Springfield Armory XD-9 Sub-Compact

I have been meaning to write something about the Springfield XD-9 Sub-Compact for some time… ever since I picked it up.  I have been a huge fan of the XD line before there even was an XD line... it used to be called the HS-2000, and it was excellent even back then.  Said to Out-Glock the Glock.  Whatever the hell that means.  In reality it was a solid performer then and it's even better now.  The trigger is fantastic.  4.5 pounds on my example, it's crisp with little creep.  This little gun is really something else.  10+1 capacity, super compact, yet offers excellent shootability and even a good grip.  Contradictions to the normal Sub-Compact experience.  For good reason.  This isn’t your normal subcompact handgun.  This gun combines some of the best features of the Glock, SIG, 1911, and other guns.  The Glock resemblance is obvious to most.  The grip safety is another feature that I like, and I love the takedown ... it is very SIG-like in my opinion. 

Regardless of its short grip, the shape and proportions lends its self nicely to a firm grip by most hands.  Really I know of only one cat who doesn’t like the grip, but he can palm an NBA regulation basketball, and to him, a full sized HK USP .40 was too small. 

Shooting with it is a lot of fun.  It’s small, so using regular loads, you would expect this little puppy to be snappy.  It isn’t.  It shoots very much like a full sized XD… meaning not bad at all.  At reasonable ranges, hitting with it is not hard at all either.  At the 15 yard line, 2 and a half to 3 inch groups are normal with most loads I’ve tried.

My choice of carry ammo is the excellent Federal Nyclad 124gr 9MM.  Forgive the horrid photo quality, as you can’t really see the color here… but the bullets are blue.  They look like plastic blue toy bullets, but really they are quite excellent defense rounds.  The nylon coating makes the bullets a little slick… Letting it run up into the chamber with little resistance.  Not that the little XD needs any help, the rounds are held very close to the bore axis, so it’s pretty much a straight shot into the chamber like most highly reliable guns are.   I don’t like guns that make the bullet to acrobatic contortions to chamber.  In case the round meets the feed ramp, the ramp is nicely polished for perfectly smooth feeding.  Out of all the different 9MM loads, I’ve yet to find one that this gun wont feed.  However, I have not tried out any lead SWC handloads... yet.

A couple features that I really like are the Loaded Chamber indicator and the little button that shows you that the striker is cocked.  These two things allow you to check the gun's status instantly by touch.  So you can tell, in the dark, what the deal is.  This could be a critical feature in a high stress situation at night.  You can quickly check this with your non-firing hand by dragging it across the top of the gun and run your thumb over the back.  Yup, this gun, as you can see in the pictures, is hot.  What you can't see, is that I am aiming it safely at the ground or at the photo of my wife's grandmother...  I always follow the rules of firearms safety.       

This Mini-XD is one of the best CCW choices out there right now, and I wouldn’t say that unless I absolutely believed it.  I can find no downside to this gun.  Some say the finish is prone to wear.  Feh!  Who cares?  This is a working gun and not some shelf ornament for your safe.  Carry guns, unless they are stainless SHOULD show some holster wear.  Unless your some sort of pussy that doesn’t even carry.  Personally I LIKE holster wear.  Gives the gun some character.  CCW guns are a lot like a new pair of BDUs in this regard.  You can tell the veteran soldiers from the FNGs by the state and condition of your BDUs.    Bright green colors and fresh starch?  Yeah, that’s all fine and well if you are a REMF. 

The best thing about these little guns… they are covered by Springfield’s excellent lifetime warranty.  If you ever have any problems with it, call Springfield, and they will set you right.  They will pay for the shipping, overnight, and they will get it back to you good as new in about 30 days.  1 month might be a bit long, but that’s okay… they are standing by the product and that is a rare thing these days. 

(Note:  I plan on getting another XD soon, a .40 Tactical model)

No Alpacas were harmed during the writing of this review.  Thank you.