Springfield Armory XD Mod.2: Gun Review

Springfield Armory XD Mod.2, springfield armory, xd mod.2, mod.2, springfield armory mod.2 — The XD Mod.2 in 9mm incorporates a newly engineered grip surface, redesigned slide and frame contours and next-gen features proven in Springfield Armory’s ultra-compact, concealment-ready XD-S 9mm and .45 ACP series.

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The Springfield Armory Sub-Compact XD chambered in 9mm has been ideal for CCW use since it was introduced back in 2003. The revised 2015 version, designated as the XD Mod.2, takes everything about the XD Sub-Compact that made it desirable and improves upon it with refined contours, a new grip-to-hand interface and the superb front and rear sights developed by Springfield for its latest XD-S models.

At the heart of the Mod.2 is a new multi-surface grip texturing molded into the grip strap, which is called the GripZone. Springfield’s new design has varying surface textures, a concept based around the dynamics of the human hand. The three-quarter panel, where the palm swell and first joint of the fingers wrap around the grip, is the most aggressively textured for a firm, tactile hold. The front and rear surfaces are the second-most aggressively textured, where the palm and the insides of the fingers grasp the pistol. Combined, the front, rear and three-quarter panels make the Mod.2 less prone to torque, wrench or lever during recoil. The third surface is a lightly textured grain that extends from the side panels to the entire frame. Additionally, the Mod.2 triggerguard is rounded at the front like the new XD-S models, rather than squared off like earlier XD versions.

In addition to slimmer, more rounded contours, the new slide boasts several improvements including new rear serrations that Springfield calls the “Posi-Wedge Slide Serration.” This deeply recessed design with five grooves helps reduce the chance for slippage when racking the slide. The single most import feature of the new slide design, however, comes from replacing the original white-dot sights with the latest XD-S red fiber-optic front sight and a combat-style white-dot rear. This combo on the Mod.2 makes the pistol faster to get on target under varying lighting conditions and extends the sight radius by 0.5 inches.

With the XD’s grip angle, high-hold beavertail and grip safety working in concert with Springfield’s Ultra Safety Assurance (USA) blade trigger safety, the Mod.2 takes
nothing away from the previous XD Sub-Compact design, but adds features that bring this established Springfield model up to par with the latest XD-S series.

Range Workout

The Mod.2’s staggered, flush-fitting magazines hold 13 rounds, giving the Sub-Compact an impressive 14-round capacity. Tipping the scale at 26 ounces (unloaded), the Mod.2 in 9mm measures 6.25 inches in length, 4.75 inches in height, from the base of the magazine to the top of the low-profile combat rear sight, and 1.125 inches in width (including slide, frame and slide-release lever). In short, it is a pretty small gun for a 14-round 9mm. Springfield also offers an extended-capacity magazine for the Mod.2 that adds another three rounds, for a 16+1 capacity and a longer grip (with the magazine’s X-Tension) that increases height to 5.5 inches. There will also be a matching Mod.2 chambered in .40 S&W with a 9+1 standard capacity and 12+1 with the extended magazine.

Trigger pull on the test gun averaged 5.3 pounds. For subcompact handguns with barrel lengths of 3 inches, standard target distance is 15 yards. For the Mod.2, 9mm ammo selection was Sig Sauer’s Elite Performance 124-grain V-Crown jacketed hollow-point (JHP), Speer Gold Dot 115-grain HP and Hornady Critical Defense 115-grain FTX. The new XD Mod.2 in 9mm balances well in the hand and stays put as intended with the GripZone texturing. Recoil proved moderate, as is usual for the XD’s dual recoil spring design, and sight reacquisition was notably easier with the XD-S-style red fiber-optic front sight. All hits scored five points on the Speedwell B-27 target placed in front of a Target Shooting Solutions 36-inch-diameter BCS-36 Bullet Trap. Best groups averaged from 1.27 to 1.70 inches.

A step up in caliber and size for CCW use is never a bad idea if you can handle the gun and its concealment demands. This latest XD Mod.2 from Springfield makes both tasks easier to manage by providing all of the company’s latest features into a gun that has been proven in the field for over a decade. The new XD Mod.2 in 9mm delivers impressive capacity, respectable stopping power with defensive ammunition, ease of use and ease of carry. There isn’t a lot more one can ask for, and it all comes at a price that seems more than reasonable for what this gun delivers.

For more information, call 800-680-6866 or visit http://www.springfield-armory.com