doesn’t yet feel comfortable carrying with a loaded chamber. They like that the grip safety provides an additional element of security for carry. If you don’t feel comfortable carrying with a loaded chamber, you need more training, not a gun that makes shooting more difficult.”

“In (the author’s) classes, the XD pistols are not horrible performers, but they do malfunction at a rate higher than (he) see(s) with comparable Glock or S&W pistols. The magazines seem to be a big issue. (He’s) seen more weakened springs and bent feed lips than in other manufacturers’ products. Beyond that, the grip safety creates some issues with shooters who have small or weak hands. A problem occurs when students have a suboptimal grip and don’t fully depress the grip safety. Since the grip safety must be depressed in order to rack the slide, they can’t properly charge their pistols or perform malfunction clearing drills.”

“(The author) know(s) a lot of you XD users will say “That’s never happened to me!” (His) question to you is: have you ever practiced after really fatiguing your grip to simulate a life or death struggle? When is the last time you’ve worked support side one handed malfunction clearances? That’s where (he) really see(s) a lot of failures. Most casual shooters will never see such a thing because they don’t train hard enough to induce the malfunctions.”
 
Thanks for posting. I'm not necessarily an advocate of grip safeties.

I'd say that having one says nothing about lacking comfort in carrying a loaded chamber. The grip safety has nothing to do with a loaded chamber, as it immobilizes the trigger which can't be pulled when inside a holster anyway.

It could have everything to do with immobilizing the trigger when inserting the gun into the holster, particularly under stress or fatigue along the lines of what this above article points out.

Nobody would argue that the hammer on a Beretta 92 constitutes a safety mechanism of any kind, but keeping your thumb on that hammer when holstering does increase the level of safety as a counterbalance to potential sloppiness or negligence when under stress or fatigue. I see the grip safety in precisely the same way.

Or, for that matter, the "Glock Gadget" that allows one to use a thumb to prevent the striker from moving backwards on a reholstering. Truthfully, I would prefer that arrangement to a grip safety, because it's even more passive and will not prevent the gun from firing due to a weak or improper grip.
 
Love them. The XDMs I've shot were awesome, and the mod.2 feels great as well. Was VERY close to making one my first gun, but I wanted a single stack and I don't like the XDS. Doesn't feel good to me. But XDM and mod.2's are good to go in my book.
 
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