Springfield XD 9mm : What Everybody Ought to Know

Springfield XD

Some of you remember reading my previous post “Glock 19 – perfection in a 9mm ” where I taunted the piece of Austrian plastic as the best 9mm on the market.
Well from time to time something drastic comes along uprooting long-held beliefs and prejudices, for me that was the Springfield XD9.
A few months ago I was lusting over the contents of a display case of various handguns at the local sporting goods store. When the Springfield XD9caught my eye and I had to take a look. When the grip touched my hand I felt that spark, you know the one, like a teenage boy in love for the first time.  I had to have it.
After paying the required 20% down the owner put the pistol in lay away. I worked and saved and worked some more, putting every dollar I could spare toward paying off the debt.  After about two months of dedication and sacrifice the bill was paid in full and I was the owner of a brand new toy.
While I still love the Glock, I think the Springfield XD is better than anything that came before it. The Springfield XD9 Incorporates the best of both the Glock and SIG with a few of its own upgrades thrown in for good measure.

Features Include:

• Checkered front and back straps.
• A grip-frame arched on its rear surface enhancing “pointability” and control.
• An ambidextrous magazine release mechanism.
• A loaded chamber indicator.
• A cocking indicator.
• A Glock-type trigger safety – only better.
• A large beveled magazine well, to enhance quick reloading.
• 16-rd. drop-free metal magazines.
• Grooves in the frame forward of the trigger guard to accommodate lights and other accessories.
• A dual-spring recoil assembly to reduce muzzle flip and felt recoil.
• Metal three dot sites.
• Utilizes the same dovetail size for its sights as does SIG, making installation of replacement sights easy.

Over the past couple of months I have put about 700 rounds through the XD9 and have not had any hang-ups or malfunctions of any kind. Every time the trigger is squeezed BAM, with this pistol reliability is not an issue. While I have not testes for accuracy from the bench I can say from all my plinking and banging around that accuracy seems to be above-board, with empty soda cans being easy targets at 35 yards.

Field Stripping the Springfield XD9

1. Cock the piece by pulling back the slide as you would to chamber a round.
2. Retract the slide and lock it rearward aligning the take-down lever with the groove.
3. Turn the take-down lever upward.
4. Move the slide forward and press the trigger to decock.
5. Pull the slide forward to disengage from the frame.
6. Turn the slide assembly upside down.
7. Remove the recoil spring unit.
8. Pull the barrel up and to the rear, removing it from the slide.

And you’re done.