Those of us who remember magazines made of dead tree and ink will recall that’s where we got our first exposure to the HS2000 pistol. If memory serves, and it usually does, I first read about the HS2000 when it was featured on the cover of Combat Handguns magazine.
For the audience members who never purchased or read a magazine printed on paper, allow me a moment. The HS2000 9mm pistol was first made by HS Produkt in Croatia in 1999. Shortly thereafter, the folks at Springfield Armory got involved and the pistol became the XD…and then XD(M).
During the crazy times of the early aughts, the XD(M) came in a wide variety of calibers from 9mm to .40 S&W, to .357 SIG, to .45 ACP. There were even 10mm and .45 GAP versions. The XD(M) pistols came in subcompact, compact, service, tactical, and competition sizes.
Springfield Armory sold tens of thousands of these pistols over the years and I tested and tried out several. However, the one that I was most drawn to was the XD(M) 3.8 in 9x19mm.
The predecessor to the G45
I have had the XD(M) 3.8 pistol featured herein for approximately fifteen years now. The pistol is not-quite stock as it was given a going over by the folks at Powder River Precision. They swapped the factory barrel for a Bar-Sto version, improved the trigger feel a bit and put that “Student of the Gun” laser engraving on the slide. The pistol arrived with two 19-round magazines and I bought another one.
Interestingly, the Springfield Armory website lists the now-discontinued XD(M) 3.8 as having 20-round mags. I double checked mine and the verification holes on the back of the mag go up to 19. I suppose they might have redesigned them after I got mine, but since the gun isn’t made any more, it’s a moot point. Yes, I used a magazine loading tool and was only able to fit nineteen cartridges in the mags.
The total length on the slide is 6.75 inches, height is 5.75 inches, barrel length 3.8 inches, empty weight is 28 ounces. The frame is polymer, the slide is stainless and the action is striker-fired with a frame-mounted grip safety. And there, my friends, was the gun’s Achilles heel.
Despite having the ubiquitous doober or trigger-safety dingus, HS and Springfield felt the need to include a grip safety. Missing or failing to fully depress the grip safety has been a point of contention for XD owners and the haters on the internet for well over a decade. I’ve spoken with numerous small arms and tactics instructors who have reported that over the years new shooters gravitated toward the XD(M) and those same new shooters were the ones who had issues with the grip safety.
It’s interesting to me that the world is righteously excited and appreciative of the design of the GLOCK 45 pistol. I’ve on record as a big fan of that model. The XD(M) 3.8 and the G45 share very similar dimensions and design features; full-sized frame mated with a compact-sized slide/barrel combination. The XD(M) has a built-in ambidextrous magazine release…no need to switch or swap. The XD(M) is a tad heavier than the G45, but it has a larger factory magazine capacity.
Range Time
I will admit that with all of the newer model pistols available, the XD(M) has been spending most of its time hanging out in my gun safe. A month or so back, I was looking for another gun and came across the SOTG XD(M) and thought I should get it out just for auld lang syne. In addition to the pistol, I went to my bin of holsters and found the Galco belt holster I picked up for the pistol years ago.
The FedEx driver had just dropped off a box of Double Tap 9mm FMJ-Match training ammo a couple of days ago and it finally stopped snowing/raining in the mountains so the range wouldn’t be a muddy mess. The time was right.
My first drill was a simple two-handed slow-fire on paper. With the obligatory paperwork out of the way, I turned my attention to a half-silhouette steel target. Now the fun would begin.
As is my habit for skill maintenance practice, I broke my shooting drills into thirds; ⅓ two-handed, ⅓ right hand only and ⅓ left hand only. Also, since I wear prescription glasses now, I divided my shooting drills up for both Rx and non-Rx by swapping for clear protective shooting glasses. If you wear Rx glasses, but are not as blind as Mr. Magoo without them, I would suggest that you practice both with and without so as to get a solid feel for your capabilities.
Back in the old days when I wore a police uniform, I was engaged in an arrest where I was struck in the head and my Rx glasses went flying. Fortunately, I didn’t need to use my pistol but, if I had, I had confidence in my ability to hit a human without glasses.
This review gave me the opportunity/excuse to get reacquainted with my old friend the XD(M). Naturally, the Bar-Sto barrel provided ample accuracy to ensure that the bullets went where they were supposed to. Hits on the silhouette from 20 yards came without issue.
Keeping with the tactical mantra that if the fight begins and you are not behind cover your feet need to be moving, I practiced shooting on the move; forward, backward, and laterally. If you feel like you are not being challenged by your practice sessions, I would strongly suggest moving your feet while shooting single-handed.
After an hour or so, with hundreds of once-fired brass casings littering the range, I felt satisfied that my old friend was just as capable as the day I picked it up from the gun shop. I should mention that I never failed to press the grip safety, even with my left hand only, though I didn’t shoot with gloves on.
Despite the fact that the XD and XD(M) pistols have been internet whipping-boys on socialist media, like them or hate them, time has passed and such feelings are a bit moot. Today, Springfield fans are all about the Echelon pistols (and for good reason). One of my mentors has been working with an Echelon for a couple of years and is quite taken with it.
With all of that being said, the XD(M), despite that grip safety, was a pistol that was ahead of its time when it was first released well over twenty years ago. If you have one of these blasters languishing in the gun safe, now might be a good time to dig it out and get reacquainted.