My Thoughts On The Springfield XDS

[Rumblestrip]

I had the opportunity to head down to Top Gun today to shoot the Springfield XDS. Like everybody else I'm pretty excited about this pistol and have anticipated shooting it for quite some time. Also, being number three on the list at Top Gun, for one they actually arrive, I wanted to make sure ahead of time that it was truly a gun that I wanted to buy.

While it's been a couple months since I shot one, the XDS appears to be a bit smaller than a Walther PPS. In weight, if memory serves, it feels about the same, but it feels smaller in hand, and maybe a little thinner. The fit and finish of the XDS is very good, and it's a very attractive pistol.



At the end of the day, all anyone really cares about, is, how does it shoot! Given all the hype surrounding this thing, maybe my expectations were set too high. As granite, I'm certainly no professional gun tester, but I walked away with mixed feelings after putting 60 rounds down range today.

The first thing that I noticed, is that the way that felt most natural to hold a gun in my hand, led to some slide bite, so I had to bring my grip a little lower to avoid it. And, while it may have been perception, it did not feel as though I had as strong a grip on it as I would preferred. As far as felt recoil, it felt in nearly the same as a Glock 23. You certainly know that you are shooting a 45 with this. Yes I know the Glock 23 is a 40 caliber pistol, but that's about how snappy this felt. As I side note I shot my XDm 45 4.5" back to back, and it felt like a Cadillac compared to the XDS.

I put 50 rounds of 230 grain Federal white box target rounds and 10 rounds of A-1 (Bulletguy's) 230 grain rounds through the XDS with no issues. 60 rounds isn't much, and there were no hollow points, so take that for what it is, a data point.



The sites are good, I do really like the fiber-optic front sight, it makes boring in on your target quick and easy. Overall the gun handles well and in many ways is hard not to like it. Lastly, the trigger. Can't say that I loved. Honestly, it was a little vague. The take-up on it isn't bad and the break is crisp, but, even owning and XDm currently, it feels even a little more vague than that. The reset it on it is quite short, and of course all this predicated on the fact that it was the first time a handled pistol, and I only have 60 rounds down range. To come back to the Walther PPS, that trigger, I thought, was quite good, and the XDS, certainly can't hold a candle to. That's not the same bad, it will just take some getting used to.

So at the end of the day, when Top Gun calls, and says, "hey do you want to come and get this", my answer will be of course. It's such an excellent size, especially for summer carry, or if you have to dress up and need something very easy to conceal, that it's hard not to want to have it. Other downsides, of course are the 5+1 arrangement. The whole caliber versus capacity argument, I'm not in the touch, though it is hard to argue against the 230 grain 45 caliber bullet, no matter how many you have at your disposal.

What will be fun to try out, is the XDS side-by-side against the current pistol of the moment, the S&W Shield. I have yet to have a chance to shoot the shield, so I can't comment, but I do look forward to trying that one out as well.

Anyways those are my thoughts, not yours, (to steal a line from a morning radio show host) and of course, your mileage may vary, but I do encourage everyone to go try it out and see for yourself it's a pretty enticing option.

[Rumblestrip]

Picked up my XDS today at Top Gun!

[Revdrshad]

Is it still made in Croatia?
Or has Springfield tried to somehow get it made in the U.S.?

I'm not an XD fan at all, so I'm incredible skeptical...

[Rumblestrip]

Still made in Croatia.

[XDM 40 cal]

Nice write up...

I think this should help you or not...
[YOUTUBE]2fmr8iZyeXw[/YOUTUBE]

[Revdrshad]

It looks like a nice little gun. I'm sure it'll fill a niche... Maybe.