In the case of the XD-S, this also breaks the contact between the hand and the grip safety, adding an extra layer of protection should a foreign object, like a fold of clothing, find its way into the trigger guard while you’re trying to put your blaster away. Not being able to reliably clear a malfunction one-handed could be a problem, but fortunately that’s not an issue with this pistol.Īn additional feature of the grip safety becomes apparent if one uses a “claw” type grip to reholster, when you position the strong-side thumb on the back of the slide to prevent it from being pushed out of battery. This was a function of the XD grip safety that most frequently reared its ugly head during malfunction clearance drills, especially one-handed. More importantly (and distinct from the original gangsta XD grip safety), the one on the XD-S doesn’t lock the slide when not depressed. The one on the XD-S is unobtrusive and never failed to be actuated on the range. Lastly, and probably most controversially, the XD-S Mod.2 sports a grip safety like its larger kin. While the duty autos from FN also sport this feature, the setup on the XD is arguably superior and much more difficult to inadvertently actuate with an aggressively high grip. While a reversible magazine catch is common as dirt on service pistols these days, an ambidextrous catch, which can be used from either side without having to disassemble or reverse anything, is much less common. Not least among these is the truly ambidextrous magazine release.

There are other features of the XD family of firearms that the XD-S has that are absent from its Hellcat stablemate. Especially when using +P ammunition, every little bit helps in getting efficient velocity out of a 9mm projectile. Unless you wear XL gloves, this is a legitimate three-finger grip.įinally, the spec sheet says that this pistol is roughly a third of an inch longer than the Hellcat, but all of that length is barrel.

Combine that rest with the aggressive high-hand relief at the rear of the trigger guard on the Mod.2 XD-S frame, and even owners of grown-up-sized hands can get most of their paw on polymer without their fingers feeling excessively crowded. While the height is listed at roughly a half-inch taller than the Hellcat, that’s largely attributable to the pinkie-rest molded into the magazine floorplate. Night sights aren’t standard on this model, just a black serrated U-notch rear and white dot front. The sights on the pistol don’t co-witness with the optic, but they’re visible in the lower edge of the window and could be used in a pinch. The optics mount directly to the slide, rather than using an adapter plate system, and the footprint will accept any optic using the Shield mounting hole pattern. The slide differs from the non-optics-ready version in two notable ways. There was a coupon in the box with the test gun good for a discount on a Viridian laser that, ironically, mounts to the trigger guard and not the rail. Even compact offerings like the TLR-7 from Streamlight and the SureFire XC1b are too long, so illumination will be left to options specifically intended for the XD-S. Due to the stubby 3.3-inch barrel and a single cross slot, light selection is limited. The frame is railed but mostly just leads to dashed hopes. The magazine catch is easily reached and completely ambidextrous. The takedown lever and slide release are suitably low-profiled, the latter protected from inadvertent actuation both by its beveled shape and a low, molded-in “fence” on the frame. The flush-fit magazine holds seven rounds of nine. There’s also a sewn-in pocket holding a spare magazine in the case of our test gun, a nine-round ’stendo with an adapter collar textured to match the grip of the pistol.

Unzipping the nylon pouch reveals the pistol itself, with its Crimson Trace dot already mounted. Lift the lid on the box, and the interior contains a zippered black nylon pouch, also logo’d, that contains the pistol and magazines, a separate compartment under a folded cardboard lid for the mandatory lock and accessories, and some “Defend Your Legacy” moto ad copy on the inside of the box lid thanking you for your patronage. And when we say “open the box,” we mean that very literally, because the packaging for the XD-S Mod.2 OSP is a semigloss black cardboard box, about the right size for a personal pizza, except with the Springfield crossed-cannons logo instead of a Domino’s one. So, is the classic micro single-stack still relevant in the age of the Hellcat? Springfield Armory sure seems to think it is, so let’s open the box and find out. The red-dot cut precludes the usual XD loaded chamber indicator, so you get a witness hole instead.

Springfield xds 9mm vs glock 26