New Springfield Armory XD45 Tactical...Range Report...

661 Views 5 Replies 5 Participants Last post by O.C. 4 U, Jul 22, 2008

bluezerosix

Discussion Starter · Jul 21, 2008

Yesterday(7/20/08...) was my first time to the range with my new XD45 Tactical(5" barrel...) that I picked up this past Friday(7/18...).

My first experience with XD's was over the 4th of July weekend when I got to shoot a friends XD45 Service(4" barrel...) model. I've owned and shot SIG-Sauer 9mm's since 1991, so I guess I'm a "2-Time Newbie"...new to .45ACP and new to the XD.

I ran 200 rounds of Remington UMC 230gr. FMJ through my new XD45 Tactical...it ran fine without a single hiccup.

Recoil wasn't bad but was noticeablely more snappy than my 9mm SIG's.

Accuracy: It...or me...wanted to shoot to the left. Also a little high. Not too bad at 10 yards but more noticeable at 25 yards. From what I've read, this is considered normal and goes away with range time...I hope.

My groups weren't especially tight and opened up even more as I went through the range session. Again, I hope this is just part of getting used to a new pistol and the fact that I haven't really shot a pistol much since 2004.

I really want to like this pistol...really, I do...but I was a little disappointed with the accuracy I was getting. I'm withholding judgement for now and I'm going to chalk up this first experience to just "getting to know" my new XD.

I'd be interested to know if there is any way to help reduce recoil and/or muzzle flip. Also, the trigger wasn't bad but could use some improvement as well...there's a lot of take-up that I think could be done away with. Definately not like the standard DA/SA trigger on my SIG's at all...

Finally...how is the UMC ammo? Is it reasonably accurate or should I look to a different brand of ammo to improve my accuracy?

Any tips, advice or comments are welcome...

BTW- I also took my Polish Underfolder and Polish Fixed-Stock AK to the range as well...I put about 200 rounds of Barnaul FMJ through each of them. I think I'm going to stick with the Barnaul from here on out. It was noticeably hotter than Wolf and also quite a bit more accurate. With Wolf, my AK's will shoot about 7" to 8" at 100 yards. Hell, my Underfolder was grouping 10 shots of the Barnaul FMJ into about 4" at 100 yards and my fixed stock was grouping about 5" - 6" at the same distance...not bad for iron-sighted AK's & my old eyes...heh heh heh...

Sorry about not posting pictures...I ran off and forgot my camera. :sad:

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Sidecarnutz

· #2 · Jul 21, 2008

I've used a couple 45 ball ammos that just didn't want to be accurate for me.
The alloy cased Blazer and UMC are the big two that come to mind. Both made for poor groups for me. Especially the Blazer.
One afternoon at the range my groups were so bad I was doubting my ability to shoot. The Blazer rounds were all over the place. So I bought a box of PMC ball ammo there and that solved it. Suddenly my groups were consistent again.
Wolf 45 ammo tends to burn dirty and smell like pee, but was more accurate than these two.
I have had no trouble with PMC, Aquilla, S&B and some other ammos I have used.
Unfortunately I bought ten boxes of the Blazer on sale at Natchez. I'll just let my son use it next time I take him to the range! It'll be fun to watch his frustration. :goof:

I won't buy any more Winchester white box 45 ammo. Too many failures to fire and poor cycling of the pistol.
No more Blazer alloy cased or Wolf or UMC either. It's goes bang every time, but is annoying and not accurate.

The funny thing is I buy Wolf Classic 95 grain Mak caliber ammo and it functions 100%. I really like it.
I guess it comes down to finding what your gun likes best.

On the XD trigger. "Stage" pressure on it. Take up the slack and then steady up and finish the squeeze. Once I got used to that and used a good thumbs forward grip I found my XDs to be very accurate.

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Rasper

· #3 · Jul 21, 2008

Dont feel bad about the wolf ammo sucking. It shoots like crap in my .45 and my dad's h&k.

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BillSXT2002

· #4 · Jul 21, 2008

Even my 9mm XD was like that at first, but now, I just point it so naturally, its hard not to hit where I want. Give it some time. Also, the XD trigger either get better with time, or you just get the feel for it, but it will get better too. There are some companies out there that will do a real nice trigger job, too.

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Sidecarnutz

· #5 · Jul 21, 2008

I believe the Wolf 45 ammo has a dirty slow burning powder in it.

I once owned a Taurus PT745. Had a 3.35" barrel. It was very picky on ammo. You had to use a hot quick burning ammo like PMC to make it run right. Of course the muzzle flash is like having flash bulbs popping in your face. Putting Wolf through that pistol just ruined it's functioning. Slow motion cycling led to poor feed. You'd often get a blast of orange gasses out the ejection port as it ejected! But run PMC through it and it became 100%.
I have two 4" barreled XD45s. (Have a service model and bought the compact when it came out.) I love 'em. They just do everything well for me. And they run 100% on all ball and HP ammo I have tried. But some group better than others. Blazer being the worst.
I also have a EAA 45 Witness with a 5" barrel and a Springer 1911 with a 5" barrel. Again both run 100% on all ammo. But with the longer barrels, the Wolf ammo runs perfectly in these. More time for better combustion? The Wolf ammo still smells bad and is sooty, but groups as well as any other decent ammo.
Get the feeling I like 45's? :grin:

I have come to believe that the slower/cooler burning powders in some ammo belongs in 5" barreled pistols. The shorter barreled ones prefer a hotter burning load.

I'll buy Wolf 45 when I find it cheap. Like $11 a box. I clean after every range trip and can tolerate the smell. So its OK practice ammo. But I do really see a difference in putting better/hotter/cleaner ammo through my pistols.

I stopped carrying my XD45c once the heat set in. Now you guys are making me want to take it to the range again soon! More often than not my first shot with it is always a bullseye at 10 yards. My CZ82 is like that for me too. Some hand guns just do it well for ya!

Keep practicing with your XD Man! Stage pressure and use a good grip. I let QGunner2 try mine at the range last year. He was all over the place at first and quickly tightened it up with some practice. It's a pistol you grow to like quickly.

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O.C. 4 U

· #6 · Jul 22, 2008

I've had an Xd tac 45 since they first came out and I love it.

I would try different types of ammo and see which brand your Xd likes. All handguns shoot somwhat better with some type of ammo vs. others.

With it shooting left I'd try to drift the sights over in the dovetail (the sights might be hard to budge at first, the factory really jams 'em in there).

The factory sights are (or were when I got mine) set for a "six o clock hold". Mine did the same thing when I got it, but I got used to it. When I had trijicon sights put on it the point of impact shifted back to point of aim. I guess the front aftermarket sight is just a touch higher than the stock set.

The trigger on mine did improve alot after shooting about 500 to a thousand rounds. The more I shoot it the better it gets. I am still thinking about getting a trigger job on mine just to shorten the reset.
A guy I used to work with had a carry trigger job done on his Xd by Canyon Creek. It is the next best thing to a good 1911 trigger and the reset is every bit as short as a glock, if not shorter. I've also heard lots of good things about Springer Precision but I've never shot one myself.
Here's the links to both of them:
http://www.canyoncreekcustom.com/Canyon_Creek_Custom_-_Sprin.html

http://www.springerprecision.com/

Hope some of this helps you down the road to XD bliss.

Here's my two Xd 45's

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