General Springfield Experiences and poor Tactical accuracy

[32Special]

I currently have 4 XDs: a new SS bitone Sub, a blue Standard, a SS bitone Standard and a Tactical. All will keep 10 shots in the 3" black of a 50' NRA target at 50' shot slowfire off-hand EXCEPT for the Tactical. The Tactical groups are about 50% larger than the other guns regardless of ammo used. I use a 6 oclock hold.

The Tactical shot high and would only do about 5" groups from the factory. I had night sights installed on the Standard bitone, and put the original rear sight (which was about .025" shorter) on the Tactical. This corrected the elevation problem, and the tactical now hits the same point of aim as the Standards and the Sub. But the groups are still too large.

Frustrated, I cleaned the Tactical barrel in prep of trading it off. I really inspected the barrel for the first time since I bought the gun new. The barrel has a couple of lines of what appear to be tool chatter marks in the "corner" between the lines and grooves.

Figuring the defective barrel was the problem, I contacted Springfield. I explained my problem, and was told the technician "couldn't believe" I had a defective barrel. The tech told me they had these calls all the time but the barrel wasn't the problem. His implication was the complaining customers were incapable of shooting a group.

The option offered was to ship the gun back to Springfield and if they "agreed" the barrel was defective, they would replace the barrel and reimburse the shipping. If they don't "agree", I'm out the shipping both ways ($50-60), the gun is gone a couple of months, and still have a gun that won't group.

Not impressed, I asked what it would cost to upgrade to a BarSto barrel. The answer was $250. I can buy the same barrel directly from BarSto for $200. IF the BarSto doesn't drop in, BarSto has you return the slide and barrel and they will fit it for $15 with a week (IIRC) turnaround time.

Contrast the attitude at Springfield with my experience with Smith & Wesson. A couple of years ago, I had to return a pistol for factory repair. S&W sent FedEx to my door to pick up the gun, fixed it, and FedEx returned it back to my door all at their expense and the gun was gone less than 2 weeks. It's a shame S&W didn't get the importation rights to the XD.

The local Sheriff office just selected new pistols (HK). The XD wasn't even considered. The Captain in charge of patrol is a personal friend (we shoot PPC, NRA Bullseye, SASS, go to gunshows together, etc.). I asked why they didn't consider the XD. He responded that Springfield had the reputation for poor support once the guns were sold. I think I know what he is talking about.

XDs are great guns, but the Springfield factory support is poor. Springfield quoted me a 6 week turnaround to install night sights on my Bitone Standard which would be a 10 minute job for a guy with the tools.
I guess I'm not impressed with SA.

[therooster]

i have had great customer service.

i think the long turnarounds are due to the large number of XD's being sold and then refinished.

[R/T Performance]

hummel had his xd re finished ten day turnaround and it looks good see pics he posted I can't belive it would take that long to install night sights they have to take them of to re finish

[jeep2919]

I have never heard of or experienced anything but good customer service. If there truly is something wrong with the barrel you will be out nothing but time and Springfield will take care of it. Did you have anyone else shoot this gun? I have a Steyr I am still getting used to and can't keep a group with. When I had someone else try it their first 10 shots were a 2" group and he had never even heard of Steyr.

[32Special]

I can only report my own experiences. Regarding the night sights, I told SA I needed the gun back in my hands in three weeks because I was going to use it in a shooting class otherwise I wouldn't order the sights. The lady told me to include a note stating that and they would "try" to get it back by then. They did get the gun back as promised after I included the note, but she originally quoted me 6 weeks.

[loonybin]

If it's taking them 6 weeks to put sights on, they need to hire more people...

[XD BACKUP GUN]

Send your guns to me to get sight installed!!!!
Turned around in 2 days!
I got the tools!
UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM NO this is not true Springfield MUST HIRE MORE PEOPLE!
Christ a Gunsmith can do this for you !

[XD BACKUP GUN]

All accuracy problems are usually caused by the Shooter!
But you must use a handgun vise to eliminate the Gun as the problem!

[32Special]

My accuracy comparison for the Tactical was based on comparisons with my 3 other XD9s. If I can get decent groups with the same type of gun (all 4 guns are stock) that have the disadvantage of having a shorter sight radius then the problem isn't sight alignment or trigger control. My Subcompact groups better than my Tactical at the same range, using the same ammo, and shot side by side.

I ordered a new barrel from BarSto. No reason to waste time and money getting the runaround from Springfield. The BarSto is $214 delivered to my door. Springfield quoted me $250 for a BarSto, plus I had to pay to ship the gun to them (and, I assume, back as well). Hardly a good deal under any circumstances.

[rotnguns]

32Special, I'm sorry to hear about your negative experience with the xd tactical. I've got an xd-9 tactical and an xd-9 bitone service. The tactical has been 100% reliable and superbly accurate. I've shot 2.25 inch groups from a stance with it at 25 yards, using WW white box. I'm not posting this information to be contrary; rather, I just wanted to provide a perspective from a satisfied customer. I'm sure that there are some outlying data points with these handguns, as with any mass-produced device, and it appears that you may have one which lies below the quality zone. I hope Springfield does right by you so that you can enjoy this remarkable handgun.

Originally Posted by 32Special

I currently have 4 XDs: a new SS bitone Sub, a blue Standard, a SS bitone Standard and a Tactical. All will keep 10 shots in the 3" black of a 50' NRA target at 50' shot slowfire off-hand EXCEPT for the Tactical. The Tactical groups are about 50% larger than the other guns regardless of ammo used. I use a 6 oclock hold.

The Tactical shot high and would only do about 5" groups from the factory. I had night sights installed on the Standard bitone, and put the original rear sight (which was about .025" shorter) on the Tactical. This corrected the elevation problem, and the tactical now hits the same point of aim as the Standards and the Sub. But the groups are still too large.

Frustrated, I cleaned the Tactical barrel in prep of trading it off. I really inspected the barrel for the first time since I bought the gun new. The barrel has a couple of lines of what appear to be tool chatter marks in the "corner" between the lines and grooves.

Figuring the defective barrel was the problem, I contacted Springfield. I explained my problem, and was told the technician "couldn't believe" I had a defective barrel. The tech told me they had these calls all the time but the barrel wasn't the problem. His implication was the complaining customers were incapable of shooting a group.

The option offered was to ship the gun back to Springfield and if they "agreed" the barrel was defective, they would replace the barrel and reimburse the shipping. If they don't "agree", I'm out the shipping both ways ($50-60), the gun is gone a couple of months, and still have a gun that won't group.

Not impressed, I asked what it would cost to upgrade to a BarSto barrel. The answer was $250. I can buy the same barrel directly from BarSto for $200. IF the BarSto doesn't drop in, BarSto has you return the slide and barrel and they will fit it for $15 with a week (IIRC) turnaround time.

Contrast the attitude at Springfield with my experience with Smith & Wesson. A couple of years ago, I had to return a pistol for factory repair. S&W sent FedEx to my door to pick up the gun, fixed it, and FedEx returned it back to my door all at their expense and the gun was gone less than 2 weeks. It's a shame S&W didn't get the importation rights to the XD.

The local Sheriff office just selected new pistols (HK). The XD wasn't even considered. The Captain in charge of patrol is a personal friend (we shoot PPC, NRA Bullseye, SASS, go to gunshows together, etc.). I asked why they didn't consider the XD. He responded that Springfield had the reputation for poor support once the guns were sold. I think I know what he is talking about.

XDs are great guns, but the Springfield factory support is poor. Springfield quoted me a 6 week turnaround to install night sights on my Bitone Standard which would be a 10 minute job for a guy with the tools.
I guess I'm not impressed with SA.