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Rob Pincus on the Springfield XD-S 9mm

I’ve been interested in giving the Springfield XD-S a more thorough run ever since I shot the 9mm version at SHOT Show. My initial impressions were that I liked everything about the pistol, except the grip safety (not a fan). Other than that, it seemed like another worthy competitor in the single stack 9mm pistol category.

Yesterday, Rob Pincus from I.C.E. Training published his T&E results of the XD-S in 9mm, and it was an interesting read.

XDS_failure1200 Rounds of FMJ Immediately followed by 50 rounds of hollow point defensive ammo. Because the timing worked out, I taped this test for a future Personal Defense Network video as well. The gun ran through 200 rounds of Winchester white box without a glitch. I loaded up 3 magazines (2 standard, 1 extended) with Winchester PDX1 (my personal preference for defensive HPs), inserted one and racked the slide as I was talking to the camera about the continuation of the test and why it was so important to test a defensive gun with actual carry ammo. In fact, last year when I got my new Glock 26L, I wrote a short article that included a reference to my 100% Reliability requirement with HPs. As I was finishing my sentence and I released the slide, I felt the hiccup… the gun did not go into battery. I looked down and saw that the slide had moved forward about 1/4-1/3rd of an inch and that the front of the bullet was resting on the feed ramp. The XD-S 9mm had failed to feed the first round of the HP test. I was seriously disappointed. Being human, I immediately hypothesized that I might have failed to rack the slide properly… maybe I didn’t pull back fully? Maybe it was the odd angle I was at while talking to the camera, but keeping the gun pointed downrange? Maybe I left my hand in contact with the slide as it started moving forward?  Maybe, maybe, maybe… but, there I was with a gun that didn’t feed the hollow point.

You can read the rest of Rob’s T&E results here.

You might remember my single stack pistol comparison between the Beretta Nana, Kahr CM9 and Smith & Wesson Shield from last year. Well, I think adding the XD-S and Bersa BP9CC to the comparison would be fun. Call me crazy, but I am particularly interested in the BP9CC.

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13 Responses to Rob Pincus on the Springfield XD-S 9mm

  1. Luke August 8, 2013 at 11:28 am #

    My XDs 9mm did the same thing the first time I tried to chamber a Hornady JHP. After putting a few hundred rounds through it, it doesn’t do it anymore. I noticed that if the top round in the magazine isn’t fully seated, it’s more prone to do this, and I wasn’t able to replicate the issue with any other JHPs I had in the house.

    As far as the BP9cc, it has an internal lock, and a magazine disconnect. No thanks.

    • Brandon August 8, 2013 at 11:30 am #

      I’m not worried about the internal lock since it takes a tool to activate, but the magazine disconnect is always a huge bummer. I’m guessing I could fix that though, much like the XD-S grip safety.

      • Luke August 8, 2013 at 11:33 am #

        I was expecting the grip safety to be a bigger issue than it is. I feel like they get in the way on the fullsize XD and XDM, but it has a bit smaller profile on the XDs, and on the XDs you can still manipulate the slide without the safety depressed, unlike the fullsize models.

    • TK August 8, 2013 at 11:38 am #

      Magazine disconnects are about as bad as grip safeties…which is to say, they both suck. Why manufacturers keep listening to the lawyers and not the market is beyond me.

      Still holding out for the Glock single stack LOL.

  2. Gary Griffiths August 8, 2013 at 4:42 pm #

    Can’t speak for the 9mm version, but my .45 XDS has fed everything I’ve put through it, including Taurus 185-gr HPs and Federal HSTs. So tell us, how did the second round go? Inquiring minds want to know!

  3. Rob Pincus August 9, 2013 at 8:26 am #

    Thanks for sharing my thoughts on the XD-S.
    Unfortunately, I also had high hopes for the BP9cc and have T&Ed two that both failed.. the first one feeding issues, the second one has a trigger that doesn’t reset.

    • Brandon August 9, 2013 at 8:34 am #

      Bummer – thanks for sharing Rob.

  4. Skeptical_Realist August 14, 2013 at 9:02 am #

    Glock doesn’t make a single stack because they wouldn’t be able to import it.

    Look up the BATFE handgun point system for sporting purposes.

    The Glock subcompacts already have to “cheat by having a “match trigger”, and adjustable sights that get replaced before shipping to dealers.

    The XDs probably makes the cut due to the grip safety and chamber indicator.

    • Brandon August 14, 2013 at 9:05 am #

      Simple solution: Glock could make them in Smyrna, GA.

  5. Paul Cochran August 16, 2013 at 12:38 pm #

    Man, I was just about to buy one of these. I was quite disappointed while reading the article. So, Brandon, what would you prefer for a 9mm pistol? Do you think it’s still worth buying this one?

    • Brandon August 16, 2013 at 1:09 pm #

      At this point, Smith & Wesson M&P Shield.

      • Luke August 20, 2013 at 11:42 pm #

        Brandon, didn’t your Shield lock up and require a trip back to the mothership?

        • Brandon August 21, 2013 at 8:12 am #

          Yes it did. I still never definitively figured out what happened…