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Thread: First range time with new Springfirld XD-E

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    First range time with new Springfirld XD-E

    This is the new hammer fired pistol from Springfield Armory.
    I picked up my new XD-E from the gun shop yesterday and went straight to the range.
    Two magazines were supplied and both loaded without difficulty.
    The advertised easy working slide works just as described. I wondered if there might be some failures to feed because of that but it never happened.
    I started out with a box of Federal 115 fmj bulk box ammo. The first 2 magazines the group was poor. The next 2 magazines the group was better. The third 2 magazines the group was good.
    Apparently it took a bit to get things settled in. Maybe just me getting used to the trigger.
    It shot about 1 inch left of point of aim at 10 yards at the correct height so that part is acceptable since I can drift the rear sight to make up for that. Recoil was not an issue even though the pistol weighs less than my other 9mm pistols.
    Sights were easy to see and get good alignment.
    I ran 100 rounds of the Federal fmj through the pistol then switched over to my cast reloads. There was no difference in feel or accuracy. I tried several different boolit weights and nose profiles. They all fed well and shot accurately so no bad surprises there.
    I have fairly large hands but had no issues with the grip at all. The trigger was about what you would expect for a carry pistol. There was a little creep before the trigger breaks in single action mode. The double action pull was pretty stiff but still manageable.
    I really like the controls being similar to both my Taurus PT92 and 1911 pistols so I don't have to remember a different set of movements to work the gun.
    It can be carried cocked and locked or hammer down if you wish.
    I ran 200 rounds through the pistol and had no failures of any kind. This gives me great confidence in the pistol as a reliable defense weapon. The cast reloads I was using had boolits sized anywhere from .356 to .358 depending on the particular boolit and they all fed flawlessly and shot well. I didn't try any light loads in it this time. I may later just to see what happens.
    After 100 rounds of cast there was no leading in the barrel and what residue there was cleaned out with a couple of brush strokes from the brush included with the pistol.
    Please bear in mind that I am not a really good shot. I was able to hold the 9 ring on a silhouette target at 15 yards with all the ammunition I ran through the pistol. That is adequate for my use. I am not going to be using it for a target pistol.
    Disassembly for field cleaning is simple and straight forward.
    So far I can't find any real downsides to the gun. I am going to shoot it more in the near future to see if anything pops up.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy tranders's Avatar
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    This pistol has gotten my attention. I like the idea of a compact polymer hammer fired pistol.

    Thanks for the great review.

  3. #3
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    Good review. I have been thinking of buying one for some time but I didn't have enough info about the gun. Now I do.
    Thanks,
    Pistolero49

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  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Great review. May have to give them a look

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    I spent some time in the reloading room today with the pistol.
    It is remarkably clean for having 200 rounds put through it. Very little residue on the slide face and nothing in the chamber or barrel. A couple of brush strokes on the face and it was clean.
    Usually you get some fouling blowing past the case that end up under the slide. Nothing there. There was a very small amount on the outside of the slide around the muzzle. A quick wipe with a rag and that was gone.
    Nothing in the mag well either.
    I have never had a pistol be this clean after a range session.
    I measured the trigger pull in single action mode at 5.5 lbs. My scale doesn't go high enough to measure the double action pull, sorry.
    I should have measured the force needed to rack the slide. I can tell you that if you can pull the trigger, you can rack the slide, at least with the hammer cocked. It is very easy. So easy that I really didn't think it would feed reliably but it certainly does.
    This is my first plastic gun and so far I am impressed with it.

  6. #6
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    Will XDS mags work in an XDE?
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  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    I don't know. I question it. The magazine numbers are different.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

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    Guess I'm showing my age preferring a hammer fired pistol. Friend of mine has a compact, hammer fired DA/SA Taurus 9MM. Could be wrong, think it is a model 809. I enjoyed shooting it and the new Springfield got my attention.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by azrednek View Post
    Guess I'm showing my age preferring a hammer fired pistol. Friend of mine has a compact, hammer fired DA/SA Taurus 9MM. Could be wrong, think it is a model 809. I enjoyed shooting it and the new Springfield got my attention.
    The Taurus 809 is a good weapon! I can’t believe it’s not more popular, especially at the price.

    Lefty


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    I'll be needing that for squirrels and such.....

  10. #10
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lefty Red View Post
    The Taurus 809 is a good weapon! I can’t believe it’s not more popular, especially at the price.

    Lefty


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    Other than my friend's I haven't seen the compact version available. I assumed it was discontinued.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by azrednek View Post
    Other than my friend's I haven't seen the compact version available. I assumed it was discontinued.
    I think it was discontinued. The one I saw was priced at $275 new. Never saw the Compact.

    Lefty


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    I'll be needing that for squirrels and such.....

  12. #12
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    My wife bought an XDE and its a tack shooter. It feeds everything I load and with a little practice you will be blowing the centers out of targets just like she does. Yes, it takes a little getting used to to master any trigger.

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by tazman View Post
    I don't know. I question it. The magazine numbers are different.
    FYI- The below information is found in the article "The Springfield Armory XDE The hammer reinvented " in the XD Talk forum.

    "Magazines

    The XDE comes with both an 8 round and a 9 round magazine. With the 8 round magazine, the user has the option of adding a pinkie rest that Springfield calls the "Grip X-Tension" or an included flat base plate. The XDE uses the same 8 and 9 round 9mm magazines as the XDs. The XDE has a slightly longer grip than the XDS so it cannot physically accommodate the shorter 7 round 9mm magazines of the XDS."

    For addtional details please read:
    http://www.xdtalk.com/threads/xde-xd...repost.366217/
    Pistolero49

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  14. #14
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    It's actually reassuring to hear that it works out of the box with cast!
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    Pistolero49----Thanks for posting that. I haven't looked at that forum so I hadn't seen that. By looking at the pictures posted on the store part of the SA site I was getting that opinion but didn't have a way to check as yet.

    DougGuy---- I wasn't sure it would. I had to try it to be sure. With the usage I intend for it, cast boolits were not a necessity. I am very glad it performs with them though.
    The Springfield pistols I own all are throated from the factory to handle cast without problems(2-RO1911, 1-MilSpec-1911, and now the XD-E).

    The boolits I ran through the XD-E during the range session were Lee 120 TC standard lube groove, Lyman 356402, Lee 125 RN standard lube groove, and the NOE 358-135-FN.
    Last edited by tazman; 11-12-2017 at 03:06 PM.

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy
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    tazman,

    Did you find the safety/de-cocking lever easy to operate?

    Thank you,
    Pistolero49

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  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    In a word, yes. But there is a little more to it.
    Releasing the safety when holding the grip is easy as it should be. A simple sweep with the thumb takes the safety off.
    Putting the safety on while holding the grip is much more difficult. Not because of the force required, but due to the angle and the curvature on the surface. My thumb couldn't get the necessary purchase to put the safety on easily. The safety lever is a rounded hump that doesn't stick out much since the gun is intended for concealed carry.
    When I turned the gun slightly in my grip to get a better angle, the safety goes on quite easily. In a combat or defense scenario this is not an issue. I goes off easily and naturally. Putting it back on requires a bit more care and attention.
    In usage for defense, when you need to put the safety on, you will have the time to do it.
    De-cocking requires both more pressure and significantly further movement of the safety. Not really likely to happen when releasing the safety from a cocked and locked position.
    Even if you do, the double action mod is still available.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    Very good info. I am an old school external hammer, cocked and locked type of guy. I believe this little pistol will suite me well.
    Last edited by Pistolero49; 11-15-2017 at 08:17 PM.
    Pistolero49

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  19. #19
    Boolit Master

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    Tasman do you know if carrying it with hammer lowered is there a firing pin block of any sort or does the safety have to be engaged?? I'm assuming from your prior post the safety also de-cocks. After releasing de-cock lever does the safety have to be disengaged from safety to the firing position? Can the hammer be lowered in a conventional way as we would a 1911 or D/A revolver and safely carried?

    Afraid I'm old school. My preferred carrying position would be safety off, hammer lowered and mentally prepared for the first D/A pull. I carried revolvers for many years and shoot ok with D/A trigger pull but like the idea of subsequent shots going S/A.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    From what I read you can carry the XD-E cocked and locked, hammer down and safety on, or hammer down and safety off. Your choice.
    The safety lever works similar to the 1911 safety by pushing it up for safe and down for fire, except that by pushing down on the safety lever beyond the safety off point, it decocks the hammer. Putting the safety on does not decock the hammer.
    The safety can be applied in both the cocked and hammer down positions.
    The gun can safely be carried hammer down if you desire from everything I have read.
    Last edited by tazman; 11-15-2017 at 10:52 PM.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check