American Rifleman Magazine: The State of the XD

[gorknoids]

I bought my 4' XD 9 in August for $515 or so, including tax.  That included the goodies package.  I've shot at least 3k rounds through it since then and haven't found anything I don't like about it, although it is a little long for IWB carry at times.  Safety being the overriding consideration in any weapon, I bought it over the Glock because it has a backstrap safety in addition to the Glock-style trigger safety.  Breakdown for cleaning is a cinch, the chubby grip makes one-handed shooting a pleasure, and I have yet to watch a video featuring someone shooting themself in the leg in front of a classroom full of children with the same weapon.

[jimbob_texas]

I forgot about my XD-M range report.  Here goes:

Worked up some (probably) minor power factor loads - 180g Berry's bullet over 4.0g of VV N320.  Soft and sweet, and cycled the gun really well, and was accurate enough for an IDPA match.

I like the controls, with the notable exception of the mag release button.  I had to mash HARD to get the mag to drop - really cost me a lot of time, and very frustrating.  Not sure if that's typical or I'm just lucky.  The take-down thingy is really handy - it provides a good index for my left thumb (I'm a thumbs-forward shooter).  The grip safety caused me no issues, and that's saying something - my Infinity Limited gun's grip safety doesn't work  I like the grips, had no issues there.  The sight picture is a pretty good one, but I need to lose the dots - I don't need anything drawing attention to the rear sights, thanks.

Seating mags on reloads was no issue, just getting them out.

I don't care for the holster provided at all.  Forward cant, which causes an awkward draw, particularly from a concealment vest.  It causes my shoulder to go way forward, and that's just uncomfortable and slow.  The mag pouches were fine, but I don't really understand the whole V-shape (bullets-forward for my mags).

I'm going to have the trigger worked on, because the reset is a little long for my tastes.  Other than that, light-years better than my Glock triggers, and pretty darned nice all in all. 

It's a keeper, for sure, and will make a fine IDPA ESP gun, and with some add-ons, a really good Limited gun for USPSA.

jr

[Frisco]

I just found 2 cents that my wife hasn't spent at Wal Mart...so I am going to throw it in here.

The 1911 was THE fighting handgun on the planet from 1911 until 1987.  For 76 years, one could find no BETTER bullet launcher.  The Browning Hi Power was a close second.  The ubiquitous Smith & Wesson Model 19/66 Combat Magnum was the ne plus ultra in wheelgun design.  Not even a Colt Python could match the action on a Smith.

Then in 1987, Gaston Glock introduced the Glock 17.  I HATED it.  I called it a "that damned plastic sissy pistol" when I first saw it.  I grew up on 1911's, Hi Powers, and Smith & Wesson K Frame wheelguns.

Fast forward to 1993.  I have been a police officer for 5 years who is allowed to carry pretty much anything I want.  We had a 5 page approved weapons list.  I carried a lightly customized Combat Commander or a Browning Hi Power with a Smith J Frame .38 as a back up gun.  I consistently qualified 290-295/300 Possible.

I am on the range one day shooting up free department ammo.  My defensive tactics/range master is shooting a Glock.  I give him good natured greif.  He was a good instructor, but wasn't the pistol shot I was.  All of a sudden, he is shooting better than I.

I give the Glock a try.  It feels a little weird.  The trigger..."just ain't right".  I shoot it a little more.  But...wow...it is comfortable, and almost zero recoil.  I shoot a qualifier and for the first time, break 295.  Then I do it again and shoot 300.  Then 300 again.  And again.

I was single then...so I had money.  I went to Jensen's (The BIG gun shop in Tucson at the time) and purchased a Glock 17, 5 magazines and a Safarliand Level III duty holster.  I went BACK to our range, and shot an official qualifier....300 again.  Now I could carry the Glock on duty.  I never carried anything but a Glock on duty again.  I upgraded to a Glock 22 with a Glock 27 as a back up as soon as the caliber was approved for our use.  Then went to a Glock 21/30 combo in .45ACP when they became available.  I bought a Glock 19, and it is STILL my most-often carried CCW pistol.  I am a wierdo...I still love the 9mm.  Now, as a crotchety old fart, I still pack plastic daily.  Even though I no longer get paid to run to the sound of gun fire.

I have literally HUNDREDS of thousands of rounds out of my Glock models, and have never had ONE gun-faulted failure.  I have had ammo related failures...even still, only a handful in over 16 years.

I can't generate the warm fuzzies for the XD.  I have shot them, and have tried like hell to like them.  I just can't.  I own a couple of Springfield 1911's of different flavors and like them very much.  I just don't shoot the XD nearly as well as I shoot a Glock, 1911, or a Smith wheelgun.

To my mind, the Glock is THE fighting handgun of the 21st Century.

...he says as he falls off his soapbox ONE more time.

[HAWKFISH]

I bought my 4' XD 9 in August for $515 or so, including tax.  That included the goodies package.  I've shot at least 3k rounds through it since then and haven't found anything I don't like about it, although it is a little long for IWB carry at times.  Safety being the overriding consideration in any weapon, I bought it over the Glock because it has a backstrap safety in addition to the Glock-style trigger safety.  Breakdown for cleaning is a cinch, the chubby grip makes one-handed shooting a pleasure, and I have yet to watch a video featuring someone shooting themself in the leg in front of a classroom full of children with the same weapon.

I have yet to watch a video featuring someone shooting themself in the leg in front of a classroom full of children with a Glock, who is handling it properly as it should be and who knows what they are doing at the same time. Don't blame the gun..blame the goober that doesn't follow gun-safety or common sense. But, give it time I'm sure another goober will do something stupid with an XD..then maybe someone will post a crappy comment about Springfield then.

[shooter32]

I was at the range on Sunday and got to shot some pistols that weren't mine.

#1... Custom 1911 from Wilson Tach. That was a DREAM -  WOW

#2... Custom Glock 34 that felt like it was made just for me!!!

The others were M&P 9mm and XD 9mm. I liked the M&P better in my hand than the XD, but shot them about the same.

Two LEO's were shooting there and they had Glock 21's that are there duty guns. They both said their off duty carry are Glock 19's.

Can't get that 1911 out of my head.

[Sponsor]

[gorknoids]

I have yet to watch a video featuring someone shooting themself in the leg in front of a classroom full of children with a Glock, who is handling it properly as it should be and who knows what they are doing at the same time. Don't blame the gun..blame the goober that doesn't follow gun-safety or common sense. But, give it time I'm sure another goober will do something stupid with an XD..then maybe someone will post a crappy comment about Springfield then.

So you're suggesting that one safety is better than two?  Plaxico Burress would disagree with you.  With a backstrap safety, you have to TRY to fire the weapon.  With the sole trigger safety, you're better off carrying with an empty chamber, because the weapon can be fire using a pencil.  When the SHTF, you aren't going to have the time to lay the gun out on a bench and carefully fit it into your hand.  Glocks have made all the comments necessary from the standpoint of safety.  That's why I bought a Springfield.

[tombogan03884]

So you're suggesting that one safety is better than two?  Plaxico Burress would disagree with you.  With a backstrap safety, you have to TRY to fire the weapon.  With the sole trigger safety, you're better off carrying with an empty chamber, because the weapon can be fire using a pencil.  When the SHTF, you aren't going to have the time to lay the gun out on a bench and carefully fit it into your hand.  Glocks have made all the comments necessary from the standpoint of safety.  That's why I bought a Springfield.

Bear in mind, most revolvers don't have any safety at all. As Hawkfish said, "Don't blame the gun, blame the Goober".

[cookie62]

Can't get that 1911 out of my head.

Sounds like somebody needs a new toy

[gorknoids]

Bear in mind, most revolvers don't have any safety at all. As Hawkfish said, "Don't blame the gun, blame the Goober".

Will do, just as soon as I remove the airbags from my car and cut out the seat belts.  I'm a very good driver.

[Fatman]

My range report on the XD.

The 'range' was PAs Act 235 class.  The instructors were excellent, both in the legalities involved with force, lethal force, other aspects of private security and finally firearms instruction/qualification.  Burned about 500 - 600 rounds this past Saturday and Sunday in the course. Since we had people from very experienced w/ firearms to little or no experience, we started slow.

The checked our stances, had us dry fire a few times, then fire one round, etc, etc.  Qualification course was 5 rounds @ 7 yds, reload repeat, 25 second limit. Then two more 5 round mags @ 15 with a 35 second limit. Last was 25 yards from behind a barricade, drop to kneeling, reload and fire another 5 round mag.  Started holstered at all distances. Standard B-27 target, 8 ring in worth 5 pts each, 7 ring 4 pts, anywhere else on the silhouette 3 pts. 113 points to qualify.

We practiced on Saturday, about 250-270 rounds worth. With my new XD .45 and the Safariland 6320 holster (thumb lever release, ejection port retention) that I received a day or two before the shooting portion of the course I was in the high 140s out of 150 and didn't need anywhere near the time limits to do it. I found my XD actually shot a little low with Blazer brass as opposed to dead on with Fed red box and PMC ammo. 'Aiming 6' (lollipop) at 25 yds per the owner's manual with the Blazer was not good, shots were low.

Next day we practiced and qualified, and I got 150/150. The whole class qualified with the highest scores the instructors ever saw. Kudos to the instructors and the newer shooters for a job well done!

We then did a 5 yd speed drill. Everyone started with three full mags - gun loaded (administrative) and holstered, two spares on the belt.  The instructors used a shot timer and told us to 'flash sight' and empty all of our mags into the target as fast as possible.  I went 1.25 seconds from the beep to the first shot, fired the first 14 rounds in 4 seconds, reloaded twice and fired a total of 40 rounds w/ two reloads in 17 seconds.  37 nine ring in, two 8 ring, one 7. Guess if I could find a range that actually let you shoot like real life I could improve that... 

Bottom line - after this weekend this formerly all 1911 shooter was duly impressed - this gun is accurate, easy to adjust to, and has not so much as hiccuped since I got it. I sent it to Springer Precision for their combat trigger job yesterday, should make it even sweeter. 

Edit: 2 XDs in the class, mine in 45, other in 40, one XDm 40. No Glocks.