You take user feedback and develop an updated platform that incorporates some amazing performance upgrades.
Thats exactly what Springfield Armory set out to do with the XD-M line of pistols.
And if you ask me, they succeeded.
The Springfield Armory XD-M series of handguns represent top tier performance for self-defense, military and hunting use.
I recognize, however, that not everyone is a gun nerd.
Like the original XD line, the XD-M guns are striker-fired pistols that use a polymer frame.
From the shooters perspective, thats pretty much where the similarity ends.
Chambered in 10mm, this XD-M pistol is ready for the addition of a suppressor and red dot optic. While this makes it great for home defense, it also is an excellent hog hunting platform.
Standard XD-M pistols are heavy hitters chambered in both .45 ACP and 10mm Auto.
The XD-M pistol is customizable to best fit your hand.
Each gun comes with three interchangeable backstraps.
The XD-M 5.25″ pistol is ready for competition or serious self-defense. Model in .45 ACP is shown.
These backstrap inserts are in different sizes that allow you to match the overall grip size to your hand.
Additional XD-M features include:
The XD-M is also available with a threaded barrel in both chamberings.
As an added benefit, the XD-M chambered in 10mm with a threaded barrel is also an OSP model.
Big and bold, the Springfield XD-M Elite offers excellent ergonomics, high visibility sights and a modest recoil impulse.
The OSP model is optics ready with a slide factory cut for the addition of a red dot sight.
For my money, the10mm XD-M OSPis the way to go.
Therecoil of the 10mm cartridge is overhyped these things shoot like a pussycat.
The M.E.T.A. Trigger promises the best feeling factory trigger on a poly-framed pistol. It is standard on the XD-M Elite line.
However, a full-power load like theFederal HST delivers plenty of punchto stop an attacker in his tracks.
The result is a well-balanced pistol suitable for making both short- and long-range hits quickly.
If I picked anXD-M for hunting, this would be the model.
The Springfield XD-M Elite 4.5″ is the standard, service-sized pistol in the line. It incorporates all of the advanced features of the series.
The 9mm pistols are further improved in both performance and ergonomics to provide an elite experience in shooting.
One of the biggest advancements in the XD-M Elite pistols is the META trigger system.
META is an acronym for Match Enhanced Trigger Assembly.
It has a shorter barrel, but the Springfield XD-M Elite 3.8″ retains a full-size grip that can accommodate 20-round 9mm magazines.
As the name suggests, the pull and break on this trigger are precise and consistent.
The META trigger is a nice pairing with the lines use of match-grade barrels.
XD-M Elite pistols have improved slide serrations that enhance your ability to grab hold and work them.
The Springfield Armory XD-M Elite 3.8″ Compact pistol has all of the top shelf features you want in an easy-to-conceal package.
Another enhancement to the Elite line is the inclusion of a flared, extended and removable magazine well.
The wide-mouthed well acts as a funnel to channel magazines home during fast reloads.
There are a number of variants in the XD-M Elite line, so let me briefly describe each.
The removable extended and flared magwell system of the XD-M Elite pistols is one of the key enhancements of the new design.
XD-M Elite 4.5 This is the standard XD-M Elite model chambered in 9mm.
It is suitable for law enforcement duty use, home defense and competition.
Standard magazine capacity is 20 rounds.
For the ultimate competition pistol, check out the Springfield XD-M Elite Precision handgun. It features a 5.25″ barrel and increased magazine capacity.
This gives you a decided advantage in a lethal force encounter especially when you are attacked by multiple assailants.
The XD-M Elite 4.5 pistol is equipped with a fiber optic front sight and a Tactical U-Dot rear sight.
TheU-Dot sights used by Springfield Armoryare exceptionally good.
Ready for any mission, the XD-M Elite Tactical OSP provides fight-stopping performance with the ability to add a red dot sight and a hearing-saving noise suppressor.
I have a U-Dot sight set installed on mySpringfield Hellcat, and I highly recommend them.
XD-M Elite 3.8 I like concealed carry pistols with barrel lengths in the 3.5-4 range.
MySpringfield XD-E, for example, is the 3.8 model that makes for a slick CCW handgun.
The HEX Dragonfly weighs in at 1.2 ounces and measures 1.90″ long and is a great addition to an XD-M OSP pistol.
Springfield offers that samebarrel length in the XD-M Elite 3.8.
A shorter barrel does not mean that the gun is short on features.
The gun is a little lighter though only 28 oz.
The XD-M family of pistols is ready to deliver the power and performance you need. Image: David Higginbotham
The standard magazine size for this 9mm pistol is 14 rounds.
Springfield Armory includes two with each gun.
The larger magazines hold 19 rounds.
Just be sure to remove the extended and flared magwell if you use these.
XD-M Elite Compact OSP Small guns often compromise features in favor of concealment.
There are seemingly few, if any, such compromises with theSpringfield XD-M Elite 3.8 Compact OSP.
It works with a wide range of red dot mounts including theHEX Dragonfly.
As iron sights go, these are fast!
XD-M Elite Precision Going the opposite way, Springfield offers a completion-style pistol in the XD-M Elite catalog.
Called the XD-M Elite Precision, the handgun is fitted with a fully-adjustable rear sight and a 5.25 barrel.
Further, the company uses a large lightening slide cut to keep the gun from becoming nose-heavy.
Anticipating your competition needs, Springfield Armory includes a trio of 22-round magazines with the gun.
XD-M Elite 4.5 Tactical OSP At the peak of real-world performance is theXD-M Elite 4.5 OSP pistol.
To start with, Springfield replaces the standard 4.5 barrel with a threaded barrel.
This allows you to protect your hearing by adding a sound suppressor.
Of course, many suppressors obscure a normal sight picture and render typical sights useless.
Additionally, this is an OSP model which means the slide is ready for ared dot sight.
If you drop an optic like the HEX Dragonfly onto the gun, the suppressor-height sights co-witness perfectly.
Springfield includes two 22-round magazines with the pistol.
[Dont miss our explanation offorged steel vs cast steel.]
These are designed match up with the length of each pistols magazines.
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