The Springfield XD-9 Sub-Compact, shown equipped with extended mag and ArmaLaser RSS laser unit, offers plainclothes officers 17 shots of concealable firepower.

There has always been a demand from those who choose, or need, to arm themselves for discretion. Sometimes it is simply not convenient, polite, or wise to carry a full-size pistol on one’s person. Whether for a law enforcement officer off-duty or undercover, or for a concealed carry permit holder’s comfort, manufacturers have responded by offering many of their full-size pistols in compact and sub-compact versions.

The Springfield XD Sub-Compact, available in .40 S&W and 9mm, provides an outstanding iteration of this concept. The main advantage of the sub-compact is a ready familiarity with the manual of arms for those already accustomed to its full-size cousin, easing the transition from one to the other. The XD pistols are based on the HS2000, designed and manufactured in Croatia and now the standard issue pistol for that recently independent nation’s military and police forces. Springfield Armory, recognizing the gun’s potential, licensed it for sale in the US and renamed it the XD, or “X-treme Duty” in 2002. Since then, this pistol has received multiple industry awards.

Springfield claims the XD Sub-Compact is “the shortest carry polymer pistol in the world that features the only light rail in its class.”

The Springfield XD Sub-Compact is a striker-fired, recoil-operated, semi-automatic, polymer-framed pistol. The most distinctive safety feature on the XD is its grip safety, which prevents the pistol from firing unless fully depressed. The grip safety also prevents the slide from moving back unless it is depressed, something to keep in mind when trying to lock the action open or otherwise work the slide.

The Springfield XD Sub-Compact features an ambi mag release and right and left
thumb rests/memory pads.