Springfield XD45 Tactical - HD Night Sights and Flashes

[Longitude Zero]

XD-45 Tactical with a light is my primary carry weapon and has been for the last 4 years. Love it and it is crazy accurate.

[Popeye]

Congrats on your new gun.
Looks like your having a good time with your new XD45. XD's are some real fine shooters. I had an XD9sc for about a year and a half and really liked it. Then I got the bug for a new CZ and one of the pistols had to go to make room. When I got the PM9 it kind of took the XD off my hip and onto the shelf. I kept looking and reading about the CZ and the more I looked at it the worse the itch got. I have no regrets, but I can see another XD in my future one day. Just have to figure out which pistol has to go to make room as my little safe can only handle so many.

[wyntrout]

Well, my Trijicon HD night sights just arrived by FedEx. I ordered them on Jan 1st and they shipped on the 2nd, and I got them today.

I was going to criticize the size of the package (the tiles are 12"x12") but maybe there's some regulations concerning radioactive materials to consider:

Wynn

[Bawanna]

You gonna hang those on yourself or take em someplace?

I installed a set on my sons and I ended up cutting the front off as they were very tight. Saw several had done that on the net. Installing the new set was not difficult and as I recall the rear sight drove off ok.

Let us know how it goes.

[wyntrout]

There's a local outfit that does custom work on 1911's, Glocks, and XD's among others, and sights are installed for $35 and a trigger job with your original parts is about $100.

I'm going to try them -- GPI: http://www.gpicustomgunworks.com/ ), rather than take a chance on screwing them up. Under $40 is a good deal since it would cost to ship the slide both ways, and more for the whole gun!

Here are some more pictures. The new sights are taller and I just stuck them in the dove tails for comparison:

Got to going and take these over as soon as I make sure they are open and where they are.

Wynn

[DJK11]

Whyn,
I installed the Springer kit on my XD. Removes most of the pre-travel "take up" and lightens the pull. Nice crisp break. very easy to install, just some fitting. Well worth the $130.

[wyntrout]

I took the pistol and sights to the gunsmith this afternoon. The owner checked out the XD45 and then took it back and checked with the other smiths in the back. The consensus was that they thought it would be a waste of money for the $130 trigger job. While they could improve the trigger resetting, they thought the pistol was fine as is... so I saved some money. I thought it was pretty nice as is, too.

I'll pick it up Monday and take it to the range. I've "cleared my schedule" for that.

Wynn

[wyntrout]

Well, I got my XD45 back yesterday(Jan. 12)... new HD NS installed and had the pistol cleaned and adjusted by the gunsmith... $85 total... all I really wanted was the NS installation, but the inspection/cleaning/adjustment or whatever didn't hurt.

For those who want to see the photos in a hurry:

Trijicon HD NS SP101Y (Yellow):

http://s1134.photobucket.com/albums/...ghts%20SP101Y/

Muzzle Flashes:

http://s1134.photobucket.com/albums/...ash%20Testing/

Targets:

http://s1134.photobucket.com/albums/...anuary%202012/

I'll start some commentary and pix as quickly as I can get to it.

I'm thrilled with these sights!

Wynn

[wyntrout]

I'm very happy with the Hard Duty sights. The large rear aperture, added sight radius, and more visible front sight really help my old eyes.

I'm not a "fine aimer"... I don't take a lot of time the line up the sights and when I get the picture I want I don't keep realigning the sights. I'm really pointing the pistol on most of the subsequent sights. Quite often I'll have one flier... maybe two that bracket the desired impact point, then I just point the pistol while mainly looking at the target and trying to keep the same alignment. I shoot quickly, too, with often only a second or less between shots. I can keep most under fist-sized groups at 7 yards and within the 7 1/1" diameter circle targets I tried at 15 yards. I usually feel lucky to keep a magazine-full on a sheet of paper at that range... certainly no 2" or so groups at that range... without a chair and a stable rest, anyhow.

The sights... Trijicon Hard Duty (developed mainly for military and police use) SP101Y... "Y" for yellow and there's an "O" for orange, too.



Note the larger "U"-shaped rear aperture:


The front of the rear sight is angled to facilitate one-handed racking on clothing or objects:


The larger yellow surrounded front sight is easy to see:


The yellow surround dot will glow brighter than the Tritium with a few seconds charging with a bright light. I used my 150-lumen "tac" light for about 5 seconds, but 10 seconds is nice if you have the time.


Next, the subdued light photos.

Wynn

[wyntrout]

Without "charging" the sights are like regular Tritium night sights, with the exception of the design, especially the rear sight.











Coupled with the larger rear aperture, it's much easier to acquire and align the sights.

Wynn

[wyntrout]

With this new-to-me pistol and its 5" barrel, I wanted to see how muzzle flash for the ammo I use compared with my self-defense ammo. I fired 5 rounds of each variant.

I use Short-Barrel Gold Dots for my carry ammo in the PM45 and regular "Duty" Gold Dots in the longer .45's... all 230-grain "regular pressure" loads.

I'll show 4 pictures of the flashes and one of the associated target for each variation of ammo. I forgot to bring some Bonded Remington Golden Sabers... mainly in my S&W 645 for home defense.

5 CCI Blazer Aluminum-Cased FMJ:

Bright!







I'll show 4 pictures of the flashes and one of the associated target for each variation of ammo. I forgot to bring some Bonded Remington Golden Sabers... mainly in my S&W 645 for home defense.

[wyntrout]

5 rounds of Federal Champion FMJ:





All pretty much the same... target:



I shot 6 mags of 13 rounds each... misplaced the 5 round during editing... much the same as 13 rounds.

Wynn

[wyntrout]

Next the MFS... made by Fiocchi in Ozark, MO:







Camera doesn't always catch the whole flash in 30 fps:

[wyntrout]

Next Remington UMC FMJ... maybe smokier than some:

[wyntrout]

Speer "Duty 50/box" Gold Dots: