XDM 4.5" .45ACP Slide Not Fully Resetting

[SurferSeth]

Posted this same thing over at XDTalk but figured I would ask the community here as well.

This is the first handgun I have ever owned, a brand new XDM 4.5" .45ACP. Love the gun, it shoots really well and feels great in my hand. Even my little tiny 5' tall wife feels comfortable shooting it (she was scared of .45ACP until last weekend when we went out to break in her new XDS 3.3" 9mm).

First time out with the XDM I shoot 79 flawless rounds. On the 80th round the slide gets stuck about 1/8" - 1/4" out of battery. The next 20 rounds are fired with out issue. I don't think much of it, go home, clean the gun, and put it away. A few days later I go shooting with my dad to shoot his new birthday gift (Range Officer .45ACP LOVE THIS GUN!) and put 50 rounds through my XDM with no issues.

Then, this past weekend, I take my brother and wife out to go shoot her new XDS 3.3" 9mm. We put 100 rounds through hers, and about 35 rounds through my XDM. The XDM failure to return to battery happens again, about 8 times, and it happens to all of us so I don't think it is shooter specific. Happened with multiple mags so I don't think it is mag specific.

I already called Springfield and they are going to do an RMA, but does anyone have any idea what is going on? I didn't see any noticeable wear when I field striped / cleaned after the last range outing. Once thing I noticed though, it seems to get caught up where the trigger reset hump goes in to the slide notch (sorry, I am new and don't know the proper terminology). There also seems to be a odd, almost grinding sound when I pull the slide back (don't notice this sounds on the XDS). The sound is very quiet, but noticeable almost like metal on plastic, maybe grinding isn't the right word, but it seems like something is rubbing wrong somewhere. Even when the rails are soaked in oil / over lubed (did this as a test while cleaning) I can still hear that weird sound.

I can repeat the issue with a snap cap if I ride the slide forward (if pictures are needed), but with a slingshot it doesn't happen. When shooting I don't ride the slide, I either release the slide lock or slingshot.

Any ideas? Should I just send it in to RMA and hope the gun gets back quickly?

Thanks!

[Steve G]

What type of ammo?

[OGMcSwaggerdick]

That happened with my XDs when it was brand new for the first few hundred rounds, and it still happens when my girlfriend shoots it.
I was attributing it to being new and tight.
It doesn't do it much anymore.
(I'm pretty sure my girlfriend is limp wristing it.)

[voodoomedman]

Cleaned and lubed, good ammo, and properly reassembled. If all that is good then there is simply a defect. Sounds like you already confirmed you found something weird. It happens. I'm a Springfield guy. Have the XD variants with no issue. No problem with my Springfield 1911 either. Everybody will have a lemon. It's when it's the rule not the exception when it's a problem.

Send in the RMA. Their service is legendary in the industry. Don't think it will take forever. They quote longer and then over deliver so people aren't pissed. XDs recall took under two months and that is with thousands upon thousands going in. custom shop quoted like 6 weeks for my 45 trigger and I had it back in like a week and a half. If it's messed up they'll fix it and so it quick. Maybe even toss you a free mag or something for your troubles.


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[voodoomedman]

That happened with my XDs when it was brand new for the first few hundred rounds, and it still happens when my girlfriend shoots it.
I was attributing it to being new and tight.
It doesn't do it much anymore.
(I'm pretty sure my girlfriend is limp wristing it.)

That too. Had my niece shooting my wife's XDm 9 at Front Sight and it happened a couple times until we fixed her grip.


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[SurferSeth]

What type of ammo?

It was all WWB or Federal american eagle 230gr.

They quoted me 2-4 weeks for repair and return. I was thinking possibly limp wristing or maybe a break in period thing. I am a total newbie so I have no idea. The service rep said limp wresting should be a non-issue with this specific model, but did mention the XDS would not be as forgiving with a limp wrist. She also said there is no break in period on the XDM.

I wanted to take it to the LAX shoot next week but I am just going to send it back and hope they can resolve whatever the issue is. Maybe they will do a little extra work on it or score me a free mag or something.

[theneko]

did you lube it and put a little grease on the rails?

[voodoomedman]

It was all WWB or Federal american eagle 230gr.

They quoted me 2-4 weeks for repair and return. I was thinking possibly limp wristing or maybe a break in period thing. I am a total newbie so I have no idea. The service rep said limp wresting should be a non-issue with this specific model, but did mention the XDS would not be as forgiving with a limp wrist. She also said there is no break in period on the XDM.

I wanted to take it to the LAX shoot next week but I am just going to send it back and hope they can resolve whatever the issue is. Maybe they will do a little extra work on it or score me a free mag or something.

No break in needed is right. Limp wrist would have to be seriously limp but it's possible. More than limp wrist is grip. If you are way down in the grip combined with a limp wrist then you may have an issue because of the grip safety.

Now before someone chimes in with a comment about grip safeties... You don't want to be shooting like that anyway. You likely aren't going to hit the target. But I see this with holster work. Running to fast and not getting a positive grip on count one before going to count 2 and so on. That what my niece was doing.

This gun was new too and i hadn't lubed yet. Not until day 3 of a 4 day course when dust and sand was blowing in all out guns because of the wind.


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[SurferSeth]

did you lube it and put a little grease on the rails?

Yes, cleaned and oiled / greased before the first range outing and cleaned, oiled / greased after each trip to the range. It did seem a little dry when I cleaned it after the last trip but, as I understand it, the XDM should be able to run pretty dry.

If you are way down in the grip combined with a limp wrist then you may have an issue because of the grip safety.

I don't think it is a grip safety issue. There was no draw from holster or anything happening and I am very conscious of getting as high of a grip as possible. My brother shoots 1911s so he is good with his grip (used to a grip safety) and we were both making sure my wife had a good high grip as well.

Something else to note. When it wouldn't return to battery, if I slapped the back of the slide it would return to battery successfully and allow me to fire the round. In hindsight, this was probably not the safest thing to do but the gun was always pointed in a safe direction (down range) with a good grip from my dominant hand while I slapped the back with my support hand.

[voodoomedman]

Yes, cleaned and oiled / greased before the first range outing and cleaned, oiled / greased after each trip to the range. It did seem a little dry when I cleaned it after the last trip but, as I understand it, the XDM should be able to run pretty dry.







I don't think it is a grip safety issue. There was no draw from holster or anything happening and I am very conscious of getting as high of a grip as possible. My brother shoots 1911s so he is good with his grip (used to a grip safety) and we were both making sure my wife had a good high grip as well.



Something else to note. When it wouldn't return to battery, if I slapped the back of the slide it would return to battery successfully and allow me to fire the round. In hindsight, this was probably not the safest thing to do but the gun was always pointed in a safe direction (down range) with a good grip from my dominant hand while I slapped the back with my support hand.

Sounds like ammo or gun is defective. WWB isn't perfect either. I'd maybe try different ammo before sending in but you said you also had the problem with Federal. It won't take them 4 weeks. A week or two would be my guess.


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[Purgatoiry]

I have an xdm .45 3.8" that had the exact same problem when I bought it. It seemed to only happy with dirty Remington ammo. Slide would stop about 1/8th from battery. I haven't shot it in a while but it was always reliable with federal HST +p. Now I'm wondering if I should send it in for service.

[$nake-Eye$]

Have the exact gun, but has never failed to return to battery with everything from WWB, to reloads.

[Steve G]

Have someone else shoot the gun before wasting time sending back and fourth

[SurferSeth]

Update - Took the XMD to the LAX shoot last month and had a few others shoot it. Two other people experienced the issue (but loved the gun). Sent the gun to Springfield on a Friday, had it back 10 days later. On the packing slip they noted "refit extractor".

Only been out to the range once since getting it back but didn't have a single issue with ~120 rounds. Mostly WWB 230gr and some Hornady Custom 230gr JHP +P ammo. I think they successfully resolved the issue but want to put ~400 more rounds through it before I am 100% confident.

[voodoomedman]

Update - Took the XMD to the LAX shoot last month and had a few others shoot it. Two other people experienced the issue (but loved the gun). Sent the gun to Springfield on a Friday, had it back 10 days later. On the packing slip they noted "refit extractor".

Only been out to the range once since getting it back but didn't have a single issue with ~120 rounds. Mostly WWB 230gr and some Hornady Custom 230gr JHP +P ammo. I think they successfully resolved the issue but want to put ~400 more rounds through it before I am 100% confident.

Thanks for the update. Was wondering. Go run a class with it. That should give you're than enough confidence.


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