SPRINGFIELD ARMORY XD SERIES

An innovative and economical take on the polymer auto concept.

By Jeff John

Springfield Armory took key features from the Glock, SIG and 1911. They included the 1911's grip angle and grip safety, the Glock polymer frame and striker-fired ignition, and the barrel lock up and takedown system of the SIG Sauer. The result? The XD Series. (From top -- clockwise) SIG Sauer P245, Springfield XD, Springfield Mil Spec 1911 and Glock 17.

The firearms community has never been the same since the introduction of the polymer-framed pistol more than 15 years ago by Glock. The firm combined simplicity, durability and reliability into a somewhat homely package that has managed to win over all but a few. Gaston Glock paved the way for polymer pistols and many companies have followed his lead. Most manufactures have one or more polymer-framed pistols in their stable today and polymer-frame technology is seeping into rifles now, so this technology is here to stay.

Most polymer pistols are designed for military and police applications, which, of course, makes them quite suitable for personal defense. Unfortunately, this imbues the guns with trigger systems that will never see a bullseye match, but are oddly shootable to a very high degree. Here we're talking combat accuracy, reliability and durability. The Glock set the bar by excelling at all three. It's safe to say that none of its imitators have approached the firm's record in sales or brand identity, but maybe that's about to change.

The Croatian designers of the XD looked at other firearm designs (much the same way Glock did initially) and took the best features from each. Thus, the X-treme Duty concept borrows key features from the Glock, the Colt 1911 and SIG Sauer automatic pistols. The Croats even thought up a few new wrinkles to add to the XD mix. Springfield Armory is the exzclusive importer, although the pistol was originally imported as the HS 2000 by HS America more than a year ago.

Getting A Grip
One thing most of us look at when we choose a gun is how it feels and points, since we all have "muscle memory" from previous handgun experience. Many serious pistoleros teethed on the Colt 1911 and its grip angle is what's natural for them. It is also one of the criticisms leveled at Glock. Europeans rarely care about grip angels, since few Europeans get to handle firearms of any sort, and the makers assume that neophyte police and military trainees will adapt to whatever they're given. That's true, with reservations. Americans are different.

Our legacy of a free association with firearms builds notions that are difficult to crack. Even many first-time purchasers have some shooting experience already through family and friends and, when buying the first, second or third gun, any new engineering attributes of such are weighed against the shooters' prior experience and training. Dedicated 1911 users often point a Glock skyward (and vice versa) and that makes some pause before buying. So Springfield Armory chose to build its new X-treme Duty series based on the 1911 grip angle in deference to the millions in circulation. By doing so, the company silently leaps that first sales hurdle.

There are many similarities between the Glock (right) and the new Springfield XD frames. Note, however, the larger frame rails of the XD. They are repairable sub-assemblies pinned into the frame, rather than molded in place as are the Glock's.

The XD's grip is narrow for a double-stack mag pistol. In fact, it is narrower than a 1911 with wood grips, but is more squared. It's a one-piece molding that includes the entire lower end of the pistol. The front strap and backstrap have molded-in, non-slip coarse checkering and sides are rough textured. A groove on either side of the grip accommodates the thumb.

XD designers kept the circumference of the grip down by eschewing a plastic-coated magazine and using a plain metal one. The smaller grip fits an average size hand well, and the mag also drops free, as befits an American combat arm. This brings up one of the XD-9's most intriguing features.

If you already own a metal high capacity 9mm magazine from S&W, Beretta, SIG, CZ or others, it can be modified to fit the XD-9 and still be usable in its parent pistol. The XD-9's mag release cut is a half-circle in the top-center of the magazine body, while most other mags have it on the side. Put a new cut in your hi-cap mag for the XD's center catch and your in business. The XD's mag release button operates from both sides and is easy to reach.

A Matter Of Safety
The X-treme Duty series has a variety of safeties. Of course, the most important one is out of Springfield Armory's control and that's the one between your ears. A failure there and the rest is academic. Most copies or "paraphrases" of the Glock Safe Action system have included its most controversial feature--a safety only on the trigger.

When cocked, the firing pin protrudes from the back of the XD providing a tactile and visual indicator of readiness.

The XD series of pistols includes this feature, but also a grip safety as well. That John Browning didn't include a grip safety on the majority of his pistol designs speaks for itself. But it is there and this grip safety prevents the firearm from discharging as well as preventing the slide from being pulled back unless it is depressed. Just like the 1911, you have to grip the gun before it'll discharge. A loose, casual offhand grip can allow the grip safety to remain insufficiently depressed to allow a discharge. In testing, I found this was only a problem during one-hand weak-hand practice. With a firm grip no problems were encountered.

The firing pin is of the inertial variety and its travel is stopped by a block that is raised by the trigger when the trigger is squeezed. When the pistol is cocked, a small pin protrudes from the back of the slide that is easily seen or felt. The top of the slide has a loaded chamber indicator that is also easy to see and feel. No magazine safety is present.

The front and rear sight dovetails are the same as those provided on SIG Sauer pistols. Users won't have to wait for the factories to gear up for proprietary sights.

The frame's slide rails are not molded integrally into the frame as are most of the XD's competition, but are sub-assemblies that are held in by good-sized pins. These sub-assemblies can be repaired or replaced by the factory, but shouldn't be removed otherwise. The forward slide rail sub-assembly contains the takedown latch and very closely resembles the SIG Sauer system.

All the Springfield Armory XD pistols grouped well at 25 yards. The best group was made by the .40 S&W with CCI Gold Dot ammunition. The 180 grainers left the muzzle at an average of 1,000 fps and made a small 2-inch four-shot cluster with the fifth shot pulling it out to 3 1/4 inches. The largest group was with the 9mm shooting Blazer ammo and was 3 3/4 inches. In between was the .357 Sig XD. It grouped its shots into 3 5/8 inches. None of the pistols malfunctioned with any of the factory ammunition used.

The triggers on our three test pistols broke in the 5 1/2 pound range. It looks like a Glock's trigger, with a bar that prevents movement of the trigger until it is squeezed, but is subtly different. It feels more like a two-stage military trigger. Upon taking up the initial slack, a hard spot is acquired that breaks with a little creep. For law enforcement applications, a heavier trigger can be provided.

From The Top
The slide itself is a one-piece machined forging that is heat-treated. The barrel is cold-hammer forged and conventionally rifled with six grooves in standard-for-caliber twists. It is a locked-breech short recoil action, and barrel lock-up is achieved in the same manner as a SIG or Glock--the barrel hood locks at the front of the ejection port. It is a striker-fired pistol and uses a round inertial firing pin.

Remove the magazine, pull open the slide and lock it to rear, ensuring that the chamber is empty (1). Turn up the takedown latch on the left side of the receiver (2). Restrain slide, depress the slide release and lower slide to battery position. Squeeze the trigger to release striker and move slide forward off of the frame (3). Remove the captive recoil spring and pull the barrel up and out of the frame from the rear (4) The pistol is now fieldstripped (5). After cleaning, lightly oil and reassemble in reverse order.

Both front and rear sights are dovetailed in place and Springfield Armory chose to use the SIG Sauer dovetail width. Any aftermarket sight manufactured for SIGs can be used on the XD. Our test guns were equipped with the optional Trijicon three-dot night sights. An adjustable sight version will be offered factory installed soon.

The recoil spring is a dual spring on a captive rod. The smaller spring rides in a tunnel beneath the larger spring so that the springs cannot bind on one another. As an added benefit, the rod prevents the pistol's slide from being pushed out of battery in a situation where the muzzle is jammed into another surface prior to discharge.

At The Range
Several of us were invited by Springfield Armory to try out the new XDs at Raahauge's Pheasant Club in Norco, California. Joining us was Team Springfield member Rob Leatham, just in case any of us needed a reminder on how poorly we shoot. We had silhouette targets and steel plates at roughly 10 yards and plenty of 9mm, .357 SIG and .40 S&W ammo.

The general consensus is that this gun is a winner. There were no malfunctions on any of the three pistols. The 9mm had the most ammunition fired through it, and the empty box tally at the end of the morning was more than 500 rounds. While that's certainly no marathon, it's a darn good interval between cleaning.

We next took the gun to Mike Dalton's Steel Challenge at the Oak Tree Gun Club in Santa Clarita, California. There we fired range reloads (mixed brass reloaded many times and fired through many guns) for an additional 200 rounds before the unserviced pistol stopped.

A live round jammed in the chamber and had to be forced out. The brass had a hard black coating on it that may have been left over from its manufacturing. We couldn't decide, so we stopped and cleaned the gun anyway. Nonetheless, a 700 round endurance test isn't bad, and this particular cartridge probably would have stopped up any gun. If you're going to have a stoppage, it'll be with such ammo and it really didn't concern us.

Springfield Armory built the new X-treme Duty to work in harsh conditions. Team Springfield member Rob Leatham pours dirt over the top and into the cutout under the bottom of a loaded XD 9mm at the range.

For chronograph and rest shooting, Angeles Shooting Ranges in San Fernando, California, was our next stop. Throughout this 25-yard target and chronographing session--returning to fresh factory ammo--we had no other malfunctions.

We burned through an additional 150 9mms, 150 .40 S&Ws and 100 or so .357 SIG rounds without a bobble of any sort. Accuracy-wise, the .40 S&W was king. It gave us groups of 3 1/4 inches at 25 yards. Not the type of groups you'd brag on, but consistent. The .357 Sig was next, delivering a group of 3 5/8 inches and the 9mm was a close third with a group of 3 3/4 inches. Staffer Payton Miller took the XD to the 50-yard gong range and shot about 70 percent with the .40 S&W with our last 100 rounds of Black Hills and Norma 155 grainers.

Petersen's Hunting Publisher Kevin E. Steele shot this 10-yard rapid-fire target. The XD is a fully capable combat pistol, delivering accuracy and reliability.

To sum it up, the Springfield Armory XD Series never bobbled when fed factory-made ammunition from Black Hills, CCI, Federal, Norma, Remington or Winchester. Our lone stoppage was with range reloads at around the 700 mark with the 9mm. All three guns shot well enough to ensure combat hits at 25 yards. Our best pistol shot hit a 10-inch gong seven out of 10 times at 50 yards. The Springfield XD has all the attributes to give the pistolero a reliable and consistent pistol, and does it all for less than $500.