Can You Conceal A Service Length Xd

The Springfield Armory XD MOD.2 is a redesign of their XD. While the MOD.2 sub-compact comes in 9mm, .forty cal, and .45 ACP, the 4" service model every bit withal comes chambered just in 9mm.

By Andy Rutledge

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While there are several consequential design features on the pistol, Springfield has made quite a large bargain near their GRIP ZONE ® design and texturing. I'll bear on this feature in more detail, just I say now that at that place is more marketing there than functionality. There is, however, plenty to relish and the MOD.two brings some very prissy ergonomic features many shooters volition like.

Equally I found and will expound on here, the Mod.2 is slightly dissimilar from most service model pistols. It makes me wonder if Springfield is working on cultivating and securing a niche in the pistol world with this model. I spent some quality time with the MOD.2 and establish precious little to dislike.

XD MOD.2 slide options

Why Consider the Springfield XD Modernistic.2 Service Model?

The 4" XD MOD.2 is a service model, only non necessarily a full-size pistol. While one could feasibly deport it as an IWB, concealed pistol, it would exist somewhat difficult to exercise and so, owing to the full-size grip. Its primary purpose is as an OWB service model sidearm.

The MOD.2 is slightly unusual in an interesting style. Different many service model pistols, the XD MOD.2 has a pattern that minimizes frame and slide width and, perhaps considering of this feature, its sixteen+1 chapters is on the depression side for a service model sidearm. While about service models have an average 4.5"– 5" butt, the Modernistic.2 sports a slightly shorter 4" barrel.

These features brand the MOD.2 into almost a hybrid or bridge between a compact and a service model pistol. It occurs to me that with open up carry coming to us here in Texas next month, the Springfield XD MOD.two could make for an interesting and useful choice for open conduct. Not anybody wants a honking three-pound heater on their belt. The MOD.ii provides the option of a slightly smaller, slimmer, lighter-weight sidearm, but with a full-size grip and decent (if not great) chapters.

Springfield Armory XD Modern.ii 9mm Service Model Specs:

Caliber: 9x19mm
Length: 7.3"
Height: five.five"
Width: 1.2"
Barrel: four" hammer forged, steel, Melonite / 1:10 twist
Weight: 27.5oz w/empty magazine
Slide: Forged steel, Melonite black or silver finish
Frame: Blackness Polymer With GripZone® Texture
Sights: Cobweb Optic Front and Low Profile Combat Rear
Capacity: 16-round magazine (2), stainless steel
MSRP: $565.00 (oft institute for less)

Springfield XD MOD.2

Shooting the XD MOD.2 Service Model

As with most pistols, I found both adept and bad while shooting the MOD.2. The starting time thing I noticed was that holding this pistol made my medium-sized hands feel a bit bigger. The slimmer frame and shorter stretch from back to front put more of my finger into the trigger guard. I'm used to shooting Glocks, so I had to make slight adjustments in grip to get a like approach to the trigger. This is anecdotal, of course, merely it does brainstorm to depict the grip size and profile. I remember people with medium-to-small hands will enjoy this grip.

I found the MOD.2 to be very authentic. After I got used to the grip and trigger, I was shooting noticeably smaller groups at 10 to 15 yards than I normally do with my Glock 19, which has near exactly the aforementioned barrel length. And this even with the relatively high diameter axis on the Mod.2, which is as high every bit one might discover on a hammer-fired pistol. I'one thousand not a fan of the bore axis, but performance didn't seem to suffer.

Function of its accurateness I aspect to the trigger, which has none of the grit found in many striker-fired pistols. The trigger is a scrap long on accept-up and reset, merely it is buttery smooth; much improve than I think on my old XD(m). Shorten the press length by half and it'd be a nigh perfect trigger. In any result, I got used to it.

What I institute I did non like was the controllability of the pistol while firing several shots in succession, owing to…yes…the GRIP ZONE ®…

Comfort & Controllability
The XD MOD.two is a very comfortable pistol to concord. The ergonomic features of the grip and frame are well done. I establish nothing to argue with at that place. What I found less than satisfying was the controllability of the pistol when firing, due to a complete lack of texturing on the frame for the support manus.

With my dry out hands, the right hand was comfortably anchored to the grip. The texturing is suitably annoying for this manus, simply my support paw was skating on ice, and so to speak. While the GRIP ZONE ® is neat for the strong hand, there is absolutely no texture on the frame for the support-hand positions (meat of the thumb/palm and the forrad pollex positions). The complete lack of traction meant that my support hand was sliding around while firing and I had to make grip adjustments after the second or third and subsequent shots.

At present, every bit something of a grip-texture snob, I find mistake with ALL polymer frames and even my beloved Glocks must be stippled before I'd accept them anywhere other than the safe and dry confines of a strict indoor gun range. So I mention this flaw in the MOD.ii's frame only to signal out that the GRIP ZONE ®, while somewhat squeamish, is for the strong hand merely. It'due south pretty, merely information technology is no silver bullet.

Chapters
The 16+1 chapters is on the low side for a service model 9mm, with just one more circular than Glock's compact G19. With a grip that is a full one-half-inch taller than the G19, I would accept expected two actress rounds. But equally mentioned before, the slim profile of the frame comes at the price of more than rounds. That said, this true total-grip service model is a scrap lighter and slimmer than others, so there is a tradeoff some people may find ideal.

Components and Materials

The XD Modern.2 is aesthetically more than attractive than the original XD, but the design updates are functional and consequential, likewise. The slide, which comes in black or silvery finish, has been reshaped to be slimmer than before and the slide serrations, while nice, terminate at the rear with a deep, easy to grab cutting; a simple, simply consequential feature.

The disassembly lever is slimmer than earlier and more like yous'll find on the XD(s) model, which helps preserve the overall narrower width. In that same vein, the frame has cutouts behind the trigger expanse that, aside from removing cloth and creating attractive contours, provide a slightly improved admission for the trigger finger. This combined with the rounded cutout under the trigger guard makes for a very snug and comfortable potent-hand fit.

The sights are very nice, with white-dot rear sights and a fiber optic front sight. Both are adjustable with dovetail fittings. The rear site is serrated to foreclose glare. The slide features a bedroom-loaded indicator on superlative and a striker-readiness indicator on the back plate. Magazine release controls are bachelor on both sides, making the Modernistic.2 friendly for righties and lefties and ambidextrous preparation or fighting.

All of these are nice features that near folks will appreciate. The remaining feature I'm not and so keen on, grip texturing aside, is the "GRIP ZONE" carved into the frame's untextured grip expanse. It just makes the pistol look like it was made past Hasbro or something. Most reads equally, PUT YER Manus HEEEYER.

On Reliability

I confess that I simply put about 300 rounds through the XD Modern.2, merely it ran merely fine with Blazer Brass 115gr ball, Federal Premium HST, and Hornady Critical Duty. Fed just fine and every trigger pull resulted in Bang.

The 1 thing that troubled my shooting experience is that the slide never locked open up on the final circular, attributable to where I identify my potent-paw thumb. My hand size and grip convention placed my strong-hand thumb on acme of the slide-lock lever. This prevented the lever from engaging when the mag ran dry. Were I to deport 1 of these, I'd have to spend time changing my grip convention. Surely this will not be a trouble for all or even about folks.

Conclusions

Pros
This is an aesthetically bonny, highly authentic pistol that sports a narrow profile and relatively lite weight despite information technology being a service model. The grip is very comfortable, it is small-hand friendly, and the unabridged frame has ergonomic appointments many volition enjoy. The trigger, while perhaps a bit long, is very smooth. The sights are of skilful quality and easy to pick up. The slide serrations, particularly at the rear, make this an like shooting fish in a barrel-to-rack pistol. The slim profile and lighter weight make this an interesting alternative to heavier, bulkier service model sidearms.

Cons
I'll have to get nitpicky to call out flaws here. The sights, while quite nice, sport a sloped rear sight that will make one-handed slide racking slightly less reliable. The trigger is a fleck too long for my taste. The capacity is perhaps a flake low for a service model 9mm and the grip could apply some better and more strategically placed texturing. Like all Springfield Armory pistols, it has a superfluous grip condom (I hold all external safeties to be an invitation to injury and death). Oh, and the "GRIP ZONE" carved into the frame is a fleck comical and garish for an otherwise elegant pistol.

Then for rating the XD Mod.two…

Ergonomics (*****)
This is a very comfortable pistol. Fits like a glove.

Shootability (****)
The merely flaw is the lack of advisable back up-mitt texturing for multi-shot control. Other than that, shoots great!

Accuracy (*****)
It's a nail driver!

Reliability
I can't really speak to reliability given my limited exposure to it. Only information technology is a Springfield Armory pistol. I've endemic a couple and have never had i fail on me.

Customization (***)
At that place are plenty of aftermarket replacement parts and accessories for the XD. Trigger parts, included.

In Summary

The Springfield Armory XD MOD.ii is a consequential and worthy redesign of the XD. In that location is a lot to like here and in the past few years I've learned to exist a fan of Springfield'south pistols. They've upped their comfort game with the Modernistic.2 and have given other manufacturers something to aim for. It's not perfection, just I have yet to find the perfect pistol. Many will surely find the XD MOD.ii close to their ideal of polymer pistol perfection. I highly recommend giving it a tryout. Perchance rent 1 at the range and come across what yous retrieve!