In the United States, we have an Amendment to our Constitution (the 2nd Amendment to be precise) that states
"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
Be it for sports shooting or self-defense, it's our God-given right and duty to own firearms. My goal is to help any fellow Patriots or sports shooters looking for a new gun but overwhelmed by the choices.
I'm a big proponent of the products put out by Springfield Armory, so when it came time to invest in a new pistol, I knew exactly where to go. I've had my eye on the XD Mod.2 for quite some time, and having owned and loved the original model, I felt confident that the Mod.2 would live up to my expectations. Here's my review of Springfield Armory's XD Mod.2 (Service Model) handgun.
Overview
The XD Mod.2 is a fantastic pistol that boasts impressive specs for a reasonable price. It's a great gun for sports shooting and has become my new pistol of choice to bring to the range.
Once purchased, I took mine out for a quick session at the range and put 100 rounds through it. The sights lined up perfectly, so my accuracy was on point. No jams or other issues occurred. I'm very happy with my purchase.
I picked up my XD when Springfield Armory was offering a deal that any XD or XDS purchased would come with a free range bag and five magazines. That's no typo; they actually gave me FIVE free magazines and a carry bag with the pistol. Quite the bundle. And it just so happens that they're currently offering an even better "Instant Gear Up" deal that comes with all of that plus a hard case, a holster, and a mag pouch. Almost makes me wish I had waited to purchase mine...no regrets though!
Specs
XD Mod.2
- Service Model (4" barrel)
- Caliber: 9mm
- Weight: 27.5 oz
- Capacity: 16+1
- MSRP: $565.00 USD
I purchased this pistol primarily for home defense, but also for sports shooting as well as concealed carry. 9mm is more than sufficient for those needs (I know some will want to argue this; let's save that for another post shall we?).
XD vs XDS?
The XD holds 16 rounds plus 1 in the chamber, so more than enough ammunition to handle most situations. That's half the reason I chose to go with the XD as opposed to the XDS (the single stack version of the XD with a 7 round capacity). The other reason I chose the XD over the XDS is that I have big hands and the XDS is just too thin for me. I find it hard to stay accurate with such a thin grip. The XD's width gives me far better accuracy, which leads me to...
How does it shoot?
As to be expected from Springfield, the XD Mod.2 feels great in my hands and shoots like a dream. It's not hard to rack the slide at all, very smooth. It has a bit of kick to it, but the wide grip and the GripZone(r) ergonomics do much to mitigate this. Two or one-handed, it's a blast (pun intended) to shoot, and it's not hard to put a full mag in a tight cluster thanks to the 4-inch barrel and great sights.
Is the XD Mod.2 suitable for concealed carry?
I'll go ahead and just say that for IWB (inside waist band) concealed carry, this may not be the best gun. As a double stack, it's a bit wider than single stack pistols. And with a 4" barrel, it may stick out a little too far from your beltline to be considered "concealed". All things I knew prior to purchase, it'll be fine during the colder months when I can wear a jacket.
We the People
Safety features
The XD has a few safety features that I appreciate. Not only is there a safety on the trigger, but there's a lever on the grip that must be held down to pull the trigger or even to rack the slide. I know a lot of people prefer less safety on their concealed carry guns, but I just never felt comfortable holstering my gun without a safety on. I always anticipate a piece of my clothing, belt, or belt loop catching the trigger and causing an accidental discharge. It's one of the reasons I just won't carry Glocks. Besides, both the grip and trigger safety will be off through normal operation of the firearm in the first place, so it's just there for my own piece of mind in holstering.
Conclusion
Springfield's XD Mod.2 is a reliable, affordable, and comfortable handgun that is adaptable for almost any situation.
And with the new "Instant Gear Up" bundle deal going on right now, there's even more of a reason to get one for yourself. (I swear this isn't an advertisement, I just really really like this gun!)
I know this review is relatively short, thus is the nature of a social media style posting platform. I'm more than happy to discuss further in the comments if you have any questions or personal experience you want to share!
Sources: Images from Springfield's website and Pixabay.