Springfield Armory XD

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HS 2000 / Springfield Armory XD

The Springfield Armory XD .45 GAP Pistol (HS 2000)
Type Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin Flag of Croatia Croatia
Service history
In service 1999-present
Used by Croatian Armed Forces
Production history
Designer Marko Vuković
Manufacturer HS Produkt
Produced 1999 (Croatia)
Variants See table
Specifications
Cartridge 9x19mm Parabellum
.357 SIG
.40 S&W
.45 GAP
.45 ACP
Action Short recoil operated
Feed system Detachable box magazine
Sights Fixed and illuminated night sights

The Springfield Armory XD is an semi-automatic pistol manufactured in the city of Karlovac, Croatia by HS Produkt (formerly I.M. Metal), and licensed and sold in the US by Springfield Armory, Inc.[1] the HS2000 (Hrvatski Samokres (Croatian Pistol)), or XD (X-Treme Duty) series of pistols are polymer-framed, magazine-fed, striker-fired, automatic loading, semi-automatic fire handguns. It is available in standard barrel or a ported barrel to soften recoil and reduce muzzle rise.

Contents

[edit] History

The XD traces its roots back to a service pistol known as the PHP (Prvi Hrvatski Pistolj or "First Croatian Pistol"), which was first produced in Croatia by privately owned industrial parts firm I.M. Metal in 1991[citation needed]. Designed by a team led by Marko Vuković, the PHP was considered to be a solid design, but early versions were plagued by quality issues, due in large part to the difficulties of manufacturing during a liberation war.[2] Vuković's team continued to tweak and improve the design over the next decade, releasing the HS95 (Hrvatski Samokres or "Croatian Pistol") in 1995, and the HS2000 in 1999 .

The HS2000 was adopted by the Croatian military and law enforcement as their standard issue sidearm, and continues to fill that role today[citation needed]. In addition, the pistol was exported to the US market by Intrac and distributed by HSAmerica, which sold the pistol in 9mm as the HS2000, and started to gain a reputation as a cost-effective, reliable, and innovative new firearm[citation needed].

In 2002, Springfield Armory, Inc. secured the licensing rights to the US market, and rebranded the pistol as the XD-9 (X-treme Duty 9x19 mm). Since that time Springfield Armory has expanded the line to include five different calibers, three different barrel lengths, and four finishes (Black, Bi-Tone, Olive Drab frame, and the newest Dark Earth frame). Due in part to Springfield Armory's aggressive marketing and competitive pricing, but also to the pistol's inherent quality and features, it has consistently gained in both reputation and market share over the last five years[citation needed]. The introduction of the XD-45 (in the extremely popular .45 ACP caliber) in January of 2006 has made the XD the "most talked about handgun" in the eyes of many interested shooters[citation needed]. The industry press took notice as well, awarding the XD-45 the title of "Handgun of the Year" from both American Rifleman magazine and the The Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence.

[edit] Features

The 4" XD .45 ACP with 13 rounds of JHP.
The 4" XD .45 ACP with 13 rounds of JHP.
Custom Springfield-Armory XD-40 V-10
Custom Springfield-Armory XD-40 V-10
XD .45 ACP compact with a 13 round magazine
XD .45 ACP compact with a 13 round magazine

[edit] General

  • Short recoil,locked breech mechanism
  • Self loading, safety locked action
  • Captive dual recoil spring assembly
    • 3" & 4" Models (Sub-compact, Compact, Service)
  • Stand off fixed guide rod
    • 5" Models (Compact Tactical, Tactical)
  • Fires under water up to 3 metres (9.8 ft)
  • Tenifer Plus Finish of all Steel Parts
  • Easy adjustable Steel Sights

The stand-off devices, which protrude from the slide spring guide rod under the barrel. Its purpose is to keep the firearm in battery when pressed against an object such as somebody's chest, an animal, or an up-close entanglement in self-defense situations. This prevents the slide from being moved back because the device pushes the surface area of objects away from the slide, thus increasing the chance that the gun will function normally.

[edit] Barrel

  • Cold Hammer Forged Premium Barrel
  • Match Barrel Quality
  • Enlarged Muzzle

A fully supported chamber design which reinforces the rear of the ammunition case. A fully supported chamber reduces the possibility of an ammunition case rupture that could cause injury to the shooter and severely damage the gun. This is an especially important feature for owners who intend to use +P and/or reloaded ammunition.

[edit] Frame

  • Light Weight Improved High Impact Polymer Frame
  • Optimal Grip Angle
  • Oversized Heat Treated Steel Slide Rails
  • Integral Accessory Rail System for Laser & Lights
  • Grooved non-slip Grip
  • Combat Style Trigger
    • Average trigger pull weight is approx. 5.5-7.7 pounds by manufacture.
  • Thumb rests
  • Grooved Trigger Guard and Trigger

[edit] Indicators

Two significant features in the design are the striker status and loaded chamber indicator. The loaded chamber indicator is a small button, just above the breech on top of the gun's slide, which pops up when a round is in the chamber. This button doesn't rise high enough to interfere with the shooter's sight picture, but is high enough to be seen easily, or felt by hand if a shooter needed to verify the gun's status in the dark. The cocked indicator works much the same way, but is located on the rear face of the slide, so the shooter can instantly tell whether or not the gun is cocked. If either or both of these indicators fail, the firearm will continue to fire and cycle cartridges normally.

[edit] Safety

The pistol features four or five safety mechanisms. The first is called a 'trigger safety', similar to that found on Glock handguns. The trigger safety requires the shooter to depress a secondary embedded trigger while pulling the primary trigger. This ensures that the gun cannot be fired unless the trigger is depressed. The second safety is called a 'grip safety', most often associated with the many 1911 variants on the market. The grip safety is situated on the back of the XD's grip, and is depressed by the palm of the shooter's strong hand when the pistol is held. This ensures that the gun cannot fire unless the shooter has a firm and steady grip on the weapon. The third mechanism is an internal 'drop safety', which prevents the striker from releasing if the gun is dropped or exposed to a significant impact. The fourth mechanism is an out of battery safety. The fifth optional safety, As of 2008, Springfield Armory announced that the 4" and 5" XD .45 ACP Service models would be available with an optional ambidextrous 1911 pistol style safety. This option is only available for the 45 ACP XD at this time.[3]

[edit] Magazine

[edit] Variants

Custom Springfield-Armory XD-40 V-10, showing the ported barrel and slide.
Custom Springfield-Armory XD-40 V-10, showing the ported barrel and slide.
Model Barrel Caliber Capacity
(rounds+1)		 Black Olive Drab Bi-Tone Dark Earth
(in) (mm) Standard w/Sleeve
Sub-compact 3 79.5 9x19mm
.40 S&W		 10
9		 16
12		 X X X
Compact 4
5		 102.5
127		 .45 ACP 10 13 X X X
Service 4 102.5 9x19mm
.40 S&W
.357 SIG
.45 GAP
.45 ACP		 16
12
12
9
13		 n/a X X X X
Ported
V-10		 4 102.5 9x19mm
.40 S&W
.357 SIG		 16
12
12		 n/a X X
Tactical 5 127 9x19mm
.40 S&W
.357 SIG
.45 GAP
.45 ACP		 16
12
12
9
13		 n/a X X X
  • Other variations are available from the Springfield Armory Custom Shop.

[edit] Pros and cons

[edit] Pros

  • The XD can be field stripped easily and quickly with no tools[4]* Springfield Armory provides a lifetime warranty with every XD pistol.[5]
  • The XD series has undergone a reliability test in which an XD-9 was run over with a truck, frozen in a block of ice, caked with sand, stripped and degreased, and firing nearly 20,000 rounds without a single malfunction in the process.[6][7][8]
  • The XD's grip angle is the same as that of a 1911, an angle commonly thought to be naturally pointable[9]. Many polymer-framed pistols such as Glocks tend to have a more oblique grip angle[citation needed]. Whether or not this is a positive trait is largely a matter of personal opinion and/or previous experience. The similar grip angle may offer an easier transition to 1911 users as opposed to a Glock.
  • The sight mounts on XD pistols are essentially the same as sight mounts on the popular line of pistols made by SIG, meaning that there is a large variety of aftermarket sights that can be installed on an XD without modification.[10]
  • The XD uses a fully supported chamber design which reinforces the rear of the ammunition case. A fully supported chamber reduces the possibility of an ammunition case rupture that could cause injury to the shooter and severely damage the gun. This is an especially important feature for owners who intend to use +P and/or reloaded ammunition.
  • The sights, trigger, and magazine of the XD are made of metal instead of plastic.
  • The XD-45 (The most popular model) has become notable for its 13-round magazine capacity; a very large number for a pistol chambered for the thick .45 ACP. This has made the XD-45 quite attractive for shooters who favor .45 ACP, as most pistols chambered for this cartridge have a fairly limited magazine capacity, 10 rounds being the general maximum.[citation needed]

[edit] Cons

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  • Though some parts can be purchased through aftermarket suppliers, Springfield Armory refuses to sell some individual XD parts[citation needed]. Springfield Armory's position seems to be that with a lifetime warranty that includes repair work, parts sales are not necessary[citation needed]. Because owners cannot keep spare parts on hand, this policy of Springfield Armory essentially inserts a mandatory delay ranging from days to weeks between the gun breaking and the gun working again. This is a major stumbling block for shooters who are involved in competitive pistol activities, those who are using their XD on a daily basis, or those who may find themselves in a situation where continual, uninterrupted self-defense capability becomes very important (for example, during riots or a natural disaster with looting). Buying an identical second XD for the purpose of serving as a complete spare part set is one answer, but this approach is expensive. Some have reported that Springfield Armory will sell parts upon calling their customer service division, though the parts offered for sale are limited to user serviceable components[citation needed].
  • Those who have tried installing after-market or custom sights on XD's have reported that removing the existing sights can be a difficult process, often requiring the services of a gunsmith.[citation needed]
  • Pre-2006 versions of the XD were protected with a metal treatment called Bruniral[citation needed]. Some who own pistols with the Bruniral treatment have reported significant rust problems[citation needed] - especially those who carry the XD against their skin. Current versions of the XD are being manufactured the Melonite brand of Carbonitriding[citation needed], which is the same process as the Tenifer coating used on Glocks[citation needed].
  • Unfamiliarity with ambidextrous magazine release buttons and the application of improper holding and firing technique may lead to the magazine being released at an inopportune moment (e.g., during firing), after the release has been activated with either the thumb or fingers.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Frequently Asked Questions. HS Arms (2007-05-20). Retrieved on 2007-11-22.
  2. ^ Fortier, David M. (December 2000). A New Polymer-Frame Service Pistol From Croatia. S.W.A.T..
  3. ^ Springfield XD .45 ACP Service Pistol With Thumb Safety.
  4. ^ Springfield Armory
  5. ^ http://www.springfield-armory.com/assets/downloads/warranty.pdf
  6. ^ Torture Test. HS Arms (2007-05-20). Retrieved on 2007-11-22.
  7. ^ Stein, Chaim. XD TORTURE TEST. Springfield Armory. Retrieved on 2007-11-22.
  8. ^ Springfield 45 ACP Service Model. Ragnar Danneskjold (2008-02-15). Retrieved on 2008-05-08.
  9. ^ Handling: Best Grip Angle. HS Arms. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
  10. ^ Accessories: Sights. HS Arms. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.

[edit] External links