11.12.07
• Rating the Springfield XD-40
(Please read update near bottom)
Purchased the XD-40 about 2 months ago to companion my CCW. Ergonomically, the pistol fits me like a glove. When I qualified at the range for my CCW with this pistol, it was right out of the box. In a word…sweet!
The instructor (local police) loved it, along with a gent from the NRC. Both could not believe how accurate a 3 incher could be.
The sights are wonderful and at 25 yards, the groupings are impressive. I do find that after a hundred rounds, my shooting finger and thumb get a little numb from the “lively” recoil and vibration generated from each report. I swore I would never wear a shooting glove, but I may be forced to do so in order to get off 100 plus rounds, per session.
Re-acquiring the target during rapid fire is challenging and I have yet to get where I need to be. This is either user error or more likely the trade-off of having such a powerful weapon that weighs less than 21 oz’s.
Is that a pistol in your pocket, or are you just glade to see me: The empty plastic frame of the XD weighed 7.7 ounces, and the magazine 2.4 ounces more. The slide assembly made up the remainder, which was 1 pound for the slide, barrel, and springs. Add 12 rounds and the complete gun weighted 31.9 ounces, or nearly two pounds. This basically eliminates the weapon as a pocket pistol, unless you are wearing military type utility pants with large leg pockets. I found carrying it in a fanny pack or in the pocket of a photography vest works well for me.
I shot it in pouring rain, yesterday and was impressed. I noticed very little slippage in my hand and I continued to get nice groupings. As has been mentioned before, the 9 round magazine takes a little getting use to and leaves me searching for a place to put my pinky finger. But…I find the 12 round clip makes the pistol a little too heavy and large to carry concealed, even though it feels great inserted in the grip.
Here is the one area about the weapon that is driving me nuts: I keep having a re-occurring problem with failure to feeds. I estimate that bout 4% of my shots or 4 in 100 do not feed, forcing a re-rack.
I have been shooting Winchester 165 gr and Blazer 180 gr, all in the FMJ variety. The problem seems to happen on about the 6 or 7th round and only in slow fire – never rapid fire. I always use a healthy vice grip on the pistol, so limp wristing is not the problem. I have shot over 500 rounds through the pistol to date.
If the weather holds, I am going to over lube the slide and try one last time before I call Springfield.
I am going to rate it average until I can resolve the FTF issue.
Manufacturing
Make: Springfield Country: USA
MSRP: $450-$550
Ballistics
Caliber: 9mm, .40 SW
Capacity: 9+1 or 12+1 rounds
Dimensions
Type: Sub-Compact
Weight: 20.5 oz (empty) Length: 6.26″ Barrel: 3.01″
Design
Frame/Finishes:Polymer frame
Sights: Light rail, Dovetail front & rear (steel) 3-Dot
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Update: Springfield XD-40
Recently I wrote of my experience with my XD-40 failing-to-feed. Subsequently, I called Springfield and they had offered to have my pistol sent in (on their dime) and they would make it right.
I decided to give the gun one last try and invited a friend of mine to the range and see if he could give me any pointers. And, by the way, I HIGHLY recommend even the most experienced pistolero having an experienced friend give them pointers.
On the very first shot, Ralph yelled, “HAULT!” What tha heck, I wasn’t even warmed up, yet! I pulled off my ear protection and he asked me where I learned my trigger reset? Trigger reset? What are you talking about, Ralph? Well…..Jar Head, you are letting your trigger finger “fly” forward after the shot. Well, I didn’t want to come across as a complete neophyte, so I safed the pistol, handed it to him and said “show me.”
Let the trigger come back, after the shot, just enough so that you feel a click…. Voilà, a trigger reset. Yea, I knew that……(right.)
I took the XD back and started hammering away at the target, with appropriate trigger resets. And right on queue, the seventh round failed to feed.
See Ralph, look what this darn thing is doing. Ralph gives me an evil eye I haven’t seen since my old Gunnery Sergeant used to contort 4 letter words in ways that made this country boys ears burn.
“Look at your left thumb!” I had frozen my hand position, rolled the pistol to the right and unbelievably, my left thumb had traveled so far up the frame of the pistol (apparently taking about 7 rounds to make the trip) that it was pushing the receiver lock lever and causing a self induced failure to feed. Case solved!
So, tomorrow I will call Springfield and proclaim my mea culpa. Let me be clear, I think this pistol suits my needs most favorably. Is it perfect? Certainly not, but then everything is a trade-off, isn’t it. Lastly, after about 1,000 rounds, I would consider this pistol to be very reliable. And while it is impossible to know for sure, I strongly suspect that 100% of my failure-to-feeds were self-induced.
Fastmetal
alfonse said,
September 22, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Great review! very helpful for a person in the market for the xd-40. Thanks!
Rydell said,
February 20, 2009 at 4:28 am
Thanks for the review. I was worried about the FTF from other reviews, however you refueled my pation for the xd..thanks again.