Springfield offers a new optics ready 9mm compact for concealed carry in the XD-M Elite Compact.
Why The XD-M Elite Is Ideal For Concealed Carry:
- Small and light enough to be easily concealed
- Large enough to be shot comfortably and accurately
- Optics ready out of the box as well as enhanced iron sights
- Plenty of aftermarket support and accessories available
Springfield Armory recently unveiled the newest pistol in their X-DM Elite series, the X-DM Elite 3.8 inch OSP. The Springfield XD started its life in Croatia in the early 1990s as a duty sidearm known as the HS2000, and since Springfield acquired the rights to license it in 2002, they have changed quite a bit more than the gun’s name.
Today’s handgun market is being driven by concealed carry considerations. Companies are no longer simply trying to make a gun as small as possible like they were when .25 ACP pocket-guns were in vogue, the contemporary concealed carrier now demands usability as much as concealability.
This is why the most popular new CCW guns of today were designed with ergonomics, practical accuracy, and tactical manipulation in mind while still keeping the pistol as compact as possible. Springfield’s new XD-M Elite Compact OSP follows in that trend.
The 9mm Compact's Basics
The XD-M Elite Compact OSP is offered in 9mm with a 3.8 inch match-grade barrel and a shorter grip than standard Springfield XD models. The Compact OSP ships with two 14-round magazines that sit flush inside the gun’s flared magwell, intended to help hasten reloading. If you value ammunition capacity over concealability and reload speed, however, you can easily remove the flared magwell and instead use standard XD-M 19-round magazines in conjunction with magazine sleeves. Doing this transforms the gun into what is essentially a compact XD-M Elite slide on top of a full-sized frame.
The slide serrations have been enlarged to ensure the gun can be easily charged even with wet or dirty hands, and an ambidextrous slide stop lever and magazine release facilitates right or left-handed shooting.
The XD-M Elite 3.8 inch Compact OSP’s trigger utilizes Springfield’s META system, which they claim offers the “finest trigger pull available on a production polymer-framed pistol.” I have not tried the META trigger system myself, however I find Springfield’s claim to be dubious considering they did not limit their comparison to striker-fired pistols. Perhaps it is the best trigger on the market for a polymer-framed, striker-fired gun, but in a world where there exist polymer-framed DA/SA and SAO pistols, I have trouble believing that a striker-based system could offer a better feeling trigger. Of course, the shooting community will ultimately be who decides how good the META trigger system truly is.
Red Dot Or Iron Sights?
The OSP in the gun’s namesake stands for Optical Sight Pistol, one of the biggest improvements Springfield has made with their new XD-M Elite Compact. The Springfield Standard Footprint found on the XD-M Elite Compact OSP slide can accommodate both popular aftermarket pistol sights as well as the HEX Dragonfly it is being marketed with. The gun can be purchased as either a standalone pistol or as a package with the HEX Dragonfly.
If carrying with a red dot isn’t your taste, the seamless cover plate can be left on the optical mount for iron sight use. The gun comes standard with Springfield’s Tactical Rack U-Dot rear sight and a high-visibility fiber optic front post, making it a viable defense pistol even without mounting a red dot.
Springfield Armory XD-M Elite 3.8” Compact OSP Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Action Type: Striker Fired
Controls: Ambidextrous Slide Stop and Magazine Release
Magazine Capacity: 14- and 19-Round Magazines
Weight Unloaded: 29 Ounces
Barrel Length: 3.8 inches, Melonite finished, 1:10
Overall Length: 6.75 inches
Height: 4.58 inches
Sights: Fiber-Optic Front, Tactical-Rack U-Dot Rear; Springfield Standard Optics Footprint, HEX Dragonfly
MSRP: $633 (Just pistol), $818 (Packaged with HEX Dragonfly)
For more information on the XD-M Elite Compact OSP, please visit springfield-armory.com.
More On Springfield Armory:
- Springfield Armory Imports
- Springfield Armory M1A
- Springfield Hellcat
- Springfield XDS
- Springfield Saint
- Sprinfield XDE
- Springfield XDM
- Springfield 911
- Springfield Saint Victor
- Springfield Saint Edge
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