Just Got My XD-45 From the Custom Shop (Range Report + Pics)

[Powderburn]

I bought an XD-45 Tactical a few months ago and sent it straight to the Springfield Custom Shop for some work. I had them hard chrome all the metal parts, do a "Combat Action" trigger job (4->4.5lbs), and install some Heine Straight 8 night sights. Turnaround time was about 60 days but well worth the wait!

Since I've been reading so many good reports, I decided to make my break in test tougher. I got mine completely flithy shooting cheap range ammo first and then shot the JHP Gold Dots last w/o cleaning. The gun was so dirty that the feed ramp was coated with sludge and the front of the slide was black along with my trigger finger. There was enough build up on the feed ramp that the first Gold Dot actually scraped a load of gunk into the hollow point like a shovel but it kept feeding w/o a problem. Not bad for a gun that is not even broken it yet.

So far, I've shot about 500 rounds through it and have had zero FTF's/FTE's with a wide range of ammo (Winchester White Box FMJ, CCI Blazer FMJ, Monarch FMJ [Russian brass], Speer Gold Dot JHP). Springfield says to "never shoot ammo that will stick to a magnet" which seems to eliminate Wolf as a choice. The only problem with this gun is finding a way to pay for all the ammo it eats!

Fresh Out of the FedEx Box :



15 yard target today.....

[hogship]

Looks really nice, powderburn.....

Other than rust resistance, is there any other advantage to the hard chrome? I had some machine ways hard chromed once.....this was to resist wear. I'm not seeing how wear is a factor in doing a pistol that way....but, I suppose it could be.

Is it possible to produce the XD in stainless? I don't know, but I'm thinking there is too many MIM parts to do a true stainless.....or, can MIM be done with stainless????

Anyway, accuracy looks real fine.

What was your cost for the procedure?

hog

[mojust]

Nice looking gun. I was a corpsman with a marine grunt company in I corps, 67-68. You guys had better equipment. When I first went over in 67, we still had M14s and were being transported in Chinooks.

[dukduk]

Originally Posted by Powderburn

...Springfield says to "never shoot ammo that will stick to a magnet" which seems to eliminate Wolf as a choice...

are u talking about the casing or the bullet?

[Powderburn]

The benefit of hard chrome is that the finish is slick and durable. The parts also end up being more corrosion resistant. A controversial suggestion I have heard is that stainless can have a tendency to gall. A bi-tone XD-45 recently came out with a stainless slide, but none of the other parts are stainless. I opted for the hard chrome route since I could coat ALL the parts and reap the benefits. It would be interesting to know if Springfield is using MIM parts because hard chrome would be one way to potentially improve durability. I had a Kimber CDP with MIM parts and the safety broke within a month!

Hard Chrome Info:
http://www.trippresearch.com/tech/ha...hardchrome.htm

Custom Shop Pricelist:
http://www.springfield-armory.com/XD.pdf

On the ammo question, Springfield didn't specify case or bullet - they said just use ammo that won't stick to a magnet.

[ZAT]

Originally Posted by hogship

Is it possible to produce the XD in stainless? I don't know, but I'm thinking there is too many MIM parts to do a true stainless.....or, can MIM be done with stainless????
hog

It is possible to MIM Stainless, just like Powder Metal SST is possible. Not sure how rust resistance stacks up to regular stainless. Probably somewhere between PM and barstock.

[Tard]

Your worked gun is very groovy.

[Dhunter55]

Looks great! Just wonder why they dont do the whole trigger.

[Powderburn]

The middle of the trigger is plastic so they couldn't chrome it 8(

[nunnya]

Are the internals hard chromed also (sear,rails,etc.)?
Also do the Heinie's shoot at a 6 o'clock hold?

nunnya