Do you want to shoot 3-Gun competition but do not have thousands to spend on your competition handgun? Check out my Springfield Armory XD-M Elite. It will not break your bank account but offers quality, reliability, and versatility in a match-ready package. 

I own the 5.28-inch barreled version with Holosun optical sight. I find it’s a good fit and competitive right out of the box.
 

Table of Contents

History
My Impressions
Specifications
Range Time
Pros & Cons
Conclusion

HISTORY

Springfield Armory has been around since President George Washington’s time, and the modern company came out with the XD-M line in 2007 to compete with Glock and other designs. My Glock 17 is a nice carry gun, but when I compete, I shoot my XD-M Elite.  

Introduced in 2008, the Extreme Duty Match (XD-M) improved on the already successful XD series of pistols. Designed for competition, it includes an exchangeable backstrap, match barrel, and the Match Enhanced Trigger Assembly (META). 

The pistol was so well received that it won American Rifleman’s Handgun of the Year award in 2009. First available in .40 S&W, it now can be had in .45 ACP or 9 mm, like my gun. Many other calibers, variants, and barrel lengths are available from Springfield Armory.
 

Related: Springfield Armory Announces New Ronin, XD-M Elite Pistol Series
 

MY IMPRESSIONS

The XDM is an optics-ready, striker-fired, semi-automatic match-grade polymer pistol. Weighing under 2 pounds empty, it comes with two 22-round steel 9mm magazines. Imagine 44 rounds of ammo with only one magazine reload during a match! This pistol is truly ambidextrous. 
 

Except for the grip safety, there is no manual safety to slow my draw and fire. The slide and magazine releases are copied on the right and left sides. The pistol height of 6 inches means it will accommodate a variety of hand sizes comfortably. The magazine well is nicely flared, making magazine changes simple. The magazines are stainless steel. Bump pads and followers are polymer and allow easy mag disassembly for cleaning.  
 

As I pick up the pistol, I notice that it is big. Although not heavy, it fills my hand with a generous grip that inspires confidence through control. The steel slide has wide cocking serrations at the rear and front, making it easy to load the first round or clear a rare jam. A Picatinny rail is included under the front slide for lights or lasers. 

Springfield Armory’s META trigger is a pleasure to squeeze. The first stage take-up is predictable leading to the second stage break. I like the crisp feel as it barks each shot. Recoil and kick are mild, making follow-up shots easy. 
 

SPECIFICATIONS

• Overall length: 9.5 inches        
• Barrel length: 5.28 inches, hammer-forged steel, threaded
• Sight radius: 6.5 inches   
• Weight: 1.9 pounds empty 
• Width: 1.2 inches 
• Height: 6 inches   
• META Target Trigger: 5 pounds     
• Frame: Polymer   
• Slide: Cerakoted forged steel   
• MSRP: $733

RANGE TIME

Today in Area 51, it is time to shoot steel, paper, and 2-liter soda bottles. I compete in 3-Gun matches with this gun, and while I am not a pro competitor, the XD-M elite makes me look good! Holding the gun on the paper target to begin, I notice that this gun has a precise feel and trigger pull, making it very accurate. Hitting paper is easy, but so is spinning the steel flipper from left to right. Even a headshot on the steel is no problem.  

Time to shoot soda bottles. I love the way they explode and roll when hit by my hand-loaded 125-grain lead-cast bullets. Even the smaller pop cans are no problem for the XD-M. Notice how smoothly the action functions. Magazine changes are simple due to the slick steel mags and belled mag well. 
 

The stainless-steel magazines are well made and easily drop free of the pistol for rapid reloads. With a 22-round capacity, it is unlikely that I will need to reload during a match. However, my Blade-Tech double magazine pouch means that I start each stage with 66 rounds on my belt and in the gun. I will not run out of ammo!
 

This gun is reliable. Provided I use quality reloaded or factory ammo, the XD-M runs like a well-oiled machine. Running a partial mag dump on steel is easy. No hang-ups or other malfunctions were encountered. Although I have owned this pistol for a while and fired hundreds of rounds through it, jams were never a problem.             
            

PROS & CONS

Pros:

• Solid, well-made full-sized competition gun      
• META trigger 
• Match-ready                                               
• Customizable replaceable backstraps 
• Optics-ready; accepts lights and lasers
• Ambidextrous                                              
• High-capacity magazines 
• Suppressor-ready                                        
• Affordable 
   

Cons:

• Optical sight plates must be ordered separately from Springfield Armory 
   

CONCLUSION

I carry my Glock 17 every day as my concealed carry gun, but when I compete, this is the gun that I choose to complement my rifle and shotgun. It is full-sized, controllable, reliable, and steady to aim. If you are on a limited income like me, it is a surprisingly affordable ready-to-compete gun. 

I found that I only needed to add an optical sight to be ready to shoot a match. Those of you with young eyes can shoot it stock with irons. Smooth operation and a high mag count give me confidence in shooting steel. The XD-M Elite gives you a lot for your buck!