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Shootability:
When I bought this pistol two years ago, it shot like a champ. I’m not the best shot in the world, but I was easily hitting the paper at 25 yards. Worried about recoil? Don’t. The .40 S&W is perfectly manageable and strikes a nice balance between the .45 ACP and the 9mm Luger. In fact, my wife (who doesn’t mind shooting, but doesn’t get to very often) at 5′2” and 105 lbs was hitting the black at 20 yards. She easily kept up with recoil the 180 grain JHP’s were throwing at her. Assuming you have the proper stance and grip (and you may want to look at the techniques section of the website), you’ll have no problem shooting this gun and, if your wallet holds out, can happily shoot it all day long.
If you’re used to shooting a 1911pattern gun, and perhaps have shot one for a long time, you may notice a slight twisting of the frame during recoil; the base of the grip will tend to try and twist to the left. This is due to the fact that the receiver is polymer and tends to react to the twisting of the bullet as it travels down the barrel of the gun. This isn’t a negative per se, just something to be aware of when you shoot—it also takes no amount of time for your body to start compensating for it.
Another item of note, especially if you’re a fan of the 1911, is the grip angle to the slide is almost identical to the Browning design. To take it from holster to firing position really requires very little adjustment to line the sites up with your eye. This gun loves to be pointed downrange quickly.
Springfield makes this pistol an exceptional pointer! If you have the proper trigger control (be prepared for some blasphemy), you really don’t need sights. Simply lock that wrist, point your index finger at the target, press the trigger, and *BLAM*!!! A nice hole appears in your point of aim!
One of the nice features included in this Springfield spectacular is the picatinny rails molded into the dustcover of the receiver. Add a SureFire light or Lazermax lazer and you’ll have a tactical advantage when things go bump in the night.
Okay, now that we’ve shot it, we have to clean it right? Unlike the 1911’s, there is no tool required to field strip this wonderful piece of craftsmanship. Drop the magazine, slide lock the slide, VERIFY THERE IS NOTHING IN THE CHAMBER, then reverify there is nothing in the chamber. Did I mention that there should be no ammunition in the chamber?! On the left side of the frame closest to the barrel is the take-down lever; twist that level north, grab the slide and release the lock. Hold the trigger down and the slide assembly comes right off the receiver. Remove the recoil spring and barrel and the XD is ready for cleaning. The weapon can be field stripped in about 10 seconds.
Improvements:
Some have compared the XD to the Glock by saying the two are “brothers from another mother.” In many respects, they are correct—some of the things you would want to change on a Glock, you want to do the same on the XD.
Of all the things you can do to this weapon, a trigger job and new sights will only enhance the investment. Last October (2007), I parted with the $225 and sent my beloved gun back to the Springfield factory. I asked them to do a combat trigger job and replace the factory sights with Trijicon tritium night sights.