XDm .40, quick range report

[Sparks2112]

So I carry a lem p30. I picked up an xdm .40 4.5 at the shop I work at with plans of reselling to one of the xd fanboys. My model has trijicon night sights and all the standard factory stuff. I ran 300 rounds of blazer aluminum cased 180 grain and 150 rounds of Speer 180 grain gold dots through it. No malfunctions so far. Some initial thoughts:

1. I hate the grip safety, for all sorts of reasons previously stated.
2. The magazine release is stiff and poorly placed for thumb or trigger finger activation.
3. Trigger isn't as nice as a stock glock, probably better than a stock m&p.
4. Extremely accurate with quick follow up shots - pretty impressed actually in this regard.
5. Grip ergonomics were nice and made the .40 pretty easy to control, and was easier on my hands than I've experienced with the glock or m&p in .40.

Not sure how I feel. I didn't want to like this gun and was prepared to write it off pretty easily. I'm thinking of keeping it around now though. What has everyone else's experience with these been?

[Comedian]

I have an XDM 4.5 in 9mm and it has been completely reliable, very accurate and soft shooting. It also feels great in my hand. I ordered mine direct from Powder River Precision. It has their trigger system and they tuned the mag release, so its not stiff. The PRP trigger is a huge improvement over the stock trigger. I love it, but the serious trainers out there that run their guns hard, don't recommend XD's. They say that XD's don't do well, when run hard. On the other hand, the XDM's are popular with competitive shooters, that do put thousands of rds thru them, consistently.

[nwhpfan]

They are popular. Grip feels a little square to me. I do like the trigger. Maybe some day I'll think of one...

[Long tom coffin]

They are popular. Grip feels a little square to me. I do like the trigger. Maybe some day I'll think of one...

I will freely admit that the xD can be a nice shooting weapon. Sometimes. A buddy of mine has an xD in .40 and swears by it. But then, he also has a HD shotgun with a pistol grip and optics on it, so take that for what it's worth. Follow up shots were also pretty good, too. My splits are slightly faster with an xD but not enough for me to overlook all of the other negatives that come associated with the xD. I think the grip safety is completely pointless and only induces more of a chance of error when you might really need the pistol. Morons will always find a way to discharge their weapon at the most inconvenient times no matter what gizmos you stick on the gun, so anything more than a manual safety to activate when you reholster is nothing more than overkill IMHO.

[CCT125US]

I myself have had no mechanical problems withe the XD line. As mentioned, the mag release is a big hang up for me as well, especially after shooting the P30 exclusively for many months. I neglected my XDs and never had a problem, but mag changes are kind of important...

[SecondsCount]

Years ago I had an XD compact in 9mm that I picked up cheap. I liked the trigger on it as well but the gun just felt really bulky so sold it to a friend that had to have one.

I was helping a friend run a training class recently and there were several XD's in the class. Two of them choked at least once in the 200 rounds that were fired that day. Could have been user error but he said that he sees them choke in classes quite a bit and has had to hand out a loaner to keep the student running.

[BWT]

I've probably put 300-400 rounds through an XD 45 personally, and seen it go through about maybe a 1,000? (It's not my gun, my father's), without issue.

I've seen an XD-9 one of the smaller ones, go through probably 200 rounds of ammunition problem free?

That's about the extent of my knowledge.

Main gripe angles, Spare parts aren't really out there. Last time I checked (awhile ago), things like firing pins, extractors, etc, just wearing items weren't out on the market from the factory, after market they are out there. Just always struck me as weird. You may not want to contact customer support for a replacement extractor, or to replace your firing pin assembly.

It has some undesirable features here and there from what I've heard in servicing them, all of which (One I heard is that the extractor wasn't removable) turned out to be false.

Realistically has it gone the distance?

This is all speculation, I know it's not considered in the same realm as the Glock or M&P, but with the early barrel unlock and breaking slide stops with the M&P and extraction, ejection, magazine, etc issues with the Glock...

I mean... I have no legitimate first hand experience to dog an XD.

I've seen M&P's and Glocks (again owned by family) fail, FTE, FTF (Feed and Fire), etc.

I mean when you look at it through that lense, can you really hate the gun *that* much?

Spare barts is a big one for me though, not being able to get spare extractors or a firing pin, etc.

[TGS]

I've got a few hundred rounds through an XD9 a buddy of mine owned.

I thought the trigger was nice. It's pretty easy to press the trigger without disturbing the sights and using very little effort. I was left with the impression that you could mash the trigger and still get good results.

I thought that recoil was well controlled, and sight tracking was excellent. Ergonomics didn't bother me.

All in all, a much easier gun to shoot accurately than most of what I've shot or owned in the service pistol arena, which accounts for almost everything out there. Probably the only gun I've shot or owned that's easier to shoot accurately at speed is the HK P7.

I think the platform has some things going for it. Getting rid of the grip safety would be an improvement. If I had to choose between the popular SFA's, being an XD9, Glock 19/17 or M&P9, it'd probably be the Glock 19, following by an M&P9 with an aftermarket barrel to fix the unlocking issue, then after everything the XD. The reliability I've seen from them in one course and from the shooting range has been less than the other models listed, though I haven't exactly been thrilled with the reliability I've personally witnessed with Glocks and M&P's. XD's seem to light strike more than other SFA's as well, from my experience.

Now with the XDm specifically, I have no experience. I don't think the XD's are a terrible choice...if my girlfriend really wanted one and it would make her day, I'd rather her go for the XD than buy a Glock she doesn't like to shoot. It shouldn't be a choice on the table for someone making an objective decision, though.

[Sparks2112]

I shot the thing again last night, another 300 rounds of gold dot. Suffice to say I put it up for sale on my local gun forum. Reloads are just too slow, and the shape of the grip allows the gun to torque too much on my hand. If I really want a 40 I figure I'll just get another p30 ;) on a side note if anyone is interested in an xdm at a good price let me know.

[Red Leader]

I had an XD-45 compact, which I sold to transition to 9mm for more practice (don't have the capacity to be reloading right now) and have a S&W 3953 in its place.

It was a fine firearm for me. Had about 800+ rounds through it with no problems. Some of the problems I hear about with XDs are: weak mag springs (leading to failures to feed), the mysterious locking up syndrome, perhaps a little more sensitive to limp wristing, and MIM parts that may have a tendency to fail (slide release, etc).

I enjoyed owning mine, but the XD-45s did have a problem with tolerance stacking, whereby some would cause an extracting case rim to strike the case-lip of the upcoming cartridge. In some XD-45s, this was so bad that it was tearing the brass and causing feed hangups. In the new XDM-45, this was remedied, but SA was silent towards XD-45 owners on the issue.

I would own another one, sure. However, I'd want to change out some of the MIM parts, make sure and ONLY run AGP extra power mag springs, and get the 'locking up' issue finally de-mystified.

I think it some changes they could really improve things. Some of those changes we've seen in the XDM series. Others we are all still waiting for.

[Robert Mitchum]

The (4.5) 45 fits my hands like a glove and with my reloads hand held 10 round groups of a little under 3 1/2" at 25 yards indoors.
I am not a FAN BOY for any pistol I truly don't give a Rats ASS who likes them or who hates them.
For me with my big hands and having been a gym rat for 37 years they feel like compacts and are accurate for my taste.
Stock sights and stock trigger
The Bottom square is 3"x3"
The Head is 2 1/2" wide & 3 1/4" Long
I only have 1000 rounds fired so far which is not alot but so far so good.
To each his own ;)

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s1/cjstinks/100_2743-1.gif

[G60]

I enjoyed owning mine, but the XD-45s did have a problem with tolerance stacking, whereby some would cause an extracting case rim to strike the case-lip of the upcoming cartridge. In some XD-45s, this was so bad that it was tearing the brass and causing feed hangups. In the new XDM-45, this was remedied, but SA was silent towards XD-45 owners on the issue.


I experienced this with an XD45 tactical I used to own. I shot well with it, but could not trust it to reliably feed anything but round nose bullets. HST, Ranger-T, win. white box JHP's, cheap remington HP's, no matter what, I'd have an average of one stoppage every 20 rounds or so.

Wish i still had some pictures of the gnarly mangled brass it produced.