Interesting note from John Farnam about Xds

[Steve H in AZ]

I am one of 3 full time firearms instructors and armorers for my police department, and have been a Glock armorer since 1989. I have been an XD armorer since last fall.

I will agree that to totally detail strip the Glock is eaiser, and Glock recommands that PD's detail strip and inspect every officers gun every year..........those in law enforcement will agree that most officers will shoot less then 200 rounds thru their duty gun per year.

Springfield states in the XD armorers manual that it is not required to detail the frame of the XD unless a specific part fails.

In most cases, I can visually inspect both the Glock and XD frames and internal parts without stripping them down.

The XD is not a Glock and the only similarities are the plastic frame, the trigger safety, and the fact that both are striker fired.

While I think both are great guns, I just like the XD better.

STeve

[gsh341]

Just a few words about weapons and their owners.

Having been in the military for just shy of 20 years I have had access to many different weapons and have been the assigned user on several (.50 cal, M-60, M-16, M-14, SAW, MK-19, and even a 90mm recoiless rifle at one point!). Many of these weapons are complex enough that reasembly can be done incorrectly.

Even though I am not an armorer I made damn sure I understood every weapons care, maintenance and complete dissasembly and reassembly procedures. I also perform a full functions check on my weapons and make sure my squad does too, after every maintenance. I do this so that when the SHTF every weapon will function properly. My life will depend on it again some day. Anyone who doesn't do that with their personal firearm is asking for trouble (suh as the police Capt. with the bad pistol mentioned by pistol fixer)

I am not trying to sound superior and don't believe I am. I just feel that trusting your life to something without undertanding its quirks and abilities is foolish in the extreme.

[RLLOVER]

Originally Posted by ForGreatJustice

I sold my Glock for an XD, and I love my XD. But here are some FACTs:

1) Glocks are simpler to detail strip and reassemble than XDs.
2) You can inadvertently assemble the XD incorrectly and not have any indicator of it until the gun fails to operate correctly.
3) If you put "the pin" in backwards, its not coming out anytime soon.

1. Never took a Glock down that far. I trust you.
2. How? I'm not being a jerk... I'll end up doing it someday if it's possible.
3. Mines out, and yes it sucked.

[ForGreatJustice]

2. How? I'm not being a jerk... I'll end up doing it someday if it's possible.

Well the only thing I did was somehow put the grip safety spring in bat****. I think maybe it was upside down, because when I had it assembled, everything seemed find, but the gun would not fire. When I removed it and reinstalled it, the gun ran fine.

All in all, the XD is a superior weapon for some people's purposes. It all really depends on your priorities.

[manygunner]

Originally Posted by invssgt

Don't fret, boys. I am personally aware of 3 glocks that kaboomed on LE firing lines, one (a 10mm) with significant lacerations to the officer's wrist & hand. We received NCIC tele-types for years, at the rate of 3-4 a month, describing other kabooms with glocks in calibers above 9mm.

These same gomers who will go all over an XD with a magnifying glass, looking for any reason real or imagined to say it is unfit as a duty pistol- will stand flat-footed and tell you that the only thing wrong with glocks is BAD AMMO.

Never argue with these people. It's a waste of time.

I have heard a creditable tale of a BLOCK (read Glock) that developed trigger problems. It would not reset and when forced to reset it went full auto. I understand the owner is contacting BLOCK (read Glock) about their NFA firearm and warranty repairs. Never heard of a XD going full auto, but I have had a Walther P99 do it to me once. Scared the living piss out of me, lucky I was down to half a mag and controlled it. Muzzle climb on those things is incredible (I now laugh when I see the full auto Walthers in the movie "Underworld). Walther very nicely repaired it and I got rid of it (do not need a gun that can malfunction in that manner in my inventory).

[manygunner]

Originally Posted by RLLOVER

I bought a Bushmaster DCMP for $500 because the previous owner reassembled the ejector arm in backwards. It was trying to throw the shell into the port side of the upper.

2 minute swap and I was shooting before he left the range.

The only only parts I can think of that can be isntalled backwards are the firing pin safety on the slide and the retaining pin. Maybe the trigger spring and the sear spring, but you'd have to work at it. I put the pin in backwards and just used a carbide tip to grab it and pull it out.

How hte hell did he do that? Even GIs who can barely read the DOD issued comics know how to field strip and reassemble an AR-15/M-16. That guy is too dumb to be allowed guns.

[ForGreatJustice]

I'd hate to break it to you, but pretty much any semi-auto can FA on you if it was manufactured wrong, or broken, or whatnot. If you're looking for a semi that cannot, in principle undergo an FA malfunction, well...good luck.

I'll admit I've never PERSONALLY seen an XD do it, but its only a matter of time. Ever semiauto that's been around long enough eventually turns up a bad fully automatic apple.

[manygunner]

Originally Posted by ForGreatJustice

I'd hate to break it to you, but pretty much any semi-auto can FA on you if it was manufactured wrong, or broken, or whatnot. If you're looking for a semi that cannot, in principle undergo an FA malfunction, well...good luck.

I'll admit I've never PERSONALLY seen an XD do it, but its only a matter of time. Ever semiauto that's been around long enough eventually turns up a bad fully automatic apple.

You may be right, I just do not expect it from well cared for guns. I do take care of mine. I admit this Walther was a former rental at a range that went under so I am not familiar with its full history. It was an older P99, serial number 0040XX, so it had seen its full use. It served me well for about 3 years. Yes, everything breaks and entropy tends towards a maximum.

[RLLOVER]

Originally Posted by RLLOVER

How hte hell did he do that? Even GIs who can barely read the DOD issued comics know how to field strip and reassemble an AR-15/M-16. That guy is too dumb to be allowed guns.

If you take the bolt assembly apart the ejector arm can be installed backwards.

He was one of those I know everything about everything people. Didn't think to look, check or ask anyone what the funny springloaded thingy did. He lost $400 on a great shooting weapon for being so smart. It's also currently my favorite conversation piece in the safe.

Thanks for the info on the XD grip safety. I'll keep an eye on it.

[ForGreatJustice]

Well I know that with the XD, if it runs it runs. I generally won't carry a gun after modding or detail stripping until I get to the range and function check everything live. Which is why one should have more than one carry gun/support equipment group. That's an odd thing about the AR. I'll be the first to admit that I probably don't have the presence of mind to tear down the AR and get it all back together again. Of course, I've never really owned one.

-FGJ