Just over a year ago, I did a review on the Springfield Armory XDs Mod. 2 chambered in 9mm Parabellum with the red dot sight on it. I carried that for quite a while, until the red dot version of the Springfield Hellcat came along, and that became my current everyday carry piece. To be sure, there is nothing “wrong” with the XDs Mod. 2 9mm OSP. It is just that the Hellcat is a smaller handgun, and it carries a lot more rounds – hard to argue this point. More ammo on-tap is always better. I’ve never read of anyone who claimed they had too much ammo when a gunfight broke out.
Today we’re looking at the XDs Mod. 2 .45 ACP OSP from Springfield – and I’ve anxiously awaited this one, since I love the .45 ACP round! As you can see in the photo to the left, I have the 9mm version above the .45 ACP version, and the difference is hard to see – even when you handle both guns, its hard to tell them apart.
Some people believe that the single-stack handgun, in any caliber is “dead” and I totally disagree with that statement. There is plenty of room for double-stack pistols as well as single-stack. It just depends on the threat level you may find yourself in. In my neck of the woods – we live outside of two very rural towns, and I don’t feel threatened as a rule. However, if I’m going someplace else, where there are a lot of people – a bigger town – then I’ll strap-on a handgun with 15 or more rounds on-tap, with a spare magazine – just a little more comforting. However, a single stack 9mm or .45 ACP handgun should be more than “enough” to stop a threat I may encounter – along with one spare magazine, as a rule.
I don’t anticipate – at least not at this time – going toe-to-toe with an invading enemy force of any sort. However, once again, things can change in the blink of an eye – I think most people know this. I carry a spare 9mm handgun in my truck, as well as a survival .22 LR rifle in my rig – with plenty of ammo.
The XDs Mod. 2 we’re looking at today, has actually been around for a while, but it’s the new micro red dot sight on the slide, from Crimson Trace Corporation, that is what brings this little handgun far into the 21st century if you ask me. The 3.3-inch barrel is also hammer forged, and there is a passive grip safety – a la the 1911 and when I say passive, I mean just that, you won’t even notice you have depressed this grip safety when you take a proper hold on the gun. And, since the barrel is hammer-forged, it should stand up to all the .45 ACP shooting you care to do with this little gun. Even .45 ACP +P loads can be fired in this little gun.
For more years than I care to remember, I hounded Springfield Armory to put a “pinky” catcher magazine base on their magazines, and a couple years ago, they finally listened to me – or maybe it was someone else. The flat magazine bases don’t give your pinky finger any place to go – except hanging out there with nothing to hold on to. However, and I suspect this was to prevent a patent infringement lawsuit, the pinky catcher base pad is a little bit shorter than say, the Pearce Grip version. There is nothing wrong with this, and it is better than the flat base. However, I prefer just a little bit more to hold on to – so I replaced the factory extended base pad, with one from Pearce Grip, and it feels just right for my grip on the gun.
The Sights
I don’t have a lot new to say about the Crimson Trace red dot sight, other than it is a Model 1500 and has an auto-dimming feature, so in low-light, the red dot is a bit dimmer and won’t “blind” you. This sight also features a 5 MOA reticle. Do a web search on that, if you don’t understand what I’m talking about here. Plus, the CTC co-witnesses with the front/rear sight on the slide of the XDs Mod. 2 meaning that, if you line up the sights, the red dot will appear right on top of the front sight – easy to do. However, you don’t need to do that – just place the red dot on whatever target you have, and it will hit to point of aim. And, the red dot was perfectly zeroed on this gun, for a 25-yard zero – again, it was perfect out of the box.
The factory front sight has a single white dot on it – and the rear sight is all-black and serrated. That makes for a sharp picture. In the event the red dot sight battery dies on your pistol, you can still use the factory sights. Here is what I do, whenever I’m put on a handgun with a red dot sight on it: I check the red dot, and if it is fading, I replace the battery. It only takes a couple of minutes to do. And, even if you don’t get the battery changed right away, the red dot can still be seen – just not as brightly. I keep a big supply of CR2032 batteries on-hand at all times. I’ve found that it pays to buy them in bulk. If you only buy one at a time, they can cost you $3-to-$5 each. But when purchased in bulk, we are talking pennies on the dollar. And, once again, I check the brightness of the red dot, every time that I strap a gun on with a red dot sight.
Unlike most sub-compact handguns, the Springfield XDs Mod.2 has a Picatinny rail on the dust cover, should you want to install a flashlight or laser on it. The trigger has the now-famous trigger “safety” in the middle of it. So, you have to have a proper grip on the gun, in order to activate the trigger safety lever to fire it…it is passive! The trigger broke at about 5.5-pounds on my sample – about par for many polymer-framed, striker-fired handguns. And, the frame is black polymer. There is a full-time ambidextrous magazine release, that I love, too.
The texturing on this XDs Mod. 2 locks the gun in your hand, very securely, for the most in control and performance. The slide and barrel are coated in Melonite and great coating that helps fight the elements. We also have a dual captive recoil spring set-up, and I believe this really contributes to a bit less recoil. Each gun comes with a 5-round magazine, with the factory-installed pinky catcher and a 6-round spare magazine that is slightly extended for that extra round. And, let’s not forget, we are talking .45 ACP knockdown power – and no matter what, I believe the .45 ACP is indeed more powerful than the lesser handgun calibers.
On my handguns that have optical sights – like a red dot – I apply some “Fog Gone” about once a month, this prevents the lens from fogging up if you are in and out in cold weather or snow/rain. It only takes a minute to apply this stuff and a bottle of it will last you for many years – so, do yourself a favor and apply some on any scopes or red dot windows once a month to prevent fogging.
My Shooting Tests
As we all know, we are still in the worst ammo drought in history, and ammo is hard to get and expensive. For more than a year, I’ve been limiting my shooting to 100-150 rounds in my gun tests. However, I fired more than 200-rounds for this article – this was a fun gun to shoot. For shooting, I had the following from Black Hills Ammunition: 230-gr FMJ, 135-gr HoneyBadger – this is an all-copper fluted bullet, and some of their 230-gr JHP +P. This last one really got my attention when I touched off some rounds. The gun functioned 100% of the time – never a stutter. But I wouldn’t want to fire a lot of the +P stuff on a Saturday afternoon – ouch! Then again, this gun only weighs in at just 23-ounces! (For comparison: A typical full-size M1911 with a steel frame weighs 42 ounces.)
In all, I fired 120-rounds – and the gun is accurate, very accurate. My target was out at 15-yards – a fair enough distance for a 3.3-inch barrel pistol. I rested the gun over a padded rifle rest, on top of a big boulder, and I could very easily get 3-inch groups. And I’m very confident that this little gun can do better, with practice and a steady hold. Stop and think about that, though – that is a headshot at that distance and it will stop an attacker on the spot.
I will say that the .45 ACP mags – both the 5 and 6 round mags were easier to load than the 9mm mags in my other XDs Mod.2 9mm OSP pistol – that’s a good thing. I’m presently carrying this little gem in a Craft Holsters belt slide holster.