XD Day!

This past weekend I got to try out the latest addition to my firearms collection – my new Springfield Armory XD-9. A few months ago I wrote a blog post about the XD-45ACP, the latest (caliber) addition to the XD family of handguns. The introduction of this new model rekindled my interest in this imported polymer framed duty pistol. My interest in this pistol started when I read about it on the firearm enthusiast internet forums and my decision to own one was cemented when I tried an XD out during a class at Gunsite in September of 2005. After trying the XD-9 for the first time, I had the feeling I would be parting with some hard earned cash very soon. Thanks for letting me try your XD-9 Chuck!

So what is an XD? I described the pistol in a previous post, but I will expand on it here. The “XD” stands for eXtreme Duty… meaning that this is a pistol designed as a working gun. Reliability is first and foremost with this no-nonsense firearm design. The pistol was designed in the late 90s by IM Metal, a Croatian company, and named the HS2000. It is manufactured in that country and imported into the U.S. and marketed by Springfield Armory of Geneseo, IL. A few cosmetic changes set it apart from the original HS2000.

The number that follows “XD” in the name of the pistol signifies the caliber of the weapon. For example, the XD-9 has a 9mm barrel, the XD-40 fires the .40 caliber S&W cartridge, the XD-45GAP fires the .45 caliber Glock Auto Pistol cartridge, and so on. Most XD pistols (the XD-45ACP being the exception) come in a 4 inch service model, a 5 inch long slide version labeled “Tactical” and a Subcompact with a 3 inch barrel.


Tactical, Service and Subcompact XDs

Whatever flavor of the XD you buy, whatever caliber or barrel length, certain things remain constant. The most noticeable characteristic of the XD pistol is that it has a polymer frame, a technological development in firearms manufacture popularized by Gaston Glock in the early 80s. There is no visible “hammer” as the pistol is fired by way of a striker… basically a spring-loaded firing pin. These two items alone go a long way toward simplifying function and also reducing the weight of the firearm. Where this pistol really differs from a Glock is its employment of a grip safety similar to that of a 1911 style pistol. The grip angle is also more like a 1911 than a Glock, making it a more comfortable and pointable platform for many people, myself included. I also think the XD is just a nicer looking gun than a Glock, but looks are pretty low on the totem pole of criteria when selecting a duty handgun. Still... as the saying goes... Glocks have no soul.

The XD has a loaded chamber indicator in which a lever sticks up out of the top of the slide above the breech face when a cartridge is in place. This can be felt as well as seen. The striker status indicator functions in a similar way. When the striker is cocked, a silver pin protrudes from the back of the slide providing another tactile/visual indicator of the weapon's condition. This helps since there is no external hammer to give you a clue. There is no decocker in this system, so be sure the chamber is empty before pulling the trigger to place the striker at rest during storage. The ambidextrous magazine release buttons are also a helpful feature. Metal sights are standard as is a metal safe action Glock-style trigger in trigger. The XD version of this trigger is called the Ultra Safety Assurance (USA) trigger and functions as a safety against firearm discharge if it is dropped accidentally. There is a slim hinged trigger inside the regular wider hinged trigger. The thin piece must be depressed fully before the whole trigger can be pulled rearward, releasing the striker. See the photos below.


The loaded chamber indicator in operation


Striker status indicator


Ultra Safety Assurance trigger drop safety

Disassembly for cleaning and lubricating is also a very easy task and a consideration worthy of praise. Simply unload the pistol and lock the slide to the rear. You can now swing the disassembly locking lever clockwise to a vertical position. A little “leg” preventing this motion when the slide is in battery will move through a recess cut in the slide when locked to the rear. At this point, carefully grasp the slide and gently ease it forward after disengaging the slide lock. The slide will move forward and stop. At this point you must pull the trigger to allow the slide to continue its forward travel off the frame. Now you can remove the guide rod and dual recoil spring and barrel from the slide.


Disassembly lever in its upright position

I had my XD-9 for about an hour before I took it apart and I found a few interesting things. I was amazed at how simple this pistol design actually is. There are very few parts and the mechanics inside the frame are sparse. The plastic frame weighs almost nothing; the slide is much heavier than the frame. Rather than a metal slide rail insert being molded into the frame, the XD’s insert is dropped in and held by pins that are not intended to be removed. These pins are finished with a slighty purple colored finish that looks like some sort of anodization.

I also noticed that there was some wear around the circumference of the barrel and on the top of the chamber hood. These are key lockup areas and test firing at the factory and Police Station (to enter a ballistic sample in my State’s data base) left behind significant wear marks. Keep in mind parts of your XD may look worn straight out of the box before you even fire it. This wear is normal and not really visible when the weapon is in battery. It does not get moch worse after the initial "wear in" of parts. Another item of note is that the feed ramp is extremely shiny and is inclined on a somewhat steep angle. My pistol shipped very dry with no lubrication on the rails and a sticky brownish rust preventative material on the barrel and chamber hood. I took care of that right away, lubing it up with some CLP and Wilson Ultima Lube firearm grease.


Normal chamber hood and barrel wear due to lockup function

I had to wait a few weeks before I fired the XD-9 as I was taking a break from a poorly ventilated indoor range that I frequent which caused me some lead level concerns after a recent blood test. I finally broke it in this weekend at an outdoor range near to where I live. There was a bit of a chill in the air and some wind, but I didn’t care. So what if it is chilly under this shaded overhang? I was about to shoot my new XD-9! I brought a few brands of ammo with me. I had some brass cased Sellier & Bellot 115gr FMJ, some CCI Blazer aluminum cased 115gr FMJ, and some Wolf steel cased FMJ. I should have brought some hollow points to test feedability, but I forgot. All ammo fed well, though I did have 3 or 4 failures to extract during the first 125 rounds or so of my 200 fired for the day. They may have been magazine related ejection errors or "firer interfering with the slide stop" problems. I forgot to check the magazine numbers when it happened. I was excited and just wanted to shoot some more so I neglected my diagnostic responsibilities a bit.

What can I say? Firing this pistol is fun. I noticed quickly that you really have to pay attention to the basics when firing the Service model XD. Perhaps this was due to it being a new gun. Another cause may be that I am used to firing 5 inch pistols (Kimber 1911, Beretta 92FS) that have a longer sight radius and are ever so slightly more forgiving of sloppy sight alignment. With the 4 inch XD, you really have to align your sights, focus on that front sight and press the trigger. After I got used to the feel of the gun, I began to shoot groups nearly as good as those I can muster with my Kimber TLE II that I have over 6,000 rounds of trigger time on. The XD-9 Service is very accurate. Due to its light weight, the pistol does tend to bounce a bit when firing. It has a very shallow cycle distance though and it is pretty easy to recover from the already light 9mm recoil. Quick follow up shots are easy to get on target with a bit of practice. The pistol is balanced much better than my Beretta 92 FS. The Beretta seems to place all the weight in the hand grip, allowing the slide and barrel to dangle out in front. The XD-9 is a bit top heavy, as all the weight is in the slide and almost none in the frame. However, this weight is well balanced and aids in pointability. With the help of the ergonomic grip angle, the gun wants to stay level.


The XD at work in the hands of a special security team member

This gun is a definite keeper. After a little more break-in I would be comfortable carrying it (if I was allowed to in my State). I wore the XD-9 in the freebie XD-Gear kydex holster included with the pistol and barely felt it on my hip. A double magazine carrier was also included that also works well with Beretta 92FS magazines. Though I loved the thought of the XD-45ACP, I decided to get the 9mm version of the XD. I already have a 1911 that fires that caliber in 45ACP. It is my go to gun and I am sure I would look to it in a self defense situation. I have fired over 6,000 rounds through it and I am proficient and confident with it. My Kimber TLE II may be my favorite handgun, but the XD-9 is a great addition to my collection!

See the related XD internet forum at www.hs2000talk.com for more info on this firearm. The detail photos used in this post were taken and posted by members there.