If you’ve gotten over the XD-S trigger recall – and I’m not telling you you should — Springfield has a new version of their tiny single-stack concealed carry pistols that you (just) might enjoy shooting enough to actually practice with. The secret ingredient for improved accuracy and ergonomics? Added size and weight. Imagine that . . .
The latest Croatian sensation wears a 4-inch barrel, instead of the 3.3-inch tube of its predecessor. This adds a smidge more velocity, but more importantly it adds muzzle weight and sight radius for better handling and accuracy. This XD-S may be wafer-thin, but it’s got the same barrel length and sight radius as the benchmark Glock 19.
Will this added size and weight detract from the XD-S’s primary mission of daily concealed carry? Probably not. The extra 2.5 ounces and 0.7 inches all sit down at the end of the muzzle at the bottom of your holster where you won’t notice them, but it means the 4.0 is unlikely to fit in many previous XD-S holsters.
Grip dimensions are far more important to concealability than barrel length is (within reason), and the XD-S 4.0 has the same grip size and the same magazines as the 3.3-inch model. With a +2 extended magazine it feels and handles more like a ‘compact’ 9 than a ‘micro’ 9.
So what’s not to like in this $599 MSRP carry gun? Probably (still) the trigger.