For those who are hesitant about considering an XDS: Read.

[swimdad45]

Must have Love mine

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[Papa32129]

XDS is awesome. Got about 250 rounds threw it.
Orlando , Fl


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[larocca6]

sure

[Mr.Bond]

I'm looking to purchase one at a gun show in about 2 weeks. Anyone know the probability of one being available? Thanks

[G22gen1]

Originally Posted by Souvie1958

Amen to the Q Tip for a cleaning tool minkman they work great.

Originally Posted by The Fuzz

Agreed! They are a godsend for slide rails (and pretty much everything else too).

I keep a fistfull of them in my cleaning toolbox - they go fast.

Yep, Q-tips and a good old firm-bristled toothbrush are cleaning must-haves for me! Compressed air gets all the hard to reach corners/grooves squeaky-clean, too.

[97th Signalman]

I use Q-tips for some cleaning but I need to be careful about leaving lint or fibers behind, especially in grooves or corners with sharp edges. I really find pipe cleaners to be very useful. I cut them up into 3 inch long pieces and, If I am in an area that I dont want to scratch, I bend over the ends to give a dull fuzzy point. They are just the thing to get down into tight places like the extractor groove in the slide on my XD45. I bought a pack of 50 years ago and I have not run out yet.

[Choptop]

Just put (1) on layaway, Bills Gun shop & shooting range, Hudson Wi. Just got (6) in, (5) left. Can't wait to pick it up.

[sirsimon]

As someone who is considering this gun, this is a super helpful thread. Thanks to all of you for the info.

[fuzzmike]

Originally Posted by The Fuzz

There have been a plethora of posts on here lately about folks who want to buy an XDS, but are hesitant due to "this person said there were problems" or "I've read about all of these issues on the forum" or "this youtube video said that they suck", etc.

If you are one of the ones who is considering an XDS but is buying into the forum lore that they are somehow all plagued with problems, read on.

1. The XDS is a short barreled compact .45 with a unique manual of arms. The cycle time is extremely short and the feed ramp angle is steep, and as such you need to use good technique and have solid fundamentals. That doesn't mean choke it to death, and that doesn't mean wet-noodle your grip - just hang onto it and keep your flippin' thumbs away from the slide. If you don't, light strikes and feed issues will likely be the result. Additionally, it's very easy to induce feed problems by short-stroking the gun or following the slide home while racking. On mine, I can rack it with a full mag, slingshot the slide or use the slide release with no issues, and I believe that this is probably the case with any XDS - but you HAVE to rack it with authority. The second you ride the slide or otherwise pussyfoot around with it, the top round will bounce off of the feed ramp and jam itself into the roof of the chamber, causing a feed stoppage that you have to remove the magazine to clear. Same goes for clearing live rounds. You have to yank the slide hard to clear the gun. Some people refer to this as a design problem, but I view it as the nature of the beast when it comes to small, short barreled .45s with potent recoil springs. There is a reason that there aren't a whole lot of them on the market. They are hard to get right from a design standpoint, and they require attention on your part.

As an addendum to this, let me inject my personal opinion here:
Quite simply (and again, this is purely my opinion), the XDS is not the ideal gun for wives/girlfriends/daughters/new shooters. There are exceptions in any case, but this is a common misconception among shooters shopping for their significant other. They say something like "I'll get my wife this cute little Kel Tec .380, she'll love it". I believe that is a mistake. Small handguns in general are better suited for experienced shooters, as they have a shorter sight radius and are harder to manipulate quickly. Add the stress of a real defensive encounter and you're asking for trouble unless that person is willing to train extensively with the gun. With the unique manual of arms associated with the XDS on top of the usual "small gun" training issues, I would imagine that most newer shooters, or ones who lack the dexterity to properly/forcefully manipulate the action, would be better served with another option.

Exactly my thoughts on the gun. Well said man...

[jconn21074]

I can't wait to pick mine up tomorrow. My wife liked to shoot the H&K so we will see if she can handle the XD-s. Never the less I am ready to shoot this weekend. Ohhhh Yeah! By the way the post was great and very well said! Thanks as I am new to this forum and hope to get all I can from it and maybe even give back a little too.