Springfield builds on its success with a sweet single-stack; the XD-S Mod. 2.
Photos by Eric R. Poole
It’s hard to follow the original when the first iteration was so good. In the case of Springfield Armory’s XD-S Mod. 2, this updated single-stack carry pistol is a perfected version of the original.
Springfield’s new XD-S uses a 3.3-inch barrel chambered in 9mm. When Guns & Ammo’s staff first handled it, we were wowed by how good it feels in the hand. Just when you thought a pistol couldn’t be made more ergonomic, the polymer-framed XD-S really benefited from the improved Mod. 2 grip. The grip continues the Mod. 2’s reputation for unique texture that surrounds all the touchpoints.
And it’s slim! The XD-S Mod. 2 measured just less than an inch wide and featured a higher undercut at the back of the triggerguard that allows us to bring the firing hand closer to the bore axis of the gun. This higher hand position improved on the great point-and-shoot handling characteristics of the original XD-S and provided us a carry gun that felt more like a natural extension of the arm.
Being just 6.3 inches long and 4.4 inches tall, the XD-S’ controls are minimal yet large enough to reach. The slide lock can be reached to manually engage and is easy to press down to release it. While the slide is slimmer than the original XD-S, the Mod. 2 maintains ample serrations at the rear of the slide to make racking the slide and overcoming the resistance of the dual-spring recoil system any easy task for even those challenged with dexterity issues.
I particularly liked how the grip was shaped near the magazine release button. When I grasped the gun
