The NYPD has approved a variant of the XD-S 3.3-inch 9mm for backup and concealed-carry. The commercial model is offered in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP in both 3.3-inch and 4-inch options. (Photo: Springfield)
Springfield Armory is announcing that the XD-S was added to the NYPD’s very short list of approved handguns for carry off-duty and backup use. The large department has very specific requirements for their service and off-duty pistols and so the XD-S joins a very short list of approved handguns.
The pistol was selected for the same reasons that have made it a popular option on the commercial market. It’s slender at .9 inches wide, lightweight at 23 ounces unloaded and has a solid track record of reliability. Combined with a few small but required modifications the XD-S is ready to enter service with the NYPD.
Specifically the NYPD requires that striker-fired pistols have a heavy trigger, with pulls about 12 pounds. They were able to meet the requirements with a couple of extra-power springs. No other changes to the design were needed to conform to the NYPD’s firearms policy.
“We’re pleased that we were able to work with the team in the Firearms Training Section to meet specific needs of the department, stated Springfield Armory CEO Dennis Reese. “Our engineering team developed a new disconnector and grip safety spring that adjusts the trigger pull weight of the XD-S to the specific policy requirements of the NYPD. The concealed carry community has responded to the XD-S with overwhelming approval so we’re pleased that law enforcement officers can use it too.”
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The agency is green-lighting a specific XD-S, the 3.3-inch model chambered for 9mm Luger. The NYPD version will ship with three magazines, a flush 7-round magazine and a pair of extended 8-rounders. Springfield offers 9-round extended magazines separately.
Springfield worked directly with the NYPD Firearms and Tactics Unit in developing the modified variant. They have already developed an armorer’s program for the agency and any uniformed officers can go ahead and pick up an XD-S now through law enforcement dealers. The specific model number is XDS9339BNYPD.
This is a solid win for Springfield. The XD series, while extremely popular for home defense, concealed carry, and competition shooting, doesn’t have the same cachet with law enforcement users in the U.S. The NYPD is the largest local law enforcement agency in the country.
Of course, the fact that Springfield was required to add weight to the trigger pull–to about double the factory trigger pull–is sure to drag out an ongoing controversy with the department’s firearms policy. As users across the board, including military users, other law enforcement agencies nationwide and private gun owners transition to lighter, easier-to-use triggers, the NYPD is sticking staunchly to their trigger weight policy.
Lighter triggers–like on the XD-S and other premium XD pistols–have proven to be safe with proper gun handling practice, and heavier triggers cause shooters to miss shots. The reasoning behind the NYPD’s pistol policy is that heavy triggers will reduce the risk of accidental or negligent discharges but the same heavy triggers are hard to shoot accurately especially under stress. This is believed to be a major factor contributing to police shooting bystanders like during the 2012 Empire State Building shooting that ended with 9 injured bystanders.
However for anyone not in the NYPD this is a non-issue. The factory XD-S trigger has a pull in the 5- to 7-pound range, and accuracy and build quality suitable for one of the largest police forces in the world.
All these gun companies need to STOP selling firearms to these socialist states/sanctuary cities LEO’s. If the civilians rights are going to be infringed, then so should the LE’s in those places. No more pandering to the NY/Kalifornia compliance standards. There are no “but’s” or “if’s” in the 2nd Amendment. So no state or city should have the right to add them.
The NYPD had S&W added an extra spring to meet the 12 pound trigger pull requirement. And if you mess with that spring you will surly be suspended.
If I were a gun manufacturer I would not sell anything to NYS law enforcement until the (UN) safe act is repealed. Just my opinion.
The Smith and wesson shield 9mm is also been authorized..
This is a fine weapon. Others are too but what gets me is that the city wants a 13 pound trigger pull. I wonder if that could be at least a part of the reason why the NYPD is such notoriously poor shots?
The article didn’t mention that this gun is made in Croatia. Nothing against Croatia but I firmly believe that tax dollars should be spent in this country, even if the NYPD officers have to buy their own with paychecks subsidized with federal tax dollars. Leave it to New York to specify the 9mm version which if using FMJ is more likely to pass through a perpetrator and injure a bystander than a .45 ACP hollow point defense round.
And contrarily, the .45 ACP version which if using FMJ is more likely to pass through a perpetrator and injure a bystander than a 9mm hollow point defense round…
Apples and oranges.
Leave it to Mayor DiBlasio to handicap the NYPD by restricting their ammunition/firepower and altering what is normally a decent trigger pull to put his PD at a disadvantage when the need to respond arises. Policies like this are counter to the NYPD mission to serve and protect and stem from the mayor’s adolescent mistrust and hatred of police. One more example of what a huge mistake it is to elect liberal politicians.