I may have strayed from the flock a bit but as with many things those that don’t evolve die. Everyone who knows me, has read my posts, or seen my videos knows I love the Smith & Wesson M&P. I still do, however I think that those who swear by only one gun are complete and utter idiots. I tend to hear it most from 1911 and Glock fanatics.
This weekend I acquired my first polymer gun that I absolutely adored other than my beloved Smith. A compact version of Springfield Armory’s XD45. My initial impression echoed my first thoughts of the M&P. It fits my hand extremely well, packs some awesome firepower (up to 14 rounds of .45ACP), points as naturally as my own finger and has enough metal to conduct electricity.
This particular gun has a metal trigger with many similarities to that of a Glock in terms of the tab insert in the middle of the trigger that functions as a passive safety device. What differs from the Glock is not only the material the trigger is made of but the pull and the width. This is a single action handgun, meaning that the striker is fully cocked by the cycling of the slide allowing for a short and light pull to disengage the sear and fire the gun. The take up, though, is longer than say a 1911 but is still clean and light. The second factor is that the trigger is wider allowing for a more positive grip on the trigger without what some experience on the Glock as a sharp discomfort when shooting the “Safe Action Trigger” for a prolonged amount of time.
Something that surprised me most was how the gun fit in my hand. This may be a “compact” gun but it doesn’t feel to me to be any smaller than a Glock 19 or 23. It is only fair to mention Smith & Wesson have followed this pattern with their 45 M&P as well. To add to that comfort factor the XD45c also comes in the box with a fullsize magazine from a XD45 Tactical model that will accomodate 13 round as opposed to the compact magazine which carries 10 rounds. For a bedside gun or as a secondary carry magazine this is a nice bonus. The extra fullsize magazine also has a grip extender to make it one seamless grip more comparable to the service 45 or tactical 45 model.
The most surprising aspect of the XD is how naturally the gun points. For me this is a key must have in any self-defense gun. When having to use a gun in self defense or in a stressful, dynamic situation, you need to be able to get rounds on target and deliver accurate fire quick, fast, and in a hurry. The XD45 does just that. In my opinion someone at Springfield Armory must have been shooting a lot of 1911s before making the decision to import this Croatian beauty. The grip mimics the feel of a 1911 almost perfectly, as does the Ruger SR9 but that’s another article all together. When I pick this up after shooting my Taurus PT1911 I am blown away that the feel is so similar, down to the grip safety. Even though the girth of the grip is wider to support the double column 13/10 round magazines it’s not overally large. In fact the reach to the trigger is surprisingly short for a polymer gun.
All in all this gun is everything you would expect for a stiker fired polymer service pistol. It excels in several areas such as ergonomics, value, and capacity and absolutely puts up a fight with the long timer Glock and other newcomers to polymer such as Smith & Wesson. I obviously am not going in to every aspect of the gun, and that is as to not speak for the XD. This is a gun that many will love and some will hate. It all comes down to preference and how the gun feels in your hands. Check it out at your local shop and decide for yourself if this is a gun for you.
