XD-45

[gdr_11]

So, after many years of my love affair with 1911s, I gave into my primal urges and bought a full size XD-45 from a fellow CalGunner. Six more days on my waiting period and I am anxious to wring it out.

I was attracted to the XD by the way it felt in my hand, and because it is a no-nonsense shooting machine with strong reviews. My question is what should I expect in shooting this after many years with my 1911s? Should I expect to adjust my shooting stance, hold, or sight picture? Do XDs tend to shoot to point of aim as well as 1911s or will it be more like other autos I have shot which are fun to shoot but seldom produce anything better than 3" groups at the 25 yard line.

I will use this gun for home defense and intend to train with point shooting and a rail mount laser. Super accuracy is not a must, but I just thought I would ping this board while I am counting the days.

[PatriotnMore]

My only comment is, my 5" .40 can out shoot me. I think you will find the XD to be very similar to shooting a 1911 without the weight, hammer, external safety and the pronounced beaver tail. The trigger is NOT going to be as nice, or feel as crisp. However, the trigger can be replaced, but not to the level a quality 1911 trigger provides.

[El Gato]

So, after many years of my love affair with 1911s, I gave into my primal urges and bought a full size XD-45 from a fellow CalGunner. Six more days on my waiting period and I am anxious to wring it out.

I was attracted to the XD by the way it felt in my hand, and because it is a no-nonsense shooting machine with strong reviews. My question is what should I expect in shooting this after many years with my 1911s? Should I expect to adjust my shooting stance, hold, or sight picture? Do XDs tend to shoot to point of aim as well as 1911s or will it be more like other autos I have shot which are fun to shoot but seldom produce anything better than 3" groups at the 25 yard line.

I will use this gun for home defense and intend to train with point shooting and a rail mount laser. Super accuracy is not a must, but I just thought I would ping this board while I am counting the days.

What's point shooting about.... not using the sights... hmmm that'll look good in court... gee ur honor I'm really sorry I missed Joe dirtbag and hit granny instead....but I were point shootin' like they say to do on internet forums...

per Clint Smith... if there was such a thing as instinctive shooting.... well you didn't drop outa moma's womb with a 1911 in your hand... there ain't no such thing as instinctive shooting... use the sights...or perhaps I am grossly softening his stance....

anyway... shoot the XD just like a flat msh 1911... it is the same shape and trigger reach as a short trigger 1911... shoot it the same... mine outshoots my springer 1911 45... not the 9mm 1911 but the 45 absolutely... have thousands of rounds through ours... the wife has two 5 in guns on her permit.. I carry my 5in gun onct in a while... I have a high end 1911 that is my daily off duty carry gun....

The gun seems to eat anything but semi-wadcutters ....just feed it alot... and try the truglo tfo sights if you want to change anything...we started on the 'XD thang after a coupla trips to Thunder Ranch and have never been sorry...the wife ran a bunch of rounds through her 45 on Thursday...

enjoy your gun... use the sights... press the trigger without moving the gun.. be happy...

[RolinThundr]

What's point shooting about.... not using the sights... hmmm that'll look good in court... gee ur honor I'm really sorry I missed Joe dirtbag and hit granny instead....but I were point shootin' like they say to do on internet forums...

per Clint Smith... if there was such a thing as instinctive shooting.... well you didn't drop outa moma's womb with a 1911 in your hand... there ain't no such thing as instinctive shooting... use the sights...or perhaps I am grossly softening his stance....

There may not be instinctive shooting, but I understand that in a defensive situation there is not always time to line up the sights, so the defender mainly relies on muscle memory, which is developed by consistent time practicing with sights on the range. The body/brain then "memorizes" the positioning of the muscles while shooting.
Certain handguns have a design that points better (more accurately) at the target in relation to how it fits vertically in the hand.

[RolinThundr]

Would the XD45 be better suited for use in IDPA matches? The ambidexterous magazine release looks like a plus for left handed shooters.

I am a lefty and yes, the ambi-mag release is great. Also, the slide release is positioned in such a manner that I can easily release with my left index (trigger) finger.

[dangerouspower]

gdr,

I'm an avid 1911 fan, and always will be. For similar reasons as you've stated, I decided to give the XD45 a try. Since I've shot my buddies, I knew that being spoiled with the 1911's crisp trigger and feel, I wouldn't keep it stock. A bit of research in the forums returned that Scott from 'Springer Precision' was highly recommended.

I ended up swapping out the sites, fit a new barrel, tuned the trigger, and undercut the trigger guard for a higher grip. Although different from the 1911, I have come to LOVE my XD45 Compact- and it's become one of my favorite guns to shoot.

At 25 yards, I am easily clearing the red (all inside '10') in a 25 yard-slow pistol shooting target available at most ranges. At 10 yards, I'm no more than a nickle in size after dumping 10 rounds.

I am very pleased, and have since added a XD40 Subcompact to the collection- which is also amazingly accurate after some trigger work and sites.

I'm pretty sure you'll be satisfied.. and if not, send it to Springer Precision!

[M47_Dragon]

Since I've shot my buddies...

[Automatic]

The XD is a fine pistol, mine has a slightly different sight picture than my 1911's, (6'oclock vs. 12 'oclock) but it's easily adapted to and the ambi mag release is a nice feature for right handers too, helps me do a pretty quick mag change when shooting a match.

[stich]

The campain ad for XD's are " Where you aim is where you shoot" I've found that very true with my XD 45 Compact. This is 10 round rapid fire @ 7 yards.

[gdr_11]

Thanks for the comments, especially those comparing the XD to the 1911.

As far as the instinctive shooting, all I will say is that I have been shooting handguns for 40 years, and I did not fire a round in a formal gun range until I was in my late 50's. When I started shooting pistols at the age of 20, I found paper punching to be non-challenging, so I spent the first 10-15 years shooting antimated targets almost exclusively. I had guns that I fired a few thousand rounds through and not one of them at a paper target. My shooting buddy and I shot mostly moving targets (live and otherwise) flying, running, and rolling. When you are trying to hit a rat running across a dirt road at night, a mud hen at full flight skimming across the water, or blasting away at a grapefruit someone has thrown across a field 20 years away, there is no time to use sights; you learn to point where your eyes are looking.

I have effectively shot rats, rabbits, mudhens, and several other kinds of small game at full run without the gun ever being raised above shoulder level. I have done a fair amount of wing shooting with a pistol (against 50ft - 75 ft. dirt backdrops, and I can tell you that once one has developed the hand-eye coordination, knocking things out of the sky with a .45 or a .357 is not a miraculous event. My friend, who was a much better wing shot than me, often shot full flying birds out of the air with his Ruger Blackhawk.

Most pistoleros who grew up in rural areas will admit to this kind of activity, but it is often discounted by others who have never experienced it.

When I moved to the city, I spent countless hours in my back yard with airsoft replicas practicing the name skills without using sights. My wife threatened me with bodily harm because of all the yellow and green pellets in the yard, but it kept my hand/eye coordination in working order. Try shooting airsoft pellets into the hole in front of a birdhouse at 50 ft without aiming...when you can do this 50% of the time, you have the touch.

[SCMA-1]

The XD45 IMO is the closest thing to the 1911 in a current generation (modern) striker fired handgun in handling, accuracy and trigger feel. It's simply a brilliant design that leaves little to desire over the 1911 and improves upon it in subtle ways. I'm a 1911 owner/shooter for nearly 30 years and have found most off-the-shelf handgun designs to be lacking to varying degrees when compared to the wonderful ergonomics, trigger pull, and accuracy of a well setup and tuned 1911 (yes, I'm spoiled). The recent introduction of the XD45 was to me the ground breaking event that melded the excellent established 1911 design with current generation technology in a design that any devoted 1911 aficionado would be satisfied with.

SCMA-1