By Rob Leatham
Geneseo, IL – -(Ammoland.com) – GripZone. That’s the most important thing you need to know about Springfield Armory’s new XD Mod.2 3.3″ Sub-Compact .45ACP Pistol.
We took it for a spin last week and let me summarize by saying that in addition to the outstanding ergonomic experience, this pistol boasts some great sights and a darn good trigger pull.
When it comes to subcompact pistols chambered for higher caliber rounds like .45ACP, its important to remember that how a pistol feels in your hand is more than a matter of comfort. Your grip determines how well a pistol points as well as your control over it when it pushes and lifts throughout recoil.
A good firm “grasping” of the handgun is essential but the texturing and shape of the grip will contribute greatly to a shooters control.
That’s where GripZone shines.
What I Love About The XD Mod.2 .45ACP
Excellent shape and design minimizes slippage during recoil.
The Mod.2’s GripZone is designed to minimize slippage through different levels of texturing on areas or “zones” of the grip.
It grips more where it needs to and less where it would just cause abrasion or discomfort.
Simply, the shape of the grip just fits in your hand comfortably and it can make you a more accurate shooter.
Let’s talk features
- Front Sights. The Mod.2 has a fiber optic light gathering rod installed that gathers ambient light and creates a red dot that I can quickly see.
- Rear Sights. The rear sight’s deep, wide notch with a white dot on each side allows for quick and accurate sight alignment. The serrated surface of both the front and rear sights insures a glare-free sight picture.
- Trigger. Like all the Springfield Armory polymer pistols, The XD, XD(M) and XD-S, the Mod.2 has a great trigger pull offering a solid “wall” and “stopping point”. This feature allowed me to feel exactly where the trigger was in its movement and when it was going to fire. “Safe, consistent and predictable” are how I describe it.
- Ease of use. Simple things often overlooked like the shape of the slide and indeed even the cocking serrations and relief cuts on it make the Mod.2 one of the easiest to operate compact pistols ever. The strong recoil spring ensures reliable feeding and soft recoil while extending the life of the pistol. Thanks to the shape of the slide serrations, my 84 year old mother can operate the action on this pistol. I’m pretty sure you can too.
On top of all these updated features, the Mod.2 is underneath it all, a Springfield Armory pistol.
Like the XD, XD(M) and XD-S before it, the Mod.2 is built with same quality and precision of every Springfield Armory product. Not only can you count on its performance, you will have the comfort of owning a handgun with a limited lifetime warranty, the best customer service in the business and a history of performance, durability and reliability you can bet your life on.
Who the XD Mod.2 .45ACP is for.
I see the shooter who buys the Mod.2 .45 as someone that needs a gun to be both portable and powerful. He or she knows they want a .45, but one that fits their hand well and is comfortable to shoot. They want a gun that performs above its category in regards to accuracy and speed of use without being so big that it makes discreet use troublesome.
For me, the Mod.2 .45 is that perfect combination of compactness, controllability and firepower. I get it all in one easy to shoot package. You must know that I’ve shot pretty much everything there is in regards to this category of handgun. Nothing, and I mean nothing fits me better and shoots better than the Mod.2 .45.
I know you expect to hear me say that, but it’s still true.
Do this. Go to a Springfield Armory dealer and just hold it. Maybe they’ll have a range and let you test fire one. Shoot a magazine through it and you’ll get it, you will understand my excitement.
Only you can decide what you really require. Not me, not your buddy, not the guy at the gun shop counter. Just you.
I can however tell you this, if I want a .45 AND I want it to hold 10 rounds AND I want it to be small and still maintain excellent ergonomics and control ability, the XD Mod.2 .45 would be my first choice.