In the
world we live in today, there are MANY options for small compact handguns for
around $500. Competition is high, but
this did not stop Springfield Armory
from trying to take that number one slot.
If you have spent any time around Springfield’s website or social media
sites, then you are quite aware that they have been promoting the XD-9 Mod.2
very hard. Recently, thanks to Southern Guns LLC, I got my hands on one
to review.
Let me
start out by saying that I have never been a fan of the XD line. Needless to say, I went into testing this
with that in mind, but I was opened minded.
The first thing I noticed about it was the way it looked. In the past, I have found XDs to be, well,
ugly. This one is not too much
better. The second thing was when I picked
it up.
I have
big hands. The 13 round flush magazine allows
my pinky to wiggle freely. It leaves
nothing for me to grip onto. Granted,
this is a subcompact gun, but a small pinky extension would have done wonders
for me. Now, they do have an extended magazine
that holds 16 rounds, but I personally think that sticks out too far. That may be great for the range or as a
backup magazine, but if you are going to carry a compact gun, you don’t want to
turn it into a full sized firearm. Regardless,
out of the box, both magazines fed just fine.
One of
the first things you’ll see and feel (besides lack of pinky support) is the
textured grip. Oh, my, gosh does
Springfield promote this. They are so proud
of this texturing. They have named it “Grip
Zone” and everything! After all
that, the extended magazine that they send has the old texture on it. Normally I wouldn’t think twice about that
little inconsistency, but if 50% of your promo video
is focused on the texture, don’t skimp out and forget the magazine. Regardless, it does feel very good. You get a very good grip purchase, and it’s
easy to keep a hold of during firing. The
only downside I would see it that if you drop this in the dirt or have dirty
hands, it may be tough to clean, but since it’s made of polymer, perhaps water
will do the trick.
The
slide is thinner then the outgoing model, and they have a nice fiber optic
front sight. I do really like the
sights. They are very easy to see, and
they line up well. I should also say
that I enjoy the trigger. There is a
little bit of play, but when you pull it back far enough, it’s light, clean,
and consistent. I am not picky about triggers
for the most part. For me, if I know it
will go bang, I’m fine with it, but it is nice to be able to know confidently
when the trigger will break. With this, I
know.
With
all of that out of the way, how does it perform? Well, I did do some testing at a practical
and expected distance of five yards, and the grouping was pretty good. Could I hit the same hole over and over
again? Maybe if I tried hard enough, but
I was content with the four inch rushed shooting that I did with it. (Rushed because one would not use this gun
for target shooting, but adrenaline pumping self defense.)
The
one thing I do really like about Springfield is the extra goodies you get. While it comes with two magazines (which is
now pretty much standard), you also get a small holster, double magazine pouch,
a loader, replacement fiber optic sights, and the other typical stuff (like the
manual). While you may not use that
stuff, it’s nice to have.
All
in all, I was surprised by this little gun.
It’s a good little shooter, but still ugly. Even more so with the words “Grip Zone” on
the side. They might as well write, “Hold
Here” on the side. However, it does what
it is supposed to do, and pretty well. Am
I going to rush out and get one? No, but
I know someone will.
What
do you think about this gun? Let me know
in the comments below, or let me know on Facebook or Twitter. Thank you again to Southern Guns LLC for the hookup.
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