I have handled and shot one at the range and I was impressed with it. I prefer the XD to the Glock for ergonomic reasons and I recall feeling less recoil with the XD in .40 than with my friend's Glock in 9mm. It is one of the few polymer pistols that I would consider buying. I didn't care much for the trigger but keep in mind that I'm used to the smooth light action of a well made revolver. The only thing I would suggest is to make sure you can find a holster for the tactical version. Another member here once mentioned that he had far less options for carry with the tactical version.
Springfield XD45
I am looking at the new Springfield XD in 45acp. the tactical version with the 5" barrel. This will be my 1st 45 as it is the only caliber I am missing out of my collection that I really want. I am seeing the package deal at very reasonable prices. Does anyone out there own 1 that can give me some input? I will most likely make this my new ccw piece. Thanks
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
I recently purchased one and like it quite a bit although I only have shot it on two occassions. First time out, it seemed to shoot low and to the left at 25 yds. Second box, it was centering the targets with some decent groups so must have been me on the first outing. No failures of any kinds. Took both my lead and jacketed reloads without a hitch, mixed in the same magazine. Trigger is okay for this type of pistol but I have read that you can improve it greatly through either Springfield or a place called Canyon Creek but I have no first hand knowledge of this. I don't do a lot of pistol shooting now but I did at one time and am kind of leaning toward a renewed interest. I like it far better than a Glock. If you're not going to buy a 1911, this is a good choice. Local shop can't keep the tactical model in stock. As for carry, well its not exactly slim and trim and I think I would look at the service model first.
I have the XD-45 Service model and carry it in the winter when I have a fair bit of clothing to help cover the gun. The grip of the 45 is about and inch and a half longer than that of the XD40/9 which can make it much harder to conceal under light clothing. I cannot carry it under an untucked T-shirt as they cling too much when I sweat but the so called "fishing shirts" worrk OK. The Tactical model is also kind of hard to find holsters for other than belt slide types unless you go the expensive, long wait custom route. I had an XD-40 Tactical for a couple of years and that was my biggest complaint for it; lack of holsters. That gun has now "left the building" and I am sticking to the Service models for both open and concealed carry. I carry an XD-40 all summer and will be switching to the 45 soon.
This is a cut and paste from another forum on the Glock Vs. Springfield XD topic. Bill T.
I originally posted this as a reply to an XD review and the subsequent replies of 'omg the XD is sooooo much better than the Glock rofl' I couldn't take it and had to put some things out there. Enjoy!
One thing the XD is superior to the Glock in is handle diameter and that's only for people with short fingers. That's it. Other reasons given to the XD's superiority are subjective to opinion and nothing else.
A few of the given 'reasons' XDs are better I read in this post:
Price. I work in at a gun shop and at a range, the Glock is about $80 more than the XD. I don't know many people who think $80 is something to worry about with something that protects your life.
Machining quality/manufacture. At both of my occupations I have XDs come back for warranty work (sometimes complete replacement due to inability to repair). Cracked frames, ftf, stovepiping, chambers needing to be honed. The list goes on and on.
Durability. Like the aforementioned reason - it's false. Most people have this opinion based on only having a few thousand (if that) rounds through their XDs. At the range we are constantly having problems with our XD rentals (see previous reason problems) while our Glocks usually run about 100,000 rounds through them before we cycle a new one into the mix. Those are 100,000 trouble free rounds. Consistently. Wait a few more years when all of these XDs get some real use.
Ergonomics. XD likes to tout this one in their advertising as well saying that when you point it the sights line up rather than having you look at the top of the slide. Glock went with their 105 degree handle angle for a reason: they tested, tested and did some more testing and found that it provided the best firing results for accuracy and following shots. The XD's handle angle along with its high barrel axis to the hand provide much more muzzle flip than a Glock which in turn means less accurate double-taps and a less control.
Single action vs double action. The Glock uses the double action for safety. It's one of the reasons it's called Safe-Action. If the striker spring isn't cocked - it can't fire! Just like a down hammer. The XD has a cocked spring. You can count on replacing the striker spring many more times in an XD than a Glock because of this. You also better hope your firing pin block is in proper working order or you're at the mercy of the poorly designed sear of the XD which, by the way, will fire out of battery. Try pushing back on the slide sometime while pulling the trigger. The double action might not be as smooth, clean or as short a pull of the single action, but these are service pistols not target pistols.
The slide lock. The slide lock on the Glock is designed to be tight against the frame and slide as to not be snagged on anything. They also wanted people to use two hands to release the slide because it's a more controlled manner than hitting the lock with your thumb. This isn't the movies! Release the slide the proper way. The slide lock on the XD also adds a decent amount to the overall width of the weapon - not very carry friendly.
Finish. People, Tenifer is not the outside coating. Tenifer is the metal treatment of the slide and barrel itself. It is .005 mm thick and is close the the hardness of diamond. The treatment of the metal itself acheives a 99.9% salt water resistance. Tenifer is also illegal in this country because the EPA. XD does not have it. Don't regularly oil the slide on your XD and carry it in a cold climate for a while. The in/out condensation will rust your slide in no time.
Warranty. Good thing Sprinfield has you covered here, you're going to need it.
Field stripping. The Glock actually uses a faster process which uses less steps than the XD. Also, many people rotate the take-down lever then pull the slide lock down putting all forward inertia of the slide to come to a halt against the sear (it's the only thing keeping the slide from going forward at that point) and cause damage to the sear, striker and frame.
Loaded chamber indicator. Glock has this as well. Wake up.
Cocked indicator. Glock has this as well. If the trigger is forward on a Glock, it's cocked. Also, how are you going to get a round into the chamber on either of these guns without it being cocked? It's not a Walther with a decocker.
Grip safety. How is a gun going to go off without your hand on the handle? Your finger should never be inside the trigger guard unless you have the weapon acquired and intend to fire. Are we forgetting some basic firearm rules? The grip safety is null and void.
Customization. If you can't find genuine Glock custom parts for your Glock at your local gun dealer, you need to find a new one. Glock holsters, parts and accessories are everywhere. Try to find a holster for your XD. It's much more difficult. Yes, it's newer and takes a while, but companies will be reluctant to make them because Springfield supplies you with one, albeit a horrible one with not one level of retention.
I felt the need to debunk these XD/Glock myths. The XD is not even close the being up to par with the Glock. The Glock is going on 20 years now and has changed the world of pistols - the XD won't make that sort of impact.
I originally posted this as a reply to an XD review and the subsequent replies of 'omg the XD is sooooo much better than the Glock rofl' I couldn't take it and had to put some things out there. Enjoy!
One thing the XD is superior to the Glock in is handle diameter and that's only for people with short fingers. That's it. Other reasons given to the XD's superiority are subjective to opinion and nothing else.
A few of the given 'reasons' XDs are better I read in this post:
Price. I work in at a gun shop and at a range, the Glock is about $80 more than the XD. I don't know many people who think $80 is something to worry about with something that protects your life.
Machining quality/manufacture. At both of my occupations I have XDs come back for warranty work (sometimes complete replacement due to inability to repair). Cracked frames, ftf, stovepiping, chambers needing to be honed. The list goes on and on.
Durability. Like the aforementioned reason - it's false. Most people have this opinion based on only having a few thousand (if that) rounds through their XDs. At the range we are constantly having problems with our XD rentals (see previous reason problems) while our Glocks usually run about 100,000 rounds through them before we cycle a new one into the mix. Those are 100,000 trouble free rounds. Consistently. Wait a few more years when all of these XDs get some real use.
Ergonomics. XD likes to tout this one in their advertising as well saying that when you point it the sights line up rather than having you look at the top of the slide. Glock went with their 105 degree handle angle for a reason: they tested, tested and did some more testing and found that it provided the best firing results for accuracy and following shots. The XD's handle angle along with its high barrel axis to the hand provide much more muzzle flip than a Glock which in turn means less accurate double-taps and a less control.
Single action vs double action. The Glock uses the double action for safety. It's one of the reasons it's called Safe-Action. If the striker spring isn't cocked - it can't fire! Just like a down hammer. The XD has a cocked spring. You can count on replacing the striker spring many more times in an XD than a Glock because of this. You also better hope your firing pin block is in proper working order or you're at the mercy of the poorly designed sear of the XD which, by the way, will fire out of battery. Try pushing back on the slide sometime while pulling the trigger. The double action might not be as smooth, clean or as short a pull of the single action, but these are service pistols not target pistols.
The slide lock. The slide lock on the Glock is designed to be tight against the frame and slide as to not be snagged on anything. They also wanted people to use two hands to release the slide because it's a more controlled manner than hitting the lock with your thumb. This isn't the movies! Release the slide the proper way. The slide lock on the XD also adds a decent amount to the overall width of the weapon - not very carry friendly.
Finish. People, Tenifer is not the outside coating. Tenifer is the metal treatment of the slide and barrel itself. It is .005 mm thick and is close the the hardness of diamond. The treatment of the metal itself acheives a 99.9% salt water resistance. Tenifer is also illegal in this country because the EPA. XD does not have it. Don't regularly oil the slide on your XD and carry it in a cold climate for a while. The in/out condensation will rust your slide in no time.
Warranty. Good thing Sprinfield has you covered here, you're going to need it.
Field stripping. The Glock actually uses a faster process which uses less steps than the XD. Also, many people rotate the take-down lever then pull the slide lock down putting all forward inertia of the slide to come to a halt against the sear (it's the only thing keeping the slide from going forward at that point) and cause damage to the sear, striker and frame.
Loaded chamber indicator. Glock has this as well. Wake up.
Cocked indicator. Glock has this as well. If the trigger is forward on a Glock, it's cocked. Also, how are you going to get a round into the chamber on either of these guns without it being cocked? It's not a Walther with a decocker.
Grip safety. How is a gun going to go off without your hand on the handle? Your finger should never be inside the trigger guard unless you have the weapon acquired and intend to fire. Are we forgetting some basic firearm rules? The grip safety is null and void.
Customization. If you can't find genuine Glock custom parts for your Glock at your local gun dealer, you need to find a new one. Glock holsters, parts and accessories are everywhere. Try to find a holster for your XD. It's much more difficult. Yes, it's newer and takes a while, but companies will be reluctant to make them because Springfield supplies you with one, albeit a horrible one with not one level of retention.
I felt the need to debunk these XD/Glock myths. The XD is not even close the being up to par with the Glock. The Glock is going on 20 years now and has changed the world of pistols - the XD won't make that sort of impact.
Interestingly, the Glock is not even under consideration as the new .45 sidearm for the military, but the XD is... or so says Military Times. :wink:
That in itself isn't saying much considering the last blunder they made with those silly Beretta 92's. Bill T.
Other than the way they look and fit my hand, I have no issues with the Beretta 92. The belief that the U.S. military made a mistake in switching to them is as much debated as 9mm vs .45 ACP. The greatest problem I've heard is the magazines are of poor quality and I have sent off all I could scrounge with our local Guard unit when they were activated. I have heard many disparaging remarks of the Colts used by the military as far back as the late 1960s by many people. Coworkers who went to Vietnam spoke ill of those they used in training and of many they ran into over there. The two tunnel rats I knew both prefered something else, one a K-frame S&W in 38 Spl and the other used a Colt Woodsman or High Standard Military in .22 LR. Reasons were "A revolver always works" and "Not as loud, I can heard movement or other important noises after firing". They are still with us so what they used is what was best for them and their reasons.
As for the Glock vs. XD argument, that is another one that won't ever be resolved. Glock was the first company to popularize a polymer framed handgun (I think H&K was the first with a polymer frame, the P-7, James Bond's replacement for his .25 ACP).
I must run in a lower browed croud than the writer above, $80 can make a difference for many in the gun they choose; for many the $400 for a used Glock or XD is even too much and they have to "settle" for a used revolver, S&W Sigma, or Ruger auto. I haven't had a problem with the latter (I'll even admit to owning and using a Sigma for a while and finding the experience satisfactory) but many consider them to be less desirable than the "hot" brands/models. There have been numerous issues with the Glock as to their unsupported chambers and potential problems with reloads and +P ammo (a couple years ago, Indiana or Ohio State Police cancelled their contract with Glock after the second gun came apart during training) and their strong admonition to not use lead bullets under any circumstance. A replacement barrel is often recommended if one plans on using reloads and/or lead bullets in a Glock. If one plans on shooting only first fire factory rounds this isn't much of a concern but for those who reload or use reman ammo this may be an issue.
As for durability, the XD has successfully completed the "tests" that Glock touted so proudly with the same results. If it was enough to prove "the greatness" of Glock, why not another brand? Once service type guns regularly hit the 20,000 roud mark with no problemsm I tend to think of it as being reliable. Others may have higher standards but again, Glock had no trouble with these numbers when they started. Raising the bar just because one has been around longer to me is much like an older brother insisting on having first crack at everything just because he "is older". In time this reaches a point of being absurd.
I much prefer the XD as it plain fits my hand better and the grip angle allows me to shoot it better. I shoot the XD in the mid to upper 90s in bullseye qualifications and in the lower 90s in the IDPA type qualifications my department requires every 5 months. With a Glock (or S&W 59 series) I am in the mid 80s and high 70s respectively. There are others on my department that find it the other way around which is a main reason we have the latitude to buy our own guns. I have a fair bit of experience with the Glock after having been issued them twice and actually buying one on my own. Because Gaston found his test subjects to prefer a 105 degree angle doesn't mean this is the ultimate; if so then the 1911 Colt would not have an over 90 year following and be the benchmark it is. For some reason more of the top shooters in all handgun disciplines pick a 1911 style as their platform than other types, maybe even all others combined. Again, ergonomics is merely a subjective opinion where everybody will find something in one or the other "better".
I much prefer the XD trigger over anything that I can drop in on a Glock. The long travel is easier for me to adjust to than the gritty triggers I've run into on the Glock. Again, others find it otherwise which is great for them.
I much prefer the XD slide lock as I can use it one handed. As a duty firearm, it could be important (I hope not though) to beable to operate the gun one handed. Having to use two hands for basic functions is not a plus in my book. In controlled environments it may not matter but in others it may. I also have not found a problem in the extra width or length of the release, an extended safety on a 1911 is much more of a discomfort to me as is an oversized beavertail safety.
The XD is claimed to have a Melonite (?) coating which is claimed to be similar to Tenifer. Glock has claimed to have Tenifer treated metal works. I have not had problems with the XD's Melonite but the older standard coating did have the potential to rust easily. The XD45 I currently have and the XD40SC I had were Melonite and resisted rust very well. I wipe the external surfaces of my XD40 Service after every day on the road and once a week when carrying it concealed. I started doing this after having some light rust develop on my Tactical and never had a problem after. It is much the same care I took of my blued revolvers before I switched to stainless.
I agree with the poster on the next couple of steps but find field stripping to not be an onerous chore. My 1911 was much harder for me to strip down than either of the polymers but not enough so to prevent me from carrying it.
There isn't much in the way of "custom" touches for the XD but I have not had a problem finding a holster for the Service models. The Tactical is a pain to find holsters other than slides but the Service model has had a plethora of choices for a few years. One must remember that the HS2000 is the former name for the XD and holsters for this model also work. It is difficult to find anything but generic belt holsters in nylon or leather "large pistol" belt in the typical local sporting goods store and concealed carry options are about nil, but police duty holsters are as available for the XD as the Glock at our supply store and there are even more choices for both open and concealed carry available on the Internet.
Glock did change the way the world looks at handgun materials and some of the features found on the gun. As with all features, some are good and some are bad depending on the circumstances. For me, I'll take the XD. It ain't perfect but for me its closer to that goal than some other brands and I won't begrudge others ( and certainly not bash them if they prefer a Glock) for choosing differently.
As for the Glock vs. XD argument, that is another one that won't ever be resolved. Glock was the first company to popularize a polymer framed handgun (I think H&K was the first with a polymer frame, the P-7, James Bond's replacement for his .25 ACP).
I must run in a lower browed croud than the writer above, $80 can make a difference for many in the gun they choose; for many the $400 for a used Glock or XD is even too much and they have to "settle" for a used revolver, S&W Sigma, or Ruger auto. I haven't had a problem with the latter (I'll even admit to owning and using a Sigma for a while and finding the experience satisfactory) but many consider them to be less desirable than the "hot" brands/models. There have been numerous issues with the Glock as to their unsupported chambers and potential problems with reloads and +P ammo (a couple years ago, Indiana or Ohio State Police cancelled their contract with Glock after the second gun came apart during training) and their strong admonition to not use lead bullets under any circumstance. A replacement barrel is often recommended if one plans on using reloads and/or lead bullets in a Glock. If one plans on shooting only first fire factory rounds this isn't much of a concern but for those who reload or use reman ammo this may be an issue.
As for durability, the XD has successfully completed the "tests" that Glock touted so proudly with the same results. If it was enough to prove "the greatness" of Glock, why not another brand? Once service type guns regularly hit the 20,000 roud mark with no problemsm I tend to think of it as being reliable. Others may have higher standards but again, Glock had no trouble with these numbers when they started. Raising the bar just because one has been around longer to me is much like an older brother insisting on having first crack at everything just because he "is older". In time this reaches a point of being absurd.
I much prefer the XD as it plain fits my hand better and the grip angle allows me to shoot it better. I shoot the XD in the mid to upper 90s in bullseye qualifications and in the lower 90s in the IDPA type qualifications my department requires every 5 months. With a Glock (or S&W 59 series) I am in the mid 80s and high 70s respectively. There are others on my department that find it the other way around which is a main reason we have the latitude to buy our own guns. I have a fair bit of experience with the Glock after having been issued them twice and actually buying one on my own. Because Gaston found his test subjects to prefer a 105 degree angle doesn't mean this is the ultimate; if so then the 1911 Colt would not have an over 90 year following and be the benchmark it is. For some reason more of the top shooters in all handgun disciplines pick a 1911 style as their platform than other types, maybe even all others combined. Again, ergonomics is merely a subjective opinion where everybody will find something in one or the other "better".
I much prefer the XD trigger over anything that I can drop in on a Glock. The long travel is easier for me to adjust to than the gritty triggers I've run into on the Glock. Again, others find it otherwise which is great for them.
I much prefer the XD slide lock as I can use it one handed. As a duty firearm, it could be important (I hope not though) to beable to operate the gun one handed. Having to use two hands for basic functions is not a plus in my book. In controlled environments it may not matter but in others it may. I also have not found a problem in the extra width or length of the release, an extended safety on a 1911 is much more of a discomfort to me as is an oversized beavertail safety.
The XD is claimed to have a Melonite (?) coating which is claimed to be similar to Tenifer. Glock has claimed to have Tenifer treated metal works. I have not had problems with the XD's Melonite but the older standard coating did have the potential to rust easily. The XD45 I currently have and the XD40SC I had were Melonite and resisted rust very well. I wipe the external surfaces of my XD40 Service after every day on the road and once a week when carrying it concealed. I started doing this after having some light rust develop on my Tactical and never had a problem after. It is much the same care I took of my blued revolvers before I switched to stainless.
I agree with the poster on the next couple of steps but find field stripping to not be an onerous chore. My 1911 was much harder for me to strip down than either of the polymers but not enough so to prevent me from carrying it.
There isn't much in the way of "custom" touches for the XD but I have not had a problem finding a holster for the Service models. The Tactical is a pain to find holsters other than slides but the Service model has had a plethora of choices for a few years. One must remember that the HS2000 is the former name for the XD and holsters for this model also work. It is difficult to find anything but generic belt holsters in nylon or leather "large pistol" belt in the typical local sporting goods store and concealed carry options are about nil, but police duty holsters are as available for the XD as the Glock at our supply store and there are even more choices for both open and concealed carry available on the Internet.
Glock did change the way the world looks at handgun materials and some of the features found on the gun. As with all features, some are good and some are bad depending on the circumstances. For me, I'll take the XD. It ain't perfect but for me its closer to that goal than some other brands and I won't begrudge others ( and certainly not bash them if they prefer a Glock) for choosing differently.
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Pistol World Forums
A forum community dedicated to all pistol owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about optics, hunting, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Recommended Communities
