Springfield XD-E - What a disappointment!

Concerned Citizen · September 2, 2017, 03:56 PM

I was anticipating getting one of the new Springfield XD-E's. "Now here is a new polymer gun with a hammer that I may like" I thought to myself. It also has no grip safety, something that has turned me off from all other Springfield polymers in the past, besides the fact that they were all strikers, and I much prefer hammers.

So I go to my local gun shop and they have one on display. Not only that, but they had a promotional rebate where you got two or three extra mags and a mag pouch belt carrier as well. "Great" I said, then I picked it up...

I knew right away this was not the gun for me. It's grip was uncomfortable and blocky feeling due to it's single stack design. The whole thing felt totally out of proportion and unbalanced in my hand. Doing my best impersonation of Indiana Jones I said to myself: "Single stack... why does it have to be single stack?"

Had the XD-E been a double stack the grip would've been near perfect. It would've been in proportion and balanced to the rest of the gun. It probably would've been THE compact polymer carry pistol for me. As it stands now, I'm not going to even take another look at it until if and when Springfield comes out with a double stack version.

This is why I never blindly buy any new firearm online without having had a chance to thoroughly examine it first. This is not the first time where some gun that I was initially very excited about turned out to be a huge let down upon handling it in person.

roashooter · September 2, 2017, 04:08 PM

Kinda makes a point that "new and improved"...sometimes just isn't....

JMag1 · September 2, 2017, 04:08 PM

I like hammer pistols, and strikers like my Walther, Kahr, Glock, XD-S, etc., but the XD-E just doesn't do it for me either.

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Triggernosis · September 2, 2017, 06:44 PM

Yep, guns are like women - you really have to feel 'em up to see if you're gonna like them.

arquebus357 · September 2, 2017, 09:17 PM

Yep...women are like cow pies, the older they get, the easier they are to pick up.

I'm 81 and always preferred hammer fired handguns. But I "felt up" one of the Ruger American Compacts and it came home with me. Several shooting sessions later I'm not finding that I miss the hammer. I was never into that "cocked and l
locked" mentality in the first place. I was probably drawn to the surface entertainment and weight, but I like the simplicity and high capacity (12/17) as well. Yes, I did opt for the safety model though.

TJB101 · September 3, 2017, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triggernosis

Yep, guns are like women - you really have to feel 'em up to see if you're gonna like them.

Buhahaha. Handled the new XD. Felt funky.

wbw · September 3, 2017, 10:18 AM

I guess I'm the odd man out here. I've got one and love it. I bought it for concealed carry, so the grip is thinner than I would have liked but some concessions had to be made. What I was looking for was a smaller version of my SIG SP 2022 and I found it. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed shooting it. I seem to like hammers more than striker fired. I'm enjoying the lighter slide operation and I also like fiber optic sights. I find that red FO much easier to pick up. So I'm enjoying mine. To each his own.

JDBerg · September 3, 2017, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Concerned Citizen:

..."Great" I said, then I picked it up...

I had a chance to put some rounds through one of these and I could definitely hit targets with it, which is the fundamental purpose of any firearm. I like the sights on it, not so crazy about the thumb safety but that's the way it comes and I could live with it. And I do like the fact that this XD loses the grip safety. I wouldn't replace my Walther PPS-M2 with one of these, but this one is definitely my favorite XD.

Prof Young · September 3, 2017, 11:58 PM

I have the XDE as well, but the the one thing I don't like is the boxy wide butt. It makes for a long trigger reach and even as a single stack it does not have to be this way. It could easily accommodate a single stack and have a shorter trigger reach. Other than that it has everything I want in a carry gun. I've put about 500 round through mine and am getting used to the butt. But then that process is kind of true for all guns.

Life is good.
Prof Young

September 2, 2017, 03:56 PM	#1
Concerned Citizen Member Join Date: August 29, 2017 Posts: 59	Springfield XD-E - What a disappointment! I was anticipating getting one of the new Springfield XD-E's. "Now here is a new polymer gun with a hammer that I may like" I thought to myself. It also has no grip safety, something that has turned me off from all other Springfield polymers in the past, besides the fact that they were all strikers, and I much prefer hammers. So I go to my local gun shop and they have one on display. Not only that, but they had a promotional rebate where you got two or three extra mags and a mag pouch belt carrier as well. "Great" I said, then I picked it up... I knew right away this was not the gun for me. It's grip was uncomfortable and blocky feeling due to it's single stack design. The whole thing felt totally out of proportion and unbalanced in my hand. Doing my best impersonation of Indiana Jones I said to myself: "Single stack... why does it have to be single stack?" Had the XD-E been a double stack the grip would've been near perfect. It would've been in proportion and balanced to the rest of the gun. It probably would've been THE compact polymer carry pistol for me. As it stands now, I'm not going to even take another look at it until if and when Springfield comes out with a double stack version. This is why I never blindly buy any new firearm online without having had a chance to thoroughly examine it first. This is not the first time where some gun that I was initially very excited about turned out to be a huge let down upon handling it in person. Last edited by Concerned Citizen; September 2, 2017 at 04:24 PM.

September 2, 2017, 09:17 PM	#5
arquebus357 Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2016 Location: Atlanta, Georgia area Posts: 455	Yep...women are like cow pies, the older they get, the easier they are to pick up. I'm 81 and always preferred hammer fired handguns. But I "felt up" one of the Ruger American Compacts and it came home with me. Several shooting sessions later I'm not finding that I miss the hammer. I was never into that "cocked and l locked" mentality in the first place. I was probably drawn to the surface entertainment and weight, but I like the simplicity and high capacity (12/17) as well. Yes, I did opt for the safety model though. Last edited by arquebus357; September 2, 2017 at 09:23 PM.

September 3, 2017, 11:58 PM	#9
Prof Young Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2007 Location: Illinois - down state Posts: 2,403	I like mine but . . . I have the XDE as well, but the the one thing I don't like is the boxy wide butt. It makes for a long trigger reach and even as a single stack it does not have to be this way. It could easily accommodate a single stack and have a shorter trigger reach. Other than that it has everything I want in a carry gun. I've put about 500 round through mine and am getting used to the butt. But then that process is kind of true for all guns. Life is good. Prof Young

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September 2, 2017, 04:08 PM	#2
roashooter Junior member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Posts: 508	Kinda makes a point that "new and improved"...sometimes just isn't....

September 2, 2017, 04:08 PM	#3
JMag1 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 2015 Posts: 173	I like hammer pistols, and strikers like my Walther, Kahr, Glock, XD-S, etc., but the XD-E just doesn't do it for me either. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

September 2, 2017, 06:44 PM	#4
Triggernosis Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2008 Posts: 119	Yep, guns are like women - you really have to feel 'em up to see if you're gonna like them.

September 3, 2017, 10:18 AM	#7
wbw Senior Member Join Date: August 18, 2008 Location: York Pa. Posts: 738	I guess I'm the odd man out here. I've got one and love it. I bought it for concealed carry, so the grip is thinner than I would have liked but some concessions had to be made. What I was looking for was a smaller version of my SIG SP 2022 and I found it. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed shooting it. I seem to like hammers more than striker fired. I'm enjoying the lighter slide operation and I also like fiber optic sights. I find that red FO much easier to pick up. So I'm enjoying mine. To each his own.