Springfield Armory XD-45ACP Tactical and LE Service Model .45ACP Pistols

By David Crane
defrev at gmail dot com

November 13, 2008

DefenseReview has been publishing information about Springfield Armory XD (eXtreme Duty) series pistols for quite awhile now, since a number of our professional contacts in the tactical community swear by them, particularly the .45 ACP models. To date, the most interesting XD pistol is the Springfield XD(M) a.k.a. Springfield XDM .40 S&W pistol, which updates the XD’s looks and ergonomics, adds a "Minimal Reset Trigger", and provides the user with 16+1 rounds of .40 S&W ammo via its "Mega-Capacity Magazine".

Not content to rest on their laurels, Springfield Armory (SA) has decided to offer a…

1911-style frame-mounted, sweep-down manual thumb safety as an option on some of their models. The January 2009 issue of Guns & Weapons for Law Enforcement (GWLE) has an article on two of these XD pistol models, the Springfield XD-45ACP Tactical Model 5" and Springfield XD-45ACP LE Service Model 4" .45 ACP pistols. Both pistols offer the user an ammo capacity of 13+1 rounds, which is excellent, provided the magazine is reliable. So far, Defense Review hasn’t heard any reports that it isn’t.

My carry gun since forever is a Glock 19 (G19) compact 9mm pistol that carries either 15+1 or 17+1 rounds in the mag, depending on whether I use a Glock 19 or Glock 17 (G17) magazine. I’ll usually carry one or two spare 17-round G17 mags to round out the package. However, I’m considering switching over to a SA XD-45 Compact .45 ACP pistol if I can get it with a sweep-down manual thumb safety (frame-mounted). I like the idea of a reliable high-capacity .45ACP pistol.  I also like a manual thumb safety, as it adds another layer of protection in case a bad guy (BG) ever gains control of my pistol, God forbid. A manual safety can give you at least an extra second or two, or longer, to draw a backup weapon, run, or try to regain control of your weapon.  If a BG every gets ahold of your Glock pistol, and you carry it with a round chambered, you’re probably toast.  Glocks are point and shoot.

My current carry holster for my G19, a Holsters Plus Sure-Lock 3-10 fast-draw tactical kydex holster mitigates the possiblity of a gun-grab somewhat, since it’s a concealed-carry (CCW) retention holster. However, it’s always nice to have that second layer, provided it doesn’t slow you down when you need to use the weapon in a hurry.

This is where proper training and practice come in, so sweeping off the manual safety with your thumb during the draw under high stress becomes truly second nature and an automatic reflex reaction EVERY TIME, WITHOUT FAIL. This is key. You have to practice enough that your thumb sweeps the safety off reflexively, no thought whatsoever required.

Another postive aspect of a M1911-style frame-mounted manual thumb safety is that if you also own a 1911 pistol and want to carry it instead of your XD, you can do so–and switch back and forth–without any manual of arms retraining. Not so with a Glock pistol, unless your Glock is outfitted with a Cominolli Custom manual thumb safety for Glock pistols.

Springfield Armory XD-45ACP Tactical .45 ACP Pistol Specs:

Caliber: .45ACP

Barrel Length: 5.01 inches (5.01")

OA Length: 8.3 inches (8.3")

Weight (Dry/Empty): 32 ounces (32 oz.)

Sights: Dovetail Steel 3-Dot

Gripframe: Polymer

Action: USA

Finish: Melonite (anti-rust/anti-corrosion)

Capacity: 13+1
Price: $616-$724 USD

Springfield Armory XD-45ACP LE Service .45 ACP Pistol Specs:

Caliber: .45ACP

Barrel Length: 4.04 inches (4.04")

OA Length: 7.3 inches (7.3")

Weight (Dry/Empty): 30 ounces (30 oz.)

Sights: Dovetail Steel 3-Dot

Gripframe: Polymer

Action: USA

Finish: Melonite (anti-rust/anti-corrosion)

Capacity: 13+1

Price: $571-$725 USD

Company Contact Info

Springfield Armory (SA)
420 W. Main St.
Geneseo, IL 61254
800-680-6866 Toll Free
309-944-5631 Office
309-944-3676 Fax
800-617-6751 Custom Shop
sales@springfield-armory.com Email Sales
customshop@springfield-armory.com Email Custom Shop
http://www.springfieldarmory.com Website 1
http://www.springfield-armory.com Website 2

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