I recently watched a video of some guy shooting a 4" “XD” in 9mm. When he described and discussed the gun itself, he mentioned that if you didn’t hold the gun just right - to depress the POS grip-safety - you couldn’t rack the slide! Have any of you suddenly or routinely experienced this? If THIS isn’t an inherent design-fault, what is?
2 Likes
I routinely carry a 4" XD 9mm. You do have to depress the grip safety to rack the slide, but I have never had this pose a problem, even when training off hand or trying to rack the slide from unorthodox positions. I guess it is just something I’ve gotten used to. It definitely isnt something that would turn me away from the gun. I own 6 different Springfield pistols and havent had a single issue with them.
5 Likes
For this one… if you want to use it… I highly recommend “test it before you buy / use it”.
It’s not a “design-fault”… it is just Springfield’s idea for this particular model… and in my opinion… not a bad idea. You grip the gun, you shoot… you don’t know how to properly grip it… just learn how to do this. 
It’s the same as “magazine disconnector safety”. Is it needed? Maybe yes, maybe not. But both ideas can save the lives if gun is taken. (Actually “mag disconnect” already did it).
I’m usually shooting 1911/2011, so I do not have the “grip safety” problem, but I’ve been seeing this issue during classes.
Most of shooters experiencing this, never got problems again after explanations and grip handling correction, but friend of mine was constantly getting dead trigger and eventually changed the pistol.
5 Likes
As I’ve observed gun design and development over the years, they’ve become a “fishing tackle” topic - are fishing lures designed more to catch FISH, or fisherMEN? What’s NEXT for us to be stuck with in pistol design - a pop-up nose-picker, to relieve a sudden itch at the range? As I’e said in the past - call me a purist, a curmudgeon, or a crackpot - but frankly, I’d be more impressed with a LACK of unnecessary features on a pistol.
1 Like
That’s why we have hundreds of manufacturers, each manufacturer make dozens of different models to fit any Customers’ cravings. 
You have just reversed the reality. There are no “unnecessary features” on the pistol… that pistol is just not for your needs.
6 Likes
Yes - you can say that, but in MY gun world, most of them don’t meet my standards.
Just for the record,
Owner here of XD’s (XDM’s) (9)'s and (10)mm
Zero Issues @ all. Guns are a work of art!
Springfield Armory’s line is gaining traction in my collection.
Hellion’s (for me alone) purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect!
XD’s Fantastic.
As Jerzy said “… that pistol is just not for your needs. ”
also "try before you buy…Excellent advice Kurt, there is a weapon out there
that you will love! make it your Quest! “What is the airspeed of an unladen sparrow?”
3 Likes
The question you should be asking, is can a European sparrow carry a coconut? Or does it take two of them to carry it?
1 Like
yes Shawn!..I mean No!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
1 Like
I have had them since the HS2000 days. Several XDm’s, and a Mod.2 in the mix as well. Yes, that is part of the design. Neither I nor members of my family has had a problem with it.
2 Likes
How many African sparrows does it take to carry a coconut?
1 Like
No idea, I won’t buy a gun with a grip safety
I leave them for someone else to buy.
“How many African sparrows does it take to carry a coconut?”
TWO! But they find it very difficult to order the paracord from amazon as they have no pockets to hold their credit cards! 
and don’t forget:
“A shrubbery for the Knights who saaaaay… NI! One that looks nice. And not too expensive. And a path running down the middle. And a vinaigrette made wiiiiith… A HERRING!”
1 Like
I carry a 4” barrel XD-9 everyday. Never had a problem with the grip safety, neither has anyone who’s tried my gun. Part of the reason why is because there is a thumb indent on each side of the grip. If one of your thumbs is in that indent, you’re gripping it in the right position and it will shoot. It’s pretty intuitive and learning to shoot with your hand in this position becomes second nature quickly.
Personally, I like the grip safety. It’s another step to overcome before there’s an accident, but it’s non-intrusive enough to not hinder life-or-death drawing and shooting. Plus, it ensures you always have a proper grip before firing. Just my thoughts.
1 Like
I’d like to have a pair of 5" XDs in .40 & .45, but this 20-year-old-gun needs a facelift, before I plunk down $$ for them. The grip-safety is totally unnecessary - if you don’t hold the gun “right”, it won’t fire - but you can’t rack the slide, also - this represents a design-flaw. The loaded chamber indicator on top of the slide should go too - it’s another frivolous addition that compromises the structural integrity of the slide. I thought I’d see a more “streamlined” version with their Model 2, but as usual, I was mistaken, so I’m shopping S & W as a compromise that I really regret having to make. Springfield can use their pistols for suppositories for all I care - I wouldn’t give you 10 cents for one!
Just for sake of argument, how does the indicator affect the structural integrity? I have fired close to 1000 full power and hunting loads through all 3 of my XDM Elite 10mm pistols and there isnt even a slight sign of any damage or wear.
2 Likes
This is an UNNECESSARY “improvement” - ANYTHING other than a pistol’s sights that’s cut into the top of the slide I take a dim view of - whatever happened to easing the slide back, to positively VERIFY a round is chambered? That goes for the frame, too - I’ve seen windows cut into them to serve this function. These gunmakers need to get back to basics - I don’t care for potentially dangerous de-cockers in place of a positive thumb-safety - the Jericho 941 versus the “Baby Desert Eagle” is a case in point.
The chamber indicator is not an “unnecessary improvement.” Some states, California for one, require that all pistols have a chamber indicator, or else they can’t be sold in that state. It was added to comply with certain state’s laws.
Wether those laws are frivolous… well, that’s another discussion entirely.
1 Like
Sez YOU - the one “improvement” that makes me nervous are the Glock “switches” I’ve read about, that can be added to convert pistols to automatic mode - get ready for another, ubiquitous hell-raising over this, and for good measure. By hook-or-by-crook, criminals will get these - or have them MADE, under-the-table - if they don’t have them already, and now we have the equivalent of concealable, hand-held machine-guns, where they can simply SPRAY a full magazine with one pull of the trigger. There’s no end to the use of technology as the means toward our self-destruction in one way or another.
If and I mean “IF” we were all armed as everyone here is, those ppl with a switch on their glock wouldn’t stand a chance. Americans need to get back to the mindset defending themselves and not relying solely on the police. Its a sad state of affairs when honest people get locked up instead of the thug that needed taken out some years prior to the current crime that s/he committed.
1 Like