Want an XD, but the Range Gun is a Disaster

[DoctorSuarez]

I realize this is a biased room, but I like you guys.

I already have my cherished 1911, but I want another, lighter gun for storing near the front door, and wearing around the house. I'd like a black, polymer-type semi-auto with about a 4 inch barrel.

I don't like Glocks or HKs, so my two-and-a-half choices right now seem to be Sig, Sig Pro, and the XD.

I like the XD, I shoot it decently (I need practice), I like the price, the ergonomics are spectacular, and I even like the look.

However, the only place in LA where you can shoot an XD .40 is the LAX range, and their XDs are a disaster. Their service model has almost never worked, and their tactical jammed regularly.

The guy running the range said they're "great guns" but "really finicky about bullet shape." He also reminded me that, as a range gun, this thing's beat to hell.

Still, the bullet-shape issue was a scary one. Even if it feeds defense ammo, that won't do me much good if it can't feed the factory reloads I use to practice.

Also, they said that the XD is not good with the .40. I'd get the .45 GAP, except that no range near me has any practice reloads handy.

You XD owners clearly know more about this than anyone. What bullet-shapes, reload types would I have to avoid? Have any of you had similar problems?

The jam in question was a failure to feed. The round stops right up against the feed ramp. Their 4-inch model barely chambered anything, and both the service and tactical seemed uneven and jerky when racked backwards or slid forward into battery. (Understand, however, that I am spoiled by my greased-lightning Kimber).

Anyway, I'm still very interested in this gun. Please let me know if my experience was freakish, or if this is a real concern.

Thanks!

[ajamesp51]

I would say that I am almost 99% positive that its the range gun thats the problem, and even then it can be fixed if you find out whats wrong. Some simple things to look at with those particular pistols are:
Have they been cleaned
Are the mag springs worn out.
Rcoil spring worn out.
The feed lips of the mags has anyone been playing with them and now they are not preseting the rounds at the proper angle.

[Captain Ray]

Buy your own.. you won't regret it. I have the 9mm.. Service.. and I have never had a single problem.. of course I don't use any factory re-loads.. I just shoot good ol' WWB, or UMC... but not a single problem.

If you buy it, and it gives you trouble.. I will buy it from you for whatever you paid for it.. I promise.
(And I don't go back on my promises.)

Raymond

[theanswriz42]

Originally Posted by Captain Ray

Buy your own.. you won't regret it. I have the 9mm.. Service.. and I have never had a single problem.. of course I don't use any factory re-loads.. I just shoot good ol' WWB, or UMC... but not a single problem.

If you buy it, and it gives you trouble.. I will buy it from you for whatever you paid for it.. I promise.
(And I don't go back on my promises.)

Raymond

Now if that's not a solid recommendation, I don't know what is.

[RockinAR]

I have the XD40 and have had tons of feeding problems with it. I have considered sending it to SA and see what they can do, but Im getting the vibe that the XD40 is just not real reliable and there's nothing SA can do to it. The reliability of the XD40 seems to be hit and miss. I obviously got a bad one.
I am considering selling it and getting a XD9 or Glock 19. I totally love the ergos of the XD. It feels and points better than any gun I have handled. Unfortunatly mine is just a lemon. I wish it was not that way.

[DoctorSuarez]

I'm definitely inclined to believe it's range-gun-hood was the problem.

A long time ago, I shot their .40 Service OD, and it was clear that the recoil spring had totally lost its moxie. Recoil was out of control and it failed to snap into battery regularly. Also, the striker failed on a number of primers. It just went snap.

However, the .40 Tactical I shot in Vegas functioned perfectly.

Just today, I was back at LAX to try them again, now that I'm a considerably better shot.

I loved the trigger, loved the ergonomics, but couldn't get past the failure rate. However, some observations on the guns themselves:

-The feed ramp looked pretty cruddy right away.
-I didn't have any proper comparisons on the feed lips. How easily/often do those things become deformed? If I had to guess, I'd say that the rounds were being presented at too low an angle.
-The OD .40 service NEVER chambered a round. I slingshotted the slide, and it just stopped.
-The Tactical .40 fed MOST of the time, fired and ejected all of the time, but still displayed unacceptable reliability.
-Both pistols had terrible slide action. They stiffened up considerably both when pulling the weapon immediately out of battery and in the last centimeter of closing the action.

I guess the presentation angle was the major issue. How does one keep that problem from developing?

Also, if I go with the .45 GAP, where can I get about 50 hardball rounds for 10-13 dollars?

Thanks!

[Son of Norway]

My XD .40 Service model has never even hiccupped. Completely flawless. I do not use reloads, however. WWB is the cheapest I will go.

[Son of Norway]

P.S., check out this thread:

http://www.hs2000talk.com/viewtopic.php?t=20502&start=0

[Haleakala40]

Belive captain ray...you won't regret buying one.

I have had my tactical 40 cal for about a month now...with about 500
rounds thru her...WWB, Wolf, S&B.... and have nothing but agreat time
and a very large smile on my face. After 500 rounds of mixed ammo...
and some of it purposely shoot very rapid fire, I have had 0 malfunctions.

As a matter of fact...I was soooo impressed by my Tactical XD, I just bought another in the 9mm, a service BiTone.
I can not believe there is any real issues with the 40 cal for you to worry about. Mine is perfect...and I expect yours will be also.

Basing your opinion of wether to buy an XD on the serious misuse of those
range guns would be a real loss to you owning a fantastically great gun.

[WyoBob]

I didn't really feel qualified to reply and then I did a tally and realized I've shot around 1,700 rounds through my XD40 SC. Of those, 600 rounds were Winchester White Box and the rest were reloads using copper clad or lead bullets. I had two FTF and those were caused by my not getting the magazine inserted until it latched. The magazine dropped down during fire causing the FTF's.

WyoBob