Today's guest is the Springfield Armory XD(m)40. Let's see, first things first some specs: this is a polymer frame pistol with steel slide and match grade 4.5 in barrel. Mine is in .40S&W and has a capacity of 16+1. It has a ambidextrous magazine release and standard sites. It has the all black Melonite finish. (Don't ask me what that is exactly, it's what they call it) It comes with 3 interchangeable back-straps to accommodate different hand sizes. The very nice case it comes with also includes 3 magazines, a polymer pistol holster, a dual magazine holster, speed loader for the magazine and a cleaning brush.
Mine is also considered to be a mk1 version. They have since come out with a newer model that has been cosmetically modified but to the best of my knowledge has not been changed mechanically. The biggest difference is the slide serrations. Mine are straight slashes and the new ones have chevrons cuts. So now on to the rest of the fun stuff.
I found the XDm to be a very user friendly firearm. I have read a number of folks who's opinions differ from my own but again, as with my Mossberg, I will continue to like my choice. Getting the full magazine inserted into the pistol can be difficult at first. It requires a good solid smack on the base plate to seat it all the way. Some folks complain about this and as compared to a 1911 I can see the complaint. Personally I like it, when I load up I feel confident that I am good to go when I give it a good smack. Ejecting a full magazine is also very difficult as well. While I can do it with just the magazine release, I find that giving some upward pressure on the base plate while I hit the release will has it coming out just fine. Again, some folks complain about this but I have two questions. First why would you have a sudden need to eject a full magazine under combat situations? I mean, isn't the saying for clearing a jam to tap, rack, bang? Well if you try to fire and can't (because I don't know, maybe you forgot to chamber a round in the first place) then racking the slide should clear this issue. My second question is this, if the magazine requires good force to seat it, and extra pressure to release it if full, then isn't that a pretty good thing because it means that the magazine isn't falling out of the pistol.
Firing to me is a breeze. I have found that as long as you maintain anything even resembling a proper firing grip that the grip safety will always be engaged. I have read more than one forum with users (who by the way are glock fans in general) complaining about the grip safety and it stopping them from firing under emergency circumstances (if they were to ever supposedly be in such a situation). Seriously though, I have tried to hold the pistol (unloaded of course) in such a way as to prevent me from engaging the grip safety and the only way I could resulted in me holding the pistol in such a way and to make firing it almost impossible. I said almost because yes I could still manipulate the trigger but in order to reach it I felt all sorts of wrong and of course, the grip safety prevented me from pulling the trigger as it should. There is a safe action trigger, much like on Glock and the Smith & Wesson M&P lines.
Regular cleaning is a breeze. Lock back the slide, eject the magazine, flip up the take down level and release the slide to remove. Pop out the recoil spring and guide rod, remove the barrel and there you go. Ready for cleaning.
I will admit to some prejudice with this particular firearm. This was my first pistol to own. I took some time in choosing this one and it really came down to the ease of tear down vs the S&W M&P at the time. I think the M&P' have been improved because I have heard from a owner of one of the new Shield models that the tear down is very easy on them now. I did try comparing to Glocks as well and found they didn't work well in my hand. I am very happy with my choice of firearm. The Springfield Armory company has a fantastic customer service department and I would highly recommend this pistol to anyone who is thinking about a purchase. I hope that you have enjoyed this review. I am sorry for not including more pictures. Until next time....Keep a weather eye out!
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