Gun Test: Springfield's 9mm XD Mod.2 4” Service Model

Test Springfields 9mm XD Mod.2 4” Service Model Pistol lead — The new XD Mod.2 4” Service Model, with its Mod.2 styling and 4-inch barrel, comes in a case with a holster, a dual magazine pouch and extra magazines.

Test Springfields 9mm XD Mod.2 4” Service Model Pistol solo — “Mod.2 pistols sport re-contoured polymer frames and slides that give the guns a cleaner, more integrated look.”

Test Springfields 9mm XD Mod.2 4” Service Model Pistol trigger — The 9mm pistol features low-profile controls as well as Springfield’s Ultra Safety Assurance (USA) trigger.

The XD Mod.2 Service Model is only 1.125 inches wide, making it easier to carry, while offering a 4-inch barrel and a longer sight radius than previous XD Mod.2 models.

Test Springfields 9mm XD Mod.2 4” Service Model Pistol rear — For faster targeting, the pistol features a red fiber-optic front sight as well as white-dot rear sight (pictured).

Test Springfields 9mm XD Mod.2 4” Service Model Pistol front — For faster targeting, the pistol features a red fiber-optic front sight (pictured) as well as white-dot rear sight.

Test Springfields 9mm XD Mod.2 4” Service Model Pistol slide — The slide features front and rear “Posi-Wedge” serrations for a secure grip during slide manipulations.

Test Springfields 9mm XD Mod.2 4” Service Model Pistol left — “It is dependable, accurate, very easy to disassemble for cleaning and as tough as a railroad spike for durability.”

Springfield’s polymer-framed XD pistols are among the top-ranked handguns approved for law enforcement agencies, and the company recently introduced the 9mm XD Mod.2 4” Service Model for both on- and off-duty carry.

RELATED VIDEO: Springfield Armory’s New XD Mod.2 4” Service Model

With its new Mod.2 series, Springfield Armory has taken the best aspects of its original XD Sub-Compact and added improvements made with the XD-S. But that’s not all. Mod.2 pistols sport re-contoured polymer frames and slides that give the guns a cleaner, more integrated look. The new models also retain the XD striker status indicator (actually the back of the striker), which protrudes slightly from the rear of the slide. This is a very quick check to ensure that the action has been cycled and the gun is ready to fire. While it does not guarantee that a round is chambered, a loaded-chamber indicator on top of the slide, just behind the ejection port, rises up slightly when a round is present in the chamber. These are both visual and tactile checks that can easily be seen and felt to verify the gun’s status.

One of the Springfield Mod.2’s more distinctive feature is the multi-surface texturing molded into the lightweight polymer frame.

Designated the “GripZone,” this provides aggressive texturing around the three-quarter panel where the palm swell and first joint of the fingers wrap around the grip. The front and rear surfaces have the second most aggressive texture where the palm and inside of the fingers grasp the pistol. Both provide a more tactile and secure grip, particularly in colder climates where tactical gloves may be worn as part of daily duty gear, or conversely in very warm and humid climates where perspiration can impede a solid grip on a pistol. The texturing in Springfield’s GripZone contributes to maintaining a more secure hold. The remainder of the gun’s texturing is a mild pebble finish that covers the sides of the grip and extends to the entire frame, again contributing to the pistol’s more integrated look. Additionally, the Mod.2 triggerguard is rounded at the front like the latest XD-S models, rather than squared off like the earlier XD series pistols.

The slide is also revised with a new, more curved and slightly narrower width combined with deeper rear “Posi-Wedge” serrations. There are five rear serrations to help reduce slippage when racking the slide, and the 4” Service Model has three additional grooves at the front to aid in executing a press check.

The most important features of the 4” Service Model for law enforcement use are its sights. XD Mod.2 pistols are equipped with the same red fiber-optic front sights and white-dot rear sights used on Springfield’s XD-S models. This gives Mod.2 pistols the same capability to sight in under a greater variety of lighting conditions, and the sights are dovetailed for individual sighting preferences and windage adjustments.

For safety in the field, the 4” Service Model’s grip angle and beavertail grip safety work in combination with Springfield’s Ultra Safety Assurance (USA) blade trigger safety to provide extra safeguards when presenting or holstering the pistol.

Tipping the scale at 27.5 ounces unloaded, the Service Model, with its 4-inch barrel, is a comparative lightweight in this handgun category. Measuring 7.3 inches in length, 5.5 inches in height (from the base of the magazine to the top of the low-profile rear sight) and 1.125 inches in width (including the slide, frame and slide release lever) this is a medium-sized pistol overall. Finally, the 9mm 4” Service Model has a standard 16+1 capacity.

Range Test

I performed my initial test of the 4” Service Model with Federal’s 115-grain American Eagle FMJs at a range of 15 yards, firing at a Speedwell B-27 silhouette target. The best five-round group measured 1.24 inches in the 10 and X rings with two rounds almost in the same hole. A second series of tests was conducted using Sig Sauer’s 124-grain Elite Performance V-Crown JHPs and Federal Premium’s 124-grain Hydra-Shok JHPs. While the hardball ammunition averaged 1,185 fps through the traps of my ProChrono chronograph, the Federal Hydra-Shok and Sig V-Crown ammo averaged 1,095 fps and 1,125 fps, respectively. Firing five-round groups off-hand in one-second intervals from 15 yards, the best five Hydra-Shok rounds grouped into 1.75 inches and the best five Sig Sauer V-Crown rounds landed within 1.2 inches, with two shots overlapping.

RELATED STORY: Springfield Armory Unveils XD Mod.2 Tactical Model

The entire line of XD models—including the XD-S and new Mod.2 pistols—has proven flawless in a variety of tests over the years, and this latest 4” Service Model is no different. It is dependable, accurate, very easy to disassemble for cleaning and as tough as a railroad spike for durability. With all of its standard features—there is virtually nothing left to upgrade—the 9mm XD Mod.2 4” Service Model adds another handgun to the Springfield line that presents an excellent option for on- and off-duty carry.

For more information on the 9mm XD Mod.2 4” Service Model, visit springfield-armory.com or call 800-680-6866.

Specifications