XD Talk

RIIID · 01-02-2010, 04:21 PM

With the intro of the XDm 3.8 there has to be ways to improve upon it, so I picked up a Bi-tone.
The first item I looked at was the recoil spring system, I cut a Tungsten rod down and made a stainless bushing. Next was to see if a spring will work and last, well so far it has, it's a 24# officer 1911 spring. The weight is 2.5 ounces.

The next item I looked at was doing a grip chop to a compact length. I took a little more than a half inch off which gives a good sized area for your hand. It's not too small to where your little finger is still on the grip. I used the #2 back strap but any of the back straps can be used. With the shortened slide and chopped grip it should be an easily concealable gun. I believe another 1/4" to 3/8" can be chopped off, anymore than that and it will be too small. It will be interesting to see how many I do before Springfield comes out with a compact version. They will have to make new molds for the frame, back straps, and shortened mags, it might be too high of an investment in tooling for the expected demand.

Next on the list was to put two border cuts on the slide to give it a little accent, with the inlays finished in black and the sides in brushed stainless gives it a good look. Top of the slide is flat black to cut down on glare.
With this gun being gear towards carry I decided to give the sights a little more of a carry profile. The rear sight has been beveled on the sides and back, the rear has been serrated 40 lpi. The front sight has been thinned and ramped with 40 lpi serrations.

The cut down mags comfortably hold 16 rounds, I modified a couple XD grip extensions to fit onto the M mags so full sized mags can be used with the full grip area.

The usual CC upgrades of an extended release and a 4# trigger job.
I'm calling this treatment the "Minus" for everything that has been removed to improve.
I'm already making plans for the next one I do, some more slide cuts, redo the grip surface, possible single port carry comp, .............................

Photos to follow.
Rich

denwolff · 01-02-2010, 06:26 PM

i'm interested in results of the what you did to the grip. is this something you do for others? if so, what would you charge? do the stock clips still work?

thanks,
wolff

EChryst · 01-02-2010, 07:26 PM

I can't enlarge the images, but thats really smooth. If SA isn't going to make a compact XDm, you sure are! Nice!

Omega Man · 01-02-2010, 07:39 PM

How does changing the guide rod & spring improve the pistol?

**mp3mogul** · 01-02-2010, 07:52 PM

Perhaps if you posted the images on photobucket where someone didn't have to join to see them it would be better... I'd like a close up... but don't want to join to view.

rcw · 01-02-2010, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mp3mogul

Perhaps if you posted the images on photobucket where someone didn't have to join to see them it would be better... I'd like a close up... but don't want to join to view.

Or maybe he can put it up on his site in the XD/XDM Gallery.

I have no idea how much this costs, but I bet a lot of people would be interested in a smaller version. When it was announced on this board, a lot of people complained that it wasn't the barrel that caused ccw problems, but rather the handle. Too bad you couldn't get models out in stores, I bet you would find a lot of people interested.

One of the advantage of glocks is the guns are the same through calibers and sizes. SA coming out with a real compact version of the XDM, a .45, .357sig, and possibly .380 and 10mm would actually make them have similar offerings. Would just need a long slide.

RIIID · 01-03-2010, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denwolff

i'm interested in results of the what you did to the grip. is this something you do for others? if so, what would you charge? do the stock clips still work?

thanks,
wolff

The grip chop is $115.00, this includes shortening one of your supplied mags and to shorten your additional mags is $35.00 per. Stock mags will still work but you will have a gap where the frame has been removed unless grip extenders are modified to fit($5.00). Without the grip extensions the mag can be over inserted when at slide lock which can cause damage to the ejector.
Rich

RIIID · 01-03-2010, 07:01 AM

As to the photo's, I didn't know that they couldn't be viewed unless you where logged into Brian's Forum. As soon as I'm able to post attachments here(XD Talk) on my posts I'll change them. I don't use photobucket or any other like service, there is some good content on Brian's Forum it's well worth signing up there. The photo's will be put on my web site but not all of them.

Rich