I rented an XDS45 today.

[wyntrout]

I loaded all of my P40 mags... four 7-round extended grip and three 6-rounder with steel base plates... and O-rings to prevent pinching... and went to the range to function check the mags and the modification and polishing I did to the extractor claw. I shot about a box of Herters/Fiocchi 180-gr FMJ and about a box of Speer Gold Dots with most mags failing to keep the slide back on empty. I had two that did reliably, so they are my carry mags... one 6-rounder for CC and one 7-rounder for a spare. I had only one slight malfunction... one round butted into the ramp and hung, but chambered easily and fired. I had been having rounds halfway into the chamber. The rim wasn't sliding under the claw on the extractor. That seems to be cured now.

I fired off the loaded .40 mags and then got to the XDS45. First a few pictures of it and the ammo. The glass counter doesn't make a good back drop. I'll post these and then work on getting some stills from the video.

I just added the picture of the pistol lying on the shooting counter because it's the only picture that shows the sights.

Wynn

[wyntrout]

Okay, now some flashes and recoil rise. I didn't have the danged camera pointed high enough so I had to try to get the best ones to show the rise during recoil. This ammo is NOT weak... pretty stout.

The recoil is moderate, maybe less than with my PM45... not sure. In picture 5 I'm trying to show the longer front to back of the grip, when compared to my PM45(not shown). I'm wearing one of my USAF flight gloves with the fingertips cut off. Bike and weight gloves have padding that I don't need. These are Nomex with kid leather gripping surfaces for fine dexterity in turning knobs and the like while flying... and it's f'ing cold at altitude... -65° outside and slightly warmer... usually... inside.

You can see some good impressions of the nibs on my fingers in the larger pictures.

Wynn

[wyntrout]

The magazine has some machined cuts and notches in the front and on the top front sides. They must serve some purpose because they seem to weaken the magazine tube. I guess the front ones are the retention slots for the ambidextrous magazine release.

Wynn

[wyntrout]

Okay... no GREAT targets, but I did keep MOST of the shots on the paper... or the cardboard, at least... most of the time. All bets were off when I tried my weak hand, though. I think I really crossed up my eyes at first! The shots grouped way right on the first try!

Oh, on the first target, I only got a partial still from the video. There were 6 rounds... one low and one in the upper left of the 2" square out of sight. You can see the tape over those on target 2.

I think that I could hit a BG in the chest/C.O.M. with that pistol, though. I could usually hit the sheet of paper pretty quickly... even jerking the trigger badly and not taking much time to aim... kind of like when you're in an SD situation and the target isn't still... or paper! Oh, and maybe shooting at you!



Wynn

[Jason40]

I understand it is a bit off track from the post. But it's funny you wear your flight glove/s to shoot. I wear my Dave & Clarks headset to save some money on ear protection! I suppose I'll have to give the gloves a shot next time!

[wyntrout]

The flight gloves give protection without taking too much "feel" away, but it's easier to load ammo with my bare fingertips. We had to turn small knobs and flick switches, etc., when flying. I was the Radar Navigator/Bombardier on B52's from just after 'Nam until just before Desert Storm. I was a Cold War Warrior pulling alert in B52's ready to go after the Rooskies, if there had been need.

I did get to participate in the South East Asian War Games, though, in '67 and '68. I flew as a enlisted linguist/crewmember in RC130's and RC135's... USAF Security Service... before going to college and then coming back into the USAF for 16 more years. I retired in 1988 and my wife in 1996. Pix in my album.

Wynn

[Barth]

Strangely, for me the auto trigger jerk seems to disappear with a DA revolver - LOL!
I almost bought a XDs, But 5+1 and my S&W M65 is 6???
I guess part of me is a die hard revolver guy...

[JFootin]

Strangely, for me the auto trigger jerk seems to disappear with a DA revolver - LOL!
I almost bought a XDs, But 5+1 and my S&W M65 is 6???
I guess part of me is a die hard revolver guy...

Well, a 4.25 lb DA trigger helps, too! I used to think revolvers were clumsy and outdated. But I paid attention to you, Jeepster and others on the forum, considered how many generations of LEOs carried them, and remembered checking out a couple of them with good trigger jobs in LGSs over the years. So, I decided to get my 638 and have it customized to suit me. Ahlman's cut the frame down to provide better access to the shielded hammer, ported it and did the high gloss black Duracoat finish.

They made a failed attempt at a trigger job to lighten the trigger, trying lighter springs from a spring kit (which they charged me $9.95 for), but couldn't get positive primer strikes, so they put the original springs back in and sent the gun back to me with the same 12 lb DA pull it had from the factory! I complained and got a refund for the trigger job, although they never refunded me for the unused spring kit and didn't send it with the gun.

I found a real old fashioned gunsmith locally. He gradually trimmed coils off of the hammer and trigger return springs, measuring the trigger pull weight and test firing it to make sure there were still good primer strikes, until he got the DA pull down to 4.25 lb! It strikes the primers as good as ever and goes BANG every time!

It is now my favorite carry gun! So simple and reliable. Natural to point and shoot and surprisingly good to carry: though the cylinder is about as thick as a semi-auto, the frame is just 1/2" wide, the barrel is even thinner and the back of the frame curves down toward the grip (instead of the big, squared off back of the slide on a semi-auto). The shape of the gun and the grip make it the easiest of my 3 guns to draw from a pocket, and it rides very well on my belt. I put a Hogue Bantam rubber grip on it, and I think it is the perfect grip for it! Here she is. (I'm still learning how to use my new hi def camera, so this is the best shot I've taken so far. )



James Dean made this custom AIWB holster to my specifications: low ride, reverse cant, tuckable clip sized to fit a 1.5" belt, and rounded edge so there is nothing to dig into me. He made it out of finest Herman oak leather and hand stitched it. He also made a beautiful black leather pocket holster for my snubby, too. The fit, retention and draw from his holsters are perfect! If a gun could speak, it would say "I'm home!" when inserted in one of his holsters! I enjoy just looking at and admiring his holsters. They are truly works of fine art! Here is his pic when it was finished.



I also got this lined enhanced pancake holster from LOBO for OWB wear. Here is a customer pic of it (mine is left handed, of course).



Although let it be known, I still love my CM9, which is getting amazingly smoother and sweeter with rounds fired. And I am also very pleased with my < $200 Taurus 738 TCP 380 pistol, which my gunsmith cleaned, did a fluff & buff, polished the feed ramp and test fired - all for just $30! He commented on how nice a trigger it has: lighter than the CM9 with 5 lb striker spring and very smooth. But my 638 is going to be with me for life! Great gun!

[Barth]

My beloved Glock G27-357 had it's first FTF with Lawman 357 recently.
That's like 1 in 2000 rounds - but still.
It just shakes my faith with any failures at all.
I think in ~2000 rounds through my Sig P239/357 I've had one failure to fire.
Being a DA/SA hammer gun, I just pulled the trigger a second time and the bullet went flying.
My Glock, not having double strike capability, would have required a clearing drill.
But what if that round was a dud and even a second strike failed?
Then even my Sig would require a clearing drill.

With the S&W M65,
I'm not sure I'd even notice a bad round while delivering SD rapid fire.
Channeling Jocko: "I'm just saying"

[gb6491]

Excellent report Wynn, thank you for the time and effort needed to put it together.
Regards,
Greg

[wyntrout]

With most of my P40 mags not locking the slide back, I got a lot of chances to see how badly I was jerking the trigger... some on camera. I count rounds... most of the time, and even thinking the next shot wasn't there, I still jerked the danged trigger!

When I was "shopping" for my wife's pistol, I tried a lot of revolvers and slowly applied pressure to the trigger until I thought it was ridiculously excessive and gave up. Yeah, I know... new pistols and all, but Kahr triggers really spoil you. It's the danged strong springs and tight tolerances in these compact pistols that make racking them so hard. You do need a bit of strength and the proper techniques to operate Kahrs, and many other pistols.

In the past I reduced spring strength in S&W revolvers, but when I sold them, I put factory new mainsprings back in them. I shot mostly single-action at the range. I wasn't carrying those pistols. I learned to take them apart and get rid of the metal chunks and shavings from manufacture. That crap would get into the action and cause jams from time to time... and I know that some people had dumped guns like that instead of fixing them. I certainly bought a few!

I'll probably have to do something with my wife's P380. I can lighten springs and polish the trigger parts, etc. I kind of wish that I had gotten her a CW9 and "lightened" the action a bit for her. Hopefully she'll never NEED the pistol.

Wynn

[gb6491]

..., But 5+1 and my S&W M65 is 6???...

Six of one, half a dozen of another...having the option to go with either is grand

... Hopefully she'll never NEED the pistol.

Wynn

Amen to that.

Regards,
Greg

[wisconman]

The flight gloves give protection without taking too much "feel" away, but it's easier to load ammo with my bare fingertips. We had to turn small knobs and flick switches, etc., when flying. I was the Radar Navigator/Bombardier on B52's from just after 'Nam until just before Desert Storm. I was a Cold War Warrior pulling alert in B52's ready to go after the Rooskies, if there had been need.

I did get to participate in the South East Asian War Games, though, in '67 and '68. I flew as a enlisted linguist/crewmember in RC130's and RC135's... USAF Security Service... before going to college and then coming back into the USAF for 16 more years. I retired in 1988 and my wife in 1996. Pix in my album.

Wynn

A bit off topic, but just had to say hello to a fellow USAFSS zoomie. I was USAFSS (later ESC) most of my AF careeer (65-85) and have only run across a couple of our comrades from those days in recent years so it always nice to find one of my old comrades in arms.

Back on topic, I have been reading about the XDS, and it really has my interest. Normally, I like to carry the Colt Defender version of my service 1911, but the XDS really sounds like a great new way to have DA only and still have a great .45.

Jim R
Major, USAF, Ret

[gb6491]

The magazine has some machined cuts and notches in the front and on the top front sides. They must serve some purpose because they seem to weaken the magazine tube. I guess the front ones are the retention slots for the ambidextrous magazine release.

Wynn

That long notch provides clearance for a tab that prevents operation of the take down lever if there is a magazine in the pistol. It also prevents a magazine being fully inserted if the take down lever is in the disassemble position.
Regards,
Greg

[wyntrout]

Thanks, Greg. I figured that there HAD to be a reason for that, but it sure seems all of those slits on the sides could cause splits and problems.

Wynn