The Springfield XD is a semi-automatic handgun that is popular with military, law enforcement, and civilians.

History:

This gun began its life in 1999 as the 9mm HS2000, manufactured by HS Produkt in Croatia. The HS2000 was developed as an improvement on earlier guns from the manufacturer and was soon being used by the Croatian military and law enforcement officers. Three years later, Springfield Armory obtained the rights to license the gun in the United States and began selling it as the Springfield XD-9.

The name stands for X-treme Duty 9mm.

In the years following the XD-9’s introduction, Springfield Armory manufactured the gun in several other calibers including .357, .40, and .45 calibers. The gun soon became popular with law enforcement officers and civilians, alike, and won several major awards. In 2006, Springfield introduced the XDM (X-treme Duty More).

The original XDs were not manufactured with a thumb safety switch but had (and still have) other safeties built into them:

• Grip Safety -- The grip safety is located on the back strap of the handgrip. The web of the shooting hand fits naturally over this grip, depressing the safety and allowing the trigger to be pulled and the hammer to fall.
• Trigger Safety --The trigger also has a safety--a second lever is attached to the trigger which prevents unintended pressure from firing the gun. Fully depressing the trigger, however, will allow it to function normally.
• Drop Safety -- As its name implies, the drop safety keeps the hammer from coming into contact with the firing pin if the gun is dropped.

• Out of Battery Safety -- “Out of battery” is a phrase that means the slide is not completely closed. The out of battery safety prevents the gun from firing if the slide is open at all.

Springfield XD/XDM models manufactured since 2008 have the option of a thumb safety.
Ammunition:

Since the Springfield XD is available as a .40, .45, .357, or 9mm, ammunition depends on the particular model. In addition, there are several different frame styles and sizes, each accommodating different barrel lengths.

Collectibility:

In general, the Springfield XD is sought after as a self-defense gun rather than as a collectible. In addition, its wide availability reduces its appeal for collectors. However, people who collect law enforcement weapons may find this gun to be a desirable addition to their collections.

Availability:

The Springfield XD is currently still in production, making it readily available from most gun shops and online. There are also plenty of used XDs on the market and can easily be found in pawn shops, at gun shows, and on gun auction websites.

Price:

A brand new Springfield XD or XDM will usually range in price from about $500 to $850 or more. Used XD/Ms can often be found in the $400 range, higher or lower depending on the model and condition of the gun.

Special Notes:

In addition to being a solid and reliable gun, one of the other really great things about the XD/M platform is its versatility. Since it is available in models with everything from a 3.3 inch barrel to a 5.25 inch barrel, plus round counts from 5 to 19, you can find a gun suitable for most needs. For example, you can have one as a high powered backup weapon like the XD-S with five rounds or a full-sized service model like the Tactical .45 ACP. There is even a factory ported model (to reduce muzzle lift and improve accuracy) available for those who are willing to pay a little extra.