Putting The New XD-S Mod.2 9mm Through Its Paces:
Earlier this year Springfield Armory released the newest member in their popular XD line: the XD-S Mod.2 3.3″ single stack .45ACP. While it has indeed been popular, the drums began to beat for a 9mm version of this compact gem. Springfield has heard the call and is now releasing the XD-S Mod.2 3.3″ single stack 9mm! This new pistol is built on Springfield’s time-tested XD platform and includes some very interesting features. The slender single stack is designed to allow maximum concealability while still having a gun you can fight with.
I was fortunate to have a pistol in hand prior to the release in order to put it through its paces — and that I did. Once I knew it was coming, I harassed my ever-faithful UPS driver until it was delivered. First impressions of the gun were good. Coming in at a very slender sub-inch width, the XD-S Mod.2 in 9mm disappears under even the lightest clothing. The version I received had an AmeriGlo Pro-Glo tritium front sight and a unique tactical-rack serrated rear sight. This sight is designed to allow you to rack the slide against available surfaces such as a belt, doorway, boot etc. should it become necessary to cycle the gun one-handed. This is a sincere tip of the hat by Springfield to those who train to fight with their guns.
Enhanced Grip Texturing on the XD-S Mod.2 9mm
The grip texturing on it was a little different as well. They have included an enhanced grip texturing which allowed me solid purchase on the gun and minimized movement. Another serious feature that some might miss is the longer Posi-Wedge slide serrations. These serrations are on the rear of the slide and up towards the top of the gun. This gives someone like me with larger paws, more bite on the slide. I consider it another “gunfighter” design feature. Moving along the gun I found the loaded chamber indicator. Unlike some that offer just a visual indication, this model allows shooters to feel the indicator. This is crucial in low-light situations. Staying with the XD design, the gun comes with a grip safety. It has been improved though with a memory bump and compresses well on the small gun. Another note regarding safety is the inclusion of an additional drop safety in the striker block. This in conjunction with the grip safety prevents the gun from firing if dropped.
Lower Bore Axis on the XD-S Mod.2 in 9mm
One personal challenge I have had regarding the XD platform is the relatively higher bore axis. I have friends that shoot the XD like a sniper rifle and yet my groups were just ok. That has changed with this design. The XD-S Mod.2 frame positions a shooter’s grip higher on the gun, closer to the bore axis, for better recoil control and accuracy. This is a brilliant modification that will allow seasoned XD shooters to have the same feel while allowing shooters like me to run the gun better. As we keep going through the features, it has a hearty hammer forged barrel, ambidextrous mag release, enhanced short-reset trigger, high hand extended beavertail, and undercut trigger guard to once again help with the grip. It’s at this point that I mention the dual captive recoil spring and full-length guide rod but pause as I am staring at the gun. The end of the guide rod seems to protrude from the slide slightly and immediately I began to look for obstructions or issues. What I found was the design is intentional. This feature is called a Stand-Off Guide Rod and is designed to prevent the gun from going out of battery when pressed against hard surfaces. The package was finished out with two stainless steel magazines: a 7-round mag with a pinkie rest and additional flush floor plate for carry and one 9-round extended magazine. These would serve me well on the range.
Trigger Time on the XD-S Mod.2 in 9mm
Testing would be pretty straightforward. Shoot the gun hard, fast and continuously until one of us taps out. I would be shooting a variety of ammo ranging from general ball ammo to defense loads like the Hornady Critical Defense. First range impressions were positive as I broke my first series of shots. For anyone who has explored the small/micro gun market, you know the trigger in many cases has an exceedingly long reset. That was not the case here. The trigger broke cleanly and reset occurred quickly and smoothly. This allowed for quick follow up shots and overall faster shooting.
The design of the gun made it pretty smooth shooting and recoil was not an issue in this small blaster. I ran a variety of drills from close quarter to long-range steel and the XD-S Mod.2 in 9mm answered each time. I was compelled to test the ledge on the rear sights, so I began to run strong side only drills. I ran the gun dry and executed an emergency reload. Once loaded up, I racked the gun off my holster with enough force to break a lesser quality sight. I did this again and again and made the decision that I want these sights on all my guns. It provided a great catch while running one-handed. Coming in at a mild 21.5 oz. empty, the gun is perfect for concealed carry in a variety of positions. At the end of the day, neither the pistol nor myself seemed willing to give in. The empty boxes of ammo, however, would be grounds for calling it a draw. I ran the gun hard and it never flinched.
Torture testing the XD-S Mod.2 in 9mm
While doing some research on the new XD-S Mod.2 in 9mm I was not surprised to find that it had survived a grueling 25,000 round torture test without a failure. I carried the gun as a backup for almost a week out of curiosity and it quickly became a solid part of my EDC. It is relatively smooth, lightweight and small while still bringing power to the party. Springfield is releasing this gun in three different versions including one with a laser. This is no real surprise coming from Springfield. George Washington founded the company in 1794 for goodness sakes. The XD-S Mod.2 in 9mm is indeed a gun that works well!
Springfield Armory XD-S Mod.2 in 9mm – SPECS:
Caliber: 9mm
Magazines: 7-round mag; 9-round extended magazine.
Barrel: 3.3″ hammer forged steel, Melonite / 1:16 RH twist
Sights: AmeriGlo Pro-Glo tritium front sight; Tactical-rack serrated rear sight
Frame: Black Polymer with enhanced texture.
Slide: Forged Steel, Melonite finish
Recoil System: Dual captive recoil spring with a full-length guide rod
Length: 6.3″
Height: 4.3″
Grip width: .975″
Weight: 21.5 oz. (empty)
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