Springfield XDs 9mm & Glock 42 .380

[pony up]

I seem to get a surge of my hand gun jones when I am in Maine and my FFL is 1800 miles away. Can't explain it other than all the woods, fields and streams and ponds and the great wide ocean at about 34* fires up all on my wonderful feelings of young life in the Maine outdoors. Florida for me is about hiding from the sun next to the AC until we return north to mother nature as she was before the last round of Global warming. Anyway one afternoon as I was doing my monthly maintenance of the collection it occurred to me that should a BG give me no choice while I was carrying one of my prized 5K pieces I was very likely to never see it again. Unable to remedy that from here in Maine I called my FFL in Florida and he set aside a .45 XDs for me to pick up when we returned. I had never seen one until I picked it up. We walked back into the range ran the target holder back about 10 yards and I promptly relived the first time I fired the grease gun the USMC gave me in 2nd Force Recon Co. It was fun and I expected then to be spraying .45 caliber slugs stitching into the sky. I had no such expectations when I stitched the roof of the range. I would not have gotten more attention if I was Kim K. shooting in the buff. On the positive side it thinned the crowd. It was very disappointing that my FFL, his range officer nor I could repeat the fun. Anyway, Springfield did no charge rebuilds on all of them as I was not the only thrill ride passenger. My FFL gave me a real discount on the 9MM to hold me over and I started shopping for the DW ECO carry gun. I have not been able to over deliver with the 9 but I have tried. It and the rebuilt .45 have been very dependable and surprisingly accurate for stone age ignition system tiny handguns but I would not recommend one unless ones financial situation demanded it. It is easy to disassemble, has good sights but I believe the designer either flunked freshman geometry or has very strangely shaped hands. Of note, the DW ECO is as fine a shooter and is as dependable as any of my 4 to 5K pistols and I carry it because it is the one I trust the most and shoot the best in quick reaction situations. I paid $1250 for it over a year ago as it is a Blemish.. I think I found the blemish after about 2 weeks of looking. I could be wrong. I would recommend this carry gun to anyone in either caliber.

[ColMike]

Originally Posted by pony up

of note, the DW ECO is as fine a shooter and is as dependable as any of my 4 to 5K pistols and I carry it because it is the one I trust the most and shoot the best in quick reaction situations. I paid $1250 for it over a year ago as it is a Blemish..I would recommend this carry gun to anyone in either caliber.

I"m not in the LEO business. It seems a luxury to be able to test drive a gun before buying.

I've never fired an ECO. My preferences lean to CCO. I have two. A Colt and and a DW. Both are well made, configured identically (big dot sights) and reliable. I've never had a malfunction with either. The colt is older than the DW. The DW is cosmetically nicer. Oddly enough, the Colt shoots better groups for me than the DW does. I've only got about 500 rounds through the DW so maybe it's still in break in phase.

If I was going to carry one today and my life depended on it, I"d carry the Colt. I may change my mind over time but only time and rounds will tell.

[Shark1007]

I'm back in action after a bit of recovery. I have basically all of them and have the following impressions:

XDS.45 after recall, trigger was a little harder, it has never failed. Nice shooter. I've shot it side by side with Kahr PM.45 and it's preferable with shorter reset. The Kahr has a better trigger but with a long reset and I like the fit and finish of the Kahr a little more.

XDS 9mm after recall, same impression, just not a big fan of 9mm. No failures ever.

Shield 9mm, trigger a little gritty, nice fit and finish. Shot decent, actually carried by wife. I bought apex trigger kit, 85 bucks, world of difference. Now a really impressive shooter and she has improved remarkably.

Shield .40, same trigger criticism and same modification with same result. I showed to LEO buddy who has one and he was astounded at improvement over his. This one is for me as I preferred over 9mm. It recoils! with WW 165 Ranger ammo and stings my trigger finger. I like it, but not a range gun.

[Barbie]

How snappier is the G42 compared to the XDS9?

I'm trying to open horizons to another "small" gun preparing for the little one 's beginnings, but I doubt it'll be a small gun. More like a small caliber to make it fun. Not sure I want to make it too much fun thou...

[Caleb]

Originally Posted by Barbie

How snappier is the G42 compared to the XDS9?

I'm trying to open horizons to another "small" gun preparing for the little one 's beginnings, but I doubt it'll be a small gun. More like a small caliber to make it fun. Not sure I want to make it too much fun thou...

The 42 is a .380 and it's not snappy, in fact it's pleasant to shoot. Have not shot a xds 9 so, no comment on that.

[girphoto]

Howdy

Just a quick response while I have a few minutes

XDs9....Great little gun Carry it ever day, day in and day out .. Mostly in a Andrews custom pocket holster or a Mitch Rosen IWB. It shoots great and with my tired eyes, even though it is a point and shoot type gun, I changed the sights to BIG DOTS and it made a BIG difference.
The guns does need a little break in time (about 500rds) to get the slide working smooth. (now have about 1200rds through it.
I shoot my own loads at the range but I carry it with 9mm Hydra-Shok and 124 gr. Ido use the standard mag in the gun (smaller profile in the pocket) but also carry and extended mag or 2 loaded in the car or pocket.

The gun has a little kick, but it is a BUG type gun. Once you are use to it, it is very easy to control and get back on your target with a follow up shot.

I have found that using the slide release to load the first round is the best way to insure that the slide is always in battery. Sling shot on the slide does not always yield the same results.

Just remember, that these are small guns and I was once told, "Guns are suppose to be comforting and not necessarily comfortable"

The Glock42 is about the same size in a 380 cal., with no advantage better off with a SIG 380. Small, fast easy to shoot....

[dw1911]

Originally Posted by girphoto

Howdy

Just a quick response while I have a few minutes

XDs9....Great little gun Carry it ever day, day in and day out .. Mostly in a Andrews custom pocket holster or a Mitch Rosen IWB. It shoots great and with my tired eyes, even though it is a point and shoot type gun, I changed the sights to BIG DOTS and it made a BIG difference.
The guns does need a little break in time (about 500rds) to get the slide working smooth. (now have about 1200rds through it.
I shoot my own loads at the range but I carry it with 9mm Hydra-Shok and 124 gr. Ido use the standard mag in the gun (smaller profile in the pocket) but also carry and extended mag or 2 loaded in the car or pocket.

The gun has a little kick, but it is a BUG type gun. Once you are use to it, it is very easy to control and get back on your target with a follow up shot.

I have found that using the slide release to load the first round is the best way to insure that the slide is always in battery. Sling shot on the slide does not always yield the same results.

Just remember, that these are small guns and I was once told, "Guns are suppose to be comforting and not necessarily comfortable"

The Glock42 is about the same size in a 380 cal., with no advantage better off with a SIG 380. Small, fast easy to shoot....

I have The XDS in the 3.8, 45 cal. and I have the XDS in the 4 inch, 45 cal. I carry the 3.8 and have shot MANY rounds through it. Very Accurate, and controllable recoil, especially with the Pearce Grip Extension on the 5 round mag. Both are Post Recall guns. I had a "recall gun" before, I could NOT cause a malfunction. I tried many times. I really like The XDS , for what it's designed for, it works great for Me. I would rather have 6 rounds of 45 SD rounds to protect Me than 7 rounds of 9mm. That's just Me. The 45 XDS shoots with a kick, but not so "Snappy" as a 9 or a 40.