Monday Gun Day Giveaway: Springfield Armory XD Mod.2 4″

Buy an XD on GunsAmerica: /Springfield xd

Enter the contest: https://duel.springfield-armory.com/

Check out the full line of XD Mod.2 pistols: https://www.springfield-armory.com/xd-mod-2-series/

The Springfield Armory XD Mod.2. Is there a better polymer framed pistol on the market in this price range? I honestly don’t believe there is. I was a fan of the original XD–the short barreled double stack offered incredible control and capacity in a gun that was easily concealed. But the Mod.2 improvements made the gun even more comfortable in the hand. And now Springfield has released a 4″ barreled version that they are calling the “Service Model.”

Enter the contest: And this Monday, 9-21-2015, Springfield Armory is giving one away.

The new version, dubbed the Mod.2, offers the same ass-kicking performance, but does so with a much more subtle approach. Subtle may not be the best adjective, as the gun has the words Grip Zone emblazoned on the grip. Grip Zone is the name of the ideological principle guiding the new ergonomics. The old tire-tread texture pattern is gone and has been replaced by some squiggly hashes that simultaneously provide more surface area and a more aggressive grip.

But for my money, I want performance. I was a fan of the old XD not because of the texture on the grip but because of the size and capacity. I’ve spent a long time considering capacity and concealed carry, and I’ve decided to carry a double stack. This shouldn’t be too shocking, as I’ve got the girth to conceal a triple-stack. But most skinny people have the girth to conceal a double-stack XD. So why don’t they? It is a mystery.

The Appeal of the Mod.2

Springfield’s XD-S is, in many people’s minds, the single best option for concealed carry. While I’m also a fan of the slim single-stack, I’m going to let everyone in on a little secret that everyone could know if they’d just study up on the specs. The double-stack 9mm XD Mod.2 holds 13 rounds. The 9mm single-stack XD-S holds 7 rounds. The double stack is 1.19″ wide. The single stack is .9″ wide. That’s not a big difference: .29. Just a gnat’s ass over 1/4 of an inch. It boggles some people’s heads a bit, but the reality is that the double-stack is almost as easy to conceal. And if you ever need the extra capacity, you’ll be glad you have it. Or maybe you won’t. For the added inconvenience of .29″ of width, you get the benefit of 6 additional rounds.

Most people don’t even give width enough consideration to pay attention to the extra width added by a holster. If you take the time to find a nice trim IWB holster design, the XD is going to vanish just as easily as any of the single stacks on the market. The XD-S happens to come in under an inch, but most single-stack 9mms are over that measurement–which means there’s even more to recommend the XD line-up.

The New Service Model

And that’s enough for me. Not for Springfield. The longer slide on the 4″ model shouldn’t be a surprise. The longer version allows for better ballistic performance from the longer 4″ barrel. The longer slide allows for a longer sight radius, which should make aiming that much easier. We’re talking about really small increments of change, obviously, as it isn’t even an inch of extra length, but every little bit helps.

And this takes the Mod.2 into new territory. Very few consider anything under 4 inches to be worthy of a duty gun. 4 inch guns, though, are in the running. They’re big enough to make a distinct visual impression, but not so big as to impede one’s daily movements. They can be easily concealed, or worn on the hip. There’s enough to hold onto and nothing extra. They also aren’t going to weigh you down like a steel-framed 5″ pistol.

So could the Mod.2 Service Model be an ideal gun for someone walking the thin-blue-line? I think it could. But I see even more potential here. Had they called this the Duty Model, I’d be thinking law enforcement. When I hear Service Model, I think 1911A1, and M9. Could this foreshadow Springfield’s willingness to participate in the upcoming handgun trials?

Shooting

Springfield has launched the 9mm version of the 4.0 first. We got to shoot both a 9mm and a .40. The .40 S&W from a 4″ barrel is snappy. And I find the XD 4.0 to have a bit more muzzle rise than the 3.3″ 9mm I reviewed earlier. Then, I had a 9mm and a .40, and I fell in love with the 9. That’s the way I am, I guess. I carry 9mms. I like 10mms, too, but I’ve never found a place in the safe for a .40, much less on my hip. Others I know like the .40 and swear by it. And that’s exactly why Springfield offers choices. They will typically run 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP in most of their designs.

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The 9mm, though, is perfect. As I mentioned a moment ago, I’m a 9mm fan. The 4″ gun keeps 9mm ammo running well above the 1,100 FPS mark–even heavy, underpowered, ball. I put a handful of rounds through the chronograph, and all matched their on-box specs.

This gun can shoot. I expected as much. And I wasn’t disappointed. The accuracy is superb, and the balance is nice. The ergonomics of the frame, and the grip of the Grip Zone all help keep the gun on target. I find I can look through the gun to the target (a habit I have in high stress rapid fire) and keep the rounds in an 8 inch circle from 21 feet. As fast as I can pull the trigger.

And that’s one of the reasons–possibly the main one–that I always talk about this gun. If you came to me and said you wanted a new polymer framed pistol for concealed carry, I’d begin the conversation with the XD Mod.2. Every element of the gun’s design works together. It is an effective defensive handgun. When you add capacity to the equation, you now have an effective design with sufficient capacity. And it isn’t going to break the bank when you pull the trigger on the purchase, either.

If you haven’t shot one of these, you owe it to yourself to do so. Find a range with rental guns. Find a friend who has one. Until you really put its capabilities up against that of the competition, you won’t appreciate what the XD does differently.

Buy an XD on GunsAmerica: /Springfield xd

Enter the contest: https://duel.springfield-armory.com/

Check out the full line of XD Mod.2 pistols: https://www.springfield-armory.com/xd-mod-2-series/

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Buy an XD on GunsAmerica: /Springfield xd

Enter the contest:https://duel.springfield-armory.com/

Check out the full line of XD Mod.2 pistols: https://www.springfield-armory.com/xd-mod-2-series/