Idaho45guy
02-16-2017, 08:51 PM
My new replacement for my S&W Shield 9mm Performance Center fiasco arrived today, so I took it out to my dad's place to break it in, despite the awful weather. 39 degrees, heavy rain, fog, flooding, and gusting winds to 30mph...
188210
First, the kinda' bad...
Did a couple of magazines of off-hand 7yd shooting and noticed a big difference between it and my Shield; very heavy trigger pull. Springfield Armory lists it at between 5.5 and 7.7lbs. Shield was at 5.5lbs measured and I completely forgot to measure this one while at my dad's place, but it is definitely in the 7-8lb range. Good short reset, not too much creep, and less mushy than the Shield's, but noticeably heavy.
When doing double-tap drills it is not really noticeable and feels fine. When doing fine sighting work at 25yds, it is very noticeable, but I still was able to get very good groups.
However, by the end of my brief range session of maybe two hours, my trigger finger was hurting. The center metal piece on the trigger is a torture device. I've had multiple pistols with the 2-piece triggers and various pieces that stick out to prevent activation of the trigger without full purchase. This one is the first painful one I've encountered.
Going from shooting a ported 9mm to a .40 S&W makes the recoil very noticeable. At first. After 100rds of various bullet weights, and then shooting my M&P40 Compact, it really isn't too bad. Doing the double-tap drills and just plinking, it was fine.
Now for the good stuff...
Sights are excellent. Fiber optic red front sight with rear Novak-style low profile non-adjustable white dots. Front sight fills the rear sight notch perfectly and I was able to get great groups.
Overall size and heft feels slightly bigger than the Shield and little heavier. I believe the official numbers have the XDS at around an ounce and a half heavier.
Overall quality and fit/finish of the XDS is slightly better than the Shield; it just feels nicer... Also, the XDS controls and slide are easier to manipulate. I don't know why, but it just works better for me.
188222
Now for the really good stuff...
This thing is accurate. It has a 3.3" barrel and combat sights. I was shooting cheap practice ammo. It shouldn't be this accurate. Of course I expect 2" - 2.5" groups at 25yds from my full-size pistols, and 1.5" or better out of my Ruger BH Bisley. But to get 1 3/4" groups from a sub-compact carry pistol using Winchester White Box ammo is impressive. The worst groups I got were from some off-brand stuff I've had laying around for 15 years. It got 2.5". It shoots slightly to the left, but nothing I'm too concerned about.
I'll let the pictures do the talking...
188223
188224
Shooting off-hand at 7yds and 14rds...
188225
By comparison, this is the best that my Shield could do at 25yds...
188226
Overall, I'm very happy with the pistol. It conceals nicely and points and shoots very nicely. I think it will make a fine CCW pistol when used with a Remora holster. I would like to address the trigger issues and I've got a Pachmyr grip sleeve ordered to tone down the grip serrations, but at least now I know that if I do my part, I will hit what I'm aiming at.
188210
First, the kinda' bad...
Did a couple of magazines of off-hand 7yd shooting and noticed a big difference between it and my Shield; very heavy trigger pull. Springfield Armory lists it at between 5.5 and 7.7lbs. Shield was at 5.5lbs measured and I completely forgot to measure this one while at my dad's place, but it is definitely in the 7-8lb range. Good short reset, not too much creep, and less mushy than the Shield's, but noticeably heavy.
When doing double-tap drills it is not really noticeable and feels fine. When doing fine sighting work at 25yds, it is very noticeable, but I still was able to get very good groups.
However, by the end of my brief range session of maybe two hours, my trigger finger was hurting. The center metal piece on the trigger is a torture device. I've had multiple pistols with the 2-piece triggers and various pieces that stick out to prevent activation of the trigger without full purchase. This one is the first painful one I've encountered.
Going from shooting a ported 9mm to a .40 S&W makes the recoil very noticeable. At first. After 100rds of various bullet weights, and then shooting my M&P40 Compact, it really isn't too bad. Doing the double-tap drills and just plinking, it was fine.
Now for the good stuff...
Sights are excellent. Fiber optic red front sight with rear Novak-style low profile non-adjustable white dots. Front sight fills the rear sight notch perfectly and I was able to get great groups.
Overall size and heft feels slightly bigger than the Shield and little heavier. I believe the official numbers have the XDS at around an ounce and a half heavier.
Overall quality and fit/finish of the XDS is slightly better than the Shield; it just feels nicer... Also, the XDS controls and slide are easier to manipulate. I don't know why, but it just works better for me.
188222
Now for the really good stuff...
This thing is accurate. It has a 3.3" barrel and combat sights. I was shooting cheap practice ammo. It shouldn't be this accurate. Of course I expect 2" - 2.5" groups at 25yds from my full-size pistols, and 1.5" or better out of my Ruger BH Bisley. But to get 1 3/4" groups from a sub-compact carry pistol using Winchester White Box ammo is impressive. The worst groups I got were from some off-brand stuff I've had laying around for 15 years. It got 2.5". It shoots slightly to the left, but nothing I'm too concerned about.
I'll let the pictures do the talking...
188223
188224
Shooting off-hand at 7yds and 14rds...
188225
By comparison, this is the best that my Shield could do at 25yds...
188226
Overall, I'm very happy with the pistol. It conceals nicely and points and shoots very nicely. I think it will make a fine CCW pistol when used with a Remora holster. I would like to address the trigger issues and I've got a Pachmyr grip sleeve ordered to tone down the grip serrations, but at least now I know that if I do my part, I will hit what I'm aiming at.