Dishwater Safe Defense - Tactical Plastic

I've not been a fan of plastic guns. I've written many times of my preference for steel, old and blue. I've never purchased a Glock for personal use, preferring Mr. Browning's amazing 1911, a Sig, Smith and Wesson or an assortment of revolvers and lever action rifles. Yet I'm becoming more interested in the variety of self defense pistols out there of the polymer variety, instead of a traditional steel or aluminum alloy frame. They weren't the first, but Glock seemed to have started the buzz. Why I don't like about the Glock is the grip and the grip angle. They just don't feel that great in my hand. But that's a personal thing, like having a preference for dark beer or green eyes. I don't really like the water gun trigger on the Glock either, just another personal preference.

But after picking up a Springfield XD-M, and an XD-9 in both a 4 and 5 inch varieties for some range fun, I was intrigued. Actually I was impressed. But the XDM in .40 is more money, though it was sweet, really sweet. But what about something smaller and a little less expensive, perhaps a little more concealable? Two friends that shoot at my favorite conservation club let me try them out a while back, while we gossiped like school kids about what we'd heard of the .45 that was now out.


I admit, I was intrigued by the name. XD-9 Tactical. "Tactical" is a word that, for me, is like catnip, bringing to mind sneaking around buildings in black, chasing a bad guy or commandeering a Guinness truck in an old movie. According to the dictionaries, tactical means adroit in planning or maneuvering to accomplish a purpose. Tactics being the science and art of disposing and maneuvering forces in combat. Actions not objects.

Frankly, for me, "tactical" is something less than a megaton. Then it becomes "strategic".

It's also a word much overused in marketing. There's tactical shoes, tactical pants (well, MacGyver's might have counted). It's a marketing phrase. We've got tactical bacon. Next thing you know there will be Milkbone Tactical Dog Biscuits.

I'm not sure, after handling and shooting it, what made the XD-9 Tactical. OK, it's black, but so is Barkley (my Tactical Autonomous Area Defense System). Perhaps it's the high capacity magazines, but autoloaders have had those since I had my first beer and the four inch model has those as well. I'm told it's the barrel. The XD Tactical, has a 5 inch barrel (one of the guys had the 4.05 barrel model). Certainly SWAT and SF types have 5 inch pistols for the longer sight picture as well as the increased muzzle velocity. I'm not sure, but I can tell you this, the XD's looked cool and more than one person has likely picked one up out of a gun display because the looks caught their eye.

(XD in four inch barrel).

I have to admit, the marketing of the weapon was clever. Springfield Armory started selling the XD in a “kit” which included all the basics you'd need, especially if you were a new shooter. That included a kydex holster, magazine pouch and loader, and some things like a bore brush. Add eye and ear protection and ammo and the first time handgun owner could have all he or she needed to start. I understand that the extras weren't cheap or chintzy, no "Cap Snaffler" to go with your new product because you "acted now". The holster was sort of a "one size fits all" but for starting out, a new shooter may be happy with it while they explored the wonderful world of holsters out there. (Why women buy so many shoes when you can buy holsters is beyond me.)

The polymer is sturdy and frames around the magazine quite nicely, it being beveled on the sides and the back. The forged and milled slide reminds me of my SIG. The front and rear grip straps have enough texture to provide for a firm grip and the thumb rest was actually pretty comfortable, being more like a custom thumb depression than anything. The grip feel and angle was my real complaint with the Glock. The XD-9 had none of that, with even a bit of a relief cut out from under the rear trigger guard. Even after many rounds, there was none of the index finger "ow" that I've experienced when shooting some of the Glocks.


Speaking of fingers, if you buy an XD-9 used and it doesn't come with the extras, you might want to pick up a loader for it. The magazine springs are a bit stiff and getting the magazine loaded by hand takes some strength to get those last rounds in. Speaking of rounds. Sixteen. Sixteen, standard in the 9 mm SD's, in a magazine that loads efficiently and drops freely from the receiver right on cue. I tried several different rounds and even with varying bullet lengths it accommodated them well, with no misfeeds. Plus, maybe it's a girl thing, but I liked the smooth polished silver of the magazine magazine going into that polymer frame. SHINY!( Though the magazine glaring in the sun sort of detracts from the "tactical" part.)

Ergonomically, it's nicely engineered, with an ease of sight acquisition and balance you don't often get for guns in this price range. The sights are the usual type, but made of steel, not plastic like the Glock. The grip, nice. My hands are fairly big for a female, with long fingers. Yet, they're not bear paws either. The XD-9 fit well and pointed naturally with a grip angle that was reminiscent of the 1911. Whether your hands are big or small in size, this is a firearm that will point quickly and will easily do rapid fire drills. On some firearms, you know it takes some practice before you get used to raising the sighting plane to the eye and maintaining a level muzzle. The XD, took about 5 rounds to get a picture and then, after that, rapid fire was easy. You've seen others shoot with some handguns that just inherently resulted in a noticeable delay between shots while they got their sight picture back. Fine for a meet with friends or for fun, but NOT good if you have to rapid fire for real, when you can't afford any delay in sight alignment, and therefore, your shot. One shot, one kill. I'm not carrying federal hydroshocks to go plink cans.

The XD-9's magazines lock into the well by a latch at the front of the magazine. the release is a standard button behind the trigger guard, that has enough of a recess to prevent accidental release. Another nice feature is that the button can be pushed in from the right OR left side, no modifications needed for the left handed shooter. This firearm is about as ambidextrous as they come.

The XD-9 has three distinct safeties: grip safety, trigger safety and striker block safety. My favorite M1911 .45, has a grip safety that precludes the firing of the firearm without a proper grip. The XD version is similar, and as seamless, and in the range try out was totally reliable yet I couldn't help think that it could have been a little big longer and wider. Why a grip safety? It might prevent an intentional discharge from a snatched firearm that's badly handled. Another consideration, especially for the female shooters, it would be a weapon that could be used in a clutch type purse or bag or courier pouch that isn't designed with a trigger guard in mind.

The trigger safety keeps the weapon from discharging unless the center portion of the trigger is depressed. This was designed to prevent an accidental discharge from something inserted inside the trigger guard. The odds of something protruding into the guard just far enough to grab the edge of the trigger and not far enough to catch the center I wouldn't think would be that high but I suspect it would make a decent drop safety for impacts at the rear of the weapon. Like the Glock, it might have been added to up the number of safeties for marketing, without creating one that would interfere with the "grab gun, pull trigger" that we love in our revolvers.


The trigger itself? Nicer than the other polymer guns I've played with, more of a duty trigger than a "target" trigger though, with a long take-up and a short sear reset (that spring loaded action that occurs with the weapon returns the battery and the trigger clicks into position in order to fire again). An experienced shooter will let the trigger finger go no further forward than the point of reset when shooting rapid-fire. With the reset being short on the XD-9, there is little take-up, a desirable feature. Long range shots were good, credited to this trigger, which I would say is about 5 pounds. It doesn't snap like a glass twig, but it's actually quite clean for this type of firearm, crisp enough to make good shots without being so light you're shooting so that everyone around you is checking to see if you have an external safety on that thing.

The XD series are considered single action, not double action or “safe action.” In the Glock, when the slide cycles the striker is partially cocked. Not so the XD, where it is fully cocked. It may look like a double action but it isn't, and it didn't shoot like one. It didn't need to.

All in all, a VERY nice firearm, reliable and well made. The parts fit well, align well, but are not so tight and prim that it won't be any fun to play with. There was not a machining mark to be found on it, even where one wouldn't normally look. It was made with real craftsmanship, "plastic" or not.

There are a couple other interesting features which allow you do check on the condition of your firearm simply by touch, a loaded chamber indicator and a cock indicator (look I didn't name it, OK?) One, on the top of the slide, behind the ejection port, is simply a small lever that lifts slightly when a cartridge is in the chamber. You can feel it when it is loaded. The second, on the rear portion of the slide, is a small pin that protrudes from the slide when the pistol is cocked. Again, you can detect it with your fingers, without having a eyeball look on the piece. (This does NOT replace visually checking your weapon to make sure nothing is in the chamber, prior to handling). .


Now for the final question. To carry or not to carry? The XD-9 Tactical isn't a small gun. It's two of the Kahr, about on par with the Government Model .45. It's a bit thicker than a Government Model, but it's also lighter. I'm a tall girl, with curves and some muscle under the crash-resistant, built-in padding. A waif I will never be, so I can carry a big piece with the right clothing. Not everyone can, a tiny person might as well strap a cannon on their hip under their shirt and say "look, I'm carrying". For me, with the right clothing and the right holster, I could carry it concealed, it works. But the 4 inch barrel WAS more concealable.

Oh, and it's NOT dishwasher safe, but it is easy field strip and clean and just as easy to reassemble when you are done.

Again, there's a lot more detailed technical reviews out there, this is just my experience, and one I'm happy I had, giving me yet another excuse to add a new firearm to the stable. Now folks, if you'll excuse me, I have to fold some tactical underwear.